Jacob Merrill
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islesofwhatif.bsky.social
Jacob Merrill
@islesofwhatif.bsky.social
Phase Leader/Y4 teacher from Norfolk. I create and post open-ended maths tasks for KS2 (7-11) that promote creativity/curiosity http://islesofwhatif.com Trustee for @atmmathematics.bsky.social Views my own.
And air fryer temp and time before that?
June 29, 2025 at 7:11 PM
Thank you! The photo on the left is this task if anyone is interested:

islesofwhatif.com/2024/05/01/f...
Formed From Three - The Mathematical Isles of What If...?
Using three similar shapes, surround an area that forms a triangle. Then using three more the same, form a quadrilateral, then a pentagon etc. How far can you go?
islesofwhatif.com
April 15, 2025 at 10:19 AM
It might retain it for a while as it is probably cached but it would likely go at some point soon after. In the past, if I've updated the meta image or text, it has eventually changed on a post.
February 20, 2025 at 5:56 PM
Reposted by Jacob Merrill
So true.
Long may the @atmmathematics.bsky.social messaging of learning mathematics by making and doing mathematics be broadcast.

It was reaffirmed in "Better Mathematics"
February 18, 2025 at 7:58 PM
Yes! I probably should have written that!

Thanks! I fear my short list could be quite long...
February 20, 2025 at 12:34 PM
Done
February 20, 2025 at 9:21 AM
Since I can't send a DM to you on here, is it ok to email it to you?
February 19, 2025 at 10:45 PM
Ah yes, thank you.
February 18, 2025 at 8:40 PM
I'm sure you'll have better suggestions but I recently wrote a piece about how we might create opportunities for learners to develop agency through 'what if' questions. It shares some classroom experiences where they created and explored their own constraints. Happy to share if interested
February 18, 2025 at 8:17 PM
And the thing with putting so much priority on remembering more is, what happens when they forget it? What value was the learning then? It's inevitable at some point. It might take days, months, years. I can't remember the formula for quadratic equations now despite endless use at school
February 18, 2025 at 9:19 AM
Yes. When I think about myself as a mathematician, I studied to a level, did a computer science degree. Now I don't access beyond KS2 content but the way I access it is more meaningful. But edu is so afraid of any complexity. In tasks, in aims, in what we value. The way chn access is reductive
February 18, 2025 at 9:17 AM
I've been thinking a lot about this. The goal of a poem isn't to help you understand language - it's to transform perspectives. But maths is taught as if properties and predefined procedures of mathematical objects are all that matters. I think m. objects can transform perspectives too when explored
February 18, 2025 at 8:12 AM