We have a new whizzy maths coordinator who is a lovely person and outstanding teacher. However a number of us are beginning to feel like failures and that we are not teaching maths and particularly the mental/oral session correctly. It has been suggested that we spend at least 20 minutes on this part of this lesson and use lots of powerpoints (ok many of them can be downloaded) and include at least 4/5 different activities, all of which need to be differentiated. I have tried to take this on board but find I'm spending at least 30 minutes planning this part of the lesson before I start on the main part! What do other people do the for mental/oral session?

Odd that guidance now states that the O&M part isn't necessarily essential to a lesson, and certainly not unless it has relevance to the main learning.

Obviously O&M has its place, but 20 minutes in every lesson?  Really?  What's wrong with children just getting down to the learning and working in their books straight away?  The AFL possibilities are far better than less confident kids either copying off each other's whiteboards or not answering at all for those 20 minutes.

 Sometimes on supply i have to mare my oral starters up on the day without planning.and they go ok!

seriously .as long as they either perpare children for the lesson to come, challange them to consider or reinforce a concept why is so much time spent.

In one school i go to they have in maths......

5 mins tables.......speed tables

5 mins white board work....write and show

5 mins of a challange question , often involving quick collective discussion and writing

Ten its in tot he main lesson....intoro and then main task

10  mins plenerry