All-Attainment Teaching in Secondary Mathematics

Colin Jackson completed his first degree in Engineering Science at Edinburgh University in the late 70s.  After working in industry for several years he embarked on a mathematics PGCE at Chelsea College in the mid-80s.  Having been convinced on the course of its benefits, he taught all-attainment mathematics over a period of fifteen years in several secondary schools in London and Yorkshire, first as a classroom teacher, then later as a Head of Department.  Along the way he completed a second undergraduate degree in mathematics with the Open University.  Around the millennium he moved into higher education working on the secondary mathematics PGCE and on undergraduate routes into teaching at Sheffield Hallam University.  During his time there he was course leader for the BSc in Mathematics Education (Secondary), Mathematics Director for the create maths project, Project manager for the MAST programme based at Sheffield Hallam University and CPD leaderfor Mathematics in the Making (MIMA) – a multinational Comenius project.  He has a research profile in social justice in mathematics education.  He retired in 2016 but still retains an active interest in mathematics education.

“Jackson presents a thorough exploration of the influences of social and political ideologies on the ways that schools and teaching are organized in the U.K. and a very scholarly review of research on educational outcomes for students … . the insights from Jackson’s research will be valuable to those who share the participants’ goals of transforming secondary mathematics education in the pursuit of more just opportunities and outcomes for students.” (Duane Graysay, MAA Reviews, January 29, 2023)

• Chapter 1. Backstory: Growing up working-class in Northern Ireland: schooling not education.- Chapter 2. Introduction.- Chapter 3. Class, schooling and the legitimation of inequality.- Chapter 4. Class, "ability" groups and mathematics in English secondary schools.- Chapter 5. Methodological and method considerations.- Chapter 6. Data collection, processing and analysis.- Chapter 7. Introducing the teachers.- Chapter 8. The teachers: what sustains them.- Chapter 9. Introducing, developing and maintaining all-attainment while convincing others  .- Chapter 10. How the teachers make all-attainment work in the classroom.- Chapter 11. Conclusion.