Alan Potts BA (Hons) PGCE
Senior Lecturer
Summary
Prior to doing my PGCE I worked as a chef, translator, computer programmer and community development worker, launching projects to support people with young children in South London.
I have worked at a variety of mainstream and special schools in the Sheffield area for seventeen years before coming to SHU in 2006.
About
Lead on IT training within ITT
Responsible for trainee tracking in maths
Responsible for subject knowledge support in maths
Module leader for BA3 maths and maths elective
Religious Education teacher
Academic tutor
University Link Tutor
I am interested in ways of getting trainee teachers to consider how they can enhance the thinking skills of the children they work with. In maths in particular, the area I teach most, I am concerned in the way the trainees subject knowledge impacts on their understanding of the appropriate pedagogical approaches and the way the potential of new technologies to enhance children's mathematical understanding can only be fully utilised if the teacher has a clear understanding of how mathematical concepts develop.
Teaching
Department of Teacher Education
College of Social Sciences and Arts
For several years I worked on a TDA sponsored project researching the experience of newly qualified teachers. I am currently working on a book on ways for teachers to develop genuine mathematical play in the classroom.