Partnering with Parents - How to Support Math at Home?

Tis' the season for Back to School Nights and Parent Orientations.
It is critical for educators to communicate with parents their role in the partnering with the teacher, classroom and school in their child's mathematical journey.  

It's easy for parents to forget that math is more than just addition and subtraction worksheets and memorized facts. It is our responsibility to look for ways to show children how math is such an important part of our everyday lives: cooking and shopping, art and music and computers – it is all math.

Here are some ways parents can help their child connect and practice math in “real life.”

1. Have your child count down the time (weeks, days and/or hours) to a special day or holiday.
2. Have your child measure ingredients for a recipe you are making.
3. Encourage your child to track or graph scores or stats for a favorite sports team.
4. Ask your child to count the change at the grocery store, or to estimate the total cost while you are shopping. Or, with older kids, to help track the family budget.
5. Explain what you’re doing whenever you use a measuring tape, a scale, or a ruler. Ask for your child’s help.

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Additionally, Cathy Seeley also has a GREAT message to share with parents from her book Faster Isn't Smarter:  A Math Message to Families

The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics also shares resources that might be helpful to share with parents.   NCTM Family Brochure

 

Whatever you decide is important to share, please make it a point to let families know how important it is for you to Partner with Parents! 

 

Welcome Back! 2013-14 - A Different Year!

I must say . . . I am EXCITED!!!       
I'm excited about the new school year,  I'm excited about the NEW Math TEKS, and I'm excited about the opportunity that change brings.
This will be a different year in the math world and I ask you to join us in this journey as we embrace change and commit to "doing something different"!

Over the past year we have worked collaboratively with our secondary counterparts, teachers and  administrators from across our great district to really define what is our vision for math in Leander ISD.  After reading a message from Cathy Seeley's book Faster Isn't Smarter we began to make more meaning of what a balanced math program should look like.  Balance is Basic

From this learning our district vision was born!

Leander ISD Math Vision

Make Sense of Math

Students build conceptual understanding through the intentional use of models to move through the mathematical cognitive processes of concrete, pictorial and abstract development.

Do the Math
Students develop proficiency with mathematical skills and tools that contribute to reasoning and understanding mathematical concepts.   

Use the Math 
Students apply mathematical understandings to solve authentic, multifaceted problems at varying levels of complexity. As students learn to persevere and become flexible problem solvers, they engage in math conversations that help solidify and justify their thinking. 

This school year, let's work together to make sure we plan and provide opportunities for each and every student to make sense of math, do the math and use the math.

Best of luck in the 2013-14 school year and get EXCITED about the difference you will make!