Helping Children with Maths and Numeracy

Why get parents involved? Children make more progress if parents work with them Applying mathematical concepts is greatly enhanced if parents reinforce them in every day life Children are more likely to succeed and less likely to have negative attitudes towards maths

How was it for you? I felt a failure when it came to maths. I enjoyed solving calculations and getting the right answers. I felt a failure when it came to maths. I never really understood what was happening. I could just remember what to do. The maths I experienced never really had a real purpose or relevance to my everyday life. The thought of maths lessons made me feel anxious, even terrified. I enjoyed my experiences of maths at school. I was usually alright as long as I did a lot of practice.

Mental Maths Activities Counting stick Flips Money

Notice how you work Addition 6 + 7= 25 + 10 = 100 + 200 = 150 + 40 = 267 + 100 = 246 + 120 = 236 + 22 = 1000 + 200 = 250 + 2000 = 2500 + 200 = Subtraction 10 – 4 = 37 – 20 = 200 – 100 = 250 – 50 = 385 – 30 = 456 – 120 = 456 – 56 = 1000 – 400 = 2000 – 300 = 3500 – 1500 = Multiplication 6 X 4 = 2 X 5 = 9 X 1 = 7 X 4 = 4 X 3 = 3 X 3 = 8 X 2 = 6 X 10 = 5 X 7 = 10 X 7 = Division 30 ÷ 3 = 55 ÷ 5 = 12 ÷ 4 = 36 ÷ 6 = 32 ÷ 8 = 80 ÷ 10 = 100 ÷ 4 = 200 ÷ 10 = 1000 ÷ 2 = 1000 ÷ 4 =

Notice how you worked through the calculations what helped what hindered how you felt

Bite the Chilli

How did you play the game? Did you talk to each other? Did you think of a way and try it out? Did you change your mind during the activity? Did you work/think backwards? Did you take turns? All these strategies you used we want our children to use

Skills for the 21st Century An ability to estimate and get a rough feel for an answer An ability to judge the reasonableness of an answer A good mental calculation ability with a range of strategies To value mistakes and not fear them To be interested in the thinking and not just the answer

Skills for the 21st Century Decision makers Work with others Listen to others Perseverance Creativity Empathy Observant Open to feedback

How do all of these apply to their maths?

School Experiences today More concrete apparatus More talking about maths More jottings and informal recordings More praise for the effort and the thinking Less emphasis on filling books Less emphasis on working quietly Less emphasis on the answer

Helping with homework Discuss different ways of working Explain and explore Resist teaching ‘your’ way Resist negative comments Discuss what the children need to do Encourage the child to explain/read the question again Praise effort rather than outcome – ‘failure is the mother of success’

Games Talk about the game and how they are going to begin Let the children choose the game Praise the effort even if they get it wrong Show your child that you are enjoying the game Avoid solving every task for the child

Outside school maths At home In the kitchen In the garden Television schedules Putting away the shopping Sorting the laundry Recipes Diluting drinks

Shopping Comparing prices Sales Phone contracts Comparing quantities Change Value for money

In the car Game 24 Same and different Classifying/sorting Distances

On holiday Flight information Spending money Converting currency Temperature comparisons