Welcome to Family STEM Night! #WCDSBInnovates

Opening Prayer / Territorial Acknowledgement A Math Prayer

You are their first teachers! The mathematics curriculum document states, “Parents have an important role to play in supporting student learning. Studies show that students perform better in school if their parents or guardians are involved in their education.” The Kindergarten program references a partnership with parents and the importance of parental involvement in their child’s learning.

Let’s think back! Parents/Guardians: If we were to go back in time and watch a math class that you were a student in, what would we see or hear?

A Mathematician Mindset Visualize or picture a mathematician in your mind… Notice any similarities?

In mathematics, the most important thing is getting the right answer.

HOW DO I, AS A PARENT, SUPPORT MY CHILDREN WITH MATH? Marian Small’s advice to parents . . . Be intentional & casual Marian Small https://vimeo.com/136761936 Summary of Marian Small’s advice to parents: speak to your kids casually about math . . . math is NOT something to worry about. It is a way to view the world. A VERY HELPFUL way to view it. Appeal to your child’s curiosity Not one single way to do “maths”, or anything This approach EMBODIES the classroom approach Dr. Marian Small Researcher, mathematician, professor, former Dean of Education at University of New Brunswick

Supporting your mathematicians! Be aware of your math attitude or your “math-itude”. Be cautious about what you share and think positive! Encourage seeing math all around us. Point it out. Have fun with it! (e.g. gas station, cooking) Share when you used math to help you out. Make it visible! (e.g. grocery store, cooking, setting the table)

Supporting your mathematicians! Ask them to estimate or make predictions. Have them explain their thinking. (e.g. time to do things, cost) Play games with your kids Ask your amazing Library Tech. about books that highlight math

Supporting your mathematicians! Encourage persistence. Praise effort over intelligence and speed. Make it about the thinking over the answer. Encourage the use of fun math websites. www.mathies.ca www.bedtimemath.org

Supporting your mathematicians! Ask them about math class: Did you collaborate with other mathematicians today? What math tool(s) did you use? How did they help you understand better? What are you working on in math? Why are you learning it? What surprised you about your learning in math class today? What are you wondering about in math class? What mistake did you learn from in math class today? How was your math thinking the same or different than someone else’s today?

Supporting your mathematicians! Sherrie’s notes https://vimeo.com/136761936

Where do we go now?