1. Edel Connolly Philadelphia, USA 1 July 2008
ALM -15 CONFERENCE
Edel Connolly
Philadelphia, USA
1 July 2008

2. Adults Learning Mathematics A Declaration of Numeracy
Empowering Adults
through Mathematics Education

3. Home School Community Liaison Scheme
established in 1992 at Secondary Level
built on the theory and practice of partnership
parents, teachers and community agents as partners in education

4. Home School Community Liaison Scheme - Aims
to raise awareness in parents of their own capacities to enhance their children's educational progress and to assist them in developing relevant skills

5. Home School Community Liaison Scheme
Establishing such partnerships involves:
home visitation by the Home School Community Liaison Coordinator
provision of a comfortable milieu such as a Parents Room

6. Home School Community Liaison Scheme - Classes & Courses
curricular areas - allowing parents to help and support their children with school work
personal development
aspects of educational development from basic literacy to certificate examination subjects and diploma courses

7. Home School Community Liaison Scheme - Classes & Courses
1997 OECD study, Parents as Partners in Schooling, referred to the Home School Community Liaison Scheme as:
...educational initiatives based in schools can raise the educational level of the adults involved, and result in a general sense of empowerment in the local community. Parental involvement, especially in areas of socio-economic deprivation, does not just benefit the children and the school - it is a crucial aspect of lifelong learning.

8. Home School Community Liaison Scheme – Disadvantaged Status
Urban Schools
Unemployed
Medical card
Local authority housing
Lone parent
Mother’s education
Father’s education

9. Fun Maths for Parents - Aims
to allow the parents an opportunity to engage in a variety of mathematical activities
to take the fear out of mathematics as a subject
to make mathematics more accessible, practical, and enjoyable

10. Fun Maths for Parents - Aims
entice parents to look to other methodologies of helping their daughters in their approach and attitude to the subject at home
a positive experience for all concerned

11. Fun Maths for Parents - Parents
identified with Home School Community Liaison Coordinator
spent their young adult life at a great distance from formal and informal education

12. Fun Maths for Parents - Parents
expressed reluctance, negativity and a total lack of confidence in their abilities with regard to mathematics
target parent-group...cross the school threshold to take part in a learning programme in a subject deemed by them to be terrifying and alienating

13. Fun Maths for Parents – Action Project
HSCL discussed the idea with the parents
Invited into the Parents Room to meet
Outline
changes to the mathematics syllabus at Junior Certificate level
focus that the Department of Education and Science wished to place upon mathematics as a more practical and accessible subject

14. Fun Maths for Parents – Games
Monkeys and Bananas
Odds & Evens (card game)

15. Fun Maths for Parents – Games Dice Numbers

16. Fun Maths for Parents – Games Countdown

17. Fun Maths for Parents – Games I have…Who has…?
Who has this number plus 7?
I have 10
Who has this number minus 1?

18. Fun Maths for Parents – Games Calculator Words

19. Fun Maths for Parents – Games Board Game

20. Fun Maths for Parents – Set Up
Game 2
Game 3
Game 1

21. Fun Maths for Parents – Award

22. Fun Maths for Parents – Recommendations
to introduce the programme throughout the school year and include all of the First Year classes
financially disadvantaged, but also educationally disadvantaged
to continue with Fun Maths for Parents into Second Year