1. Helping Children with Maths and Numeracy

3. 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

4. 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.

5. Mental Maths Activities
Counting stick
Flips
Money

6. Notice how you work Addition 6 + 7= 25 + 10 = 100 + 200 = 150 + 40 == = = = = =
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 =

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

8. Bite the Chilli

9. 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

10. 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

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

12. How do all of these apply to their maths?

13. 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

14. 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’

15. 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

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

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

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

19. On holiday Flight information Spending money Converting currency
Temperature comparisons