02+Mathematics+with+Your+Family



Mathematics with Your Family

Parents of our students really want to help their children learn mathematics. They rely on the way they were taught math, or how they were successful with math in school, as the way they approach math with their children. Many times, they remember the procedures they were taught, but not the reasons why those procedures were used or why they work.

There is no reason why procedures cannot be taught to children. We know that procedural knowledge is helpful. At the same time, we want our students to learn the concepts behind the procedures, the reasons why the procedures are helpful. Our job must be to help parents remember the reasons why the procedures work and to share that knowledge with their children.

Another road we could investigate is to provide parents with resources that will help their children develop mathematical understanding. One such resource was developed several years ago by math educators for Texas Instruments. The activities in the booklet promote mathematical reasoning in children. I have attached that resource here so that you may share it with parents.

If we provide resources that promote mathematical reasoning and understanding to the parents of our students, I am sure they will help our students learn mathematical concepts as well as procedures. If you have other resources that meet this goal, please let me know. Wouldn’t it be great if we developed a mathematics resource list for parents? Talk about a win-win situation!