Collaboration among parents, teachers, and students is essential if learners are to succeed in the classroom. Finding ways to get parents involved in their children’s learning, especially in math, is crucial, especially now that most students are learning from home due to the coronavirus pandemic.
But more often than not, getting parents involved in their children’s learning is often a daunting task for educators. Some parents are too busy, while others may feel intimidated, considering that they struggled with math themselves while in school.
However, parents are the biggest influencers in the lives of their little ones. So, partnering with them is productive for everyone.
Besides, simple strategies such as being there when your child is doing their math homework can positively affect their achievement. And thanks to technology, parents can also use simple downloadable tools, or maths worksheets to make learning at home a breeze.
So, how can you, as a parent, work together with your child’s school to ensure your little one succeeds in math?
Here are five strategies that schools can use to ensure parents are more involved in their children’s learning.
Table of Contents
1. Effective Communication
Effective communication between you and your child’s teacher builds trust and understanding. When the two of you understand and trust each other, you’ll work effectively to help your child.
Effective communication also helps maintain a positive partnership between the school and parents. Besides, when a parent and a teacher develop a relationship inside and outside the classroom, it’s easier for them to communicate the child’s progress throughout the year effectively.
Moreover, keeping communication lines open allows parents to access information on how their children are doing in mathematics and other subjects.
Some communication strategies schools can use to keep parents informed about their children math progress include:
- Holding workshops
- Holding school-open days
- Advising about math books and games
- Having family math programs
- Having a social media math classroom page
2. Encourage Parents to Use Technology
Technology tools make learning math more interesting. Teachers can encourage parents to use technology where necessary to help learners understand math concepts. For instance, parents can upload engaging math animations and videos to help their children develop specific math skills.
Besides, such media helps excite and motivate students, making learning more rewarding.
Learners can also explore math concepts using digital games and tools, such as math worksheets. Teachers can also send lessons through media tools, allowing kids to view tutorials on their parents’ computers at home.
Besides, if a child has difficulties in a given math topic, using technology at home can help them learn at their own pace.
3. Connect Math to the Real World
When parents associate everyday activities with math, then learning the subject becomes easier.
Both teachers and parents can help learners see the connection between math concepts and everyday life. For instance, rather than giving learners fraction operations as homework, a teacher can challenge the parent and the child to cut fruits such as apples into different fractions for easier understanding.
Similarly, connecting math problems to everyday activities such as telling time, measuring ingredients, reading the traffic signs, or calculating the walking distance to school will make math more interesting and broaden your child’s understanding.
4. Talk Positively About Math at Home
A positive attitude is infectious.
Both teachers and parents should avoid talking negatively about math. At home, parents ought to encourage their children not to give up.
Children with low self-confidence in math can be taught how to improve their performance through positive self-talk.
Moreover, since children mostly learn from their parents, parents must have a can-do attitude towards math. As a parent, avoid negative comments such as “I was never good at math, “or “math is hard”. Instead, encourage your child to keep going and let them know they can succeed in the subject.
In closing, parents play an important role in supporting their children’s academic success. The above are great ideas on how teachers and guardians can collaborate to ensure learners keep learning math, whether they’re at home or in the classroom.
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