Parents Helping Students Understand Mathematics
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This document provides parents with guidance on how to help their children with mathematics homework, including asking open-ended questions, avoiding doing the homework for them, and communicating regularly with their child's teacher. It also discusses how parents can work with the school to ensure their child gets extra support in mathematics and informs them about upcoming changes to STAAR and end-of-course testing in Texas.
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Parents Helping Students Understand Mathematics
- 1. Parents Helping Students Understand Mathematics A Parent’s Guide
- 2. Helping students understand math Questions to ask your child’s mathematics teacher What math will be taught in this class? How can I find out what my child is learning? How much math homework can my child expect to have, and how long should he or she spend on homework each night? How can my child make up work when he or she misses school? How does my child earn grades in your class? Will my child’s grades be sent home? Will you send home a report about how my child is doing in your class? When and how often can I schedule a conference with you about my child’s progress? How? What can I do to help you? Get involved! What can I do to make sure my child succeeds in mathematics and will be able to take challenging math courses in the future?
- 3. Helping students with homework Are there words in the directions or the problem that you do not understand? Where do you think you should begin? Is there anything that you already know that can help you work through the problem? What have you done so far? Can you draw a picture or make a diagram to show how you solved a problem like this one? What is your teacher asking you to do? Can you explain it to me? Can you tell me where you are stuck? Remember, support homework—don’t do it! The best thing you can do is ask questions. Then listen to what your child says. Ask questions like:
- 4. Working with your child’s school How can I work with the school to make sure my child gets the most out of math? Ask the Teacher About the Class Ask the Teacher or Math Counselor About the Math Program Ask the Teacher or Counselor About Tutoring, Support, and Enrichment for Math
- 5. New STAAR & EOC Testing The Texas Education Agency(TEA) is launching STAAR (State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness) which will replace the TAKS test and includes new graduation requirements for the Class of 2015. STAAR will assess the same standards in a deeper, more rigorous way. Students in grades 3-8 will take the same subject tests for each grade level: as TAKS Students currently enrolled in the 9th grade will take STAAR/EOC (End of Course). Students currently enrolled in grades 10-12 will continue to take TAKS Grades Subject 3-8 Mathematics 3-8 Reading 4 and7 Writing 5 and 8 Science 8 Social Studies
- 6. Students need to earn the credits required for their graduation plan, meet a Total Score Requirement for the End of Course exams in four subject areas, and meet the Passing Standard for two tests: English III and Algebra II (for Recommended and Distinguished diplomas). New STAAR & EOC Testing Credits Three graduation plans: Minimum (22 credits) Recommended(26 credits) Distinguished (26 credits) Assessments Students must take 8 to 12 End of Course (EOC) exams EOC test results must be included as 15% of the student’s final grade for the course Each of the four subject areas has a Total Score Requirement Reading/ELA Math Social Studies Science Additional Passing Standards for English III and Algebra II (Recommended and Distinguished diplomas)
- 7. Are there any good books that make math part of the story? Math and Literature
- 8. Math and Literature “Oh, we’re just the average family,” he said thoughtfully; “mother, father, and 2.58 children—and, as I explained, I’m the .58.” “It must be rather odd being only part of a person,” Milo remarked. “Not at all,” said the child. “Every average family has 2.58 children, so I always have someone to play with. Besides, each family also has an average of 1.3 automobiles, and since I’m the only one who can drive three tenths of a car, I get to use it all the time.” Questions: What are averages? When are they useful? Are they “real” numbers? Every middle school child should be able to discuss averages. What does average mean to you? The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Jester Bullseye Books, New York, 1961
- 9. [Brian] looked at the dashboard of the plane, studied the dials and hoped to get some help, hoped to find a compass, but it was all so confusing, a jumble of numbers and lights. He tried to figure out the dials…. He thought he might know which was speed—it was a lighted number that read 160—but he didn’t know if that was actual miles an hour, or kilometers, or if it just meant how fast the plane was moving through the air and not over the ground. When the pilot had jerked he had moved the plane, but Brian could not remember how much or if it had come back to its original course. Since he did not know the original course anyway and could only guess at which display might be the compass—the one reading 342—he did not know where he had been or where he was going…. Questions: How are 160 miles an hour and 160 kilometers an hour different? What markings are on a compass? Can a compass have a reading of 342°? Math and Literature Hatchet by Gary Paulsen Penguin Books, New York, 1987
- 10. “Instead of twenty-six letters. There are really fifty-two.” Stanley looked at him surprised. “I guess that’s right. How’d you figure that out?” he asked. Zero said nothing. “Did you add?” Zero said nothing. “Did you multiply?” “That’s just how many there are.” “It’s good math,” said Stanley. “I’m not stupid,” Zero said. “I know everybody thinks I am. I just don’t like answering their questions.” Questions: How many letters of the English alphabet are there? Why did Zero say there are 52? What type of reasoning is being used? Holes by Louis Sachar Frances Foster Books, New York, 1998 Math and Literature
- 11. Helpful Resources & Websites CSCOPE Parent Portal http://www.cscope.us/parentportal/ Math Video Tutorial http://www.khanacademy.org/ NCTM Math Support http://www.figurethis.org/index.html
Editor's Notes
- Get to know your child’s math teacher and the school guidance counselor. Be sure to attend Back-to-School Night, parent-teacher conferences, and other scheduled events to ask questions and find out more about your child’s math program and how he or she is doing. Don’t be afraid to ask for what your child needs. You’ll find that teachers and counselors are happy to answer your questions and will appreciate your involvement and support. Also consider arranging a regular time for your child to work on math with a peer or group of students. Working with others can help students who are struggling as well as those who excel.
- The best thing you can do is ask questions. Then listen to what your child says. Often, simply explaining something out loud can help your child figure out the problem. Encourage your child to show all work, complete with written descriptions of all thinking processes. This record will give your child something to look back on, either to review or to fi x a mistake, and can also help the teacher understand how the problem was solved Besides supporting your child on homework, show the importance of learning math by helping your child connect math with daily life.
- Just like your child, schools need your support—especially in the middle school years. Since choice made in middle school determine high school courses that either increase or limit future education and career opportunities, your participation is critical. Two people you should get to know are your child's math teacher and the school counselor. Working with you and your child, they can help you decide the math your child will take in the future. Talk with them often. Let them know that you want to participate in making decisions. How do you begin? Ask questions. After all, you have a right to know. Find out if your child is getting the same opportunities in math as everyone else. Ask if a plan is already in place for your child's future math classes. If so, ask to see it. State that you have high expectations. Make it clear that you want your child to take challenging math classes each year through high school. You'll find that teachers and counselors will be happy to answer your questions. After all, you're in this together.
- Find math where you least expect it—in your child’s books and reading materials. Math turns up in the most unexpected places! You'll find it somewhere between the covers of almost any book—novels, mysteries, biographies, legends, and adventures. For ideas on how you and your child might talk about the math you discover in books you read, look over these selections and the questions that follow below them. But they're only starters. You'll soon start finding the math in everything you read. Talking about it is one more way to bring your family together. Enjoy! Doing mathematics as you read literature is a real possibility if you choose the right books. The following passages from contemporary literature, and the accompanying questions, can give you some ideas on how to mix math and your reading.