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Partnering With Parents in Elementary School Math
A Guide for Teachers and Leaders
Series:
Corwin Mathematics Series
Corwin Mathematics Series
February 2021 | 208 pages | Corwin
How to build productive relationships in math education
I wasn’t taught this way. I can’t help my child! These are common refrains from today’s parents and guardians, who are often overwhelmed, confused, worried, and frustrated about how to best support their children with what they see as the “new math.” The problem has been compounded by the shift to more distance learning in response to a global pandemic. Partnering With Parents in Elementary School Math provides educators with long overdue guidance on how to productively partner and communicate with families about their children’s mathematics learning. It includes reproducible surveys, letters, and planning documents that can be used to improve the home-school relationship, which in turn helps students, parents, teachers, and education leaders alike. Readers will find guidance on how to:
· Understand and empathize with what fuels parents’ anxieties and concerns
· Align as a school and set parents’ expectations about what math instruction their children will experience and how it will help them
· Communicate clearly and productively with parents about their students’ progress, strengths, and needs in math
· Run informative and fun family events
· support homework
· Coach parents to portray a productive disposition about math in front of their children
Educators, families, and students are best served when proactive, productive, and healthy relationships have been developed with each other and with the realities of today's math education. This guide shows how these relationships can be built.
I wasn’t taught this way. I can’t help my child! These are common refrains from today’s parents and guardians, who are often overwhelmed, confused, worried, and frustrated about how to best support their children with what they see as the “new math.” The problem has been compounded by the shift to more distance learning in response to a global pandemic. Partnering With Parents in Elementary School Math provides educators with long overdue guidance on how to productively partner and communicate with families about their children’s mathematics learning. It includes reproducible surveys, letters, and planning documents that can be used to improve the home-school relationship, which in turn helps students, parents, teachers, and education leaders alike. Readers will find guidance on how to:
· Understand and empathize with what fuels parents’ anxieties and concerns
· Align as a school and set parents’ expectations about what math instruction their children will experience and how it will help them
· Communicate clearly and productively with parents about their students’ progress, strengths, and needs in math
· Run informative and fun family events
· support homework
· Coach parents to portray a productive disposition about math in front of their children
Educators, families, and students are best served when proactive, productive, and healthy relationships have been developed with each other and with the realities of today's math education. This guide shows how these relationships can be built.
Praise Pages
About the Authors
Acknowledgements
Introduction
Why This Book Now?
Examining Your Core Beliefs
What Role Have You Played?
What is a Parents Role in Their Child's Mathematics Learning?
How to Use This Book
The Goal and Structure of This Book
APPLY IT!
Stepping Into Parents' Shoes
Asking Parents About School Communication
What Parents Do and Why
Putting It All Together
Frequently Asked Questions
Apply It! Teacher Activity
Apply It! Leader Activity
Understanding What Parents Need to Know About Today's Math
What Parents Really Need to Know About Today's Math
What Parents Really Need to Know About Their Child's Math
Putting It All Together
Frequently Asked Questions
Apply It! Teacher Activity
Apply It! Leader Activity
Planning Effective School-wide Mathematics Communication
The Systemic Problem
The Determining Roles of All Stakeholders
Crafting and Communicating Consistent School-wide Policies
Getting Buy-In and Commitment from All Stakeholders
Putting It All Together
Frequently Asked Questions
Apply It! Teacher Activity
Apply It! Leader Activity
Exploring How to Communicate with Parents About Math
What Makes Written Communication With Parents Effective?
Tools For Communication and When to Use Them
Traditional Communication
Digital Communication
Putting it All Together
Frequently Asked Questions
Apply It! Teacher Activity
Exploring What to Communicate to Parents About Math
Reaching Parents-at-large
Reaching Parents-as-a-class
Reaching Parents-as-individuals
Putting It All Together
Frequently Asked Questions
Apply It! Teacher Activity
Apply It! Leader Activity
Hosting Parent Events
Parent Experiences
Non-Math Specific Events
Math-Specific Events
Putting It All Together
Frequently Asked Questions
Apply It! Teacher Activity
Apply It! Leader Activity
Conclusion: Shifting the Narrative
Our Top 8 Ways to Support Parents in Mathematics
References
Index
This book offers suggestions, strategies, and structures elementary teachers need and want to educate and inform parents. The authors’ work is comprehensive and very practical, and it thoughtfully provides teachers with incredible ready-to-use ideas for promoting math home-to-school connections.
Mathematics Support Teacher, Howard County Public School System
Howard County, MD
Look no further for an invaluable resource as a reference or professional book study to enhance the parent/community engagement portion of your school’s mission or improvement plan. Kreisberg and Beyranevand have created a powerful how-to guide for teachers and school leaders to create and strengthen partnerships with parents, families, and caregivers in service of children’s mathematics learning.
President of NCSM Leadership in Mathematics Education (2021–2023)
Dallas, TX