Parents’ Talk
Ballygarvan NS March 2014
4 items for discussion
1.
2.
3.
4.
Homework Policy
Uniform Policy
Anti-Bullying Policy Review
Numeracy/Maths advice for parents
Homework Policy
Pupils:150 pupils responded to questionnaire
• 90% said homework was important
• At the senior end discrepancies arising eg 3rd
class taking longer to do homework than 4th
• 93% of pupils have access to internet
Parents:154 Parents responded
93% said homework was important and agreed
on same priority areas
Homework Policy continued
• 93% of parents do not want homework given
at weekends
• 47% of parents believe homework in senior
classes takes too long
• 88% of pupils have access to internet
Proposals following analysis of
homework questionnaires
• Update and Circulate Homework Policy on school website
following this review (Largely unchanged)
• No homework at weekends except occasionally and in
exceptional circumstances, (subject to review).
• Class teachers consult to make sure amount given is gradually
increasing throughout the school year and the class levels.
• Class teachers consult to ensure items being covered are
consistent between same grades and between successive
grades.
• Principal will collect samples of good practice in the area of
homework being given in each class at different times in the
year. This will be kept on file for staff.
• Principal will feedback to parents at PA Meeting
Uniform Policy
62 Respondents
• 97 % of respondents want a school uniform
and over 90% chose the options for the
school uniform that we have at present.
• We will not therefore be making any
alterations to the existing uniform apart from
trying to source an iron-on crest.
Anti-Bullying Policy Review
•
•
•
•
Review has to be undertaken in all schools in
this term
Principal attending seminar
Talk arranged for all staff, BOM and Parents on
31st March. Looking for parental input.
Principal will get input from some senior
pupils- ( 4th/5th and 6th)
Revised policy will be available on website or
from the school office on request
10 Ways to Help Your Child Learn
Maths
Seán Delaney
Marino Institute of Education
We’ve all been here….!
www.seandelaney.com
1. Promote a Positive Attitude to
Maths
You’re doing
honours maths?
You must be a
genius!
I was never any
good at maths
myself
Sure when do you
ever use algebra in
real life?
Some people are
just good at maths
and others are not
www.seandelaney.com
It’s not about the test!!
2. Look at Tables Differently
www.seandelaney.com
Learn Related Facts Together:
6 + 7 = 13
7 + 6 = 13
13 – 7 = 6
13 – 6 = 7
www.seandelaney.com
Learning Number Facts
The fact table below
shows the strategies
that can be used
with addition facts.
Introducing the
ConceptDeveloping
the Concept
www.seandelaney.com
Addition Table
www.seandelaney.com
Hundred Square
www.seandelaney.com
Multiplication Table
www.seandelaney.com
3. Ask Your Child to Teach You Maths
3. Ask Your Child to Teach You Maths
5–1
72 – 48
1½+3¼
148 ÷ 7
Find 10 % of 76
Say it out loud! Talk through every step
www.seandelaney.com
4. Encourage Your Child to be
Independent in Maths
http://blogs.psychcentral.com/always-learning/files/2010/05/math-mistakesMay-5-2010-003.jpg
From Maths Lab 2007
www.seandelaney.com
5. Use Maths with your Child in Daily
Life
www.seandelaney.com
Where in the school can a Blue Whale
fit? (30m in length)
6. Display Maths Work at Home
www.seandelaney.com
7. Communicate with your Child’s
Teacher
http://www.ncca.ie/uploadedfiles/G.5.%20Test%20results1.jpg
www.seandelaney.com
7. Communicate with your Child’s
Teacher
http://www.ncca.ie/uploadedfiles/G.5.%20Test%20results1.jpg
www.seandelaney.com
Introduction to Addition Note
This is the way we are doing renaming,
please follow the same steps to avoid
confusion.
Take the sum
34
+48
Step 1
Write T and U over the sum to help.
TU
34
+48
Step 2 – U always start with Units and from
the bottom.
8+4 is 12 Can I have 12 units? No
2 Units go under the Units and my Ten goes up
under my Tens. Start from the bottom again,
1+4 is 5, 5+3=8
TU
34
+418
82
www.seandelaney.com
Here is a list of the Maths topics covered so far by pupils in second class.
How many ways can you make a specific number using two numbers e.g. 6
and 4 make 10, 3 + 7 make 10
Adding both ways e.g. 2 + 6 is the same as 6 + 2
Doubles e.g. Double 34= 34 +34= 68
Drawing a sum e.g. 12-5
Addition- Sums with brackets e.g. (7+2) + 4=
and add what is in
brackets first
Friendly numbers i.e. 2 numbers that make 10 when you add them
2d shapes e.g. circle, square. What are they called? How many sides, corners?
3d shapes e.g. cube, cylinder. How many sides, faces, corners?
Estimating
Rounding up and down a number to the nearest 10 e.g. 24 rounds down to
20 and 38 rounds up to 40
Skip counting e.g. 4, 8, 12
e.g. How many fingers do 8 people have, how many legs do 6 people have?
Addition with and without number- line and 100 square
Subtraction with and without number- line and 100 square
Subtraction with renaming e.g. 65-38=
Missing numbers and empty boxes e.g. 12 +
= 8, -5= 12
www.seandelaney.com
= 20,
Place value e.g. 35 is the same as 3 tens and 5 units
+5= 15, 20= 4 + , 13-
Dear Parents,
This week in maths we are starting a new unit on
capacity.
We have a capacity table in school with lots of
different sized containers. Here we will compare
containers using the following vocabulary:
Empty, full, small, little, large, to the top, fill, how
many? Holds more than, holds less than, the same as,
soaks, overflows, level.
At home it would be helpful if you discuss the
difference between ‘empty’ and ‘full’. Emphasise that
‘full’ means ‘up to the top’. Let them experiment at the
sink with various different size containers. How many
little bottles will it take to fill this big bottle? etc.
Some kids love making a mess!
www.seandelaney.com
8. Be Realistic about Textbooks
8. Be Realistic about Textbooks
www.seandelaney.com
9. Challenge a High-Achieving Child
MSW Logo
www.seandelaney.com
www.seandelaney.com
www.seandelaney.com
www.seandelaney.com
www.seandelaney.com
Websites
• Logo: http://www.softronix.com/logo.html
• Geogebra: http://www.geogebra.org/cms/
• Geogebra (Primary School Version):
http://www.geogebra.org/en/wiki/index.php/
Release_Notes_GeoGebra_4.0#GeoGebraPrim
• Scratch: http://www.scratch.mit.edu
•
www.seandelaney.com
10. Play Games that Encourage
Mathematical Thinking eg
Ludo, Snakes and Ladders, Cards, Lego
www.seandelaney.com
Websites we use
• www.scoilnet.ie Irish Curriculum areas
• www.ncca.ie Info for parents on all curricular
areas
• www.topmarks.co.uk
• www.coolmaths4kids.com
• www.4to12maths.com
• www.funforthebrain.com
• “Harry’s Tables”-Fun way of learning tables
through rhymes- book available in Eason’s.
www.seandelaney.com
What we are doing in Ballygarvan?
1. Communicating to parents about Maths
language and methodologies
2. Being more consistent in approach throughout
the school eg RUDE
3. Using more concrete materials
4. Practical/Real-life Maths
5. Making better use of assessments
6. NCCA leaflets and info on website:www.ncca.ie
Remember!