Parent Math Night,
anywhere!
Grande Prairie & District Catholic Schools
Alicia Burdess
Numeracy Lead Teacher
M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction, Numeracy
Listen to the introduction by clicking on the speaker.
And once I had a teacher
who understood.
He brought with him
the beauty of mathematics.
He made me create it for myself.
He gave me nothing,
and it was more than any other teacher
has ever dared to give me.
Lex Cochran
Here’s a game to help teach children to understand numbers:
Salut
You will need one deck of cards (take out the face cards for younger children, assign them a numerical value for older children).
This is played in a group of three.
◻
◻
◻
◻
two people stand facing each other holding half of the cards each
without looking at it, each flips up a card from their deck and holds it facing towards the third student
the third student says: the sum (add the cardes together) of your cards is…. or the product (multiply your cards) of your cards is….
the two students have to guess what card they’re holding in their hand
Variations:
Complements of 10 (with two people) - without looking at it, each holds up card towards the other
Partner A says: you have 4 missing (Partner B says: I have a 6) and vice versa
Doubles (with two people) - Partner A flips up card without looking at it
Partner B says: your double is 8 (Partner A says: I have a 4)
See the video on the next slide for a demonstration.
Video of Salut
Video - When Was It A Million Seconds Ago?
http://youtu.be/cJ7A0yTDiqQ
So we can see how important number sense is. We didn’t
necessarily work with really big numbers or really small numbers in
the past, but our students are definitely seeing these numbers now!
Why do we need to focus on developing number sense? Please watch the video.
Number Sense
We as parents need to push ourselves out of our comfort zones!
Developing Number Sense and
Place Value
Watch the two videos on number sense and place value. Our students are looking at numbers differently.
Math Activities for teaching NUMBER SENSE – use dice or playing cards.
Developing the important skill of subitizing: learning to identify numbers without counting (recognizing at a
glance) is crucial to the development of number sense and basic fact acquisition. Young children need to learn to trust
the count. You can help do this at home.
Subitize - name the amount on card
Add - add together flipped cards
Double - turn over one card and double it
More/Less - one deck each - both turn one card over – find the
difference
Concentration - spread out one deck face down
- player picks two cards to try and make 10 pairs
See the two videos on the next slide for explanations and demonstrations.
Developing the important skill of
Subitizing!
Subitizing Activities!
What did you enjoy
about math in school?
What did you not enjoy?
What do we want for our kids?
Please listen to the two audio clips.
What do the Experts Tell us?
John Van De Walle
“The standard algorithms, when introduced too early and without
number sense, can cause difficulty for many students.”
“Most, if not all, mathematical concepts and procedures can best
be taught through problem-solving.”
This is why our children are learning math differently than how we learned math.
Example of working students through Number Sense and Reasoning
Fill out the top table by only using mental math!
100%
50%
25%
10%
5%
2%
1%
100%
50%
25%
10%
5%
2%
1%
$80
$40
$20
$8
$4
$1.60
$0.80
$80
Now use the table to find out these percentages only using mental math!
30% of $80?
90% of $80?
35% of $80?
40% of $80?
125% of $80?
60% of $80?
15% of $80?
70% of $80?
75% of $80?
24% of $80?
Percentages!
Please watch the video on the next slide for a demonstration.
Watch the video on how to teach percent using mental math.
Ma & Pa Kettle
http://youtu.be/CACQmiaU6CU
Watch the video to see why learning with understanding is so important.
What do the Experts Tell us?
Grayson Wheatley
“A curriculum that emphasizes computational methods at the expense
of mathematics concepts and relationships is no longer acceptable”
“Gone are the days when the teacher explains meaningless rules from
the textbook and students only practice computational methods”
So how are kids learning how to add,
subtract, multiply, and divide?
Addition
More Multiplication
Subtraction
More Division
Multiplication
Division
The short answer: by thinking!
Watch the videos of grade four students learning operations with numbers
(examples of personal strategies).
*These videos will open in another window*
So how do our kids learn multiplication facts?
Video of Arrays and Basic Multiplication Facts
Almost one third of Americans would rather clean their
bathrooms than do a math problem.
Change the Equation 2010 survey
When Raytheon Corporation asked
1,000 middle schoolers if they’d
rather eat broccoli or do a math
problem, the majority answered,
“eat broccoli.”
Listen to the audio.
How can a parent help?
• Encourage your children by using positive
statements about learning and doing
mathematics. Talk about math as being
fun and interesting!
• Allow your children time to reflect on the
decisions that they make while completing
a problem.
• Ask your children to help you learn what
they are learning. Ask them to explain
what they are doing. Ask the teacher for
help if needed.
• Although you and your children may not
complete a problem in the same way, both
methods may be valid mathematical
solutions and this should be an opportunity
for inquiry and discussion rather than
discord.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my child not know the basic facts? Aren’t they important?
They are absolutely important! However, rather than relying only on memorization, basic facts should
be learned by making connections, seeing relationships between numbers, building and decomposing
numbers, and linking multiplication and division (as well as addition and subtraction). Our students must
be able to reason and use number sense in order to use their math facts to solve problems and to be
confident math learners. To memorize without understanding can actually be detrimental to the learning
process, especially as higher-level math concepts are introduced. Children who possess an
understanding of mathematical relationships will be able to work flexibly and fluently with numbers
throughout their lives. Students learn to read at their own pace – they should also be given the
opportunity to understand mathematical concepts at their own pace. Allow them time and remember that
speed does not necessarily equal understanding.
Does my child need to know all of the mathematical strategies? No! Your child needs to be
able to show understanding of the mathematical concept with a strategy that works for them. As their
understanding develops, their strategies will become more efficient. They are exposed to different
strategies in order to connect to those that respond best to their needs as a mathematical learner.
Why can’t I show my child the traditional algorithms for operations? You can! This is a
great way to discuss mathematics and to explain another strategy. Please note that using the traditional
algorithm is not the only method that works and is not always the most efficient way to solve a problem.
Be sure to get your child to explain his or her strategy so you can discuss why both methods are
effective. However, it is important that students practice what they learn at school - if they are unable to
complete their homework, please speak with the teacher before panicking and trying to intervene.
Links for parents
◻ vimeo.com/110807219 Why is Math Different Now?
◻ http://talkingmathwithkids.com/ Talking Math With Your Kids
◻ http://youtu.be/j4I-jkUt49I Dr. James Tanton explains the change in how we
teach math (this is American but very similar to our changes that started 8 years
ago in Alberta; Dr. Tanton is currently working with our high school teachers).
These links open in another window.
References
Change the Equation. (2010). Retrieved from http://changetheequation.org/press/new-survey-americans-say%E2%80%9Cwe%E2%80%99re-not-good-math%E2%80%9D
Driscoll, Mark. (1999). Fostering Algebraic Thinking, A Guide for Teachers Grades 6-10.
Heinemann Publishing: Portsmouth, NH.
Maher, Carolyn. (1999). A Perspective on the Work of Robert B. Davis. Mathematical Thinking and Learning
Vol. 1, Iss. 1
Math Relevance to U.S. Middle School Students. (2012). Retrieved from
http://www.mathmovesu.com/sites/default/files/Math-Relevance_rtn12_studentsmth_results_2012.pdf
Pisa 2012 Results in Focus. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.oecd.org/pisa/keyfindings/pisa-2012-results-overview.pdf
Grande Prairie & District Catholic Schools
aliciaburdess@gpcsd.ca