But these things can change!

‘Can you write some sums for me, Mummy?’ said her son to Gill, one of the mums on a recent #MathsForParents course I was running.

We normally start each session sharing what has gone on between sessions and Gill confided that before doing the course, this sort of request would have filled her with dread. She would have begun to panic and she would not have known what to do.

But now she did know what to do! Instead of feeling dread, Gill was so delighted that her son had asked her.

In the sessions we had talked about simple things parents can do to help their child with maths, and the things we had discussed in the sessions came to mind and Gill creatively knew what to do.

Gill’s feelings are quite common. Many parents dread their children asking them about maths. A recent survey, which was part of National Numeracy’s Parental Engagement Project, found that 30% of parents said that doing maths made them unhappy.

The good news is… But these things can change, as Gill’s story shows.

I am so pleased! I can’t wait to hear back more of what has happened.

Both of my Help Your Child With Numeracy: Age Range 3-7, and, Help Your Child With Numeracy: Age Range 7-11, books have many suggestions on how to use everyday situations to help your child.

The second edition of Help Your Child With Numeracy: Age Range 3-7, is about to be published. I will keep you posted about when it is available. 

Great … Fun at the beach!

Glad to say that my grandchildren are coming to visit and we intend to make the most of the good weather and visit the beach.

There’s plenty of opportunity to play games at the beach and make maths part of everyday life!

For example, filling a bucket with sand helps give the idea of a full bucket, an empty bucket a half-full bucket … these are important mathematical concepts for young children.

Playing Boules – who has thrown the Boules ball the furthest? You can pace these out and see. Learning about the comparatives, such as closest and furthest is a really important mathematical. Then, who has won? Whose ball is the closest to the ‘jack’, and by how much? Is it by a hand span, finger’s width … you can use all sorts of ways to measure and so introduce simple units.

Have fun!  

National Numeracy Challenge Online

Do take a look and have a go at the National Numeracy Challenge Online.

I am very pleased to be supporting this! It can really help with everyday maths.

Everyday Maths … time

It is so easy to overlook how much we use maths as part of our everyday life. 

For example, travelling up to London by train reminded me how much maths is required just to plan this trip!

To start with, there is the use of a timetable. This means understanding how to interpret the timetable as well as knowing about the 24-hour clock, in order to decide which train to catch. Then there is working out what time I have to leave the house to ensure I get that train!

For older children, planning an outing using trains and buses is a great way to help them with maths. Have fun!

Really fabulous day in London ...

Travelled up by train to London yesterday. The train was crowded with many parents and children taking advantage of the special half-term ticket promotion offer on tickets.

One family I saw passed the time away with the children playing cards. I was reminded how simple card games are an excellent, fun way to help your child with maths.

For example, they learn about sequences playing Patience, and Pontoon is good practice for the number bonds to 21, and for older children, gives insights on probability.

It really was a fabulous day in London ...

#MathsForParents recommends National Numeracy Parent Toolkit

National Numeracy have launched their Parent Toolkit! See www.nnparenttoolkit.org.uk
Looks good and very useful for parents. Will definitely be recommending this to parents on my #MathsForParents course!

And now the next #MathsForParents course is due to start on 20th October. Met up with the host this week to discuss it.

I have been running the course in people's homes. The host invites friends, family, colleagues, neighbours etc. along. It's very relaxed and we do the course over coffee/tea and biscuits/cakes and much laughter.

Excited!

Best Wishes for The New School Year ...

New school year and so much is happening.

I know of many friends whose children are starting school for the first time or moving up to senior school. All the very best in your new ventures.

So Chuffed!

The #MathsForParents course has just recently finished.

I was really struck by the comment from one parent:

‘Feel happy. This course has changed my negative view.’

It is so great to hear this as for so many people negative attitudes to maths is such a heavy weight.

I feel so chuffed!  I must get this course out to more people!

At the first AGM of the Tutors’ Association 16th July 2014

Went to the first AGM of the Tutors’ Association yesterday. It was really good to meet people and be part of stimulating discussions.

Excellent talk from Professor Emerita Judy Ireson about her research on tutoring. 

Parental support in the news again: The most important help – providing the right environment

Glad to see that parental involvement in supporting their children’s education is once again in the news. The question is as always what sort of help should be given?

The importance of providing the right environment is highlighted by Hilary Wilce’s article in The Independent.

This echoes what I said in my Help Your Child With Numeracy books and on my website about the most important help – providing the right environment. Make sure your child has a good diet, gets enough sleep and has a mixture of social activities. Have a laugh with them! Having this balance is very important, especially during exam times when they are older - and parents are generally much better equipped than teenagers when it comes to keeping things on an even keel!

It is also so important to realise that we learn in different ways, and to respect that. Nor should we make assumptions too readily: not all boys are outspoken or disorganised, neither are all girls quiet and subdued. 

Parents do have an important role in helping to give the right balance.  Being aware of what is going on in schools today with maths means they can also support their children’s learning without confusing them. 

Really enjoying being part of National Numeracy Parental Engagement Expert Group

I am so pleased to be part of National Numeracy’s Parental Engagement Expert Group. http://www.nationalnumeracy.org.uk/home/index.html Just read the notes from our last meeting. It is so good to be sharing with others who have expertise in this area and are wanting to involve families with maths and fun!!. I am really looking forward to Maths on Toast’s second birthday celebrations soon. http://www.mathsontoast.org.uk/

Update!

Mid-way into the new Maths for Parents course. Lesson 1 and Lesson 2 went very well. There is a real mixture of people in the group. There are those who hated maths / it was their least favourite subject, as well as those who loved maths! There are males and females, parents and a grandparent. Unsurprisingly to me, in our small group we have a mixture of those taught Equal Addition and those taught Decomposition as a written method of subtraction. Reminds me to continue to make known these two methods so parents are not taken by surprise! Even though we are so mixed, the group is really working together well - helping each other too. It is really encouraging to see people suddenly realise how they can very simply help their children with maths through every day activities, games and singing!! They have done very well too trying out different methods of calculating, and seeing how their children are being taught. Looking forward to Lesson 3 tomorrow!

My new venture!

What a fabulous summer – weather has been fantastic. Have really enjoyed going to the beach. Beginning to focus on my next exciting venture - my new Maths for Parents course which starts next Thursday 5th September. Started reading the responses from my pre-course questionnaire, and am really looking forward to meeting everyone.

Back again … and excited!!

Wow!! Amazing!! I am a grandmother again. Wonderful!! The Summer holidays really did get off to an exciting start. What with demand for my writing, consultancy work, tutoring and work with parents growing, I decided earlier in the year to focus on these and step away from classroom teaching. I could not have wanted a better send off from staff and students at St Peter’s at the end of the Summer term… Now enjoying the lovely Summer weather and looking forward to the next steps in the Autumn with the launch of very exciting things!!!!

Let’s Take Away The Confusion!

That’s the title of my latest article in Mathematics Teaching (May 2013, Issue 234), for the ATM (The Association of Teachers of Mathematics). Hoping it will be read by many! It should help parents, teachers and tutors with explaining and understanding the two main written ‘pencil and paper’ methods of subtraction. Do check it out at: http://www.atm.org.uk/journal/ Didn’t know that there are two main methods of carrying out a written subtraction? Then please do TAKE THE TEST, add your comments and see the 5-minute lesson that explains about it. Together I believe we can take away the confusion!

Much Ado About Tutors‏

Guest Blog for VOICE about tutors went live on 15 April. http://blog.voicetheunion.org.uk/?p=7171 Glad to say it has been Tweeted and Retweeted in several places. There really is Much Ado About Tutors at present as different aspects are emerging and being discussed. There really is a need to bring all the issues above board, and have some quality control in place! The recommendations from my PhD about private tutoring are still very pertinent!

What annoys me most ...!

Watching The One Show. Fiona Bruce mentioned what a torment it is helping her 10-year-old son with maths. Chatting things over with my son got me thinking about how to help parents help their children with maths, and how I need to teach teachers how to help parents do that ... I finally worked out what annoys me most! I'm glad that parents are being invited into schools to see demonstration lessons on how maths is taught. But I worry about how these lessons are presented. One Numeracy Consultant told me that she encourages teachers to focus entirely on how schools teach now and ignore all other methods. There is a problem with that, very clearly explained in Richard Skemp's wonderful The Psychology of Learning Mathematics: if you don't start where people are, you'll never get them on board! What a wasted opportunity!

I love pineapples ...!

Wow it's really amazing! Heard about how Farm Africa helped some farmers in Kenya increase their income from pineapples ... Decided to send off a mathematical activity for Farm Africa to use, if they want ... I do wish them well in all their projects! Must get on and prepare that pineapple ...

Hi! I'm back ...

What a year I have had ... I'm now a grandmother!! The 'little one' is so gorgeous! He's now 15 months old and growing so fast ... Parents trying to help their children with maths is being highlighted once again ... Must get on and send off my new book proposal to Bloomsbury on how parents and schools can work more closely ...

‘Oh … I’ve even done the homework,’ she said.

Happy New Year.
What a busy start to the New Year!
Have just managed to sort out a time for the second session of the Maths for Parents course I am running. The aim of the course, which is spread over 4 sessions, is to help parents help their children with maths. It takes in a bigger picture than just how to recognise methods used in schools. Among other things, we look at ways to build a child’s confidence and also, how to decode school reports!
I really enjoy doing the course with parents – to see their confidence grow. It is great that we can chat openly and honestly about the things parents find difficult when they are trying to help their child with maths.
Finding a time for everyone to fit in this missed session has proved tricky though. I was delighted when I heard how disappointed Nicky was that we had to cancel the session before Christmas due to the adverse weather. Shows she must be enjoying it too! ‘Oh … I’ve even done the homework,’ she said.