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.