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!