Yes, I Can

Help My Child

I really can!

Expert Panel Report

• www.edu.gov.on.ca • Select English or French• Select ‘Publications’• Select ‘Reports’• Scroll to Adobe Acrobat Files: Leading

Math Success – Mathematical Literacy, Grades 7-12

Expert Panel report:

“All students can learn and be confident in mathematics given appropriate support and time.”

Pair / Share Discussion

Research …

Children learn math best when they:• collaboratively explore and communicate • use technologies and concrete materials –

computers, calculators, manipulatives• make connections to their world• engage in activities to strengthen their

understanding

Changes …• Textbooks and learning

materials

• Types of questions posed

• Types of responses needed

• Assessment and grading

• Uses of class time

Yes, I can …

• Talk about math in positive ways

I’m sure you will understand if you… Let’s figure it out together.

I could never do the math either.

Don’t worry about the math.

Yes, I can …

• Share daily/weekly/monthly math

experiences with my child

Discuss …• Video and computer games• Television shows (learning channel, ...)• Travelling (calculating distances,

destination estimation, budget, gas prices, …)

• Banking (loans, mortgages, interests, …)

Home Activities …• Play games - Chess, Checkers, Cribbage,

Bridge, Euchre, Memory Games, Backgammon, … .

• Make puzzles. • Involved your child with shopping.• Engage in the mathematics of cooking and

baking.• Plan and execute home renovations.

Yes, I can …

Support my child through homework challenges by listening and asking questions

Yes, I can …

• Allow my child to struggle through the process of problem solving

• Discuss mistakes as

learning opportunities

Questions to Ask …• What do you need to find out?• Tell me what you know?• Show me what you started?• What can you try first?• Can you make a drawing or picture?• Will a list or table help?

More Questions …• Why did you…?

• What can you do next?

• Do you see any patterns?

• Does the answer make sense?

• Tell me in a different way…

• What would happen if…?

Problem-Solving Strategies• Guess and check• Look for a pattern• Make a diagram

or model• Act it out• Work backwards• Simplify the

problem

• Eliminate possibilities

• Make a systematic list

• Get advise or research

• Sleep on it

Research …

“Traditional algorithms are an essential part of mathematics learning and should be taught, but only after students have developed understanding of the concept and shared their own approaches to the problem.”

(Kamii and Dominick, 1997; Van de Walle, 2001)

Prompts …• Ask your child to show you how he/she is

finding the answer.• Share your method. • Explain to each other why your different

methods are successful.

Providing shortcuts for getting the answer might hinder deeper student understanding.

Internet Sites …

• www.nctm.org/families• www.mathforum.org/parents/citizens.html (Dr.

Math)• www.amathdictionaryforkids.com• http://dev.edunetcommect.com/peelsecondary• www.tvo.org/eureka (ask a teacher)• www.mathadventures.com• www.purplemath.com (lessons & tutorials)• www.mathonline.com

Yes, I Can

Help My Child

I really can!