A parent’s self-confidence in math is said to be “the strongest predictor of mathematics achievement” [1]. If a parent doesn’t understand the material a student is learning, don’t feel confident in the content, or if they simply dislike math, these feelings can easily be passed down to their child.
Good news! There are many ways to overcome the barriers that can prevent parent engagement in student learning. Feeling a lack of inspiration for engagement activities? We have compiled a list of some activities for you and your student to try!
Even though most schools will be ending this month, you can try these out this summer at home, and carry them into fall!
1. Help with homework or practice activities and keep a positive attitude towards learning– especially when it comes to math! If you don’t feel confident or positive about math, or if you want some guidance on how to proceed with their math education, check out some of these resources:
2. Encourage activities that will be fun for your child AND provide a learning opportunity. Make reading a book or book series your project to complete together. Check out some of our books, which not only feature a fun story but which also include math concepts!
3. Contact your child’s teacher or school principal if you have questions. A study on parental engagement workshops found that specific and direct guidance from a teacher or educational worker can help improve parents’ understanding of mathematical concepts. This helps reduce anxiety surrounding math [2]!
4. Incorporate math learning into everyday games or activities. Allow them to count money at the store or measure ingredients for a recipe.
5. Have your student complete a “What I Learned Today” journal. Ask them to share their entry every night with you! Be excited and engaged when they’re sharing their entry. Hopefully, this excitement will help them to look forward to this part of the day.
6. During the school year, check in with your student’s teacher for their parent engagement suggestions!
[1] Yildirim, Selda. Predicting Mathematics Achievement: The Role of Socioeconomic Status, Parental Involvement, and Self-Confidence
[2] Anthony, Kristina C. A Mathematics Workshop for Parents: Exploring Content Knowledge and Perceptions of Parental Involvement
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