Engaging Math Night Experience for Parents - Math Expressions and Supportive Strategies

1. TVES Math Night October 6th, 2010

2. Our Goals for Math Night • To provide parents with an opportunity to experience their child’s math class interactively. • To show parents some of the new strategies currently being used to teach math. • To give parents an appreciation for the effectiveness of the new strategies. • To show parents how to support their child with math homework.

3. Then vs. Now Rote memorization Following Processes without understanding One right answer Algebraic Concepts and Applied Problem Solving at Middle-High School Levels Fact knowledge necessary, understanding critical Emphasis on conceptual knowledge versus step-by-step processes Alternative solutions to problems Algebra, Statistics, Mathematical Applications starting at K

4. Why Math Expressions??? • Research-Based Rigorous Program • Combination of Traditional and Constructivist Approaches • Encourages students to find alternate ways of solving problems and explain their math thinking • Support and challenge available for all learning levels • Heavily emphasizes real world problem solving

5. Lesson Features • Quick Practice/10 Minute Math • Student Leaders • Concept Building Activities • Math Talk

6. Manipulatives • Tonight you will get a chance to look at some of the manipulatives your child uses in math class to construct their understanding. Most of them are used in hands-on discovery activities, while others can be used virtually with the Smartboard. • Some examples include: • Secret Code Cards • Math Center Challenge Cards • Product Cards • Base-Ten Blocks • Targets

7. The Way We Teach Math • Students are involved in daily sharing of ideas through discussions. • Students gain important mathematical insights by building on discoveries. • Discussing math promotes good listening habits and a receptive attitude toward the ideas of others. • Students are constantly talking about how they solved a problem and what they are thinking mathematically. • By discussing their thoughts, students are clarifying and solidifying their learning.

8. Games • Math Expressions games provide students with necessary practice of a skill in a student-friendly way. • These games are also used as an informal assessment for teachers to see who is understanding a certain topic. • Examples of games and game rules will be on the back table, feel free to take a sheet home.

9. Supportive Technology Like StoryTown, Math Expressions uses the ThinkCentral website to provide extra lesson practice and games related to what your student is learning in class. Log-in procedures and passwords are the same. Students can access: Mega Math: Destination Math: Soar to Success Math: Education Place:

10. Homework Homework assignments will usually be in your child’s Homework & Remembering Workbook, unless otherwise specified by their math teacher. Homework is meant as a practice exercise on a skill or topic your child has learned and can do fairly independently. If there is confusion, or your child is experiencing frustration with a particular question, circle it or write a quick note indicating your child is having difficulty. The math teacher will address it the following day.

11. Response to Intervention with Math Expressions • Math Expressions provides different levels of Intervention Support : • Intervention Level Activity Cards • On-Level Activity Cards • Challenge Activity Cards All cards are centered around a topic related to the day’s math lesson.

12. RTI Activity Card Examples

13. How can you help your child? • Talk about math • Connect Math to Daily Life • Try estimation activities • While traveling create new math problems • Talk about math while cooking and shopping • Provide activities that make math fun • Model how to solve problems • Be positive about math!