Learning and Teaching

Helping with Maths at Home

Every child can experience success in mathematics. It takes good teaching, coaching, encouragement and practice, both at school and at home.

• Talk about maths in a positive way. Having a positive attitude towards maths encourages children to want to try.
• Connect maths to everyday life and help your child understand how maths influences them (e.g. shapes of traffic signs, walking distance to school, telling time, measurements used to cook).
• Play family maths games together that add excitement such as checkers, junior monopoly, maths bingo and uno.
• Encourage persistence in mathematics. Some problems take time to solve.
• Encourage your child to experiment with different approaches to mathematics. There may only be one solution but there is often more than one way to solve a maths problem.
• Encourage your child to talk about and show a maths problem in a way that makes sense (i.e., draw a picture or use a material like macaroni).
• When your child is solving maths problems ask questions such as: Why did you...?  What can you do next? Do you see any patterns?  Does the answer make sense? How do you know? Can you explain what you did there? This helps to encourage thinking about mathematics.
• Computers + maths = fun! There are many online maths games and apps available that you can discover with your child.
• Talk with your child’s teacher about difficulties he/she may be experiencing. When teachers and parents work together, children benefit.

Lea Drury

Mathematics Leader