A guest post from Amie Mitchell, Year 1 class teacher and KS1 Maths Lead, Cranmer Primary School
Maths with Parents is a fantastic online platform that we enjoy using. We can see how much it supports both the children and the parents.
This year is so different from previous years and it’s so important now, more than ever, to work with parents to support children’s maths in a fun and engaging way.
In previous years, I would run a launch assembly for parents, however, due to restrictions I recorded a short video of myself explaining what Maths with Parents is and the benefits of it. I sent this to parents via our communication platform a few weeks into the academic year as it gave parents and teachers some time to settle. It worked well because the video was only 8 minutes long. The resources I used were all provided on the Maths with Parents website so it was not time consuming to make nor would it be time consuming for the parents to watch.
Children love to see their Mathscots on the board and I make sure I show them to the children at least 3 times a week. I also hand out certificates weekly to the children who complete an activity as I know this is something the children (and parents!) enjoy receiving. I think parents like to receive a small token of ‘well done’ for completing their part too.
As well as parents/carers receiving their certificate of recognition, I think it’s important to touch base with the staff too. Even just a small ‘well done for getting to 70% registrations’ can go such a long way. It’s also fun to bring out their competitive nature which is why I introduced a ‘Maths with Parents’ trophy. The trophy is presented to the class who has completed the most activities in the two weeks. Again, this doesn’t add to your workload as the ‘Maths with Parents’ website works it all out for you! Both the teachers and the children love receiving this.
I am such an advocate for ‘Maths with Parents’. My top tip is just to always ensure it’s spoken about! Just remember to give the children recognition by always showing their Mathscot, by handing out the certificates to the children (and their parents), and the small ‘well done’ to the staff who promote it so much in their classrooms.
Do you have something you’d like to share about Maths with Parents or parental engagement? Would you consider writing a guest post? Please get in touch!