Mathematics Leaders Learning Hub day 1 Session 5: Parents project

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Mathematics Leaders Learning Hub - day 1Session
5 Parents project
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Session 5 objectives

• to be learn about the National Strategies
  parents project
• to review and assess the materials, guidance and
  ideas
• to consider ways of involving parents in their
  childrens learning in mathematics
• to plan in outline for implementation in school

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Parents involvement with schools

• Choice of school
• Home-school agreements
• Governing bodies
• Teacher-parent meetings/communications
• Parents as volunteers

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Why involve parents?

• Good parent-school relationships are a key factor
  to childs success at school
• To increase positive views of mathematics
• To develop a shared understanding of mathematical
  learning and to raise aspirations
• To enhance the impact of learning on a childs
  success within and outside the classroom

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Why involve parents?

• Good parent-school relationships are a key factor
  to childs success at school
• To increase positive views of mathematics
• To develop a shared understanding of mathematical
  learning and to raise aspirations
• To enhance the impact of learning on a childs
  success within and outside the classroom

6
National Strategies pilot project 2008

• Why?
• to strengthen parental involvement in
  mathematics in schools
• Who?
• LA mathematics consultants with teachers
• How?
• plan, and run workshops for parents and
  children together
• sharing enjoyable and engaging mathematical
  activities

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Factors in success of OMP project

• involvement of all stakeholders
• flexibility
• integration of project as part of school
  practice, in line with national strategies
• The recognition of different abilities.
• Support from senior leadership.
• Space
• Having experienced mathematics practitioners
• Good publicity and outreach work.

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Factors in success of OMP project

• involvement of all stakeholders
• flexibility
• integration of project as part of school
  practice, in line with national strategies
• The recognition of different abilities.
• Support from senior leadership.
• Space
• Having experienced mathematics practitioners
• Good publicity and outreach work.

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Spill-over effects of project (OMP)

• Improved attendance and punctuality
• Improved pupil self-esteem
• Pupils and parents, particularly of
  Afro-Caribbean origin, felt more included
• Some pupils gained greater confidence in the
  subject
• Parents more confident to work with children on
  homework

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The feedback (OMP)

• Parents voice
• For many parents, gaining a better understanding
  of how their children are being taught
  mathematics in school is the first and crucial
  step to empowering them to play a more active
  role in their childs education.
• 98 parents felt their contribution to their
  childs mathematics learning was very or quite
  important

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The feedback (OMP)

• Student voice
• All children interviewed said that the
  mathematics workshops and homework had increased
  both their enjoyment and understanding of
  mathematics.
• 70 said they enjoyed the workshop

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The feedback (OMP)

• Teacher voice
• 76 of the teachers interviewed believed that the
  mathematics workshops and homework had improved
  pupils level of understanding of mathematics.
• Most teachers interviewed recognised that the
  skills needed to deliver workshops to parents and
  children differed to those required in the
  classroom.

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The feedback (OMP)

• Impact on school
• From the interviews and questionnaires with
  teachers it was clear that the workshops had
  greatly improved their own professional
  relationship with their pupils parents.
• Other teachers talked of the trust that this
  contact built between them and the parents
• According to some teachers, because the parents
  are more engaged with the school, pupils are more
  focussed in their work.

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National Strategies Project approach

• Secondary schools from 9 LAs
• Most workshops for Year 7, but some for C/D
  borderline students in year 11.
• Took place at time school convenient to school
• Schools varied in which staff they involved, but
  senior leaders and year heads could raise profile
• Teachers and consultants planned and ran
  workshops which would bring parents into schools
  to share engaging and enjoyable mathematical
  activities with their children

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Workshop approaches

• Need careful thought about the style and content
• Should be engaging with opportunities for
  mathematical discussion.
• Key focus firmly on opportunities for parents
  and children to work together
• Workshops need to be carefully evaluated

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Involving parents in secondary mathematics

• Handbook
• Case studies (years 7 or 11)
• DVD
• Docs. 5.3 and 5.4