 Hello, my name's Pat Lohr and I'm a member of the Edmonton Regional Learning Consortium Mathematics Team. Thanks for joining me today. I'm going to share some information for parents about the revised math curriculum and look at some things you can do to support your children at home. Personally, I have a lot of experience as a classroom teacher, but I'm also the mother of four public school graduates, so I've spent plenty of time on your side of the fence as well. I'd like to take a moment to thank Alberta Education for the grant that made this learning opportunity possible. Here's a question I want you to consider. What kind of mathematics experiences do you want for your children? Should math be all about basic facts, drills, and paper and pencil calculations? It's math. It hurts, but it's good for you. What it really comes down to is this. What mathematics will your children need to be successful in the future? Good mathematics is not how many answers you know, but how you behave when you don't know. This is a quotation that's been on the wall of every classroom I've taught in over the past ten years. Do you believe it? I need my students to believe it, because to me it sums up the difference between students who will successfully tackle unfamiliar problems and those who will be unwilling to even try unless I've spelled out every little step for them. Let's consider a traditional approach to teaching math. First I present a concept and explain it to my students. Then I lead them through one or two examples. Finally, I give them some problems to try on their own. Let's consider an example from my classroom. It's long division. I think everyone has memories of doing long division in school. I do my best to explain the procedure to my students, and we do a problem together. Then I'd give them one to try on their own. Oops, not ready for that yet. So I'd explain it in a different way. Nope, still no luck. I'd explain it a third time only louder and slower. And then I'd put them to work on a page of problems. What I'd see next is a sea of hands. Everyone wants me to explain it to them one more time, one by one. Who's doing the math here? It's me, almost entirely. And here's a little secret. Long division doesn't actually appear in our math curriculum at all. Division certainly does. But there are plenty of ways to solve a division problem. And long division is just one of them. So what's the problem here? I was taught this way, and I turned out OK. But I've watched a lot of students struggle with math over the years. When my kids struggled, I blamed myself for not finding the right way to explain it to them. Or I blamed them for not paying attention in class. Or maybe I even blamed you parents a bit for not helping enough at home. But here's a lesson I've been forced to admit. No matter how lucidly and patiently teachers explain for their students, they cannot understand for their students. Kids have to make sense of the math for themselves. I can't do it for them. The revised curriculum is not new math. These changes have been recommended for years. And they are based on what we know through research about how children learn best. Now in my classroom, I do my best to hand the math power over to my students. I find good problems and activities that will push my students to engage in mathematical thinking. I expect them to work together as a community of mathematicians on the activities, testing ideas, sharing strategies. They're also responsible for justifying their solutions and convincing the rest of us that their solutions make sense. I want them to believe that they have the power to make sense of the math. OK, let's take a quick break to do some math. Here's a traditional task that's bound to look familiar. And if it was your idea of fun back in the day, go ahead, pause the presentation, and knock yourself out. All joking aside, there are students who love this kind of math. If they can do it and do it fast, it can be rewarding because it's safe, predictable, and not very demanding. However, if they can already do it, then doing it over and over and over again isn't really math at all. It's just mindless procedures. And if they can't do it, this isn't going to teach them anything new. Now here's an activity I would use with my class. Take a look at it and consider the math thinking going on in your head. Everyone in my class can take part, no matter their level. It's safe because there are no particular right answers. We can have a great discussion around the strategies for choosing numbers, whether the answers would be greater or less than 500, and which appears might be the closest. It requires estimation and mental math, and those are important skills for our kids. Doing math is so much more than memorizing basic facts and performing paper and pencil calculations. Take a look at this list of verbs. They all come from our mathematics curriculum. This looks and sounds like science, and we get it in science. We expect kids to make predictions, investigate ideas, and explore concepts in science. Now we need to remember that those things are just as important in math. So you're probably wondering, how can you help your child at home? Well, first and foremost, make mathematics part of your child's life. Count knives and forks as you set the table and match them up one by one. Notice patterns on sweaters or on the tiles on a floor. Play games that involve number or strategy. Notice times when mental math could be used, like when you're reading. Wonder how many pages are left in the book. On a road trip, when you see a mileage sign, guess what the odometer will read when you get to your destination. Let them help estimate the amount spent on groceries or make a budget for a pizza party. Notice numbers and statistics in the media and help them make sense of them. Your attitude is critical. Be positive about math. Be interested in what your child is doing in math. Be excited when he solves a tough problem. And be surprised when he notices something new. Help your child by asking good questions. What do you know about this problem? Would using some materials or drawing a picture help you get started? Why have you decided to try this strategy? Does your answer make sense? What else could you try? Could you explain this step for me? Sometimes allowing your child to grapple with the problem is hard. Be part of the conversation, not the one with all the answers. Try to listen more than you speak. Provide a nudge if needed. I wonder if drawing a chart would help with this one. If your child knows you'll ultimately rescue her and show her what to do, you risk making her dependent on you. We want our children to develop mathematical power, confidence, flexibility, fluency, perseverance. If your child is practicing basic facts, focus on the strategies rather than how fast he can do them. Your most powerful question is how do you know that's the right answer? Or is there another fact you know that could help you with this one? If your child is practicing computations, help him focus on the meaning of the numbers first by asking, what will this answer be close to? How do you know? And then let him check the answer to each question as soon as he finishes it. And if there was an error, encourage him to look back at what he did to see if he can discover what went wrong. And finally, celebrate your child's success. Provide encouragement when the going gets tough. Join the conversation. You'll be glad you did. Thanks for spending the past few minutes with me, and I hope I've given you some ideas to help you enjoy math with your children.