Common Core Math Awareness & Learning for Families
Overview
As a Common Core Math Teacher Facilitator my main role is to train teachers in implementing the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (CCSSM), but another very important stakeholder group for ensuring the success of students with learning these new rigorous standards is their parents. In the Intensive Support and Innovation Center (ISIC), an Education Service Center in LAUSD, I support two elementary schools in implementing the Common Core Math Standards. In order to engage parents with this critical information I offered to facilitate a CCSSM awareness workshop for each of the schools’ parents. Due to various circumstances I ended up only being able to schedule one of these workshops for one of the two schools. I facilitated the “Common Core Math Standards for Parents” workshop to provide parents an overview of the CCSSM, with a brief look at what math looks like in the Common Core Era, and with concrete strategies for supporting their child at home with learning math for their particular grade level. The “Common Core Math Standards for Parents” workshop became the keynote address for a Family Math/Science Night at which I also presented a workshop for parents on the topic of engaging their children in bedtime math stories.
“Common Core Math Standards for Parents” Workshop
I initiated conversations with the Instructional Leadership Teams (ILTs) of the two elementary schools in my
network at the beginning of the school year to conduct Common Core Math Standards awareness workshops for parents as part of a Family Math Night. The ILT at one of the schools expressed interest and I presented the workshop to them to solicit their feedback based on their knowledge of parents’ familiarity with the CCSSM. After the presentation overview they agreed that they would like to have this presented to their parents with some minor changes as a keynote for their Family Math Night, which later became a Family Math/Science Night. Because there was limited time some information on the Common Core Math Instructional Shifts had to be cut. Finally the day arrived and I presented the “Common Core Math Standards for Parents” workshop along with the principal, who translated for me. This event had over 100 families in attendance.
“Start a New Tradition: Math Bedtime Stories” Parent Workshop
I also volunteered to facilitate one of the Family Math/Science Night workshops. At first I had thought about doing something related to early numeracy, such as a make and take with an activity or a math game for use with upper grade students, but I later decided that a workshop, which would span the K-6 grade span would be better. Moreover as I had been training teachers to engage their students in problem solving based on a student-centered, problem-based approach to teaching math I decided to choose a topic for parents that embraced this same philosophy. I would introduce them to the free math website called Bedtime Math, which engages families through word problems and images in problem solving.
I facilitated two sessions for 13 families by introducing them Bedtime Math. First I briefly introduced them to the site by navigating through the various pages, but then drew their focus to the daily math section where they could get daily math problems tiered by grade span starting with preschool age children. I then engaged them with the previous day’s and today’s daily math problems, which they solved as a family. I included the Spanish translations using the website, Google Translate, as many of the parents only spoke Spanish, which I knew shouldn’t be a barrier to engaging with this website. Thus I went over a handout I created providing step-by-step instructions in English and Spanish for how to translate the problems, which are in English to Spanish using Google Translate. Finally I also showed them the app, which could be downloaded on to any tablet or smartphone.
CAPEs Connections
CAPE 2: Developing a Shared Commitment to the Vision Among All Members of the School Community
First in planning this event I consulted with the ILT of the school, which included the principal, the RSP teacher, the instructional coach, and the categorical advisor to assess if there was a need for Common Core Math Awareness for parents in working with their children. This Family Math/Science Night aligned with the school’s pilot school plan to “provide authentic and meaningful opportunities for parent engagement to impact student achievement, growth, and development,” and it was included as a workshop they would offer based on parent request or needs assessment. In facilitating the “Common Core Math Standards for Parent” workshop with the principal I engaged the parents of this school in promoting a shared responsibility for students mastering the Common Core Math Standards, which are much more rigorous and in important ways different than California’s previous grade level math standards. Thus this project connects to and addresses several aspects of CAPE 2.
CAPE 4: Sharing Leadership with Others in the School Community
In providing parents with information about how they can support their child at home in learning math for their particular grade level expectations including providing them with the Common Core Math Parent Roadmap published by the Council of Great City Schools in both Spanish and English leadership for the schools’ vision and student learning was distributed in part to the parents in collaboration with teachers. Thus this project connects to and addresses several aspects of CAPE 4.
CAPE 15: Identifying and Facilitating a Variety of Professional and Personal Growth Opportunities for Faculty, Staff, Parents, and Other Members of the School Community in Support of the Educational Program
In providing this Common Core Math workshop for parents as well as specific exposure to solving math word problems with all their children as an additional bedtime routine the Family Math/Science Night increased the knowledge and skills of parent in supporting the learning of their children in alignment with the CCSSM. Moreover I sought out and provided parents with a free tool specifically designed for them to use in engaging their children in problem solving at home on a nightly basis. Thus this project connects to and addresses several aspects of CAPE 15.
CAPE 20: Involving the Community in Helping Achieve the School’s Vision and Goals
This event provided parents with an awareness of the CCSSM, strategies for engaging their children at home with the CCSSM, and with specific exposure to and practice with tools they can use to engage their children with CCSSM aligned problem-solving tasks. Thus it supported the school’s mission and vision for participation and collaboration amongst all stakeholders working towards the overall, holistic achievement of all students. Moreover it connected to CAPE 20 as it provided an authentic opportunity to engage parents by promoting the shared educational improvement goals of the school. Finally by bringing parents and teachers together in a welcoming environment it fostered greater collaboration amongst the adults in supporting students in mastering the Common Core Math Standards and by bridging the contexts of home and school, a goal for this school community. Thus this project connects to and addresses these additional aspects of CAPE 20.
Reflection
My role was to initiate the conversation, plan this parent engagement event with other stakeholders, and facilitate the learning of parents alongside the principal and teaching staff who facilitated its implementation. It was challenging at times for me to make it to all of the planning meetings as I worked with eight schools this year in a regional support team in ISIC. A major success was being able to reach 100 families with practical information about how they could support their children with engaging in “Common Core Math” at home both through providing them with the Common Core Math Parent Roadmap published by the Council of Great City Schools for each grade in which their children were enrolled and a practice a free tool in Bedtime Math so they could start engaging their children that night. If I had to do it next time I would probably seek to include parents in on the training and co-teach with a parent. This would build parents’ capacities and make the partnership more meaningful such that the principal and teachers are not seen as experts and the parents as needing information, but such that we are all on a level playing field in moving the school’s mission and vision forward toward a quality education for all students.
Supporting Documents
