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5

Implementation Guide

Inspiring Your Child toLearn and Love Math

Inspiring Your Child to Learn and Love Math Implementation Guide

These guided workshops have been

designed to provide the tools and

materials to plan and host parent

education sessions. Each workshop is

self-contained and includes a

template for sharing practical,

age-speci�c strategies and resources

to encourage mathematics learning at

home. The materials for each module

include an invitation letter and �yer,

an annotated agenda, and Blackline

(photocopy) masters for all activities

(including solutions).

These workshops have been created

to complement each of the �ve

modules in the Inspiring Your Child

to Learn and Love Math Tool Kit. The

workshops require no prior

knowledge of mathematics or

specialized content—they can be

implemented by anyone who has an

interest in learning and sharing.

2

Inspiring Your Child toLearn and Love Math

Workshop Introduction

We have made every effort to acknowledge original sources and to comply with copyright law. If there

are cases where this has not been done, please notify the author. Errors or omissions will be corrected

in a future edition.

Module One

Implementation Guide / Module One 6

General Overview

Count Yourself In

5

1

2

3

4

6 9

01

23

4+

÷

0

23

4

67

89

Inspiring Your Child to Learn and Love Math

Inspiring Your Child to Learn and Love Math Implementation Guide / Module One

Thank organizers and other key

members of the implementation team.

Introduce parents to the C.O.D.E.

“Inspiring Your Child to Learn and Love

Math” and tell them how to get a copy.

PurposeExplain that the purpose of this

workshop is to:

Remind parents that they are their

child’s primary role model in math,

and that they can have a positive

impact on their child’s attitudes,

beliefs, interest, and motivation to

do math.

Reinforce and extend what parents

may be doing at home already.

Provide practical strategies and

suggestions that can be done at

home to enhance their child’s math

achievement.

Provide resources and other tools

and technology that will support

parents’ efforts to help their child’s

math achievement.

7

Some parents may be nervous aboutattending a math workshop. Greeting

them will help put them at ease!

Reassure parents that everyoneis here to learn something new

and to learn together!

5:45–6:00 p.m.

WelcomeWarmly welcome parents, guardians,

and caregivers as they arrive at the

door.

Introduce yourself and brie�y explain

your role in the workshop.

Invite parents to help themselves to

coffee and to explore the math

resources, books, and games on the

resource table.

6:00–6:15 p.m.

IntroductionWelcome parents and thank them for

taking the time to come.

Congratulate them for taking the �rst

step towards enriching and improving

their child’s math education by

attending this workshop.

You can ask school librarians and mathresource teachers to help you �nd schoolmaterials to display at these workshops

(math books, games, manipulativematerials, etc.).

Inspiring Your Child to Learn and Love Math Implementation Guide / Module One 8

6:15–6:30 p.m.

Activity 1: Icebreaker—“Math is Everywhere” BrainteasersPresent the following math trivia questions one at a time. Give parents time to

think about each one. You may choose to use a projector to allow all parents to read

along.

Why are manhole covers round?

What else can a clock tell besides

time?

What everyday object is shaped

like a triangular prism?

What household object has

approximately the same volume as

one cubic metre?

What is wrong with this picture...?

Refer to the solutionkey for answers!

“Cut my pizza into four pieces...

no way I could eat eight.”

What is the geometric name for

the shape of a STOP sign?

What is true about opposite faces

on a die?

What shapes make up a soccer

ball? How many black shapes does

it have? How many white shapes

does it have?

How long would it take to count by

ones to one million?

How do you make a calculator skip

count by threes?

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

“Math is Everywhere” trivia questions

Inspiring Your Child to Learn and Love Math Implementation Guide / Module One

minutes). Allow time to discuss

answers (10 minutes).

7:00–7:15 p.m.

Recommended ResourcesDirect parents to the list of additional

math resources listed on the Module

One Fact Sheet (including math books,

websites, apps, television shows and

games).

7:15–7:30 p.m.

Wrap UpAsk parents if they have any further

questions about the workshop

information or suggestions for future

workshops.

Tell parents you will be available after

the workshop if they have additional

questions.

Thank parents for coming and ask them

to complete an evaluation form.

Distribute fact sheets to parents before

they go home.

9

6:30–6:40 p.m.

Video “Inspiring Your Child to Learn and Love Math!”

Introduce the video. Explain that the

purpose of the video is to highlight that

parents are:

Natural and spontaneous math

teachers.

Responsible for setting the tone for

their child’s math attitudes,

behaviours, and achievement.

Accomplished mathematicians who

use math every day.

Able to support math homework

even if they are not comfortable

with the content.

Role models for their children.

6:40–7:00 p.m.

Activity 2: “Math Myth or Math Fact?”

Present “Math Myth or Math Fact?”

activity sheet. Parents can work

individually, in partners, or in teams (5

Surprise! The answer to eachstatement is “Math Fact!”

As parents watch the video, invite themto record their thoughts and re�ections on

the “Re�ection Sheet” provided. Allowtime for discussion after the video!

Inspiring Your Child to Learn and Love Math Implementation Guide / Module One 10

From the time they are born until the time they graduate from secondary school, children spend less than 15 percent of their learning time at school.

Math Myth or Math Fact?

Myth Fact

Students whose parents have a positive attitude towards math are more likely to believe that math is important and to be more motivated to learn math.

More than 70 percent of Canada’s top jobs, including jobs in the skilled trades, require math, science, technology, and engineering education.

Less than 50 percent of Canadian secondary school students graduate with grade 11 and 12 math and science courses.

Students who do not take grade 11 or 12 math can expect to be excluded from half of all community college programs.

Students without grade 12 science or math can expect to be excluded from 30 to 65 percent of programs at Canadian universities.

People who have a math, science, technology, and engineering education generally earn more money than those who do not.

Many professions that you might not expect to require math in fact do, including culinary arts, esthetics, welding, carpentry, and retail management.

Job vacancy rates in occupations requiring math and science, including the skilled trades, are higher than in occupations that do not. This means that there are greater job opportunities for people with a math and science education.

Less than 13 percent of people in the trades are women.

are longer than at least one side, which

means the lid can be maneuvered

diagonally through the hole, and fall. A

cast-iron cover can weigh up to 95

kilograms, and given that a sewer can be

six metres deep, this would be a deadly

combination if a cover were to land on a

worker below. A circular manhole cover

cannot fall into the hole no matter how it

is rotated because its diameter is the

same all around.

What else can a clock tell besides time?

The “�ve times table.” The hour markings

correspond to 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30,

35…minutes.

What everyday object is shaped like a triangular prism? The container for a

Toblerone chocolate bar.

What household object has approximately the same volume as one cubic metre? An oven.

What is wrong with this picture…? Regardless of whether the pizza is cut

into four pieces or eight pieces, it is still

one whole pizza. Whether you eat four

one-fourth slices or eight one-eighth

slices, you will have eaten one whole

pizza!

What is the geometric name for the shape of a STOP sign? It is an octagon.

What is true about opposite faces on a die? The sum of the numbers is always

seven.

What shapes make up a soccer ball?

How many black shapes does it have?

How many white shapes does it have?

Soccer balls have 12 black pentagons and

20 white hexagons. The math name for a

soccer ball is “truncated icosahedron.”

How long would it take to count by ones to one million? If you assume that you

count one per second, 1 million seconds

= 16,666 mins and 40 seconds. That

makes 277 hours, 46 minutes and 40

seconds. This equals 11 days, 13 hours,

46 minutes and 50 seconds.

How do you make a calculator skip count by threes? Enter “3,” then press

“+” and “3,” and then continue to press

the “=” key.

Why are manhole covers round? A

square manhole cover could be picked up,

rotated, and dropped diagonally through

its own hole. The same is true for

manhole covers made from rectangles,

pentagons, and any other regular

polygon. These all have diagonals that

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

Solutions for “Math is Everywhere” Brainteasers

11 Inspiring Your Child to Learn and Love Math Implementation Guide / Module One

Inspiring Your Child to Learn and Love Math Implementation Guide / Module One 12

In the space provided, record any thoughts, feelings, questions, or concerns you have about the information you receive in this workshop. Time will be given throughout the workshop for you to re�ect.

Video and Workshop Reflection Sheet

Additional thoughts

During

What I have learned about math that will help me engage my child

After

What else I would like to learn about math that will help me engage my child

Before

What I would like to know about math that will help me engage my child

Re�ections

13 Inspiring Your Child to Learn and Love Math Implementation Guide / Module One

Inspiring Your Child to Learn and Love Math

Yes, you can really help your child succeed in

math!

Name of School

Date and Time

Email to register

A Workshop For Parents Of K-Gr8 Students

Inspiring Your Child to Learn and Love Math Implementation Guide / Module One 14

Math Mindset

Praise your child’s effort through challenging tasks as opposed to perceived intelligence or talent. “Wow, that was a tough problem! I noticed how you took your time to solve it in two different ways.”

Value mistakes and look for the “good” math in incorrect answers. Our brains grow when we recognize,

think about, and learn from our mistakes. “I noticed that you made a plan for solving this problem, but it

looks like something might be missing. Can you explain the steps you took to �nd your answer?”

Model positive math mindsets at home. Avoid justifying your child’s achievement in mathematics based

upon your own experience. Children tend to identify with the strengths and weakness of their parents and

will often say, “My mom (or dad) was never good at math either.” This only reinforces a child’s �xed mindset

belief that intelligence is something you are born with.

Appreciate that learning takes time and it is a product of effort. It’s not as much about the outcome as it

is about the thinking and the connections made during the process. “It looks like you’re stuck trying to make

a plan to solve that problem. Can you make a connection to something you already know about measuring

length that might help you?”

Be careful not to place a value on speed or memorization of math facts. Expecting your child to respond

quickly to math fact questions like 3 x 4 or 86 – 12 may lead to a signi�cant math anxiety and an intense

dislike of math. Instead, place value on your child’s ability to think �exibly with numbers. “I took 10 away

from 86 and got 76. Then I took 2 more away and got 74.”

Look for opportunities to �nd the math in everyday situations. Time, money, measurement, probability,

rate, ratio, spatial sense, and fractions are just a few of the math ideas that can be found in our daily lives.

For example—when doubling a recipe, calculating tax on the amount of a sale item, calculating elapsed

time, the fairness of a game, or whether the sofa will �t in a particular space.

Written by Kristen Muscat-Fennell – Mathematics Facilitator K-8, Simcoe County Board of Education

51

23

4

6

78

9

01

2

8

9

0

x

+

÷

2

3

4

8

0

123

4

67 9

0

5 12

36

8

x

÷

34

7

08

5

1

2

3

4

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0

5

12

3

4

8

90

x

+

÷

0

234

5

67

89

51

23

4

6

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0

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0

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0

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0

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7

2

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8

90

x

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6

7

8

0

5

4

2

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8

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÷

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7

5

Mod

ule O

ne

Fact Sheet

Calculating Time Children Spend at

Hom

e vs. School (Birth–Age 18)

If a child sleeps for 8 hours in each 24-hour day:

•8 hours asleep and 16 hours aw

ake

•365 days/year x 18 years = 6,570 days

•6,570 days x 16 w

aking hours/day =105,120 w

aking hours at age 18

•Average 6 hours/day at school

•Average 180 school days/year

•180 school days/year x 6 hours/school day = 1,080 hours/school year

•1,080 hours/school year x 13 school years [kindergarten + 12 years through high school]= 14,040 school hours

•14,040 school hours ÷ 105,120 w

aking hours = .13356

ORJust 13.36% of all w

aking hours by age 18 have been spent in school!

You are their idol. They look up to you.They don’t do a good job listening to you, but they do a fantastic job im

itating you.

– Karl Subban, retired Toronto school principal and father of three

Recomm

ended Resources

There is a wealth of inform

ation on the internet in addition to the links and other resources listed below

. For an up-to-date list, please check our w

ebsite.

•Fam

ily Math Canada

familym

athcanada.org

•Doing M

athematics w

ith Your Child, Kindergarten to Grade 6, A Parent Guide (Ontario M

inistry of Education, 2014) edu.gov.on.ca/eng/literacynum

eracy/parentGuideNum

En.pdf

•Parent Resources (Education, Quality and Accountability Of�ce) eqao.com

/Parents/parents.aspx?Lang=E

•M

athies, a website designed for Ontario K–12

students and parentsm

athies.ca

•TVOParents resources to support m

ath learningat hom

e.tvoparents.tvo.org/topic/school-learning#/1185/m

ath

•TVOKids show

s about math for children aged

6 to 11.tvoparents.tvo.org/article/tvokids-show

s-ages-6-11-teaching-m

ath

• Family Resources (NCTM

)old.nctm

.org/resources/content.aspx?id=7928

•Calculation Nation (NCTM

)calculationnation.nctm

.org

•Illum

inations Games, PreK-Gr 12 (NCTM

)illum

inations.nctm.org/allgam

es.aspx

•M

athfrog cem

c2.math.uw

aterloo.ca/mathfrog

How

children really spend their time

(Birth–18 years)

57%Aw

ake, notin school

30%Asleep

13%In school

General Overview

Count Yourself In

1123 Glenashton D

riveO

akville, Ontario L6H

5M1

Tel: 905.845.4254Fax: 905.845.2044

CO

DE

Council of O

ntario Directors of E

ducation

Funded By:

Yes,

you

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Mot

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Stud

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akin

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tone

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; “W

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; “H

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acti

viti

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can

do

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uppo

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mat

h le

arni

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me?

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Mat

h ga

mes

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ork

days

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et e

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zzle

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at m

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hey

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ire

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ing,

enh

ance

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erac

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ote

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ussi

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any

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es

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ired

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r mat

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iliti

es.

Mat

h on

TV

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ch e

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tion

al te

levi

sion

pro

gram

s. M

any

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wit

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nclu

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free

ga

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s, m

ath

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ongs

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Mat

h at

the

groc

ery

stor

eTa

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our c

hild

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g. T

he g

roce

ry s

tore

is

full

of g

reat

mat

h op

port

unit

ies.

You

can

talk

to y

our

child

abo

ut h

ow to

wei

gh fr

uit o

n a

scal

e or

how

to

esti

mat

e th

e to

tal c

ost o

f ite

ms

as y

ou �

ll yo

ur c

art.

Mat

h in

com

pute

r gam

esIf

you

r chi

ldre

n en

joy

play

ing

on th

e co

mpu

ter,

intr

oduc

e th

em to

fun

and

educ

atio

nal w

eb-b

ased

ga

mes

, suc

h as

“M

athf

rog”

and

“Ca

lcul

atio

n Na

tion

.”

5

13

4

60

5

12

3

4

8

90

x +

÷2

34

5

78

9

14

780

5

1

2

8

9 x

÷

1

24

5

0

548

3

CODECouncil of Ontario Directors of Education

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