Help Out - Maths Week 2022!

This week is an important week in our school year and it provides an opportunity to really focus on numeracy and mathematics.  

The rate at which children develop mathematical skills and knowledge depends a lot on the opportunities available to them. There is so much to explore in areas such as shape, space, patterns, number, measures, data handling and more.  Everyone can play a huge part in each child's development and help to remove the fear associated by many in this subject.  

Exposure to real-life scenarios plays a major part and many opportunities present themselves around the home.  Involving your child where possible and using mathematical language and terms can have a lasting effect.

Encourage your child to:

1. think flexibly about numbers
2. draw or use objects for representations (mathematicians draw sketches all the time!)
3. work on problems that are challenging for them, so that they can learn from their mistakes
   • RUCSAC - our school problem solving approach
   • Read Understand Choose Solve Answer Check 
   • Reading carefully and Checking are vitally important steps
4. think and discourage them from random guessing
5. make sense of maths at all times by asking questions.
   • Can you show me / explain to me how you did that?
   • Does that make sense to you?
   • Why? or Why not?
6. always have a positive outlook on maths

Help your child by:

1. not leading them step by step, as this takes away important learning opportunities.
2. praising their effort even when they are struggling
   • try not to tell them they're smart but never tell them they aren't.
   • use words that build confidence like
     • excellent
     • great attempt
     • I really like that
     • could we solve it another way
     • super approach
     • so close, I really like what you are thinking, let's look at it this way
     • when I was your age I thought that too but...
3. allowing them thinking time and discouraging fast working
4. using incorrect answers to uncover the logic of their answers to develop their understanding 
5. giving them maths puzzles and playing games
6. involving them in everyday tasks that involve mathematics
   
   • spending pocket money
   • sharing out items 
   • working out times
   • measuring lengths, weights, capacities etc.
   • angles and shapes

The opportunities are endless.

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