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7.4: Engaging Families

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    153821

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    Teachers can use the following strategies to help families to develop their children’s mathematical understanding:

    • Communicate to families
      • the broader aspects of developing number sense; for example, using counting in real-life situations, comparing numbers and discussing which is more or less, making estimations (e.g., How many grapes are in this bowl?), and solving simple addition and subtraction problems.
      • what classification and patterning are about and how they contribute to children’s understanding of mathematics.
      • the importance of early measuring experiences and types of measurement experiences they can do with children.
      • that mathematical reasoning is being able to think mathematically and explore different ways of solving problems
    • Remind parents that daily use of numbers (which are everywhere!) can become learning experiences for children.
    • Provide number-related games and books that children can take home or that families can make or purchase.
    • Encourage parents to
      • involve children in everyday measurement experiences
      • refer to shapes in the environment when talking with children
      • use spatial words in everyday interactions with children
      • recognize math in everyday events and interactions and turn them into learning experiences[1]
    clipboard_e062a7e247d90d4fa06661020b369d774.png
    Figure 7.14: Cooking and baking are excellent opportunities to explore math with children.[2]

    References

    [1] The California Preschool Curriculum Framework, Volume 1 by the California Department of Education is used with permission

    [2] Image by FNS Midwest is in the public domain.

    This page titled 7.4: Engaging Families is shared under a not declared license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Jennifer Paris, Kristin Beeve, & Clint Springer.