As teachers, it’s inherent that we want to do everything in our power to help our students succeed. One way we can do this is by teaching them a variety of math strategies for problem solving that can be used in different situations.
While we do our best to teach our students these strategies, many often struggle with mastering them. One thing I like to do to help my students learn and retain these math strategies for problem solving is to involve their parents.
The thing is- parents want to help their kids, but they may not know how. The way we teach math today is drastically different from how it was taught in the past, and parents are often confused and frustrated by these new methods.
By providing clear expectations and resources, we can help families support their children’s learning of new math strategies. With everyone working together, students will have a greater opportunity for success!
Let me take you through some steps you can follow to involve parents in the process of teaching new math strategies for problem solving to your students.
Step #1: Plan ahead.
Take a look at your scope and sequence, curriculum materials, and plan book. Note which math strategies for problem solving you are teaching and when. This will help you know what resources to gather or prepare, and help you determine when to inform parents of any expectations or share resources with them.
My FREE Math Strategy Communication Planner is a great way to stay organized when planning for involving parents when teaching math strategies for problem solving. You can type right on it or print it out and handwrite if you prefer. It will get you thinking about the strategies you need to teach your students, the materials you can share with families to help them support, and the best time to share these materials so you can get in front of it.
This is an extra step that will save you a lot of time and aggravation in the long run. Organization goes a long way!
Step #2: Communicate your expectations to parents.
Let parents and guardians know when their child will be learning new math strategies for problem solving and how they can help at home. Make it clear when you will be teaching the strategies as well as why students need to know how to use them.
One way to communicate expectations to parents is to send home a letter or flyer each time you introduce a new strategy. This will let them know what to expect and when. You may also choose to include information about the strategy in your class newsletter if you have one or in updates posted on platforms like Class Dojo, Bloomz, or Remind.
You will find a typable template like the one in the image above in my free Math Strategy Communication Planner, so be sure to click the link and grab it!
Step #3: Gather or prepare resources for families.
Search for resources parents and guardians can use to help their children practice new math strategies for problem solving. Check your math program and any supplements you already have. Do a Google search and see what you can find. Look for things like math games that practice the strategy, how-to videos, flashcards, extra practice activities, or a worksheet with practice problems.
If you teach first grade, my math extra practice pages bundle is a great resource to check out. The pages are standards-based so you can pinpoint the exact skill or strategy you are trying to teach and use it to give your kids the extra exposure they need. You can use these pages in your classroom or send them home to parents to use.
It is aligned to Go Math but will work great with any math program.
Here are a few other ideas of games you can suggest to parents to help their kids practice math strategies for problem solving:
- Doubles Facts Bingo: Parents can make bingo cards with doubles facts. They can call out the sums and have kids mark them off if they get a match.
- War: This is a classic card game that can be played with regular playing cards. Each player lays down a card, and the one with the higher number takes the two cards. If there is a tie, then it’s war! This game can be played with addition and subtraction problems instead of numbers.
- How Many to 10: Parents can fill a bag with 10 small objects like buttons, beans, or coins and have the child reach in a grab a few. The child can count how many objects they pulled out and then figure out how many more must be left in the bag to get to 10.
By providing resources like these, we can make sure that parents have the tools they need to support their child’s learning at home.
There are many other ways to involve parents in the classroom, but these are just a few ideas to get you started. No matter what you do, remember that communication and collaboration are key!
Step #4: Help parents understand the strategy.
This is the most important step and the one that will be the most impactful. At the end of the day, you just need parents to actually understand how to use the math strategies for problem solving themselves. This will help them guide their children and also prevent them from creating any confusion.
My favorite way to do this is by finding or recording tutorial videos and emailing them to parents or posting them on our communication app. Outline the process step-by-step in a parent-friendly way. Another option is to create a printable outlining the steps with a few examples. (It doesn’t have to be fancy- it could be handwritten!)
My favorite software for creating screen recordings is Loom, which is free for verified teachers!
You may also consider doing this in person, through a parent night or meeting, or even via email.
Step #5: Check in with parents periodically.
Be sure to check in every now and then and see how things are going or if they have any questions. By involving parents in the classroom, we can help students learn math strategies for problem solving that will benefit them now and in the future!
Involve Parents to Help Teach Math Strategies for Problem Solving
Involving parents and guardians in the classroom is a great way to help students learn math strategies for problem solving. By providing resources and communicating with parents, we can make sure that they have the tools they need to support their child’s learning at home. There are many other ways to involve parents in the classroom, but these are just a few ideas to get you started. No matter what you do, remember that communication and collaboration are key!
Do you have any tips for teaching math strategies for problem solving or involving parents? Tell me about them in the comments!
