Artifact Four

REFLECTION/RATIONALE FRAMEWORK: Standard #4 Educators value the involvement and support of parents, guardians, families and communities in schools

Artifact: Family Math Night

Context	Many of the math methods that we are using in schools today are new and different than when many parents were attending elementary school. There is a strong focus on mental math and on students understanding the process, not just memorizing the facts and algorithms. Some parents are lost of confused when they try these methods at home or when they try to support there children with their homework. Parents can become frustrated and miss how important and useful these new techniques are. It is important for parents to be on board with what the schools and the teachers are doing to fully support student achievement.
Detailed Observations	Parents were very interested in learning the methods that we were using to teach the students two and three digit addition. Instead of “carrying the one”, which is really “a ten”, students are encouraged to add on paper how they could add mentally. Stepping away from this helps students to see exactly how all of the numbers are combined instead of having a hovering one that does not really make sense unless you just memorize an algorithm. Parents watched a number of demonstrations and even completed some examples with the guidance of our group of grade three teachers. Many parents saw the value in this new process of addition.
Linking Theory with Practice	It is really important as teachers to have the support of parents and families. If the parents or families of our students do not value what is being taught in our classrooms there is a high possibility that the student will not value it either. It is also important for the parents to be able to help support their students with content, when they can, to help students achieve to the best of their ability. By bringing parents into the school to teach them what we are teaching their students it helps keep them connected and helps them see the value in what is being taught in the classroom.
Interpreting Causes and Effects	The Family Math Night for addition brought out a large crowd of eager parents. The night started off with the parents in a separate room where we taught them addition strategies that we were using in the school. The parents found the strategies effective and were also able to voice any questions or concerns. The parents were thankful for the time that was set aside to help bring them into the same style of learning as their children. After this formal instructional time the parents and students were then separated into groups that circulated between a couple different classrooms. Each classroom had a different addition game that helped the students and parents practice the skills that were learnt. At the end of the night students got a goody bag of games to take home to continue playing and practicing with their families. The math night was an extreme success with 100% of parents and students saying that they would like to have another one.
Self Assessment and Professional Planning	Since the night was such a success I believe it is a great example of how parents can be brought into the community of the school. This night was largely a collaboration between all of the grade 3 teachers at the school. It is was a lot of work to organize and set up but it was definitely worth it. I hope that when I find a position at a school I can organize something similar with the teachers at the same grade level. If not then it is something that, with principal support, I would like to do with possibly even just the parents of my own class.