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Parents are their children’s first and most influential teachers. Research has shown that a child’s success in school is influenced by early experiences at home. Beginning at birth there are learning opportunities every day in children’s lives, and there is extensive evidence that indicates that the first three years are the most critical in a child’s life. Their role "continues to have particular significance for learning during all their children's schooling years.  Hence it is important for parents to work in active partnership with teachers."

Children, through play and interaction, learn to solve problems, deal with ideas and predict what will happen next. Parents need to recognise and create learning experiences that match the child’s emerging interests.

(http://www.ntde.nt.gov.au).

Language plays a vital role in mathematical understanding and should be encouraged and developed, simple phrases such as big ones, small ones, taller, shorter etc provide a solid foundation for further learning of mathematical concepts.

Children need direct experience before they can develop ideas about their world including maths.  "Studies have shown that concrete, hands-on experiences are vital if a child is to understand abstract concepts - and maths is abstract later on."
(Tertini Judy,1995,  Mathematics for the very young: a resource book, Horwitz Publications, St Leonards NSW, p.10)

Activities provided on this website are useful for parents to provide these concrete opportunities.

Games are often the way children grasp what is going on in the world as well as what is going on in maths. Games show that maths is fun and something we can all do.

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Mathematical concepts are closely connected to many life skills we want our children to learn. Therefore, connecting real life situations to maths will provide a meaningful experience for any child. Connecting maths to life skills will assist children to:
• Learn to communicate/social skills
• Learn to think flexibly and creatively
• Learn ways of tackling problems
• Learn to use modern technology such as computers and calculators.

(Atkinson Sue, 1994, Help Your Child With Maths: A Parents' Handbook, Hodder & Stoughton, London, p.64)
 
 

Keeping all of this in mind, parents need to be aware that their role as teachers does not end when their children begin school.
 
 

Teachers are responsible for encouraging parents to participate actively in their children's learning.

"Parents can no longer be viewed simply as fundraisers, helpers and the sources of information about particular children, but rather they must be seen as partners, for their collective knowledge provides the access teachers must have to those uncodified cultural frameworks that impinge so much on learning."
(The Educational Rationale for Parent Participation - Australian Council of State School Organisations)

 Teachers can encourage parents to assist in the classroom in Literacy as well as Numeracy.  Many schools provide training for parents to build their confidence in being able to assist children with their mathematical learning.  Early Numeracy Developing Partnerships Program and Classroom Helpers are both examples of  programs readily available to all schools through the Early Years Initiative (DEET, 2001).  These provide opportunities for parents to gain insights into how children learn and the value of home experiences, as well as providing parents with support enabling them to be involved in classroom programs.

Schools can also provide Family Maths Nights to demystify any misconceptions parents may have regarding their children's learning, with specific curriculum focus.

Another initiative that teachers can take in involving parents in children's learning can be a weekly Maths Share Activity.  This would be most beneficial as a regular part of the school's newsletter or class homework sheet.

The activities provided on this web page can be used to illustrate to parents that maths is part of everyday life and that they should play an active role in promoting mathematics as fun and relevant.
 
 

• http://www.edbydesign.com/math_strat.html
• http://www.teachingtreasures.com.au/maths/Maths_more.html
• http://www.abc.net.au/children/games(games for ages 1 to12)
• http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/megamaths/ (problem solving for ages 7 to 9)
• http://www.funbrain.com
• http://www.sofweb.vic.edu.au/eys/num/strategies/index.htm (Thinking Strategies in Numeracy: A Guide for Families of Young Children.)