Transcript National Numeracy Presentation (18.11.2013)

“Talking Maths: ways of engaging parents
with their children's maths learning”
Sue Skyrme and Sarah-Jane Gay
Bristol University November 18th 2013
Copyright © National Numeracy 2013. All rights reserved.
Visit our website www.nationalnumeracy.org.uk
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National Numeracy – About us
What do we mean by numeracy?
By numeracy we mean ‘everyday maths’. This is the maths that helps you to make decisions in dayto-day life; things like making the most of your money, journey planning, and understanding adverts
and offers. Being numerate is an essential life skill.
Issue
• 17 million at Entry Levels (Skills for Life 2011)
• This has huge impact on the individual’s life chances and UK as a whole
• ‘I can’t do maths’ and negative cultural views of maths
• 37% adults want to improve their maths skills (rose to 67% in unemployed people)
(YouGov for NN, 2013)
Aims
• Transform numeracy for all – everyone to reach a level of numeracy that allows them to fulfil
their potential
• Promote positive, ‘can-do’ attitudes towards maths
Approach
• Mathematical resilience – value, growth mindset, effort
Main projects
• Essentials of Numeracy for All
• The Challenge – Challenge Online
• Firm Foundations for All and Parental Engagement
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Parental Engagement What is the issue?
•
If parents engage with their children's education, the attainment of the
child will increase by 15% no matter what the social background of the
family. - Professor Charles Deforges
•
Children whose parents take an active interest in their child's education
make greater progress at school.
•
Parents give children their first experience of maths, and it is important
for the child that this is positive. Children who hear 'I can't do maths' or 'I
was never any good at maths and I'm OK' are likely to start believing
maths is unimportant.
•
Many parents feel unconfident in their own maths ability, and therefore
unable to support their children.
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Parental Engagement What do parents say?
• 41% of parents sampled cited work commitments as the
main barrier to engaging with their children's learning (a)
• only 33% felt confident in helping with homework (a)
• 38% feel they do not understand their children's work (a)
• 72% want more involvement in their child’s education (f)
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Parental Engagement
Project Aims
•
To support parents in engaging
with their children's education.
•
To break any cycle of negative
maths messages - encourage
parents to avoid 'I can't do
maths'.
•
To offer parents support in
developing their own numeracy
skills - either through the Firm
Foundations for All or the
Challenge
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Parental Engagement Strategy Temple
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Parental Engagement Project Plan
1. Desk research
2. Field research - meetings
- focus groups
3. Expert group meetings
4. Interim report
5. Pilot resources/ support
6. Recommendations for next steps
7. Final report
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Barriers to Parental Engagement Desk research
Barriers to parental engagement:
•
attitudes to maths – ok to dislike/ fear/ say no good at maths
•
•
•
cultural norms and expectations
working family lives/ work commitments
language – both first language at home and mathematical language
•
low levels of own numeracy
•
lack of confidence
•
•
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sustainability
'hard to reach' parents
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Barriers to Parental Engagement Desk research
Barriers to parental engagement:
feel stigmatised if attend support group
•
•
parents experience of their own education
•
•
digital divide
perception of the role in relation to child's schooling is influenced by their own past
experiences and some parents try to 'save' their children from the same
•
•
failures in the system
some pupils (SEN) unhappy at school
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Parental Engagement Desk research main findings
•
•
in countries such as China, where parental involvement is high, children achieve; importance is
placed on doing well in maths
•
•
parental involvement has a positive impact on children's learning
need to engage in more mathematical conversations and do everyday tasks together
effect of parental involvement at home was stronger than that of either socio-economic status or
parents level of education
•
pupils have positive and negative effect on parental involvement
•
•
•
girls are more likely to engage parents than boys
communicating with parents about their child's learning can improve attainment
parents who were viewed as 'hard to reach' often viewed the school as 'hard to reach'
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Parental Engagement Desk research main findings
•
research shows that fathers' involvement is particularly important for boys
and for disadvantaged children
the majority of participating schools have witnessed improvements – in
some cases dramatic -in levels of mathematics attainment (Ocean Maths)
•
Family Learning.. to engage those furthest from the labour market and
improve employability
•
•
•
biggest worry for parents – home help papers hit the best-sellers list!
consider the 'hidden nature' of help parents gave to children with maths
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Parental Engagement Desk research main findings
•
most parents could give an example of how they supported children's
learning in maths in everyday contexts
•
parents struggle with 'modern methods'
•
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most parents felt maths was important – to get a good job, everyday lives
•
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poor communication home- school
mums worried about passing on stereotype of girls not as good as boys
there is a proven relationship between improved parent engagement and
improved attendance, behaviour and achievement
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Parental Engagement Field research
• One school visit completed –
high deprivation school on Isle of
Wight.
• The group comprised 11 – 8
mums, 2 grandmas, 1 dad (with
mixed age children across the
school 4-11)
• Next arranged – Hodge Hill
Primary School, Birmingham –
before Christmas
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Parental Engagement Field research question themes
General opinions about maths and numeracy
• Importance of maths
• Own experience of maths
• Impact of own opinions on children
• Is maths something everyone can learn to do?
How parents engage with your child’s learning of numeracy
• Everyday activities, conversations
• Games, songs etc
What kind of support would parents like for both them and their child?
• What prevents engagement?
• Support wanted from school/National Numeracy
• What would encourage other parents to get in to schools?
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Parental Engagement Field research responses
Many commonalities with desk research: some new responses included:
Experience of own learning maths at school~ many felt negative; many remembered
maths used as a punishment; most did not want the same for their children
Terminology ~ most of the group felt 'numeracy' is a friendlier term than 'maths‘
Importance~ maths very important for employability
Attitude~ most try to be positive around their child; some felt parents are too hard on
themselves and do 'maths' without realising it
Engagement ~ some parents put off by other parents
The carrot ~ promote the idea of your engagement (and improved maths skills)
WILL improve your child’s life chances
Presentation ~ important to advertise positively
Support ~ guides for talking to teachers
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Parental Engagement Next steps
• Continue with parent focus groups
• Keep in touch and mutually support others with similar aims
• Begin to plan support and resources
[email protected]
[email protected]
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