From 3 experts: How to connect families with math
The Four books below provide various perspectives on ways to engage with families and caregivers.
Mary Cowhey’s second book, Families With Power, describes her experience and journey as a first-grade teacher and math interventionist who centers on families.
She has 2 math-related chapters. Chapter 6 – Bilingual Family Math Nights and Chapter 7 – Morning Math Club. This book is touching and personal. At times I found myself laughing out loud and other times shedding a tear.
Mary is trained in Add+VantageMR® (AVMR) and as a Math Recovery Specialist.
If you were inspired to become a teacher because you wanted to develop young minds, but now find yourself limited by “teach to the test” pressures and state standards, Mary Cowhey’s book Black Ants and Buddhists: Thinking Critically and Teaching Differently in the Primary Grades will reignite the passion and remind you that educators provide more than “test prep.”
I highly recommend Black Ants and Buddhists.
As described on Amazon, “What would a classroom look like if understanding and respecting differences in race, culture, beliefs, and opinions were at its heart?
Dr. Kreisberg is the director of the Center for Mathematics Achievement at Lesley University. She is trained in Add+VantageMR and as a Math Recovery Specialist.
As described by the authors, “Are you frustrated or confused by the way math is taught to your child today? Are you tired of trying to figure out what your child is doing when they draw visuals in math? Do you want to feel smarter than a 5th grader again?
Well, this book is for you. We have taken the major parts of the 21st Century mathematics curriculum and rewritten it in an easy-to-read format.
This book breaks down all the educational jargon so you can finally communicate mathematically with your child again.
No matter whether your child is 3 months old or 10 years old, this book will give you a stronger understanding of the how, the why, and the what behind the shifts in math education today.”
As described by the authors, “The resource supports teachers and leaders in enhancing how they communicate with families around mathematics instruction while also considering what they communicate.
It helps educators understand how to team up with families to support their children’s learning, and that sort of partnership might have made remote learning a bit easier.” The resource, co-written by Kreisberg and Dr. Matthew Beyranevand, K-12 math coordinator for Chelmsford, Massachusetts, public schools, “provides educators with long overdue guidance on how to productively partner and communicate with families about their children’s mathematics learning,” according to the publishers.
Tell us about other books that have supported your work around engaging families and communities in the comments below. We also invite you to join the discussion on our Community Forum.
Thanks for the text suggestions – Always looking for my next read and recommendations for others.