Introducing Parents as Math Partners Mornings in the Lower School

This year, parents of Lower School students were welcomed to visit their child's Homeroom and observe firsthand our new math program, Illustrative Math, in action. Selected after an extensive search for its combination of rigor and depth, Illustrative Math’s constructivist approach to knowledge and skill-building enables students to deepen their understanding of math concepts and become fluent in their application of mathematical operations and strategies. 

After a brief welcome, warmup, and mini-lesson, parents in Grades K-5 partnered with their children to complete activities highlighting the learning goals of the particular unit they were studying. From adding and subtracting on a number line while playing “Jump the Line” in Grade 2 to totaling dollar amounts raised by various parties for a made-up fundraiser in Grade 4, students participated eagerly in a variety of activities, demonstrating strategies taught and flexibility in their thinking. 

Parents as Math Partners Mornings foster the home-school connection and support students in thinking about the adults in their lives as collaborators in fostering math proficiency. Following their visit, one parent wrote, “It was such a great opportunity to get a glimpse into the classroom in a different way than we parents usually get and to experience a little bit of what it's like for [students] and their teachers on a daily basis. This not only gave me another connection point with my children but also helped me to understand further the approach being taken around the new math curriculum…it is so fascinating to me to see the varied approaches kids are taking to tackling math and how this is working for them as they figure it out together.”

We are grateful to our Lower School Homeroom Teachers and Learning Specialists for hosting these events and to all parents whose enthusiastic participation made the Parents as Math Partners Mornings such a success.