CMIT Parent and Community Focus Keiraville PS Sharyn Low

Background about our school  Keiraville is a school of 250 students located in Wollongong.  We are the closest school to the University of Wollongong.

CMIT was reignited for us in 2008  We were accepted to have Facilitator's training for CMIT in  We looked at the CMIT Planning Matrix and plotted where we were on it.  For every element we had plotted ourselves on Level 1.  We knew we had some work ahead of us, particularly in the area of Parent and Community Focus

Where to start?  The Maths teams had many meetings to discuss ideas.  We decided to survey our staff about their thoughts of how we taught Maths at KPS.  Part of this was discussing how to encourage student families to take an active role in their child’s learning through a deeper understanding of how Maths is now taught.

Parent Survey  We decided we needed to survey the parents about Maths.  Some questions asked included:  What are your thoughts on ‘Maths’?  How did you feel about Maths at school?  How well do you think Maths is taught at school?  Do you think the school is well resourced to teach Maths?  Do you think textbooks are the best way to teach Maths?

The Results  We collated the results and asked our Regional Maths Consultant for assistance.  The parents overwhelmingly thought that textbooks were the best way for Maths to be taught.  Parental attitudes to Maths impacted on their children’s ideas of Maths. (“I was no good at Maths”)

We started actively encouraging:  Parent participation in classrooms – alternate classroom helpers for English and Maths.  Parents to ask questions about specific aspects of Maths that they found confusing or difficult.  Attendance at P&C meetings to bring Maths to the fore, and ask for financial support to buy resources.  Parents to go through a weekly Maths challenge with their child (included in the newsletter) as a way of better understanding the type of Maths problems/questions and strategies taught at school.

2009  We had made some progress on the matrix but this was to be the slowest and most difficult aspect of the process.  We had moved ahead on the matrix in terms of School Management, Teaching Practice and Assessment (and this was assisted with the purchase of hands-on resources to teach maths) but more work was needed to support parents.  A presentation was made to incoming Kindergarten parents in our Transition to School Program to explain some aspects of the Maths curriculum and ways that children can learn about Maths through everyday activities.

We decided to run a parent workshop with the help of our Regional Maths Consultant – Cindy Cusack We decided to run a parent workshop with the help of our Regional Maths Consultant – Cindy Cusack  We did this by organising a whole school disco. (This allowed both parents to attend the workshop in the evening without the worry of child minding.)  We had 2 sessions to cater for K-2 and 3-6.  Both sessions were well attended with over 75 parents in attendance.  Both workshops offered an insight into some activities we teach in Maths.

Invaluable Information  This workshop provided the parents with time to participate in hand-on activities and ask questions  It allowed teachers to explain how Maths has changed to be more strategy driven  It sparked some excellent discussion about aspects of Maths – in particular teaching of tables  We have made a booklet which will be available this year for parents. It has such things as ‘tips and tricks for the four operations a glossary of terms, great Maths websites and easy games to play at home’

Where to from here?  Homework has changed at our school to reflect our ‘new’ way of teaching Maths.  We are planning parent workshops with each stage taking on responsibility for a workshop  Parents are encouraged to help during Maths lessons  We are working towards training parents as CMIT tutors  Maths is being talked about at school by the staff, students and parents.