When teachers and schools foster respectful relationships and engage with families in mathematics education, students' attitudes, engagement and achievement are enhanced. Anyone who reads this monograph and identifies that more engagement with families in mathematics is needed has taken the important first step in the
improvement cycle towards affective change.
What follows are the actions and a series of enjoyable activities supporting the four themes to plan for change. Monitor and evaluate feedback from families, students, and peers to identify the impact and effectiveness of your actions. Look for changes in students' and families' attitudes towards mathematics, and their engagement or interest with mathematics.
School to Home Communication
Teachers promote authentic two-way communication with families to enhance students' mathematical learning.
Actions for teachers and schools to consider:
- co-design opportunities with families that connect mathematical learning within and beyond school.
- invite families to share their insights from home and personal everyday mathematical tasks.
- meaningfully communicate current approaches to teaching and learning mathematics with ongoing conversations between families and school.
- actively work with families to discuss student progress and feedback.
Foster respectful relationships
Teachers foster respectful relationships with families that value their expertise and detailed knowledge of their children.
Actions for teachers and schools to consider:
- seek and value families' opinions and expertise.
- acknowledge and encourage families' independence in creating opportunities for learning mathematics specifically designed for their child.
- view families as legitimate and valued partners in their child's mathematical learning.
- demonstrate sensitivity to families' perceptions of mathematics so that families are empowered through engagement with mathematical activities.
Positive attitudes to mathematics
Teachers encourage families' positive attitudes to mathematics to nurture students' engagement, enjoyment, and mathematical success.
Actions for teachers and schools to consider:
- work with families to identify and share both positive and negative experiences of mathematics in school and real life contexts to overcome anxiety and avoidance.
- inspire families to value their child's persistence with challenging mathematical tasks.
- co-design opportunities with families to develop positive mindsets to value and enjoy mathematics.
- convey to families contemporary research and resources illustrating mathematical challenges are an opportunity for growth rather than an impediment.
Demystify mathematics and build confidence
Teachers demystify mathematics with families to inspire confidence in doing and talking about mathematics at home.
Actions for teachers and schools to consider:
- explain contemporary mathematics classroom practices to show families how and why mathematics learning and teaching has changed.
- encourage families to engage in ongoing conversations about mathematics at home.
- provide opportunities for families to engage with mathematical activities at home.
- encourage families to visit or volunteer in the school and see students' multiple representations of mathematical work to expand their view of mathematics.