Activity: Conduct a parent support session.

Description: Parents of fourth grade students requested assistance with the current math
homework. I created and conducting a math support session for parents. Parents and
students were welcomed to attend the session. During the session, parents were taught the
math strategies that students were being taught in class at that time.
What went well?
A letter regarding the parent support session was sent home with information. Parents
were asked to sign up if they would be attending. I had seven parents and his/her student
attend the support session. During the math support session, I taught parents the
strategies for multiplication and division. These were the actual strategies that students
were learning at the time, and were bringing home for homework. The parents were very
open to learning the material. Many examples were given, modeled, and practiced. I was
also able to answer questions for parents. Parents were able to see his/her child solve
these problems with the support of the teacher. I was also able to model, for the parents,
how to support the child as he/she completed the problem.
I also created math support sheets that went home with the parents. These sheets gave an
example problem in multiplication and division (that was solved), helpful websites,
example multiplication and division problems, and word problems with multiplication
and division.
What did not go well?
Parents were very concerned that these strategies are too complicated for the students,
and they should be learning multiplication and division the way that we were taught a
long time ago. I told parents that these strategies are used to meet the needs of all
learners. Even though the students learned the traditional algorithm, I did not push this
strategy because I was sure that parents could help with this at home. I should not
assume that parents remember the strategies that they learned in school.

Overall, I feel that the support session went well, and parents were very positive about
the process. However, I am disappointed in myself for not following up with parents,
and/or having another math support session.
Given the chance to do it again, how would you do it better?
First, I would be sure that parents are comfortable with all strategies, including the
traditional algorithm that he/she may have learned in school. I would also review this
strategy with parents to be sure they are comfortable. I would give parents a list of
questions that could be used in order to support the student as he/she works. Next, I
would have a follow up session to answer any other questions that parents may have. I
would also like to have support session every 9 weeks, prior to the lessons that I teach in
class. By doing this, I will be able to give the parents an overview of what should be
expected at home. I would also be able to answer questions, model strategies, and
eliminate concerns for those parents. This is keeping an open line of communication
between us, in order to support the students in my class. My next goal is to have a parent
support session for TCAP related practice materials.
Materials used for Math Parent Support Session
(The pictures were scaled down for the purpose of this assignment).

Videos to help you:

Youtube-area model division
COU Mini Lesson "Using The Area Model Long Division" (Stop at
6:19)
Youtube-partial quotients division
Partial Quotients.MP4
Computer math games
Multiplication/Division:
http://www.multiplication.com/games/all-games
http://www.mathplayground.com/ASB_Index.html
http://www.mathplayground.com/index_multiplication_division.ht
ml
http://interactivesites.weebly.com/division.html
http://mrnussbaum.com/division_games/
Fractions:
http://www.math-play.com/equivalent-fractions-game.html
http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/mathgames/menus/fractions.h
tm
http://www.math-play.com/Factors-Millionaire/FactorsMillionaire.html
http://www.math-play.com/Factors-and-MultiplesJeopardy/Factors-and-Multiples-Jeopardy.html

http://illuminations.nctm.org/Activity.aspx?id=4148 (higher order

thinking)

Reminders:
Please continue to work on multiplication math facts.
We will send home more support with fractions as students learn.
Sample Problems for More Practice
Multiplication word problems
1.

Jason has 37 blue marbles. Tom has 5 times more blue marbles
than Jason. How many blue marbles does Tom have?

2.

There are 34 calories in a candy bar. How many calories are

there in 12 candy bars?

3.

Mary has saved 35 quarters from washing cars. How many cents
does Mary have?

4.

Keith has 3 dozen golf balls. How many golf balls does he have?

5. Nancy earns $12.50 an hour cleaning houses. If she works from

8:00am to 3:00pm, how much money will she make?
Division Word Problems: 1-Digit Divisors
1. There were a total of 24 football games during the three-month
season. If the games are equally divided, how many football
games are played a month?
2.

Tom was at the beach for five days and found 32 seashells. He
plans to give all of his seashells equally to his four friends. How
many seashells will each friend get?

3.

Dan, Tim, and Joan have 24 erasers all together. If the erasers
are equally divided, how many will each person get?

4.

Jason has 80 cents in his bank. How many dimes does Jason
have?

5. A restaurant sold 56 pizzas last week. How many pizzas on

average were sold each day?

Division Word Problems: 2-Digit Divisors

1. Mike bought 540 crayons that came in packs of 15. How many
packs of crayons did Mike buy?
2.

There are 900 students at a school. If each classroom holds 30

students, how many classrooms are needed at the school?

3. Sara earns $49 cleaning a home. How many homes did she
clean, if she made 294 dollars?
4.

A teacher has 344 pieces of candy. If there are 43 students, and

the candy is divided evenly. How many pieces will each student
get?

5.

Sara has 96 muffins, which he needs to box up into dozens. How

many boxes does she need?

Practice Problems:
Multiplication
A. 27 X 16

B. 45 X 12

C. 35 X 18

D. 318 X 23

E. 35 X 214

F. 394 X 24

Division
A. 74 / 9
68 / 4

B. 54 / 3

C.

D. 709 / 6

E. 428 / 3

F. 825 / 25

G. 484 / 11

H. 559 / 50

I. 702 / 33