November 2022 - Looking for Online Math Supports
Looking for more math supports at home? Try out these sites:
TVO Mathify
TVO Mathify offers free 1:1 on-line tutoring for students in grade 4 to 11 with Ontario Certified Teachers. Hours of operation vary throughout the week, but are clearly posted on the website.
October 2022 - We Are All Mathematicians
If we want children to see themselves as mathematicians, we need to disrupt stereotypes and help children to understand that we are all mathematicians.
Mathematicians are people who:
September 2022 - What is My Child Learning in Mathematics?
The Ontario Mathematics Curriculum focuses on fundamental mathematics concepts and skills, as well as on making connections between related math concepts, between mathematics and other disciplines, and between mathematics and everyday life.
The curriculum is organized into six strands:
June 2022 - Math Outdoors
In our everyday life, even if we are not always consciously aware of it, we are using math to understand and make sense of the world. This is especially true when we are engaging in tasks outdoors. Exploring the outdoors, whether in a forest or in a busy downtown core, offers a wealth of mathematical learning opportunities. This summer, take the time to discover the different and exciting math in your community and beyond.
Primary Tasks:
May 2022 - Spatial Reasoning
Do you know that working on your Spatial Reasoning actually helps develop stronger number sense and overall mathematical understanding?
“Research on spatial reasoning substantiates the critical importance of spatial reasoning abilities in geometry, measurement and problem solving both early in students’ mathematics experiences as well as later in high school and beyond, especially in STEM areas” (Shumway, 2013, p. 50).
So, what exactly do we mean by spatial reasoning?
April 2022 - Math Facts and Fluency
Number sense is an important part of mathematics learning, and is essential to our daily lives. Educators often say that they want students to have automaticity with their math facts, but what do they mean by this?
March 2022 - Mathematical Modelling
How can we make sure everyone has clean drinking water? How can we make the checkout system at the store more efficient? How can we make sure that the grocery store has enough food so everyone in the community can purchase what they need?
We live in a world where we are constantly required to ask questions and figure out answers. With a lot of these questions - we can figure out the answers using math. This is what mathematical modelling entails.
February 2022 - Games and Puzzles
Playing math games has always been valued in math class as part of the delivery of a Comprehensive Math Program. Did you know that the games you play at home also support mathematical development? Whether you are playing a board game like Snakes and Ladders or an online game like Solitaire, important math skills are being developed as you play.
January 2022 - Is Your Child Showing an Interest in Coding?
You may be hearing stories and experiences of children learning to code at school since it was introduced in the updated 2020 Ontario Math Curriculum. Coding is simply a method of communicating with a computer to give it instructions in order for it to perform specific functions. At the elementary school level, students learn the basics of coding and continue to develop their understanding through the following grade and concepts:
December 2021 - Looking for Math Manipulatives at Home?
Using manipulatives (objects) to explore mathematical concepts is an important part of the learning process. They support a conceptual approach to learning math and allow children to see and create visual representations that help them understand abstract math concepts.