Parents’ Talk Ballygarvan NS March 2014

1. Parents’ TalkBallygarvan NS March 2014 4 items for discussion • Homework Policy • Uniform Policy • Anti-Bullying Policy Review • Numeracy/Maths advice for parents

2. Homework Policy Pupils:150 pupils responded to questionnaire • 90% said homework was important • At the senior end discrepancies arising eg 3rd class taking longer to do homework than 4th • 93% of pupils have access to internet Parents:154 Parents responded 93% said homework was important and agreed on same priority areas

3. Homework Policy continued • 93% of parents do not want homework given at weekends • 47% of parents believe homework in senior classes takes too long • 88% of pupils have access to internet

4. Proposals following analysis of homework questionnaires • Update and Circulate Homework Policy on school website following this review (Largely unchanged) • No homework at weekends except occasionally and in exceptional circumstances, (subject to review). • Class teachers consult to make sure amount given is gradually increasing throughout the school year and the class levels. • Class teachers consult to ensure items being covered are consistent between same grades and between successive grades. • Principal will collect samples of good practice in the area of homework being given in each class at different times in the year. This will be kept on file for staff. • Principal will feedback to parents at PA Meeting

5. Uniform Policy 62 Respondents • 97 % of respondents want a school uniform and over 90% chose the options for the school uniform that we have at present. • We will not therefore be making any alterations to the existing uniform apart from trying to source an iron-on crest.

6. Anti-Bullying Policy Review Review has to be undertaken in all schools in this term • Principal attending seminar • Talk arranged for all staff, BOM and Parents on 31st March. Looking for parental input. • Principal will get input from some senior pupils- ( 4th/5th and 6th) • Revised policy will be available on website or from the school office on request

7. 10 Ways to Help Your Child Learn Maths Seán Delaney Marino Institute of Education

8. We’ve all been here….! www.seandelaney.com

9. 1. Promote a Positive Attitude to Maths I was never any good at maths myself You’re doing honours maths? You must be a genius! Sure when do you ever use algebra in real life? Some people are just good at maths and others are not www.seandelaney.com

10. It’s not about the test!!

12. 2. Look at Tables Differently www.seandelaney.com

13. Learn Related Facts Together: 6 + 7 = 13 7 + 6 = 13 13 – 7 = 6 13 – 6 = 7 www.seandelaney.com

14. Learning Number Facts www.seandelaney.com

15. Addition Table www.seandelaney.com

16. Hundred Square www.seandelaney.com

17. Multiplication Table www.seandelaney.com

18. 3. Ask Your Child to Teach You Maths

19. 3. Ask Your Child to Teach You Maths 5 – 1 72 – 48 1 ½ + 3 ¼ 148 ÷ 7 Find 10 % of 76 Say it out loud! Talk through every step www.seandelaney.com

20. 4. Encourage Your Child to be Independent in Maths http://blogs.psychcentral.com/always-learning/files/2010/05/math-mistakes-May-5-2010-003.jpg From Maths Lab 2007 www.seandelaney.com

21. 5. Use Maths with your Child in Daily Life www.seandelaney.com

22. Where in the school can a Blue Whale fit? (30m in length)

23. 6. Display Maths Work at Home www.seandelaney.com

24. 7. Communicate with your Child’s Teacher http://www.ncca.ie/uploadedfiles/G.5.%20Test%20results1.jpg www.seandelaney.com

25. 7. Communicate with your Child’s Teacher http://www.ncca.ie/uploadedfiles/G.5.%20Test%20results1.jpg www.seandelaney.com

26. Introduction to Addition Note This is the way we are doing renaming, please follow the same steps to avoid confusion. Take the sum 34 +48 Step 1 Write T and U over the sum to help. TU 34 +48 Step 2 – U always start with Units and from the bottom. 8+4 is 12 Can I have 12 units? No 2 Units go under the Units and my Ten goes up under my Tens. Start from the bottom again, 1+4 is 5, 5+3=8 TU 34 +418 82 www.seandelaney.com

27. Here is a list of the Maths topics covered so far by pupils in second class. • How many ways can you make a specific number using two numbers e.g. 6 and 4 make 10, 3 + 7 make 10 • Adding both ways e.g. 2 + 6 is the same as 6 + 2 • Doubles e.g. Double 34= 34 +34= 68 • Drawing a sum e.g. 12-5 • Addition- Sums with brackets e.g. (7+2) + 4= and add what is in brackets first • Friendly numbers i.e. 2 numbers that make 10 when you add them • 2d shapes e.g. circle, square. What are they called? How many sides, corners? • 3d shapes e.g. cube, cylinder. How many sides, faces, corners? • Estimating • Rounding up and down a number to the nearest 10 e.g. 24 rounds down to 20 and 38 rounds up to 40 • Skip counting e.g. 4, 8, 12 • e.g. How many fingers do 8 people have, how many legs do 6 people have? • Addition with and without number- line and 100 square • Subtraction with and without number- line and 100 square • Subtraction with renaming e.g. 65-38= • Missing numbers and empty boxes e.g. 12 + = 20, +5= 15, 20= 4 + , 13- = 8, -5= 12 • Place value e.g. 35 is the same as 3 tens and 5 units • Comparing and Ordering (Greater than and less than) and recognizing the signs for each. • eg. • Finding square corners in letters and shapes e.g. • Understanding word problems and language aswell as knowing how to change the words into a sum: • e.g. Find the difference between x and x, Find the sum of x and x, What change do I get out of 50c if I buy a lollipop for 24c? I need 15 cards for a full set but I only have 7…how many more do I need? • The months of the year inc. their order • The days of the week • The seasons inc. which season comes after spring, before winter etc. Also which months are in which season. • Finding lines of symmetry in a shape • Any further queries, please don’t hesitate to contact me. • R. Manley www.seandelaney.com

28. Dear Parents, This week in maths we are starting a new unit on capacity. We have a capacity table in school with lots of different sized containers. Here we will compare containers using the following vocabulary: Empty, full, small, little, large, to the top, fill, how many? Holds more than, holds less than, the same as, soaks, overflows, level. At home it would be helpful if you discuss the difference between ‘empty’ and ‘full’. Emphasise that ‘full’ means ‘up to the top’. Let them experiment at the sink with various different size containers. How many little bottles will it take to fill this big bottle? etc.

29. Some kids love making a mess! www.seandelaney.com

30. 8. Be Realistic about Textbooks

31. 8. Be Realistic about Textbooks www.seandelaney.com

32. 9. Challenge a High-Achieving Child MSW Logo www.seandelaney.com

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37. Websites • Logo: http://www.softronix.com/logo.html • Geogebra: http://www.geogebra.org/cms/ • Geogebra (Primary School Version): http://www.geogebra.org/en/wiki/index.php/Release_Notes_GeoGebra_4.0#GeoGebraPrim • Scratch: http://www.scratch.mit.edu www.seandelaney.com

38. 10. Play Games that Encourage Mathematical Thinking egLudo, Snakes and Ladders, Cards, Lego www.seandelaney.com

39. Websites we use • www.scoilnet.ie Irish Curriculum areas • www.ncca.ie Info for parents on all curricular areas • www.topmarks.co.uk • www.coolmaths4kids.com • www.4to12maths.com • www.funforthebrain.com • “Harry’s Tables”-Fun way of learning tables through rhymes- book available in Eason’s. www.seandelaney.com

40. What we are doing in Ballygarvan? • Communicating to parents about Maths language and methodologies • Being more consistent in approach throughout the school eg RUDE • Using more concrete materials • Practical/Real-life Maths • Making better use of assessments • NCCA leaflets and info on website:www.ncca.ie

41. Remember!