Teachers Engaging Parents and Children in Mathematical Learning : Nurturing Productive Collaboration

This book serves to enliven three-way partnerships among parents, teachers, and students concerning mathematical learning in elementary and middle school settings. Key tenets of the principles concerning constructivism and overlapping spheres of influence are presented in the first two chapters to provide a solid theoretical basis for teaching mathematics the way we do and for involving parents in the learning process. The remaining chapters describe parental involvement initiatives that reflect a model consisting of an invitation, an initial meeting, an engagement workshop, home activities, a follow-up session, and additional tasks to maintain connections between the mathematics classroom and the home. This resource is meant for use in teacher education, in preparing school administrators, and in other courses or workshops that prepare professionals to work in mathematics classrooms and with families. It can be used in conjunction with a methods text or as a supplementary text in courses on mathematics education at elementary and middle school levels. Chapters may also be selected for courses in sociology of education, practicum teaching seminars, educational administration, community education, and staff development.