Recently several mothers confessed that they had trouble helping their children because they failed at Maths at school. Those mothers and I had a lovely time learning fast and easy ways to coach their children number facts, addition and subtraction of 2 and 3 digit numbers such as 358+249= and 89-35= and multiplication and division.
Don’t let your lack of knowledge stop you from helping your child. Learning together is an extremely successful way to coach children. They love teaching you, and figuring out with you. You don’t have to be an expert to be a coach! Google ‘nzmaths activities’ and you will find yourself in a very useful website with lots of ideas, games, and information about basic Maths skills taught in the primary classroom.
Recent research described the importance of home-school partnership for children to do well educationally. It found parental involvement in children’s learning to be a key factor in children doing well at school. (Ally Bull, Keren Brooking & Renee Campbell, 2008).
Families as Coaches 