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Grants in Action
Math Night at Martha Jones
All Aboard for Education
By Monica Parker-James
“That’s really awesome!” exclaimed kindergartener Patrick Reilly as he played with his father, Dave. The two weren’t on the soccer field or at the playground. Instead, Patrick’s enthusiasm stemmed from a rather unexpected source – a math game. He and his dad were taking part in the first Martha Jones School Family Math Night.
The event was designed to both encourage students’ enthusiasm for math and to strengthen the home-to-school math connection by familiarizing parents with the math curriculum. Martha Jones teachers Kris McDonough, Jen Teahan, and Tiffany Dunn designed and hosted the evening, which was attended by 300 students and parents.
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“Kris McDonough and I first discussed the idea for a math night during a summer math workshop,” explained Teahan. “Later the school hosted a forum that found that parents wanted to become more familiar with techniques and strategies used to teach math in school. So, we decided to apply to the Westwood Educational Foundation for a grant to take advantage of the opportunity to promote math in the community.”
WEF granted the proposal for funds to purchase supplies, math games, and teacher preparation sessions.
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The teachers came up with the theme of “Get On Board” to get kids energized about the event. They developed a series of interactive math activities based on the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks. Then they realized they would need a host of volunteers to make the evening successful. Fortunately, the Westwood High School Varsity Cross Country Team was more than willing to lend a hand.
“I coach 29 of the most amazing girls at Westwood High,” said Teahan. “They are a group of dedicated, driven, smart, talented, and sassy girls. They are required to complete community service projects every year. When I presented this event to them, they jumped at the opportunity to be involved.”
The volunteers approached the event with verve. They dressed as train conductors and staffed the stations; helping out with activities, playing games, and stamping train tickets. Upon completion of each activity, the student took his or her train ticket to a raffle bucket for a chance to win a board game that utilizes math skills. |
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Each family that participated took home a Family Math Kit that included all of the materials and instructions needed to play math games at home. The event received rave reviews by parents and students alike, including a little girl who asked her mother at the end of the two-hour evening, “It’s over already? When do we get to do it again?”
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