Jamie Gass

7 Tools to Keep Your Child Engaged in Math During COVID-19

/0 Comments/in , , , , , , /by Jamie Gass
Share on Facebook
Share on Twitter
Share on
LinkedIn
+

Schools and school districts across Massachusetts are struggling (some more than others) to adjust to online learning as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Below are some proven resources (in no particular order) that every parent can and should make use of now and well beyond COVID-19.

Kumon

Japan-based Kumon currently serves 4.2 million students at nearly 25,000 learning centers in 50 countries and regions.  The company has 45 Massachusetts locations, 19 of which are within route 128. Kumon students start as early as age three and can continue until they complete the program, which means mastering high school-level math, including differential equations.  Students master a series of sequential worksheets, each one slightly more challenging than its predecessor. Independent learning and building self-confidence are priorities.  After completing a placement test, each student begins at a level at which she or he would have little difficulty.  They proceed through the worksheets at their own pace, going to the Kumon Center twice a week and completing other work at home.

Russian School of Math

Newton, Massachusetts-based Russian School of Math (RSM) serves 25,000 students in 40 locations across 11 states and Canada, including 15 Massachusetts municipalities. RSM believes in starting students young.  RSM students attend weekly classroom sessions that range between 90 minutes and 2.5 hours, depending on the student’s grade level.

See Pioneer’s report and video (below) on these two programs for more information. 

 

Singapore Math, Inc.

The Singapore math method was originally developed for Singapore public schools, and introduced in the U.S. in 1998. The method, adopted around the world over the past twenty years, focuses on mastery through intentional sequencing of concepts. Some of the key features of the approach include the CPA (Concrete, Pictorial, Abstract) progression, number bonds, and bar modeling.

 

Book: Russian math puzzles

A popular puzzle book published in Russia in 1956, this book offers a wide assortment of brainteasers. The Amazon description notes, “Lavishly illustrated with over 400 clear diagrams and amusing sketches, this inexpensive edition of the first English translation will offer weeks or even months of stimulating entertainment.”

 

 

Book: My Best Mathematical and Logic Puzzles

A selection of 70 top brain teasers for those seeking to challenge their problem-solving skills, by Martin Gardner, author for over two decades of the Mathematical Games column for Scientific American on short math problems or puzzles.

 

 

Dover Recreational Math series

This series uses recreational mathematics — problems, puzzles and games — to teach students how to think critically.

 

 

Khan Academy math

Khan Academy is a rich resource for students to learn at their own pace in and outside of the classroom. Their math exercises offer guidance from kindergarten to calculus using adaptive technology that identifies strengths and learning gaps.

 

 

Do YOU have suggestions for keeping children engaged while they’re at home? Share them in the comments section below. 

Get Our COVID-19 News, Tips & Resources!

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Related content:

Stanford’s National Humanities Medal Winner Prof. Arnold Rampersad on Langston Hughes & Ralph Ellison

This week on “The Learning Curve," Gerard and Cara talk with Professor Arnold Rampersad, the Sara Hart Kimball Professor Emeritus in Humanities at Stanford University and recipient of the National Humanities Medal for his books including The Life of Langston Hughes and Ralph Ellison: A Biography.

Study Shows the Adverse Effects of Graduated Income Tax Proposal on Small Businesses

The state constitutional amendment promoted by the Massachusetts Teachers Association and the Service Employees International Union to add a 4 percent surtax to all annual income above $1 million will adversely impact a significant number of pass-through businesses, ultimately slowing the Commonwealth’s economic recovery from COVID-19, according to a new study published by Pioneer Institute.

COVID-19 Vaccine Tracker

Pioneer is proud to present a new vaccine tracker, the newest tool in our COVID-19 tracking project. Pioneer distilled the vaccination data down to those who are either fully vaccinated or partially vaccinated, by all the demographic categories published by the DPH. Use the new tool below to compare rates among groups, by municipality and by county. We will update the data every week.

The Washington Post’s Jay Mathews on An Optimist’s Guide to American Public Education

This week on “The Learning Curve," Gerard and Cara talk with Jay Mathews, an education columnist for The Washington Post and author of the recent book, An Optimist's Guide to American Public Education. Jay describes the three key trends in K-12 schooling that he views as cause for hope.

Grading Education in a Pandemic: Survey Finds Teachers Pass, Administrations Fail & Students Incomplete

This week on Hubwonk, Joe Selvaggi discusses a recently released survey from Pioneer Institute and Emerson Polling, "Massachusetts Residents’ Perceptions of K-12 Education During the Covid-19 Pandemic," with Emerson's lead analyst, Isabel Holloway, and Pioneer Institute’s Charlie Chieppo.

Poll Finds Mixed Views About Schools’ Pandemic Performance

A year into the COVID-19 pandemic, Massachusetts residents have mixed opinions about how K-12 education has functioned, but they tend to view the performance of individual teachers more favorably than that of institutions like school districts and teachers’ unions, according to a poll of 1,500 residents commissioned by Pioneer Institute.

Doctor Heal Thyself: Insider’s Prescription For Healthcare Reform

Host Joe Selvaggi talks with surgeon and New York Times bestselling author Dr. Marty Makary about the healthcare reform themes in The Price We Pay, the 2020 Business Book of the Year.  The discussion covers the value of price transparency, provider accountability, and performance information to drive better medical outcomes and improve doctor and patient satisfaction.

New Study Warns Graduated Income Tax Will Harm Many Massachusetts Retirees

If passed, a constitutional amendment to impose a graduated income tax would raid the retirement plans of Massachusetts residents by pushing their owners into higher tax brackets on the sales of homes and businesses, according to a new study published by Pioneer Institute. The study, entitled “The Graduated Income Tax Trap: A retirement tax on small business owners,” aims to help the public fully understand the impact of the proposed new tax.