Community And Family Math Nights As A Vehicle For Mathematics Success

Mathematics is an important basis for many aspects of the engineering curriculum, and, whether we like it or not, can also be a discouraging factor for students who would make excellent engineers. Many students whose parents did not themselves experience math success in school will be similarly burdened by a lack of support and understanding at home. In addition, mathematics curricula have changed and continue to change from those of the years that babyboomers were in elementary and middle school. Many parents are not well equipped to support their children in math classes, and mathematics attitudes and impressions are formed early, with the student (especially those from underrepresented groups) following the parents’ lead. This paper will describe the creation, implementation and assessment of successful community and family math nights, which to date have served over 3000 people. These events bring parents, students and teachers together with university engineering students and teachers to experience inquiry-oriented math lessons that reinforce both basic and critical thinking skills. The activities are fun for the kids and instructive for the parents and are meant to be done together with simple supplies. Parent workshops as well as detailed information on how to help their children solve problems and apply math are provided. Family Math Nights are designed and implemented to alleviate math anxiety, in part by having university students and professors working with the families as they explore the mathematics curriculum in grades K-8. At many community math nights, a large percentage of the parents in attendance had never before attended a school event.