Support Math Learning at Home

You play an important role in helping your student grow as a mathematician. Whether it’s encouraging your student to talk about their ideas, sticking with a challenge, or exploring a quick activity together, your support makes a difference.

Below are some ideas on how to stay involved and support your student’s learning outside the classroom.

Your student’s mathematics program includes learning supports and digital tools, many of which you can use together at home.

Family Letters explain upcoming topics and include easy, hands-on activities you can do together at home.

• Where to find them: Teachers may send Family Letters home ahead of each new lesson. You can also find them in your student’s Worktext or on your student’s digital bookshelf by logging in to the Student Digital Experience.
• How to use them: Read the letter to learn about what your student will be working on in class. Try the suggested activity together and look for ways to connect the math to your everyday life (e.g., while cooking, shopping, or playing games).

Learning Games are fun, interactive digital games that help students build number sense and fluency through engaging challenges.

• Where to find them: You’ll find Learning Games on your student’s digital bookshelf in the Student Digital Experience.
• How to use them: Encourage your student to play these games on their own. They’re designed to build confidence, persistence, and a positive attitude toward math. Each Family Letter includes a list of games that connect to what your student is learning in class.

Math manipulatives are hands-on tools like counters, blocks, or drawings that help students visualize and make sense of math concepts.

• Where to find them: Your student uses these tools in class, but you can easily recreate them at home with everyday items, such as coins, buttons, beans, or paper and pencil.
• How to use them: Encourage your student to use these objects to show their thinking when solving problems. Manipulatives help make abstract ideas more concrete, supporting deeper understanding in a fun and tactile way.

Talking about math helps your student build confidence, think more deeply, and strengthen their understanding. Even short conversations can make a big difference.

Reflect on the Day’s Learning

Asking questions about your student’s day helps them reflect on their learning and how they solved problems. Try prompts like:

• “What did you work on in math today?”
• “What was something that felt tricky? How did you figure it out?”
• “Can you teach me how you did that problem?”

Reflecting helps students take ownership of their learning and notice how they’re growing as mathematicians.

Build Math Talk at Home

In class, students are encouraged to explain their reasoning and listen to others. This is called math discourse. These conversations help students learn to communicate clearly, consider different strategies, and develop flexible thinking.

You can support this at home by:

• Asking, “Why do you think that works?” or “Can you show me another way?”
• Encouraging them to explain their thinking step by step
• Listening to how they approach problems, even if it’s different from how you might solve it

When your student is working on math at home, try using these Discourse Cards to help get the conversation going.

It’s normal for students to feel challenged by math sometimes. Working through those moments helps them grow as problem solvers. This is called productive struggle.

You can support perseverance by reminding your student that it’s okay not to get it right away and by praising their effort along the way. Try using phrases like:

• “I see you’re working hard — keep going!”
• “It’s okay to be stuck. What could you try next?”
• “You’re learning by thinking it through, even when it’s tough.”

You may also share about times when you’ve worked through challenges yourself. Reminding students that it’s normal to try, struggle, and grow builds their resilience.