New Family Math Nights to demonstrate the fun of learning mathematics
February 16, 2016– Orillia, ON
Families at local elementary schools will soon have the opportunity to attend fun “Family Math Nights,” thanks to a new program developed by Lakehead University’s Faculty of Education in Orillia.
Associate Professor Dr. Ruth Beatty and math instructor Sharon Malyczewsky, along with professional year Education students, developed the idea in cooperation with the Simcoe County District School Board resource teachers and principals at local schools.
The idea is for local schools to host the Family Math Nights to get students and their parents excited about math, while the Education students have a chance to work directly with children and learn more about math pedagogy.
“This will help strengthen our relationship with local schools,” explains Dr. Beatty, “while helping parents learn how to support their children’s math lessons. Teaching mathematics is very different today than when most of these parents went to school, so this is a way to promote understanding of how math is taught today.”
Family Math Nights will begin taking place over the next few weeks at four schools: Couchiching Heights on February 22; Brechin Public School on February 29; Ardtrea–Cumberland Beach on March 1; and Harriett Todd on March 2. The Math Nights take place from 5 – 7 pm and are open to all students and their families.
For further details, contact Dr. Beatty at rbeatty@lakeheadu.ca.
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Lakehead University has about 9,700 full-time equivalent students and 2,000 faculty and staff in 10 faculties at two campuses in Orillia and Thunder Bay, Ontario. Lakehead is a fully comprehensive university: home to Ontario’s newest Faculty of Law in 44 years, the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, and faculties of Engineering, Business Administration, Health & Behavioural Sciences, Social Sciences & Humanities, Science & Environmental Studies, Natural Resources Management, Education, and Graduate Studies.
Maclean’s 2016 University Rankings place Lakehead University second in Ontario and among Canada’s Top 10 undergraduate universities, and first among Ontario’s undergraduate universities for Total Research Dollars, Social Sciences & Humanities Grants, and Library Expenses. In 2015, Re$earch Infosource ranked Lakehead first among Canada’s undergraduate universities.
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