If you have a school-aged student chances are you know, most schools don’t teach math the same way we learned it as kids. NBC 5 education reporter Wayne Carter is in the classroom to show us how parents are embracing new math.
It's flattering when your kids are little, they think you know everything, until you try to help them with their math homework.
"She tells me, 'Mom, Mom, this is not correct,'" said Virginie Niyomugaba of her attempts to help her daughter when she stumbles while doing math homework.
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WATCH HERESo Anne Frank Elementary is stepping in. Once a month, they bring parents into the classroom, after school, to get a crash course on the same material being taught in school.
Let's take a simple word problem: Sarah has 12 apples and needs to divide them equally among four friends. You may want to just yell out, "Three!" While it's right, that's not enough anymore.
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SIGN UP "I've seen my daughter go through all those steps, and it's like, 'What are you doing?' 'Why are you taking so many steps?' 'Why are you writing down, drawing?'" said George Negrete, a parent.
Your kids have to draw groupings, and build charts, there's the array method and the strip diagram and that's when parents start to melt down.
"I graduated in 2004 from DISD, and our math was completely different, our steps were completely different," said Negrete.
Carter In The Classroom
Focusing on unique things school districts are doing to help children succeed.
He admitted his wife had to drag him out here the first time, but his wife was right; learning the steps has taken the stress out of getting homework done in their home.
Anne Frank Elementary has a high population of international students from around the world.
"I learned all in French, my daughter in English, so it's a little confusing," said Niyomugaba.
Niyomugaba has not only attended every night's class for parents but has also asked for extra assignments to improve her game.
She got a phone call from her daughter's teacher, which made it all worth it.
"He said, 'Your daughter is improving in math, in reading. She's improving.' I say, 'Wow. You helped me a lot,'" said Niyomugaba.
Her daughter's grades have shot up.
These middle-of-the-week, dinner hours classes are standing room only because parents see the results.
"I think parents want to help their children; they want to speak the same language the school is speaking to their child, so who better to help them do it?" said Beverly Mullins Ford, principal, Anne Frank Elementary.
Not to mention, it's nice when your kids don't have to correct you on third-grade math.
Well, not as much.
