It adds up: ‘Maths for mum and dad’ courses to ease homework burden

If you’d love to help your secondary school children with their maths homework but you’re not too confident about your own ability, help may be at hand.

Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT) has set up a ‘Maths for Mum and Dad’ online training course.

The web-based course has been developed by the Computer Science and Maths department so that registered parents can use video tutorials, online assessments and quick information leaflets to learn everything from arithmetic to trigonometry.

The “learning path” can be undertaken in two weeks if the parent has the time, but you can spend another six months covering the course.

Head of computing and mathematics at WIT, Dr Padraig Kirwan, said ‘Maths for Mums and Dad’ grew out of a project WIT developed with ESB.

“The ESB wanted to upskill tradesmen to send them to college and so this course was developed to update their maths skills. It was very successful,” he said. “Maths for Mums and Dads aims to help parents fill in gaps in parents’ own knowledge of mathematics so that they can better support their child through secondary school.”

The course includes face-to-face tutorials every month, the first of which will take place this Saturday at WIT. This month’s tutorial will cover arithmetic whereas other subjects will be taught at WIT in May and June and again in September.

“We have had great feedback from other colleges who all thought it was a great idea,” said Dr Kirwan.

He said the transition from primary school to secondary school can often be as problematic for parents as it is for students — particularly when it comes to the mathematics homework.

“Having a parent sit down with a child is such a positive thing and yet many parents have that fear of maths. If this course helps parents to burst that bubble, then we’re delighted,” he said.

‘Maths for Mum and Dads’ is part of All Aboard 2017, a week-long series of events aimed at building confidence in Ireland’s digital skills for learning.

Many of the resources can be re-used by the second-level student to help them with their studies.

“Mathematics underpins so much of the modern world from business to computing to technology. A solid foundation in mathematics will ensure that students will have the widest choice of college course/career open to them,” Dr Kirwan added.

Contact Eleanor Reade on 051-302037, at [e-mail] or check out www.wit.ie/secondarymaths.