Families 'Spring into Math'

This is Spring into Math, a fun night out for Edgemont’s elementary school families, held at Seely Place Elementary on March 16. The evening was designed to familiarize parents with the math curriculum and encourage families to continue mathematical thinking at home.

The organizers of Spring into Math, elementary school Principals Marisa Ferrara and Eve Feuerstein, worked with Shelly DuBose, a nationally recognized math consultant, to shape and lead the evening. 

DuBose introduced the concept of Mathematical Meaning Making: the application of math processes to the world around us. She highlighted the importance of understanding, constructing, and interpreting mathematical concepts rather than just memorizing formulas or calculating answers quickly. As families used the colorful manipulatives set up in several classrooms to solve problem, they experienced math the same way their children do in the classroom.

"When students know and understand multiple pathways towards a solution, they are better able to choose efficient strategies, adjust their thinking when needed, and approach unfamiliar situations with confidence," said DuBose. "This flexibility is what mathematicians do, they analyze, test ideas, and refine their thinking."

“Parents weren’t just watching; they were actively solving problems with their children,” said Principal Ferrara. “It gave them a chance to see how we move beyond procedures to true understanding. Many parents shared that they wished they had learned math this way, and that it helped them appreciate not just how to do math, but why it works. It was incredibly powerful to see that shift in perspective.”