This paper reports on the outcomes of a one-year pilot study of young children’s experiences with numeracy/mathematics activities both in school and with their families. The aim of the study is to learn about the knowledge and skills which children learn at home which may provide positive but potentially unrecognized contributions to children’s learning in school, and to examine the extent to which numeracy learning from home and school are integrated in the classroom setting. Ultimately, the full project aims to contribute to an understanding of mathematics underachievement in urban children, so that schools can address this problem more effectively. In carrying out this pilot study, researchers observed a Head Start classroom in an elementary school in North Philadelphia and developed detailed case studies of four children from the class. The case study children were observed both in the classroom and ‘at home.’ (In order to meet families’ needs for flexibility, ‘home’ was defined to include a range of places where the children spent time with family members.) The article presents a vignette drawn from one of the case studies, which shows the child involved in numeracy-related activities both at school and at home. This vignette provides an example of one child who had developed numeracy skills through his home activities (e.g., game-playing, counting), but whose abilities were not recognized in the more formal school setting, with its emphasis on following rules and learning skills in an anticipated sequence. The authors report that their work has received an enthusiastic response from a number of audiences to whom the findings have been presented, including teachers and principal from the focal school, other Philadelphia School District teachers and central office staff, and individuals who teach math education at the university level. These presentations and resultant discussions have demonstrated that the vignettes can be useful as a tool for professional development.
Learning in Multiple Worlds: An Examination of the Intersection of Home and School Mathematics Practices
Eva Gold , Rhonda Mordecai-Phillips
Date: April 2003
Related Publications
Publication
Examining the Impact, Implementation, and Cost Effectiveness of Completion Coaching in a Statewide College Promise Program
Dae Y. Kim, Karin Gegenheimer
Publication
Children’s Literacy Initiative’s Blueprint for Early Learning: Evaluation Report
Alyn Turner, Jill Pierce, Kendall LaParo
Publication
Virtual Approaches Hold Promise for Expanding Afterschool Art Programming
Wendy McClanahan, Tracey A. Hartmann
Publication
Small but Mighty: Lessons from Black Teachers’ Experiences in Allegheny County
Siettah Parks, Kevin Burgess, Leana Cabral, Mary Eddins, Alita Robinson
Publication
Allegheny County Teacher and Student Demographics: 2022-23 Update
Mary Eddins, David Lapp, Anna Shaw-Amoah
Publication
Top 5 Insights from RFA’s Community Research Partnership: Becoming a Community-Engaged Research Organization
Kate Callahan, Saxon Nelson
Publication
Exploring the Diversity and Supports for School District of Philadelphia English Learners as they Prepare to Transition to High School
David Bamat, Sean Vannata, Lindsey Liu, Molly Schlesinger, Alyn Turner
Publication
Setting the Stage: Practical Ideas for Implementing High-Quality Afterschool Arts Programs
Tracey A. Hartmann, Wendy McClanahan, Jill Pierce
Publication
Pennsylvania School Funding and School Staffing Disparities
David Lapp, Anna Shaw-Amoah
Publication
State Funding to Support Out-of-School Time Programming in Pennsylvania
Mark Duffy, Tracey A. Hartmann
Publication
“Worn & Weary” Black Teachers’ Storied Experiences and Recommendations around their Attrition and Retention in Philadelphia Schools
Leana Cabral, Lynnette Mawhinney, Jill Pierce, Carmina Hachenburg
Publication
Changing the Finish Line: Implications of new graduation requirements in the School District of Philadelphia
Sean Vannata, Anna Shaw-Amoah, Molly Pileggi, Molly Schlesinger, Theodore Wills, Roland Reyes, Alyn Turner