Claritas Classical Academy
Newtown Square, PA
Contact person for MC Program: Carol Taylor at randctaylor@comcast.net
General Information:
- Math Challenge is free and no-sign up is necessary!
- All students in grades K-6 are invited to participate.
- There will be 15 challenges throughout the school year.
- Refer to the Schedule Calendar for dates on when the challenges and their solutions will be available on this webpage.
- Each challenge is designed to give students opportunities to sharpen their mathematical problem-solving skills. This program addresses problem solving strategies such as draw a picture or model, make an organized list, look for a pattern, working backward, and guess and check.
How to Participate
- Download and print out the current Math Challenge (from the blue button above).
- Solve as many problems as you can, making sure you do at least the required minimum for your grade level.
- Submit your solutions by the end of the school day on the listed due date. Submit your solutions to your math tutor or by dropping of the completed challenge in the Math Challenge tray at the front desk. If you’re not in school on the due date, please email your solutions to Mrs. Taylor at randctaylor@comcast.net
- Students who complete the required minimum number of problems on at least 10 sets of challenges will be recognized during the end-of-year ceremony.
Guidelines for Parents
1. Read the problem with your child, possibly several times. Make sure that they understand what the problem is saying and what they’re asked to find.
2. Ask questions such as
• What is the problem asking?
• What information is given in the problem?
• What does this mean?
• Can this situation be modeled? (Drawing, manipulatives, etc.)
• Is there a part of this that is unclear?
• Is this like another problem you’ve seen before?
• Would this be easier if other information were given?
• What would happen if you did this instead of that?
• What do you mean by that?
• How do you know that? What evidence do you have?
3. Allow your child to spend time thinking about the problem – don’t expect them to get the answer in one sitting. Revisit the problem another day if your child gets stuck.
4. Offer a suggestion (preferably in the form of a question) if your child really can’t figure out a direction to go. Let them ponder on it for a while.
5. Try several methods to figure out the problem. Listen to your child’s suggestion and work from their knowledge and ability level.
6. Know when it’s time to take a break. There’s a fine line between productive frustration and unproductive frustration.
7. Work with your child on communicating the solution clearly. The solution is the combination of the numerical answer and the strategy.
8. Don’t do the problem for your child. Let them experience the frustration of not getting the problem right away AND the joy of accomplishing something challenging.
9. Be patient. Becoming a problem solver is a process that takes time and encouragement to develop. Look for baby steps of progress and celebrate them with your child.
10. Have fun! If your child sees you enjoying problem solving, it’s likely that they’ll enjoy it too.
2. Ask questions such as
• What is the problem asking?
• What information is given in the problem?
• What does this mean?
• Can this situation be modeled? (Drawing, manipulatives, etc.)
• Is there a part of this that is unclear?
• Is this like another problem you’ve seen before?
• Would this be easier if other information were given?
• What would happen if you did this instead of that?
• What do you mean by that?
• How do you know that? What evidence do you have?
3. Allow your child to spend time thinking about the problem – don’t expect them to get the answer in one sitting. Revisit the problem another day if your child gets stuck.
4. Offer a suggestion (preferably in the form of a question) if your child really can’t figure out a direction to go. Let them ponder on it for a while.
5. Try several methods to figure out the problem. Listen to your child’s suggestion and work from their knowledge and ability level.
6. Know when it’s time to take a break. There’s a fine line between productive frustration and unproductive frustration.
7. Work with your child on communicating the solution clearly. The solution is the combination of the numerical answer and the strategy.
8. Don’t do the problem for your child. Let them experience the frustration of not getting the problem right away AND the joy of accomplishing something challenging.
9. Be patient. Becoming a problem solver is a process that takes time and encouragement to develop. Look for baby steps of progress and celebrate them with your child.
10. Have fun! If your child sees you enjoying problem solving, it’s likely that they’ll enjoy it too.
Schedule/Calendar
