Date of Award

5-2022

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Honors Thesis

Department

Elementary Education (K-6)

First Advisor

Dr. Ryan Flessner

Abstract

The current-day mathematics curriculum is evidently different from the traditional means of teaching math. Due to this, there exist disparities between a child’s math education and their parent or guardian’s math education. This thesis will present firsthand evidence on how these disparities affect a parent’s perception of current-day curriculum, the extent to which parents can support their child in their learning of mathematics at home, and will strive to attend to the needs of both the parents or guardians as well as students in supporting the learning of these new concepts and strategies. With this, the research question asks: What are parents’ or guardians’ perceptions of current-day math curricula, and how can I best support families in their understanding of the mathematics being taught? This research lies in the survey study that was sent to parents or guardians of kindergarten through sixth-grade students from a specific school that I was associated with at the time. The results determined the need for educators to better support parents in their support of their children’s mathematical understandings. Therefore, this thesis will provide educators with an understanding of parental perceptions and inquiries on mathematics as well as a plethora of resources, strategies, and examples that can be used as a stepping stone to bridge the gap between the “old” mathematics and the “new” mathematics.

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