Lethbridge parents join middle school math class to keep up with their kids

Struggling to help your kid with math homework? A unique program in Lethbridge is offering support for parents who lack confidence when helping their kids with numbers.

For middle school parent Dallas Marose, it’s been quite some time since she sat in math class. She said things have changed since she was in school and made that discovery when her son started bringing home his Grade 6 math homework.

“He’s been asking me for help with his homework and I always thought I was good at math in school, but now that it’s been a few years since I did it, it’s just not coming back to me,” she said.

Luckily for Marose, six weekly math tutorial sessions are being held for parents at Wilson Middle School. She attended her first one Thursday night.

Kianna Setoguchi’s mom attended the class too. She said it’s often a struggle asking her parents for math help.

“It’s kind of frustrating because they don’t really get it all and then they start asking me a lot of questions,” the Grade 4 student said.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "It's kind of frustrating because they don't really get it all and then they start asking me a lot of questions," the Grade 4 student said.

University of Lethbridge math professor, Joy Morris, is the organizer of the math tutorials for parents.

She has a daughter in Grade 7. She spent some time volunteering in her daughter’s class when she came up with the idea.

“We just didn’t have time and resources in the classroom to help the kids who were really struggling and the only way to do that really was through the parents,” Morris said. “At the same time, I was attending school council meetings and hearing from parents: ‘I don’t feel able to help my kids with math. I don’t know what to do when they’re struggling in math.'”

Morris also recruited some U of L math students to lend a hand at the one-hour sessions.

Madison Stocker is an aspiring teacher and jumped all over the idea to tutor parents.

“I think it’s a brilliant idea,” Stocker said. “We at the university have resources to help out with this, so might as well go and give the parents as much information as we can.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "I think it's a brilliant idea," Stocker said. "We at the university have resources to help out with this, so might as well go and give the parents as much information as we can."

After just one session, Marose is already feeling better prepared for the next time her son comes to her with tough questions.

“I’m going to feel a lot more confident when he asks me for help.”