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Riverside Elementary School is bringing caregivers back to math class through monthly workshops designed to help families understand the methods their children use—and provide better support at home.

Principal LaRonda Peterson developed the idea, and math resource teachers Shala Ott and Suzanne Jolevski put the program into action. About 30 parents attended the first workshop, exceeding the school’s expectations.

Peterson said she hoped a better understanding of classroom instruction would increase family engagement and underscore the importance of regular attendance. Missing even an occasional day, she noted, can cost students critical instructional time, particularly in math.

The workshops are aligned with what Riverside students are learning. At the first session, caregivers explored fact fluency, or the quick recall of basic addition, subtraction and multiplication facts. Ott and Jolevski also demonstrated classroom strategies and introduced family games that reinforce those skills.

Students helped with the instruction. Alex, a fourth grader who said he enjoys math, used pictures of rows of doughnuts to demonstrate how to solve a multiplication problem.

Each attending family received a free set of dominoes to continue practicing at home. The school plans additional workshops through the remainder of the academic year, including a future session on operations involving larger numbers.

For Milvia Ramirez, whose daughters are in first grade and the fourth-grade Advanced Academic Program, the class helped bridge a gap between the curriculum she learned in Guatemala and the approaches used at Riverside. She had previously watched online videos while trying to understand how to assist her children.

“I tried teaching them my way, but they said, ‘No, no, no, no, mom. That’s not how we do it,’” Ramirez said.

After attending the December workshop, Ramirez encouraged other caregivers to participate and described it as an opportunity to understand what students are being taught. Her daughters now reach for the family’s new dominoes instead of immediately turning on the television after school.

Jacqueline Martinez, who has daughters in kindergarten and third grade, said she feels comfortable with math but recognizes that today’s teaching methods differ from those she experienced.

“There’s a focus on understanding rather than just memorizing these days,” Martinez said. She added that attending the workshops gives caregivers tools to support students while showing children that their families are invested in their success.