Fourth- and fifth-grade teachers at Glanton-Hindsman Elementary have come up with a unique way to help their students do better in math — teach the parents how to support their children.

As a result of an increasingly difficult math curriculum with the implementation of the Common Core Georgia Performance Standards, fifth-grade teacher Rachel Lyle, fourth-grade teacher Courtney Rogers and fourth-grade teacher Stephanie Paige decided to support the school’s students by helping parents through a series of tutoring sessions that introduce parents to some of the same math concepts that their children are studying daily in class.

The goal is to make parents more confident as they help their children with their math.

“We’re just really excited about it,” Rogers said. “It’s a learning year for everyone so it’s just really important to get parents involved in the learning process. That’s when you see the most success with students, when everyone is on board.”

The sessions have thus far been embraced, with some drawing standing-room only crowds. In addition to parents and their children, some of the sessions have included grandparents and at least one babysitter.

“It’s fun because the students try to show their parents how to do things,” Paige said.

Among the concepts being taught are algebra, order of operations, decimal place value, rounding, multiplication and division, and decimal addition and subtraction with a focus on the questions students will face with the assessments in the new curriculum.

“It gives them the tools and resources necessary to be working with their children at home,” Rogers said.

Much of the math strategies being used are not the same as those that were used when these parents were in school, Paige said.

“When they come in they’re just amazed at how different it is,” she said.

The one-hour workshop is presented in the same way it’s presented to students, utilizing the same technology. The parents are then given a study guide they can use with their children at home.

“They just have so many questions,” Paige said. “They’re always very excited. They just love it.”

Lyle gives out extra credit opportunities for the students who attend and copies of notes students take during class during whole group lessons.

The next session will be held on Wednesday, Nov. 28, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., and it will focus on sample questions being introduced in new assessments the students will soon take. These new assessments include not only multiple choice, but written math problems as well.

Due to parental requests, the tutoring workshops will be held each month throughout the year.