Running Head: Math Out of School: Families Math Game Playing at Home

Math Out of School: Families Math Game Playing at Home

Kayanne Christine Sinclair
Georgia State University

Math Out of School

Math Out of Schools is an article that focuses on the reinforcement of students math
literacy through optional math related games that are played with parents. The game is used to
increase parent involvement in math reinforcement after school activities without parents feeling
intimidate with the material and feeling more confident in helping the child. The experiment
examined if the student had increased their numerical knowledge through the playing of the
game. The parent and student, which age ranged from seven to thirteen and consisted of thirty
participants, went to the lab where they choose the game Guess my State. The families of thirty
students were asked to go home and play the game when they wanted to and as much as they
want to until the researchers called for a paid phone interview. The parents of the thirty students
with the exception of one parent did not agree that it helped with increase in numerical
knowledge or improvement within the school setting. The experimenters did find a correlation
with students that were younger between seven to ten were more likely to repeatedly play the
game.
The researchers have a concert ideology with wanting to increase the numerical
knowledge, mathematical literacy, and school mathematics performance through collaborative
game play with parents. However, I feel that their approach with students within a certain age
range were futile because in adolescences students are less likely to want parents help due to
their need to self-regulate and become more independent in all aspects of their lives.
The study could have been improved through monitoring that was scheduled at the laboratory
because the parents opinions are not a reliable measurement of the students increased
knowledge. Parents may also make false statements in saying that their child played because of
the stigma that if there child was not engaged in reinforcement learning the they were not
invested in the students education. The researchers could have had a post and pre test that

Math Out of School

focuses on specific math skills. The experimenters provided no particular math skill in the article
that could be enhanced.
The game design was not clear for determining what specific math skill could be
developed through the game. The sample was not representative of the population being that it
consisted of students that had majority parents that had graduated college. The fact that many
parents graduated college could limit the results of the study because maybe the child did grow
in the mathematics subjects. However, the parents were unable to recognize the improvements of
their child.
If the game is increasing numerical knowledge the experiment can be beneficial to build
the foundation of a students mathematical skill. I would like to know more about the use of math
related games and the possible effects that it can have especially with people that have a low
socioeconomic status. If a board game or card game can be invented that increase numerical
knowledge and is inexpensive then it ca be used as a tool for high socioeconomic status but
particular those that are low socioeconomic status especially if it can be replicated for cheap. The
research is highly important because math games can help students engage in math through many
different learning styles. The proper board game may have a student count aloud; discuss the
information with other people whether right or wrong, and use tactile movements. Therefore, a
certain type of game can help a student with math that incorporates multiple learning styles.
Students need to be excited about math and a board or card game may help with accuracy, math
literacy, and speed.

Math Out of School

Reference
Kliman, M. (2006). Math Out of School: Families' Math Game Playing at Home. The
School Community Journal, 16, 69-90.