At Math CEO, we recognize that parents and families are sources of support in order for students to:

Attain Better Grades

Develop Math Motivational Beliefs, Educational Goals, and Career Aspirations

Learn Problem-Solving Strategies

In the interactive handouts below, we present various concrete strategies for parents to use to help and support middle-school students in their education.

1. Supporting Students' Learning At Home During the COVID -19 Pandemic

For many students, adjusting to learning in the pandemic has been very difficult. With some of the practical strategies in this handout, you'll be able to make sure your child is continuing to learn and do their schoolwork during these troubling times:

  • Talking with your child
  • Learning and Doing Activities Together
  • Learning and Doing Activities Together
  • Structures, Schedules, and Routines
  • Checking Homework
  • Rewards and Consequences
  • Getting Help From Friends, Families, and Neighborhoods
  • Communicating with Teachers

Acknowledgment

These informational handouts were created by Nestor Tulagan, Ph.D. and Stephanie Soto-Lara, and were made possible by a collaboration between UC Irvine’s Math CEO after-school activity (directed by Alessandra Pantano, Ph.D.) and the Project Reach research group (directed by Sandra Simpkins, Ph.D.). The authors would like to thank Tarana Khan, Ph.D. and Kathryn Wiebezahl from PBS SoCal; Wendy Ochoa, Ph.D. from Tufts University; and Lupe Diaz, Ph.D. for contributing resources in the handouts.

2. Stories of how parents influenced the educational success of current and former college students

Parents and families are necessary for their students to succeed in school. In this handout, you'll hear about the many stories of how many parents influenced the educational success of current and former college students. According to many students, parents have helped them succeed in the following ways:

  • Encouraging and Praising
  • Giving Advice
  • Instilling Values for Education
  • Expressing Hopes and Dreams
  • Recognizing Parents’ Sacrifice & Effort
  • Instilling Responsibility & Work Ethic
  • Role Modeling
  • Being Involved At School

Acknowledgment

These informational handouts were created by Nestor Tulagan, Ph.D. and Stephanie Soto-Lara, and were made possible by a collaboration between UC Irvine’s Math CEO after-school activity (directed by Alessandra Pantano, Ph.D.) and the Project Reach research group (directed by Sandra Simpkins, Ph.D.). The authors would like to thank Tarana Khan, Ph.D. and Kathryn Wiebezahl from PBS SoCal; Wendy Ochoa, Ph.D. from Tufts University; and Lupe Diaz, Ph.D. for contributing resources in the handouts.

3. Power to the Parents

Read about the incredibly ways Orange County parents have overcame challenges to help their kids in school! In this handout, you'll read about the incredibly ways you parents have continued to show your support to your students through difficult times like these. We hope these stories will continue to help you realize the huge impact you all have on your student's lives. Here are some of the important things Orange County parents did to support their children in school.

  • Parents asked for help from family members
  • Parents asked for help from schools and after-school programs
  • Parents worked together with their children despite difficulties
  • Parents used helpful digital tools to support their kids
  • Parents made sure that their children had the opportunities, spaces, materials, and structure to learn at home

Acknowledgement

This booklet was created by the UC Irvine Project Reach and Math CEO, and it wouldn’t be possible without the parents, students, and families who were a part of the interviews and the Math CEO after-school program at UCI.
Thanks to the college students who helped get information from these interviews. Talented doctoral students like Stephanie Soto-Lara, Kayla Puente, and Perla Ramos Carranza provided amazing expert insights. Hard-working rising scholars like Victor Arroyo, Cody Uyeda, Victoria Rocha, and Priscilla Castaneda were instrumental in helping make sense of the data.

4. How to Use Canvas

Learn how to use Canvas! Canvas is a tool used by many educational institutions to help their students manage their assignments, assessments, and to view announcements. In this short video, you'll learn how to use the dashboard, use the menus, view assignments and grades, and many more!

Acknowledgment
This booklet was created by the UC Irvine Project Reach.

5. The meaning of grades in middle school

For those unfamiliar with how grading in the United States work, this is the perfect video for you! In this short video, you will learn how the grading system in Mexico compares with that of the United States and finally be able to understand how your student is doing in their classes.

Acknowledgement
This video was created by Victor Arroyo, Dr. Alessandra Pantano and Nancy Feng.

6. Education System in the United States Schools

In this handout, you'll learn about the many paths students are able to take in the United States's school system, and get answers to many of the common questions you might have about this!

Acknowledgement

This booklet was created by the UC Irvine Project Reach.

7. Paying for college

Learn about how much college can cost! In this handout, you'll learn about the potential options your student can take and the prices for each option. Additionally, you'll learn how you can apply for scholarships or grants to alleviate some of that financial burden.

Acknowledgement

This booklet was created by the UC Irvine Project Reach.