FAMILY MATH NIGHT BRINGS FAMILIES TOGETHER

Playing checkers was fun for all ages at Family Math Night.

Spending quality time together for families was one of the goals at West Lane Elementary's Family Math Night.

Pennies can make a great board, as this Family Math Nigh participant discovered.

Students id a lot of mesuring and estimating activities during Family Math Night.

County, estimating and measuring were all skills stressed during family Math Nigh.

West Lane Elementary students and parents shared more than a dozen games and other activities Jan. 25, as part of the school's Family Math Night.

"This is the second time we've held it," said Joyce Penland, one of two fourth-grade teachers who organized the event. "It's gone over really well. We had really good attendance last year and this is a really good crowd this year."

"The kids come to have fun with their parents," said Chris Ludwig, the other organizer. "Some of these games and activities are things they can take home and do. The idea was to get parents working with kids and to make it fun."

West Lane Principal Stan Seiler thinks the activity is beneficial to everyone involved.

"It's beneficial to students, in that they get to see that math isn't just something in a textbook," he said. "It's in their daily life. That connection helps us, then, as teachers, by making those students realize what they're learning in their textbooks is really what their daily life is all about. It's a built-in motivation which is always something that we look toward."

Thirteen games and five estimation jars were on hand. Students in the nine, fourth-grade classes got to employ various math skills, such as measuring, estimating and problem-solving. There was also a drawing for door prizes.

"It's also beneficial to the school because we have the joy of having parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and neighbors come into the school building and be involved with their child," Seiler said. "There is a wonderful result in that more involvement and interest in education is developed, from the family's standpoint."

He added, "Mrs. Ludwig and Mrs. Penland really work very hard at that. It's really appreciated."