TIPS Math

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• Illustrates clearly how the teacher taught the skill in class;
• Allows students to demonstrate, discuss, and celebrate their mastery of new math skills;
• Enables parents to stay informed about their children’s math work;
• Encourages parents to communicate with teachers about their observations and questions concerning their children’s homework and progress in math.

• Look This Over shows an example of a skill that was taught in class, and allows the student to explain the skill to a parent or family partner. The answer to this example is given.
• Now Try This presents another example for the student to demonstrate how to do the particular skill, with the answer on the back of the page.
• Practice and More Practice are regular homework problems for the student to master the skill.
• Let’s Find Out or In the Real World helps the student and family partner discover and discuss how the math skill is used at home or in common situations. Games or other interactions may be included to reinforce the math skill.
• Home-to-school communication invites the parent to record an observation, comment, or question for the math teacher about the skill the student demonstrated.
• Parent signature is requested on each activity.

• Use clear, readable type on two sides of one page.
• Print on light colored paper that stands out in students’ notebooks and is easy on the eyes.
• Assign TIPS Math on a regular schedule (e.g., once a week or every other week) to help students share their work and to keep families aware of what their children are learning in math classes.

• Fractional Parts
• Mirror, Mirror
• Blank Math Template (Elementary Grades)
• Blank Math Template (Middle Grades)

1. Epstein, J. L. (2017). Manual for teachers: Interactive homework for the (elementary grades) and (middle grades). Baltimore: Center on School, Family, and Community Partnerships, Johns Hopkins University.
2. Epstein, J. L. & Van Voorhis, F.L. (2019). Chapter 8 in School, Family, and Community Partnerships: Your Handbook for Action, Fourth Edition. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
3. Van Voorhis, F. L. (2011a). Adding families to the homework equation: a longitudinal study of family involvement and mathematics achievement. Education and Urban Society, 43, 313–338.
4. Van Voorhis, F. L. (2016). Costs and benefits of family involvement in homework. Journal of Advanced Academics, 22, 220–249.