A Special Mondays with Mike: Growing in Math at PCA
PCA Families,
As first-quarter report cards arrive and we prepare for parent-teacher conferences on Monday and Tuesday, I wanted to share a special edition of Mondays with Mike.
I sat down with Tammy Treadwell, our Math Department Chair, to talk about what she and our teachers are seeing as we finish the first quarter—and how we can continue helping your children grow.
She was clear: we have much to be grateful for. Your children continue to demonstrate strong academic growth and achievement, and we have a dedicated team of math educators who are working thoughtfully together to strengthen learning from one grade to the next.
Tammy shares some of what we’re seeing: students stepping into greater challenges, teachers reinforcing important foundational skills, and a growing emphasis on students not simply getting the right answer, but understanding and communicating why it makes sense.
One thing I particularly appreciated was her observation that growth doesn’t always show up immediately in a grade. Sometimes we see it in a student who is learning to take better notes, practice more thoughtfully, ask for help, or persevere through something that doesn’t come easily.
[LISTEN: Growing in Math at PCA — A Conversation with Tammy Treadwell]
Tammy also offers some practical encouragement for families: play games that involve mathematical thinking, practice foundational math facts, and encourage your children to explain their reasoning and use the resources their teachers provide before stepping in to solve a problem for them.
Below is a 2-page resource for you at home to build the love of learning and growing in math through ways you may not yet know about. We hope you find these helpful and fun.
As you review report cards and prepare for conferences, I encourage you to look at both the grades and teachers’ comments. Celebrate the growth you’re seeing, and consider asking: What is my child understanding well? Where does he or she need to grow? And how can we work together to help?
I’m grateful for Tammy and our entire math team—for their care for your children, their dedication to their calling, and their continued commitment to strengthening how we teach and support your children as critical and biblical thinkers through mathematics.
Thank you for partnering with us in these formative years.
God bless you, and we’ll see you on campus soon.
Mike Runey
Head of School
Portsmouth Christian Academy
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