Grantee: Young Mathematicians in Worcester
Study Type: Pre-Post
Principal Investigator: Colleen F. Manning – Goodman Research Group, Inc.
Project Description: This is a pre-post study of Young Mathematicians-Worcester (YM-W), a preschool math program serving young children and their caregivers in Worcester, MA. The program provides families with games and other activities to support the development of children’s early math skills, including number sense, geometry, and math reasoning. This report describes program implementation and changes in self-reported math-related attitudes and competencies based on survey responses from the following sample members who were involved in the project during the 2020 and/or 2021 program implementation period: (i) approximately 110 educators (e.g., Head Start teachers) who completed surveys before the program and at year-end, (ii) 80 parents who completed year-end surveys, (iii) 11 Family Math Leaders focus group participants, and (iv) seven representatives from partner organizations who completed mid-year interviews.
Key Findings: YM-W promoted an increased understanding of the importance of math for families; families showed increased interest in and knowledge of early math, increased comfort helping their children with math, and an improved ability to come up with fun math activities to do with their children. Parents also reported the YM-W materials helped them feel less anxious about helping their children with math.
Educators also grew in their confidence supporting families to engage their children in math at home and demonstrated increased knowledge of children’s development of number concepts.
The study was limited in understanding to what extent YM-W promoted children’s math learning.
Study Citation: Manning, Colleen F. Young Mathematicians-Worcester: Final Evaluation Report. Goodman Research Group, Inc., March 2022. Retrieved from https://youngmathematicians.edc.org/ymworc-year2-report/.
The Key Findings above were reproduced from the published report and do not necessarily reflect interpretation of Overdeck Family Foundation staff.
Enhancing each stage of childhood learning, from birth to high school.
Overdeck Family Foundation focuses exclusively on education, providing funding across four focus areas that encompass the whole child from birth through high school both inside and outside the classroom.