Let's Read Math Project

About Let's Read Math

Let's Read Math (LRM) is a program developed by Dr. Claire Passantino, a member of the Makefield Area Branch of AAUW.  The program began as a local community outreach project in fall 2004, for elementary school children who  attended the monthly LRM Saturday workshops at the Yardley library.

The purpose of Let's Read Math is to promote positive feelings towards mathematics so that children will succeed at school.  We want to obliterate statements like "I hate math, I could never do math," from casual conversation. This is especially important for women, who tend to have negative feelings towards the subject, and pass these negative attitudes to children in their care.  Building strong foundations for mathematical learning is consistent with AAUW's longstanding work focused on the achievement of women in science and math.

The first Let's Read Math workshops were planned and executed by "Dr. Claire" with the help of AAUW members and library staff.  These workshops are now being replicated in many settings, by AAUW branches and others.  At each LRM workshop, or in each Let's Read Math "lesson," children are introduced to a good story book, then do fun math activities related to math topics embedded in the stories.  

Growing the Project

The IRM parent-child workshops at the library have been very successful. The project has grown within AAUW, with enormous support from the West Chester/Chester County Branch of AAUW, who launched their own Let's Read Math programs in summer 2005, at the West Chester YWCA.  Other branches of AAUW are now joining in the fun, with three other AAUW branches beginning their work in spring 2006. 

Founder Claire Passantino credits AAUW with giving her much needed encouragement and support as the program evolves over time. This support has come:

• from the Makefield branch, whose members get to experience new workshop ideas in their "roughest" form;
• from other branches who are starting their own programs and offer insights for improvement; and
• from the national AAUW Educational Foundation (EF) who awarded the project a two-year community action grant in its initial stages. Among other things, this EF grant paid for the development of the Let's Read Math website at www.letsreadmath.com.

After receiving the grant from the Educational Foundation, other grants followed, from Verizon and Wachovia Bank. Verizon's Check Into Literacy Program funded work with teachers in schools, and Wachovia funded work at the library and work at the West Chester and Bucks County YWCAs. The outreach has now extended beyond AAUW. Let's Read Math workshops and materials are being used in classrooms, at family nights for parents and children together, in libraries, at after school centers, in family centers, and in summer day camps. Dr. Passantino now works with school districts, after school groups, YWCAs, colleges and professional associations to promote the use of Let's Read Math in other venues.  She has established a close relationship with Center for Math, Science, Technology and Pre-Engineering at The College of New Jersey, to promote Let's Read Math across the state of New Jersey.

The National Center for Family Literacy contracted with Dr. Claire to write an introductory course about using children's literature with math. A FREE 2-hour online course called "Let's Read Math" is now offered to literacy volunteers and staff who work to promote family literacy. The course is offered over the Verizon Literacy Campus at www.literacycampus.org. Take a peek! It's FREE!

The Library Contest 

Last spring, Wachovia Bank funded the first-ever Let's Read Math reading contest at the Yardley library. Approximately 100 children participated in the contest, which involved independent reading and completion of math activities in the Let's Read Math "Funbook 1" published by Dr. Passantino.  Different goals were set for children of different ages. We had a big celebration and children who reached their benchmarks received certificates and small prizes, donated by local realtor Colleen Evanchik, Staples, Borders, and Commerce Bank. 

Volunteers Needed

We need volunteers to help in the following ways:

Cramer's Bakery donated our cake last year, and it was YUMMY. 
The Let's Read Math cheer was printed on top:

2-4-6-8

Math is Nifty!

Math is Great!

For more detailed information about Let's Read Math, go to www.letsreadmath.com.

To volunteer to help with the Let's Read Math program, write to us at math@aauwmakefield.com.