Mount Saint Mary College teacher candidates, Horizon-on-the-Hudson (HOH) teachers, and the Family and Community Engagement Team brought literacy and math to life during the Horizon-on-the-Hudson Magnet School’s second annual Literacy and Math Night on Monday, April 29.
Planning and presenting the event were a group of Mount undergraduate and graduate students, Catherine McLouglan, Maggie Veach, Katerina Calderone, Jennifer Leigh and Kate Tucker, in conjunction with Emma Sweeney, a recent Mount alum and second grade gifted teacher at HOH.
The event was sponsored by the Mount's Sigma Tau Chapter 451 of Kappa Delta Pi, the International Education Society.
Math and Literacy activities shared an adventurous pirate theme. Children solved riddles, and played math games while earning “doubloons” as they made their way through the activities. At the end of their academic journey, the children used their accumulated wealth for treasures, books, and pirate paraphernalia, found in an overflowing treasure chest.
Associate Professor of Education Monica Merritt and her Elementary Math Methods class packaged take-home kits for children in grades one to five, filled with math games and activities, and directions for how parents and students can play these games together.
Gillian Matos, HOH principal, and Karriem Bunce, assistant principal joined in the fun, engaging with children and their parents.
“This was truly a collaborative effort that provided a learning experience for children, and a valuable opportunity for the Mount teacher candidates to give back to our community,” noted Sonya Abbye Taylor, associate professor of Education and chair of the Division of Education at the Mount.