What should an order of operations newsletter explain to parents?

Explain what order of operations is and why it exists, the specific rule your class uses (PEMDAS or BODMAS), common mistakes students make, and two or three practice strategies families can use at home to reinforce the concept.

How do I explain PEMDAS to parents without confusing them?

Use a concrete example with a wrong answer and a right answer. Show 2 + 3 x 4. If you add first you get 20. If you multiply first you get 14. The rule says multiply before add, so 14 is correct. That example makes the need for a rule immediately obvious.

What does PEMDAS stand for and do all schools use it?

PEMDAS stands for Parentheses, Exponents, Multiplication, Division, Addition, Subtraction. Some curricula use BODMAS or BIDMAS. The underlying rule is the same. Tell families which mnemonic you use so they reinforce the same one at home.

What tool helps teachers send math unit newsletters to families?

Daystage lets teachers build unit newsletters with formatted steps, sample problems, and vocabulary, then send to all families at once. Many teachers use it to communicate at the start of challenging units like order of operations.

How to Write an Order of Operations Newsletter to

Q: What are the most common mistakes with order of operations?

The biggest mistake is assuming left-to-right always applies. Students often do addition before multiplication simply because addition appears first in the problem. The second common error is mishandling division and multiplication: they are equal priority and both are done left to right.

Order of operations is one of those units that produces genuinely wrong confident answers from students and parents alike. Without the rule, the same expression gives different results depending on who solves it. Your order of operations newsletter explains why the rule exists, which version your class uses, and how families can help without accidentally teaching the wrong method at home.

Why a Rule Is Necessary at All

Math is a shared language. For everyone to get the same answer from the same expression, there has to be an agreed-upon order for doing operations. Without that agreement, 2 + 3 x 4 could equal 20 (if you add first) or 14 (if you multiply first). Both are mathematically valid without a convention, but only one is correct by the rule. The rule exists to eliminate ambiguity. That explanation makes the unit feel purposeful rather than arbitrary.

The Order Your Class Uses

Name your mnemonic and what each letter stands for. PEMDAS: Parentheses, Exponents, Multiplication, Division, Addition, Subtraction. Clarify the critical nuance: multiplication and division are equal priority, done left to right. Same for addition and subtraction. Many students and parents interpret PEMDAS as a strict sequence where multiplication always comes before division, which is wrong. Address this directly in the newsletter with a simple example.

Common Mistakes to Name Explicitly

The most common error is solving left to right without regard for operation priority. Students add before multiplying because addition appears first in the problem. The second error is treating PEMDAS as a strict six-step sequence rather than a hierarchy with ties. A worked example showing both the wrong approach and the correct one is more effective than any explanation. Include one in your newsletter.

A Worked Example for Families

Use this: 3 + 4 x 2 - 1. Wrong approach (left to right): 3 + 4 = 7, 7 x 2 = 14, 14 - 1 = 13. Correct approach (PEMDAS): multiply first: 4 x 2 = 8. Then left to right with equal priority: 3 + 8 - 1 = 10. Answer: 10. Show this in the newsletter. Families who see a worked example understand the process in a way that a description alone cannot convey.

How to Practice at Home

The best home practice for order of operations is reviewing returned work. When a student gets a problem wrong, ask them to redo it step by step, naming each operation and why they did it in that order. That kind of verbal explanation reinforces the procedure more than silent rereworking. If families want additional problems, any basic algebra textbook or worksheet site has order of operations problems sorted by difficulty.

Sample Newsletter Excerpt

Here is language you can adapt: "This week we start our order of operations unit. The rule is PEMDAS: Parentheses first, then Exponents, then Multiplication and Division (left to right), then Addition and Subtraction (left to right). The most important thing to know is that multiplication does NOT always come before division. They are equal, and whichever comes first from left to right gets done first. Same for addition and subtraction. At home, ask your child to solve 10 - 2 x 3 and explain each step. The answer is 4, not 24."

Connecting to Algebra

Order of operations is not just a standalone unit. It is the foundation of evaluating algebraic expressions and equations. Students who know it well move smoothly into algebra. Students who are shaky on it make errors throughout pre-algebra and beyond. Tell families this: the time spent on this unit now prevents a lot of confusion later.

Sending the Newsletter With a Sample Problem

Daystage lets you include a formatted worked example in your newsletter alongside the explanation and home practice tips. A visual, step-by-step problem in the newsletter is more useful than any amount of text. Write your newsletter, add the problem, and send to all families at once. They get a reference they can pull up during homework that shows your method clearly.

How to Write an Order of Operations Newsletter to Parents