Some people are simply math lovers. Many parents have a knack for numbers and can’t wait to share in the joys of fractions, decimals and differential equations with their kids. Others may recall their own struggles with math in school and dread the day that their kids ask for help with math homework.
Whatever your personal feelings towards math, one thing is true: Math is a huge part of your child’s life in school and beyond and YOU set the example when it comes to modeling a positive math attitude.
So what is the secret to raising kids who don’t fear geometry or algebra (or heck, even advanced calculus)? There are things that every family can do to foster a love of all things mathematical in their kids. Here are some age-appropriate ideas to encourage and inspire your future mathematician.
● Math here. Math there. Math is everywhere. Point out the math in everyday activities and empower your little ones to find solutions. Even young kids can participate in activities such as measuring when cooking (double that recipe!), making correct change and estimating. Other ideas include:
○ Ask your child to figure out when to leave for destinations by explaining what time you need to arrive and how long it takes to get there.
○ Tell your child you have six quarters and ask how many dimes that equals.
○ Ask your child how much a half pound of candy costs if a pound costs $6. If a half pound is $1.50, ask how much a whole pound costs.
○ Ask kids to think about “percent” as “for each 100.” For example, 5% of 200 is “5 for each hundred” or 5 + 5 = 10. Increase the challenge with multiples of 100 including fractions of 100. For example, 6% of 350 = 6 + 6 + 6 + 3 = 21 (i.e. 3 hundreds and a ½ of a hundred).
○ Solve subtractions by thinking of the answer as “how far apart are the two numbers” and “walking up” from the smaller number to the larger one. For 12 – 8, walk up from 8 to 12. When walking up use 10’s as “steps.” 8 to 10 is 2 and 10 to 12 is 2. 2 + 2 = 4. This works well for even more difficult numbers. For 95 – 37, add the steps 37 to 40 =3, 40 to 90 = 50, and 90 to 95 = 5. 3 + 50 + 5 = 58.
○ Use “times 10” to find other multiples. ”Times 5” is half of “times 10.” “Times 20” is double “times 10.”
○ Half of a number can be found by summing halves of parts of the number. Half of 87 = Half of 80 + half of 7 = 40 + 3 ½ = 43 ½.
● Build strong math foundations at an early age. Schools use many different math curriculums but the ultimate goal is the same: build a strong math foundation for kids and prepare them for the next level. The reality is that kids learn math in many different ways and sometimes a certain teacher or approach might not be the right fit for a particular child. The good news is that there are local math enrichment programs available with highly qualified instructors who can work with kids needing remediation and kids needing more challenging work. Local math learning centers have experience working with kids with a huge range of learning styles and they can ensure that each student achieves that strong math foundation that is so critical as they progress through school.
● Spot signs of trouble (and make a plan to get back on track). Math class is not always going to be smooth sailing -- and that is ok. However, it is important that parents recognize signs that their child is struggling and find the right resources to help get back on track. Issues can arise when a child doesn’t understand core concepts that build the foundation for more complicated math work. Unaddressed, this knowledge gap will grow over time. A dedicated math learning center can be a resource to help address any knowledge gaps and build up a student’s confidence. This is an
option both during the school year and for those students looking to stay on track or catch up over the summer.
● Model a love of math. Kids follow our lead when it comes to most things -- including academics. Invest time with your child -- whether it be working on math flash cards together or simply playing a math-focused game together as a family. Maximize conceptual understanding and minimize a reliance on rote memorization. With understanding comes passion! Celebrate their math successes and support their interests wherever you can. Who knows -- you may learn a new thing or two about math along the way as well.
About Mathnasium
Mathnasium, the nation’s leading math-only learning center franchise, specializes in teaching kids math in a way that makes sense to them. When math makes sense, kids excel—whether they’re far behind or eager to get ahead. The proprietary Mathnasium Method™ is the result of 40+ years of hands-on instruction and research. The experts at Mathnasium can help by conducting a thorough assessment to learn more about your student’s math strengths and weaknesses. The next step is developing a customized plan to get your child back on track or start to get ahead and celebrating math successes throughout the school year! Reach out to one of the Phoenix- area Mathnasium locations to schedule an assessment for your child. For more information, visit www.mathnasium.com.
