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Math...you either love it or hate it. Right? Most parents want math to be a positive experience for their child. This can be a challenge due to the amount of work it takes to conquer certain aspects of it. A University of Chicago and Western University 2012 study even shows that for some people, doing math is similar to experiencing physical pain. Mmmm....this is bringing back memories of me in high math class.
However, as much as people love to say that they will never use math in their lives. It simply is not true. Various kinds of math is used each day in the normal course of living. We use math to figure out our finances, work related projects, as well as doing everyday chores such as cooking and shopping. There are many jobs that require a high level of math skills engineering, high technology, and finance. Even non-math careers require that employees have sharp analytic and reasoning skills – skills that are acquired when brains are trained in math. Developmental studies consistently show that early math exposure can set a child up for a successful path of higher level mathematical reasoning . It actually changes children's brains so that the kids become adept at problem solving. The kids’ brains are primed for learning advanced math concepts. Also, a 2007 study published in the journal Developmental Psychology reveals that math skill at kindergarten is a stronger predictor of later school achievement than reading skills or the ability to pay attention.
Susan C. Levine, a professor of psychology and comparative human development at the University of Chicago, has come to the conclusion that parents who naturally incorporate math daily provide their child with a solid math foundation for later math achievement. In addition those who explain to their kids about numbers and spatial relationships by way of hand movements and language tend to instill better math skills at age 4.
Due to the fact that kiddos are way more receptive to learning when it is associated with play than with work, it makes sense for parents to expose kids to math in fun ways. The challenge to parents is to figure out ways on how to create basic interactions and early learning activities to serve as foundation for their kids to enjoy math.
Making math enjoyable help kids grow to associate math with fun, pleasure and parental love and attention. Instead of experiencing felling of fear, kids will be excited about the subject throughout their school years. The hidden ingredient to successful math education is to make it so much fun that children don't even realize they are learning something that will help them later in life.
Here are some tips for you, the parent, to make math fun for your child:
Math is a game!
Math is a game!
There are many games that engage children in mathematical concepts in a FUN manner. Encourage your child to play card and board games that involve calculations (For example, Chutes and Ladders and Monopoly). My favorite math board game is Math Noodlers. It addresses addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, fractions, graphing and money. It is for second and third graders. I love how much fun it is to play! A 2009 study conducted by Carnegie Mellon and the University of Maryland found that preschoolers who played Chutes and Ladders improve math skills significantly compared to those in the study who played a different board game or did non-math tasks.
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Hobbies with math!
Think about what games or activities your child enjoys, and figure out how to integrate math into it. I had a student years ago in Kindergarten that loved soup. She talked about soup at share time, wrote about soup at writing time and even drew soup at art time. She LOVED soup. How could her mom add math to the natural love this little girl had for soup? She could have had Addison measure ingredients for soup, set the timer for cooking, count how many spoonfuls it took to eat the whole bowl. I could go on and on.
Math and technology!
Technology has given math so many platforms. Today children can enjoy hundres of quality math games on the computer and/or on tablets. I love www.cookies.com/ and I also love many of the math books and games at www.oxfordowl.co.uk/home/math-owl/maths On the iPad many children are enjoying Dreambox. This math adventure assesses children and guides them higher and higher with problem solving skills. Investigate games and see which ones your child gravitates to and plug your child into math fun!
It is imperative that your child do math now....no matter what the age! I also want to stress that exposure must occur consistently. I hope this post has given you some insight that will make math a permanent part of the fabric in your household.
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Thank you for your support this year. It has been a wonderful year filled with opportunities to share my love of math with young people and you! It is my prayer that your family has a wonderful Christmas...full of loving and peaceful moments!
Merry Christmas!
Stephanie Van Horn
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