Do you wish to boost your kids math skills and help them make the most of one of the most important subjects in the curriculum – these tips will help.
- Show your children that math is fun. Engage in activities including puzzles, easy board games and things that tend to generate interest and bolster more advanced math abilities. Simple, daily things such as working with items in the bathtub or in a sandbox are great ways to emphasize mathematical concepts that include density, weight, volume and the like. See if you can find television programming that helps encourage the development of mathematical aptitude in an enjoyable manner.
- Mixing up some math fun is easy. Working in the kitchen offers a myriad of routes to greater math skills. Let children assist with recipes by dividing, doubling and measuring ingredients.
- Bring math into their everyday world. Be sure to explain when and how math concepts are useful in daily life. This can include showing kids things like making change, calculating restaurant tips, paying routine bills and keeping a balanced checkbook. Older kids can engage in activities that require slightly more advanced math skills, including building simple furniture, calculating travel time and distance and mapping out a garden layout.
- Foster a love of problem solving. Provide opportunities for children to figure things out on their own. Be ready to offer guidance, but encourage kids to work on things themselves to find the ultimate answer. This can be a big part of behaviour management according to Teaching Personnel.
- Do not shy away from technology. Urge your children to take advantage of tech tools such as computers and online resources, whether at school, at home or at the nearby library. This can teach useful skills such as charting, mapping and generating detailed spreadsheets.
- Never give way to fear of math. No matter how you felt about math as a child, make sure to encourage your children’s interest and love of math by assisting with homework, working together on projects and explaining the ways in which a strong foundation in math can make all the difference in their future success. If you find you can’t help and need to offer more than you can, then an online maths tutor once a week could be a great addition.
- Keep abreast of developments in math education. Stay on top of the academic expectations with regard to math at each and every grade level. Show support for professional and continuing education for teachers so that students are learning from those trained in the latest methods and technological advances.
- Show support for a challenging curriculum. Do not be afraid of high expectations when it comes to mathematics. Be a voice in your community for enhanced standards for children at all levels.
- Urge your children to enroll in advanced math courses. Try to make certain that your kids have a strong grasp of geometry as well as algebra by the time they finish ninth grade. Middle grade math experiences have a significant influence on performance in high level math courses down the road. College admissions and future employment may hinge on these outcomes.
- Look ahead to the working world. Inform kids about the types of professions and vocations in which a strong math foundation is important. The fields of medicine, engineering, landscaping, pharmacy and many more all employ those with top-notch math ability, and children need to know this early on. Advocate for career path programming, mentoring and perhaps even co-op school/work opportunities.