Giving Children the Mathematical Advantage

Learning to Love Math Math can be a difficult subject both to learn and to teach. Learning math is similar to trying to chase a chicken.
Though it does not seem to be useful to the general pubic, it is very useful in an indirect way.
It is important to develop the knowledge and appreciation of math at an early age. It is when a student discovers a problem that they want to answer that math becomes exciting.

Simple interactions of puzzles, games and patterns all help to make math fun. Mathematical Environments Setting the right atmosphere to learn math is imperative.

At a small age, we give children blocks to play with.
Children will sit for hours playing with these blocks and marveling at what they can make with them. Playing with blocks increases spatial ability and will impact mathematical success in the future.

Any sort of building blocks, cubes, dice, beads, etc.
will assist in spatial awareness. Rubik cubes, puzzles and tangrams teach how fitting objects together relates to patterns and numbers within the world around us.
Being able to decipher the language of math and relate it to themselves is an important building block.

It is this creative mind that brings math into focus and leaves children wanting more.

More Puzzles Puzzle questions create the reasoning children need to solve a problem.
A great puzzle which is in the movie Die Hard with a Vengeance is shown with liters.

Given a 5-liter jar, a 3--liter jar and an unlimited supply of water, how do you measure 4 liters exactly? These type of puzzles are both mathematical and logical and can be completed as a hand-on activity.

These teach both thinking and reasoning as well as how to make sense of the situation.
This type of informal and critical thinking, is transferred over to real life and more benefits are later discover.

Problem solving skills will help us improved both with everyday life situations and even extracurricular actives. Think about how many sports are play where math is used.
Even other types of games such as pool and poker take a mathematical advantage against ones opponent. Just ASK! Asking is the best way to learn.
When a child ask a question, it is OK to deviate from the problem and explore patterns and relationships. You can generalize and problem solve outside of the original questions.
This is a great way to learn and apply math. Math is easy to forget.
Do you remember the formula for circumference? What about the quadratic formulas? It is important to create flexibility in math. Children decompose and recompose numbers differently. Though math solutions are consistent, getting the answers are not. Take the following example: 15 x 5 One student may need a pen and paper to compute the answer.
Another child may calculate within their head, 10 x 5,=50 and 5 x 5=25 therefore; 50+25=75 Additionally, another child may use fingers and count by 5's all the way to 15.
The point here is that each student will still get the same answer.
Do not restrict children on learning math only one way.
You must present the advantage and allow them multiple ways to get the answers as this will sharpen their mental math skills. Take a Foreign Lesson The opportunity to learn math is global.
It is assumed that other countries outside of the United States fair higher in math.
The reality is that other countries impose math heavily and consistently with higher standards in relation to the United States.

You do not have to wait until kindergarten to teach your child numbers and addition.

You also do not need to wait until high school to learn algebra and calculus.
Children are capable of learning deeper math concepts than usually assumed. Everything in math is both concrete and abstract. It does not take a month to learn math, it takes years.

One must practice and continue to educate and develop their reasoning and awareness to properly solve equations.

Early exposure allows the mind to process the skills needed to both proceed and succeed.

Their are no limits in math.
Math builds on a set of knowledge, each concept relating to skills the children already have.

If a child always has the means to learn math, they merely need the education to obtain it.

Everyday children are thriving to learn.

Math is present in everyday activities including cooking, playing, running errands, driving, listening to music and more.
Incorporating math concepts is easy, but remember to keep the conversations light hearted and matter of fact.

The more you chose to introduce math, the more your child benefits. Give your child the mathematical advantage and create the fundamental skills needed for future success.