How To Encourage A Love Of Math In Your Child: Mathematics is essential as it creates the foundation for a country’s scientific, technological, and engineering development. Regardless of a kid’s choice of career path, they must have a solid mathematical foundation.
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How To Encourage A Love Of Math In Your Child
Most students underperform in math since they have the mindset that they are not math people though the other subjects indicate that they are bright. Such students need someone to nurture and drive them to love math. Below are tips on motivating kids to learn math to ensure they love math.
Use Technology
Kids nowadays are more engraved on using their digital devices rather than engaging in outdoor activities. Parents can enroll their kids in online classes or math apps where they can access learning tools and materials. Online courses benefit shy kids who would instead ask a math question live rather than in a physical class. Math apps provide kids with personalized learning programs tailored toward their needs, strengths, and weaknesses.
Make Learning Math Fun And Engaging
Many parents miss out on helping as they lack ideas on how to make kids love math. Making math learning fun and engaging is one of the simplest ways, as you can do so using daily activities to teach math. For example, while going shopping, you can take your kids with you.
Give them simple mathematical tasks like counting the money and determining the balance after payment. With time your kids will grow interested in learning more through such simple activities. The kids will become curious to learn new math concepts so that they can get involved in daily activities.
Encourage Math Understanding, Not Memorization
Many students learn math through memorization rather than understanding the why behind a particular concept and its application to the real world. They carry over the ideas to get a problem solved and pass their exams. Sooner or later, if the kid cannot memorize the concepts as the difficulty increases with the grade level, they will develop a negative attitude toward math. Using props, manipulatives, and drawings will help kids understand math concepts better.
Avoid Negative Math Talks
No matter how hard math was for you while in school, avoid passing the negative mindset down to your kids. This will help prevent them from disregarding their abilities to perform well in math as their parents also failed math. Assure them that no matter how hard math might seem, if they work hard, they will perform well. No matter their abilities, they will always do their best to understand math concepts.
Focus On Logic Rather Than Whether The Answer Is Right Or Wrong
Usually, when parents review their kids’ performance, they look at the total score. Some even take further steps and scold their kids or even give them a beating for failing. As a parent, you should understand that this is not how to motivate kids to learn math, as it makes kids feel more anxious while learning or taking math tests as they are afraid of failure. Parents should instead take their time to understand the kid’s logic to solve the problem.
Math learning isn’t about the speed of calculating and giving answers to specific math problems, it should be more of a logical understanding. Notice and appreciate small achievements kids make while learning, like understanding a new concept. This will motivate them to continue learning and even grow fond of math.
