| Most young, and many not so young, children | | | | of the three got the answers first. For example: |
| battle with math at school. And most parents are | | | | Suppose 4 people get onto a bus at the first stop |
| at a loss as to how to help them. I grasped math | | | | and another 5 get on at the second stop. Then at |
| from an early age at school and studied math at | | | | the third stop 5 more people get on and 3 get |
| university. My career was based on math and | | | | off. How many shoes are on the bus on people's |
| math stats. So I want to share my experiences in | | | | feet? Answer is 24, because you must count the |
| helping my three daughters do well at math at | | | | busdriver . |
| school with you here today. And it is easy if you | | | | I used to have a few little trick parts in the |
| know a few secrets about how the brain works | | | | problems I posed to make the girls think before |
| to solve number problems. It is a simple matter | | | | they answered and they found this great fun. So |
| of training the brain to think by numbers. | | | | make problem solving fun and use mealtimes, |
| Math is a very logical subject. If the basics are | | | | when the family is together, to set a few |
| grasped early on, the more complicated math | | | | questions for the kids to think about. Of course, |
| that comes along later at school will be easier to | | | | you will need to know the right answers. |
| grasp. So I will focus on the basics and show you | | | | I also found that teaching my daughters about |
| how to help your childre develop some early | | | | money and saving and getting them to set |
| problem solving skills. And it is never too early to | | | | savings goals, helped them with their number |
| start introducing these skills to your children. Of | | | | problem solving skills. |
| course, a good grounding in math will stand the | | | | Third Tip: For older kids, use number puzzles to |
| student in very good stead later on in life. | | | | encourage their mathematical mind to develop |
| First Tip: Start on the Basics early on | | | | Most newspapers now include on their puzzle |
| The basics of a good grounding in math is the | | | | pages both Sudoku and Kenken puzzles which |
| famous four; addition, subtraction, multiplication | | | | require the use of numbers. The former requires |
| and division. To help the child's brain start to grasp | | | | one to fill in the gaps in a 9 by 9 square, with no |
| the basics and make them second nature, it is | | | | number repeated in any row, column or 3 by 3 |
| important to start early and get them to repeat | | | | square. The simple ones are great training for kids |
| over and over the tables they will be given at | | | | and books are available at newagents filled with |
| school. Work with your child to learn the tables | | | | number puzzles. KenKen is a fairly new number |
| off by heart. Help them with their math | | | | puzzle, using the four basics I mentioned in the |
| homework every night. Set them little math | | | | first tip, and also requires filling in the missing |
| problems at every opportunity. For example, | | | | numbers. Encourage your kids to do these puzzles |
| when you are out shopping, ask your child to add | | | | and reward them for completing them. Even |
| the prices of two items together. First let them | | | | photocopy them and have a timed race to see |
| do it in their head, then let them check it on a | | | | who can finish first. Kids mostly love competition. |
| calculator. Subtraction can be practised in the | | | | There are also hand held computer games such |
| kitchen by asking simple questions like: | | | | as marketed by Nintendo that help train the brain |
| If we have 24 knives and 24 forks and there are | | | | to think through math problems. And even the |
| only 16 knives and forks in the drawer, how | | | | well known game of Monopoly will help children |
| many are in the dishwasher? | | | | with their number skills. |
| When you take you children out for a meal, or a | | | | We didn't have these computer games when my |
| milkshake, let them pay and bring you back the | | | | girls were younger, although we played Monopoly |
| change. Ask them to check the bill and ensure the | | | | a lot, so I used to make up number puzzles on |
| change is the right amount. | | | | paper for them to solve. |
| Second Tip: Make Problem Solving Fun | | | | There are so many opportunities in everyday life |
| I used to use every mealtime to set my | | | | to ask your kids to think in a problem solving way |
| daughters problems to solve, which involved them | | | | and the more variety you bring into it the better. |
| thinking and using math. And often the youngest | | | | |