Math is an integral part of our lives. We can see and apply it in all sectors of our life, from finance to daily activities. This explains why Brighterly and other edtech websites have dedicated their activity to teaching kids math.
Unfortunately, this doesn’t make the learning journey any easier. More often than not, kids are reluctant to learn math because of the misconceptions surrounding the subject. Since math is considered difficult to learn, they’ll be unwilling to study it. A great way to boost a child’s motivation is by clearing the air and teaching them a few things about math.
Luckily, we’ve outlined all the core facts every kid needs to know about math. Let’s get into it, shall we?
1. Math is a part of our daily lives
As we mentioned earlier, math forms a significant part of our daily lives. A great way to teach your kid this fact is by integrating math into their day-to-day activities. For instance, you could make math a part of cooking dinner. Ask a child to measure ingredients like salt, sugar, or flour.
Alternatively, ask them to calculate how much change you have left over when you go grocery shopping. These seemingly mundane activities will help them see how math plays out in life.
2. Math is important
Unfortunately, math isn’t simply an annoying subject that we get to leave behind once we graduate. It’s way beyond that, and kids need to know this fact. In addition to playing out in our daily lives, math is also important career-wise.
For instance, kids who have dreams of becoming developers will need a strong math background to break into the industry. The healthcare sector isn’t left out either as it involves a great deal of mathematical operations. So, if a kid wants to reach for the stars, you’ll need to show them how important math is, thus motivating them to learn.
3. A positive mindset always helps
Over the years, many psychologists have talked about the power of positive thinking. Surprisingly, this doesn’t only apply to life problems and a state of mind. Positive thinking should also be applied to math learning.
One of the keys to becoming better at math is by keeping an open mind and a positive mindset. The more open-minded you are towards learning math, the more likely you are to actually succeed at it.
4. It’s important to focus on problem solving rather than the right answers
More often than not, we think math is all about getting the right answer to a problem. Unfortunately, nothing could be further from the truth. Sure, it’s important to get the right answers. However, the process matters more than the results. When you focus on building your problem-solving skills, you’re more likely to become better at math.
5. Math can be fun
Here’s a fun fact: math doesn’t always have to be scary. When kids think of math, the image they often conjure is one of a dreary classroom with scary equations on the chalkboard. But it isn’t always like this. Thanks to the advent of kids math sites, math can be fun. You can teach your kids this fact by introducing interactive math activities and integrating educational games into each lesson.
6. The more you practice, the better you’ll get at math
Ever heard the phrase: practice makes perfect? It certainly holds true, especially when it comes to math. The key to becoming a math whiz is simple: daily practice. The more you practice, the likelier you are to become better at it. With constant math practice, you’ll begin to develop problem-solving skills.
7. You can’t move on to a new concept if you don’t understand the previous one
What do you do when you encounter a difficult topic? For most people, it’s simple: move on to a new topic. However, this approach doesn’t exactly work with math. You’ll need to fully understand one concept before moving on to another. For instance, you need to properly learn multiplication and addition before learning how to work with fractions.
8. Shortcuts never work
It can be tempting to want to take shortcuts and tricks to arrive at the correct answer. However, shortcuts aren’t the best solution when it comes to math. They won’t equip you with the necessary skills and knowledge you need.
9. Anyone can be good at math
The Einsteins and Stephen Hawkins of this world aren’t the only ones who can be good at math. Anyone can be good at math. Teaching your kid that they can be successful is a sure way to build their confidence and keep them motivated.
10. It’s okay to make mistakes
Math is all about making mistakes and learning from them. Every kid needs to know that it’s okay to make mistakes in math. That’s why we have erasers at the end of pencils: to correct the mistakes we make.
Math learning can be really tricky. However, armed with these facts, every kid can be a star.