Laying the foundation

When it comes to mathematics, most U.S. kids just aren't making the grade. A recent study conducted on students in grades 4 and 8 by the American Institutes for Research found that children in the United States consistently score below most of their peers around the world on math. As students progress to the high school level, the worrying trend continues, with the U.S placing ninth out of the 12 countries included in the study.

How can children learn to embrace math? Jo Boaler, a former mathematics professor at Stanford University, offers advice to busy parents and teachers in her book What's Math Got to Do with It? How Parents and Teachers Can Help Children Learn to Love Their Least Favorite Subject. In the book, Boaler outlines solutions that can change a student's perspective on math, including classroom approaches, essential study strategies, and advice for parents.

Boaler believes that all children start out being excited by math. Mathematical ideas that seem obvious to most adults fascinate young children, such as counting a set number of items, rearranging them, counting again and getting the same number. Easy puzzles, games, and patterns are all that a child needs to become mathematically inspired.

"Playing games with dice helps when children are learning to add and subtract. Any activities that help children get a sense of numbers – what they look like, how big they are, where they occur in the world, is helpful," Boaler explains.

Children begin to understand the idea of numbers around the age of 3, and Boaler suggests parents concentrate on helping their children get a feel for numbers through the age of 7. Some easy math activities for early learning include:

Building blocks, interlocking cubes, or kits for making objects. These help develop spatial reasoning, a foundation for mathematical understanding. Jigsaw puzzles, Rubik's cubes, and anything else that involves moving, rotating, or fitting objects together will also help develop spatial reasoning. Exploring mathematically interesting items like house numbers, fence posts, and patterns in nature. Reading books with a mathematical undertone, such as The Father Who Had 10 Children, by Benedicte Guettier. Learning about shapes and addition together with fun, early learning printables.

These simple interactions and early learning activities in the home lay the foundation for enjoying math. Fostering a love affair with math at an early age can give children a better chance of being excited about the subject throughout their school years.

Taking a different approach

Unfortunately, many children start to dislike mathematics when introduced to it in a school setting. Boaler believes this is because children are made to feel inadequate in classrooms.

"If children hate math, the most important task is to show them a different math – the real math that is out there in the world and is exciting and varied," Boaler advises. "My book shows this by describing the math of the world that is nothing like the drill and practice of school."

Boaler points out that it is important for parents to speak to their child's school about different approaches if they feel the current program is not effective. If the school is unwilling to try new ideas, parents can try alternatives to broaden their child's love and understanding of math:

Give children interesting patterns and problems to do at home. Play games that get children to think logically and spatially. Inquire and guide children in their thinking. Even if the answer is wrong, help them see how their thinking is correct in some ways, and help them learn ways to improve their thought processes.

"There are some really good TV shows that give a much more exciting side of math, such as N3MBERS — and games such as Sudoku, checkers, and chess," she adds.

Making math a part of your day

Many busy parents today hold full-time jobs while running a household, and may find it hard to incorporate numbers and math into their daily schedule. Boaler explains that math doesn't have to be difficult or time-consuming, and she offers some easy and educational ways to integrate math lessons into everyday life. She suggests making math problems out of ordinary household objects. For example, give your child a five-liter jar, a three-liter jar, and some water, and ask him to measure out four liters of water exactly, using only the two jars.

"In my own home, I choose to work on math for ten minutes in the morning, when my children are fresh and almost alert. I also talk about math in the world with them, whenever it comes up. We count cars… we talk about patterns in the garden and house. It isn't necessary to do a lot of math; it is more important to be happy about math and to give a sense of excitement and enjoyment," says Boaler.

>>> Curing Math-Phobic Parents

A fear or aversion to math has led to widespread math anxiety, especially among parents who may have had a traumatic math class when they were children. Boaler explains that the worst thing parents can do is tell their child they hate math. In her book, Boaler points out that it's important for parents who hated math in school to start all over again as adults. She believes that parents, like children, need to get a sense of real math and not the math that is taught in school. There is no reason any parent should be negative about math, even if they had an unpleasant experience with math when they were younger.

"If parents can rid themselves of the false image of math they developed in school and start learning all over again with their children, it is very likely that they will enjoy math and find it surprisingly accessible."

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