My best math tips in no particular order.....
1. Have patience.
Math is super easy for some, not to hard for others, and really hard for the rest. So having patience and letting a kid take their time getting the basics before you rush them on to the next level is very important. Throw out the 'schedule' and stick with what the kids need to work on for as long as they need to work on it.
2. But go for variety
Don't confuse 'drill and kill' with review. No one wants to spend yet another afternoon going over flashcards just because they have trouble with addition or counting. So find different ways to review, a computer program, a book, a song, a game, chanting, anything. Whatever it takes to find variety
3. Play with it
Math is meant to be played with, any chance you have to play a game, play one that involves math, and have fun. There is nothing worse than boring rote memorization drills. Matching games, computer games, games with money, games with dice, games with cards, anything and everything can become a math game with hardly any effort. (some links for ideas below)
4. Let them find the answer and let them be wrong.
Mistakes are a great teacher. When a baby tries to crawl they spend plenty of time 'doing it wrong'. No one yells at them, they are quite capable of understanding they were wrong when they fail to go forward. Math can be the same way. If you ask 'how many' and they answer wrong, don't yell, just have them show you. (I fail at this one more than any other, how many times can a kid be wrong in one day!) Computers are great for this, the computer doesn't care if they get the problem wrong 100 times, it will still just show and try again, with the same polite voice.
5. Let them teach
Nothing reinforces a concept quite like teaching. Some days I think I homeschool just so I can fill the gaps in my own education, or at least keep the plaque from forming in my brain. You have to use your brain just like any other muscle. So borrow a younger sibling, cousin, friend, random stranger, and let your kid teach them something just a step below what they are good at.
That's it. All my so called expertise wrapped up in 5 simple rules.
Links:
- Love2Learn2Day - check the 'labels' on right bar for specific concept ideas
-Almost Unschoolers has lots of math fun for all ages
- Links learning - has video lessons and interactive quizzes, haven't played much with it though
- BBC has some fun games for all ages (Princess likes their typing)
-All Things Beautiful has some great math activities too!
Amen!
ReplyDeleteHere's a great set of math games called the Tic Tac Math Series. It's available in Universal/Classic (math facts), Fractions and Algebra.
For iPad, iPhone of iPod TOuch, go Here:
http://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/ipmg-publishing/id356838921
For PC, Mac and others, go here:
www.iplaymathgames.com
Great tips. thanks for writing them
ReplyDeleteI think this is a good summary of how to teach math - or anything, for that matter. Going along with #5, my kids like to come up with math problems for me or Brian to do. Just lately, I've been giving Sebastian simple addition problems to work on, and when he's finished, he writes up a few for me to do. I think it's a great way to drive home the concepts and I'm sure he thinks it's cool that Mommy's his student. :) He checks them afterwards, and sometimes I have to show him I was right when he thought I was wrong, but I try not to make too big a deal out of that - it's just a learning experience(as you already said in #4).
ReplyDeleteCourtney, great idea! 'testing' Mom and dad is great fun too!
ReplyDeleteKristie No problem hope it helps.
If you have an iwhatever letting the kids play a math (or any) game is a great way to sneak in extra practice.
I love this list. I have a lot of math activities as well.
ReplyDeletehttp://homeschooljournal-bergblog.blogspot.com/search/label/Math%20Games
Phyllis you are right, I am sorry I forgot to include you before. Your math stuff is always fun (especially the popcorn/snack fractions!
ReplyDeleteA number of mathematical problems are a 'trial and error' process, in a way that one can't instantly get the answer just by looking at it (unless you're a genius!) It takes a lot of hard work, discipline and the right mindset to be loved by the subject. Face your mistakes, as you say, "mistakes are a great teacher." :)
ReplyDelete