Mastering Math

Make a Mathematical Connection to Academic Success

By Raymond J. Huntington

While I can't say it's ever been proven, I think most people agree that students tend to excel in subjects that naturally interest them. We automatically expect, for example, that as a child John Grisham was an avid reader, and that a young Jacques Cousteau would have been mesmerized at the site of an aquarium. But when it comes to mathematics, too many students find numbers and problem-solving more intimidating than inspiring and fail to see any relationship between homework and classroom lessons and the great inventions that surround them every day.

Fortunately, helping your child make mathematical connections to "the real world" may be a lot easier than you realize. Don't think of it as teaching mathematics; think of it as teaching about day-to-day life and let the real world be your textbook. Try the following activities to help your children get involved in exploring, developing, testing, discussing and applying the interrelated mathematical ideas they will use throughout their lives.

Children learn to do arithmetic by first mastering different counting strategies, beginning with rote counting. Use building blocks with your child to test his or her counting skills: "How many blocks can you count?" Grouping objects helps children to learn the concepts of adding, subtracting and multiplying. Use visual examples to demonstrate: "If I have six blocks and pick up two more, how many blocks will I have? If I have six blocks and take away two of them, how many blocks will I have? If I make three piles of 10 blocks each, how many blocks will I have?"

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