Not only do parents have an enormous effect on their children’s physical, social, and emotional development, but they also play an important role academically. Now hear me out… I know as well as anyone that our jam packed and sometimes stressful schedules leave little time for academic pursuits. Adding “teacher” to our already lengthy job description seems exhausting. But that’s exactly what we are doing every time we are with a child. We are teaching.
Here’s what I propose, simply talking with your child about math supports early math learning. Here are two examples that research has shown to pay off. First, counting items that are immediately present develops the child’s ability to understand number. (blocks in a tower, cookies on the plate, people around the table) Second, using math words that describe objects in your environment. Comparing the size, shape and location of objects. (Big, Long, Heavy, Flat, Pointy, Up, Down, Below) When children know the meaning of math words, it’s easier to solve math problems.
But that’s not all, combining math talk with positive attitudes is the magic ticket. Most of us can relate to a little math bashing. We carry baggage from our sometimes negative past experiences. One study reported that 30% of parents said they would rather clean their bathroom than do math problems. Ouch!
But when we communicate to our children that we don’t like math, and aren’t good at it, then we influence their beliefs about their own abilities. We want children to succeed in math, so we need to show them how useful and fun math can be. So let’s embrace our role and encourage children to be mathematicians! Showing children that math is meaningful and fun encourages a love of math for years to come.
