Math Fun and Pizza Night
It’s Friday night, pizza night and your child goes to reach for a second slice of pizza. Before they begin eating you ask them what fraction of the pizza is left? They give you this look of, “are you serious?”
Hands-on learning has been the focus of learning in the 21st century and it continues to be the most used approach to help students become deeper thinkers and problem solvers. There is more focus on students discovering and testing their own methods and using manipulatives, and less focus on the traditional pencil and paper methods. Teachers have been encouraged to get their students to create their own math questions instead of assigning them routine math problems. Engagement is key, and is partly the reason why we see an increase in math assignment projects. It is not that teachers are assigning busy work to our children, they are attempting to create a meaningful connection between math and the student.
Although there has been a change in how math is being taught in schools, there are still many students that struggle with performing basic math calculations. Our students need to have the proper tools in order for them to become those deep thinkers and problem solvers. Creating a creative learning environment at home is one way parents help their children develop basic math skills. Equipped with the building blocks for math, children can apply their knowledge in different ways outside of school, which is the ultimate goal in the real world. By providing children with genuine learning opportunities, we strengthen their confidence in math and increase their chances of success.
Many math teachers, and parents as well, make the false assumption that students do not find math interesting. As a result lessons and assigned work become inauthentic and students feel disengaged. By refocusing on making math fun, providing a genuine learning experience, and ensuring repeated exposure and practice, our students will master math and progress to higher levels.
Whether you’re enjoying a night of pizza or having a helper in the kitchen, math can be incorporated in many ways into the home. Next time you bake cookies, make a double or triple batch and watch your math whiz quickly learn to multiply! Math is cumulative. So, as the saying goes, practice makes perfect!
Interested in finding ways to make math more fun for your child? Check out the link to Pinterest below to find simple and creative ways of reinforcing math concepts.
http://www.pinterest.com/loreenleedy/making-math-fun/
