Why your child needs math
With more and more technology jobs, children really need a STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) education! Abstract thinking, so necessary to progress, comes from science and math education. Will your child be ready for the technology jobs of the future? Early math the right way is so important. It starts at home!
How often have we heard students say something like, “Why do I have to learn math? I’m never going to use it in when I’m grown up!” The answer to that is, “So that you can think well and solve problems better in all areas of your life!”
As I learned in college, psychologist Jean Piaget’s cognitive theory of development shows that a concrete thinker only sees the obvious, but an abstract thinker can see ‘what if?’ The ability to think abstractly is key to having an open mind and seeing many possible ways to solve a problem. For example, the answer given in the cartoon below is the concrete answer.
The abstract answer is the ability to solve the value of x, if the other sides were the given values. (A concrete thinker might say that side is not really 4-cm long, get the ruler. The abstract thinker can say, “but what if?” and solve the problem.)
The maths and sciences help people develop from concrete thinkers into abstract thinkers as they reach adulthood. The lessons learned while solving math problems make the brain more flexible in solving other problems in general. This gives children more self-confidence to meet challenges. If we want our children to be well-rounded in all areas, they need math and science.
Giving your child a head start in math – the right way – helps him to see patterns and connections in new ways. It helps her to see more possibilities and make wiser decisions as she grows.
By the way, I use algebra on my grocery shopping list, to keep my costs + tax exactly to the penny, for the amount I want to spend. I love math!
(And stay away from Reform and/or Common Core math.)
http://thegodfreymethod.com
No comments:
Post a Comment