This week in school we will be celebrating Maths Week NI and all classes will engage in fun numeracy lessons to help encourage a love of maths and overcome any anxiety around the subject.
As we begin Maths Week 2023 the message to parents and children from Maths NI is that “everyone can do well at maths. Yes, it is a challenging subject and can be difficult but, like any challenge, it can be overcome with effort and will bring rewards.
Of course, not everyone will become a top mathematician, but everyone can learn to enjoy maths if we can break that “cycle of fear” associated with the subject.
It’s very important that educators/parents try to avoid passing on negative ideas about maths to their children. Not only do good maths skills open up a range of career options, they are also essential for ordinary everyday tasks such as household budgeting or working out a recipe when baking. See link below for more advice on incorporting learning into everyday household tasks.”
https://www.mathsweek.ie/2023/parents/
TOP TIPS FOR PARENTS:
- Encourage children to think flexibly about numbers
- Encourage drawing whenever you can (mathematicians draw sketches all the time!)
- When you help your children, do not lead them through step by step, as this takes away important learning opportunities for them.
- Encourage children to work on problems that are challenging for them, so that they can learn from their mistakes
- Encourage students to make sense of maths at all times (As they work, keep asking does that make sense to you? Why or Why not? Discourage guessing)
- Praise children by rewarding effort (not by telling them theyre smart)
- Always have a positive outlook on maths
- Never time children or encourage faster work
- When children answer questions and get them wrong, try and find the logic in their answers
- Give children maths puzzles
- Play games! (For young children any board game with dice will help)
