Chances are that if you cast your mind back to childhood, the word ‘mathematics’ probably didn’t fill you with a great deal of joy. There will of course always be those for whom the idea of maths really is a subject of excitement and wonder, but for somewhere in the region of 99% of kids in general, maths is about as exciting as dry toast.
Unsurprisingly therefore, many school entrance exam tutors in London find themselves being asked on a regular basis what exactly parents can do at home to help improve their own kids’ maths skills. It’s one of those things where competence breeds confidence and further confidence breeds competence – something of a developmental cycle that’s tough to crack into though hugely beneficial. But assuming that you yourself have one or more children for whom the idea of maths really is about as boring as it gets, what can be done on an everyday basis to help give both their confidence and competence a generous boost?
Baking and Cooking
Well, first of all it’s worth remembering that when it comes to most examples of baking and cooking, much of what takes place revolves around numbers. From ingredient units to cooking temperatures to weights to measurements to timings and so on, so much of what takes place in the kitchen on a daily basis really is based around simple maths. And what’s more, cooking and baking also tend to be the kinds of activities where the kids taking part have too much fun to realise they were actually learning anything in the first place.
Shopping
Of course it’s exactly the same story with shopping as well as not only do kids tend to take to shopping activities like fun excursions in their own right, but the whole experience from start to finish is one of almost pure mathematics. Whether it’s counting food items, adding up costs, working out discounts or really anything else of the sort, these are all kinds of things that build competent and instinctive mathematics’ skills without the pain of having to sit by a textbook.
Maths Games
Actually making maths fun in its own right can be extremely difficult to say the least. By contrast, there are so many enjoyable games available these days that are based largely around basic mathematics, which can be great for enhancing understanding of maths without the process having to be boring or unpleasant. Things as simple as playing cards and dominoes can be extraordinarily effective in helping kids build their maths competences, along with a thousand and one computer games and mobile applications which are primarily built around mathematics.
Everyday Exposure
As is the case with almost everything else with respect to a child development, their everyday exposure to core subjects and seeing them put to use in practice helps build an understanding both of their importance and their mechanics. It’s exactly the same thing with mathematics – each and every one of us uses maths to some extent or another, each and every day. It could be working out how much time you have until the bus you intend to catch, deciding what time to start dinner, counting food items and so on – all being exactly the kinds of things it is enormously beneficial to involve your kids in. To see mathematics being put to use is to immediately acknowledge the fact that it is in fact more useful than it may appear in a standard exercise book.
Little and Often
If the child in question is genuinely struggling to get to grips with basic mathematics, experts recommend ensuring that they’re encouraged to do at least a little maths work, every day. Rather than intensively bombarding them with hour after hour of daunting maths practice, it often works better to introduce things on more of a ‘little and often’ basis. Even if it’s just a few minutes every day during which several simple maths questions of relevance to everyday life are asked, it can and will add up to a big difference.
Seek Private Tuition
Last but not least, it’s always worth remembering that private tuition is available these days for the lowest prices to date and without any long-term contractual obligations. Chances are you’ll find that just as soon as your child begins picking up the basics and developing a sense of confidence, the rest will begin to take care of itself naturally. So even if it’s only for a limited period and utilised on something of a casual basis, it’s definitely worth considering at least speaking to a private tutor to see what’s available.