Today, I’m sharing a guest post by Jon Goga, math tutor and founder of BrainySpinach Math because Jon shares my family’s love of mathematics!
Not every child is born a Maths genius that can calculate crazy problems in their head. Some children can be left lacking confidence in the subject to such an extent that they try to avoid doing anything Maths-related and may suffer from Maths Anxiety. But it doesn’t need to be all or nothing. If you think that your child doesn’t love Maths, what could be going on is that they are not seeing Maths the right way. Shift their perspective and perception. Let them know Maths can be fun, exciting, and even adventurous. It is all about each child building confidence in their own ability to learn.
Fun is the universal learning language for all kids, and it is not used as often as it should be. Use this technique well, and you will soon find that Maths worries are a thing of the past.
Here are some simple and effective ways you can help your child learn to enjoy and love Maths:
Knowledge and endeavour
Getting the right answer is great. Obviously. But Maths is very much a journey-as-important-as-the-destination subject. Praising effort and learning is important: put emphasis on the effort it took to get to where they are; praise them for not giving up, for trying a new method, and for their interest in Maths.
Children need to understand that it is not all about getting the answer right; understanding the logic behind a problem is the goal. This is how they develop a growth mindset.
If they say, “it’s hard”, tell them that it just means that their brain is working. Hard work is tough. We should help children to look at problem solving in a fun way, suggesting ways they can work out the problem – this helps to get their brain working hard and results in the brain expanding to fit in the new concept.
Logic is better than emotion
Avoid harsh approaches (do not be swayed by phrases such as it never did me any harm) – criticism and shame do not work. All you will do is negatively impact a child’s well-being. Instead of criticising, make children understand that it is OK to make mistakes, that getting something wrong has benefits in the form of learning opportunities.
Rather than focusing on an answer that is wrong, shift to the logic of the problem and help them to understand that first. Ask for a problem to be explained as simply as possible. Avoid offering too much help. You want a child to start to independently solve the problem. Patience is vital.
Combining maths and art
There are many art activities that incorporate Maths, for example, a deep understanding of geometry can be an incredibly useful tool for an artist, allowing them to create a certain perception for their audience.
We can see Maths in artistic crafts such as music, dance, painting, architecture, pottery and many others. Maths art projects let kids be creative while also teaching them mathematical concepts.
These activities engage a child’s creativity, and they make learning a joy. There are activities available for children of all ages and skill levels. The best part about all these Maths art projects is that they get “Maths kids” thinking about art and “art kids” thinking about Maths. A win-win for all sides.
Don’t deride the Maths experience
If you hated Maths at school, keep it to yourself. Many parents think that sharing their own poor experiences is a way to sympathise with their child. But it is not the most inspiring thing to pass on. We should not talk about how much we hated Maths or how difficult it can be around our kids. Instead, let us talk about how much fun Maths can be, link it to real-life situations, and make it more exciting for them.
Tap into the popularity of TV shows such as Bake Off and Masterchef; but don’t worry if your kid is not into those – they still have to eat, don’t they? There is a built-in interest in cooking and baking, and these are great ways to show your kids how Maths applies to life outside of the classroom: reading recipes, discussing fractions, and talking about how to double a recipe or cut one in half.
Take learning online
In some people’s minds, video games have a bad reputation, but in recent years, a lot has changed. We live in an age of ‘edutainment’: the combination of education and entertainment. Your child can happily play through games whilst learning and practicing their Maths problems.
BrainySpinach Math teaches Mathematics to kids aged 7-11 through fun and innovative free Roblox games so that they no longer fear Maths and are prepared for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) vocations. This is all about meeting them where they are already having lots of fun – as that is the way to help learning.
The Maths Teacher “BrainySpinach” also hosts free and entertaining Livestreams regularly on YouTube, playing through his and other educational games on Roblox with the “BrainySpinach Squad”. They welcome anyone else that wants to join in. Suffice to say, students love it, and many parents report back that their child’s Maths Anxiety has all but vanished after just a few hours with BrainySpinach.
Conclusion
Maths is important: some form of Maths is used by 94% of all workers (68% use fractions, decimals, and percentages). Having Maths Anxiety does not mean that your child is bad at Maths; many children that could potentially be gifted mathematicians are let down by the way they are being taught. Finding a learning style that fits them is what is required. And it is worth trying fun.
ABOUT BRAINYSPINACH MATH
Jon Goga is a math tutor and founder of BrainySpinach Math, on a mission to help inspire children everywhere to catch up with their learning today so they succeed tomorrow. BrainySpinach Math creates fun and exciting online games on the Roblox platform for children to play that teach them essential math skills, all while inspiring them to learn by playing games they love – and allowing parents to ensure their child’s screentime is always productive. BrainySpinach Math is also the creator of the Roblox Math Camp – a course that has children learning math while playing said tutor-created Roblox Math games. https://brainyspinach.com/
Web: https://brainyspinach.com/
Roblox Group: https://www.roblox.com/groups/12756085/BrainySpinach-Math#!/about
Tutorful (UK only): https://tutorful.co.uk/classes?q=roblox
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/brainyspinachmath
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/BrainySpinachMath/featured
Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/brainyspinach