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Keeping Kids Interested in Math?

Posted by Cliff on from the making-fractions-fun dept.

bcrowell asks: "As a geek, I always assumed my interest in math and science would just naturally rub off on my kids, and sure enough, my older daughter kept insisting that she wanted to be a physics teacher like me when she grew up. Now, starting first grade, she volunteers that math is 'ok,' but not as much fun as reading, and she no longer wants to be a physics teacher. Her math work at school apparently consists of 'addition packets.' What good stuff can I do to help her perceive math as fun and creative? Generations past had puzzles by Sam Lloyd. I learned a lot of science from science fiction books, but my old favorites are getting dated, and my daughter also rejects them because they have male protagonists -- she prefers Nancy Drew, although she'll read my Fantastic Four comics if Sue has a big enough part. What other things have Slashdotters found to do with their kids? Growing crystals? Baking together as a way to sneak in fractions?"

6 of 67 comments (clear)

  1. Erm... Well... by Your_Mom · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Instead of wanting to mold your daughter into a math geek, why not just let her enjoy the things that she wants to do by herself? Instead of trying to turn her toward math, why don't you just continue to encourage her reading skills and just leave it at that?

    Your Lucky enough to have a kid who actaully shows intrest in reading at all.

    --
    Objects in the blog are closer then they ap
    1. Re:Erm... Well... by R2.0 · · Score: 3, Interesting

      "Instead of wanting to mold your daughter into a math geek, why not just let her enjoy the things that she wants to do by herself? Instead of trying to turn her toward math, why don't you just continue to encourage her reading skills and just leave it at that? "

      One reason to encourage math skills is that kids need encouragement to excel at the things they're NOT good at, not at the things they do well. True, his daughter may not turn out to be a math geek, but she should still be encouraged to learn math so that she doesn't prematurely foreclose her options in life. She may not WANT to be a computer programmer when she grows up, but without the math background, she CAN'T be one, even if she decides she wants to.

      Another reason is to fight the culture that has Barbie going "Math is Hard!" Yeah, it is hard - so is living on welfare. For all the progress made, society still assumes "Math:boys::Language:girls" I'd encourage you to support his daughter in math the same way he should support his son in reading - because there are a lot of people fighting against you.

      How? Help her with her homework. Be patient. Communicate with her teacher. Most of all, maintain your own interest - when kids are little, they want to be like their parents, so show her something to be like.

      --
      "As God is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly." A. Carlson
    2. Re:Erm... Well... by bcrowell · · Score: 3, Interesting
      why not just let her enjoy the things that she wants to do by herself?
      Math and science used to be one of the things that she wanted to do by herself. I suspect that her teachers are making math seem so boring to her that they're actively discouraging her interest.

      Your Lucky enough to have a kid who actaully shows intrest in reading at all.
      I doubt that luck has much to do with it. We've been reading to her since she was a toddler. She watches videos maybe once a month, and TV never.

      Instead of wanting to mold your daughter into a math geek[...]
      I guess the way I phrased the description did make it sound like I was trying to make her wear pocket protectors and glasses that have been repaired with tape. But honestly, I'm not trying to produce a Mini-Me. She's the one who showed this early interest in math and science. And in any case, I don't think you should have to be a geek to enjoy math, any more than you should have to be a musician to enjoy music or a painter to enjoy art.

      I think it's sad that so many people get taught to hate math by our educational system. I guess that's why it's considered OK to put down math and science, even though nobody would think it was cool to put down ballet or jazz or oil painting. We have a special word, "geek," used to put down people who like math and science. Why isn't there a word used to put down people who like to play the violin?

      --
      Find free books.
  2. A common problem by nelsonal · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Don't try make your kids cookie cutters of you! All parents seem to try to do this, and the extreme ones can have disasterous results like the kids feel like a failure, because they did not meet their folks expectations. Let your child grow up in their own way, if she likes reading, let her read. If she finds her own path through life, she is likely to be much happier than if she tries to follow Mom's or Dad's footsteps.

    A happy geek who left engineering to do finance, and whose parents supported the whole way him even though one is an engineer.

    --
    Degaussing scares the bad magnetism out of the monitor and fills it with good karma.
  3. Drugs? by baldass_newbie · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Baking together as a way to sneak in fractions?

    Dude, you shouldn't do drugs with your daughter...
    Oh, wait.
    Actually, baking is great. Try to bake a cake using only one-thirds and one-quarter measuring cups. Learn more in 5 minutes than their teachers will ever teach them.
    Teachers are half the problem (or two-thirds, can't recall right now.) Case in point, I had a Calculus prof who was brilliant. Had been teacing for 50 years and could teach Calc in his sleep. In college, it was like the profs were trying to confuse the students. There was no flow, logic or appreciation of the concepts.

    What about spatial toys like Legos, Erector Sets and Lincoln Logs? It would seem to complement math learning.

    Just make sure you don't push it too hard. Your duaghter is hitting an age where she's more inclined to do what you DON'T want, than in making Daddy happy. It's called puberty.
    Good luck.

    --
    The opposite of progress is congress
  4. Sally Ride Science Club by Stoke · · Score: 2, Interesting

    http://www.sallyrideclub.com/
    http://www.sallyrid efestivals.com/

    The festivals are a great way of exposing girls to all the different fields of science. Professionals in all areas run hands-on workshops to get the kids involved.