Keeping Kids Interested in Math?

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?"

Comments

Erm... Well...

[Your_Mom]

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.

Re:Erm... Well...

[Dammital]

Yeah, I pretty much have to second that.

To my dismay, neither of my girls have ever shown the remotest interest in programming or tearing down our computers to see how they work. I've tried to show them what I do, but their eyes just sort of glaze over.

They are (sob) users. Couldn't live without their wordprocessors and browsers and stuff, but they don't care much about what makes them go.

Notwithstanding my inability to interest them in my livelihood, I guess I am doing some things right. My girls are both straight-A students, and one of them was class valedictorian this last year. They're interested in science, and are better mathematicians than I was at that age.

What am I doing? Pretty much treating them like adults; I never talk down to them, I explain my reasoning when I make a decision, and I have grown-up conversations with them. My cardinal rule is "No BS", for I know that if I ever lied to 'em, my credibility would be shot to hell.

As a result I have LOTS of cred, so I can mention a Slashdot article about quantum fluctuation over pizza. They listen, and maybe learn a little. I lob newspaper articles that I think are important or interesting into their laps. We have (mostly) intelligent discussions at home, talking about science news, current events, politics.

Treat your kids with respect. Retain your authority, but delegate a lot of responsibility. Take home some of the stuff you find interesting; it'll rub off in bits and pieces. But you shouldn't get hung up on one discipline; if it's all that interesting, your kids will let you know.

Drugs?

[baldass_newbie]

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.

Kids and Math....a Tale

[superid]

On cartrips with my family, if my wife and I start discussing something sometimes one of my kids will interject with question which leads to some interesting conversations. One night we were talking about state lotteries which led to statistics and I was trying to explain to my kindergartner the basic concept of "chance" from a pool of people and what happens when there are a lot of people involved:

"Mrs. Souza is going to pick either you or Brenny and give you this new pencil....do you think you might get it?"
"um.....yes"
"Ok, now suppose She is going to pick only one person from the whole class, do you think you might get the pencil?"
"um...maybe"
"Ok, now suppose she is going to pick only one person from the whole school, do you think you might still get the pencil?"
"um...maybe...but...."
"but what?"
"whats so special about that pencil?"