Friday 5 June 2015

Classroom Math Games

Math is one of the most important subjects in our life. No matter what path one takes in his or her life, math will always come in use for us. We cannot function without knowing math. This is the reason that in most schools, math is given utmost importance as a subject. But this importance sometimes proves to be counterproductive as the stress and pressure of performing well in the subject kills the urge to study the subject in kids.

A child's psychology is very delicate. They need encouragement and motivation to do well in school and that's what every teacher should aim at while teaching a class. Math is the kind of subject that doesn't give any consolation to the students. Either they are right or completely wrong. This comes as a huge discouragement for the students who are trying their best but still aren't getting the right grades. As a result, they start to run away from the subject of math altogether. Children love to get involved in an activity which tests their abilities without giving them the fear of failure.

How can you do this? Well, it's simple! By organizing classroom math games! You can bri
ng in various classroom math games in your class and make your whole class participate in it. Even though there are many classroom math games which you can create by yourself, but if you want a more advanced game or a more scientifically designed game model, then you can buy a math game from the market also.

Going by the grade you are teaching, you can choose from the different difficulty level. If you are planning to include the entire class in the math game, then make sure that you by a level that is followed by each student. This would encourage even the weaker students of the class to participate in the game. But still, don't buy a game that's so easy that it doesn't pose any challenge to the students.

You can get many different types of classroom math games from the market. These games range from simple flash cards to hi-tech interactive computer puzzles. You can choose to buy a math puzzle according to your budget. There are classroom math games for almost every topic of math. Therefore, you can teach everything related to math like geometry, algebra, trigonometry etc.

Apart from engaging the students in the subject, these puzzles are also a great way to make the weaker students practice the subject. For example, if a particular student is weak in multiplication, then you can provide him with a multiplication game that he can play with his friends or by himself. This way, even the weak student in the class will be able to catch up with the rest of the students.

Classroom math games are a fun and entertaining way to enjoy the exciting subject called MATH. It is highly recommended that as a teacher you introduce your students to such games. So, go ahead and buy your favorite classroom math games and make your classroom a fun place!

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Creative Club Ideas For a Kid After School Activity

School is back in session and you're looking for a creative after school activity for kids. Whether you're a parent or after school care provider, keeping kids busy, happy and safe can be a challenge. Between 3:00 and 6:00 p.m. is when kids need fun activities to keep them from being bored. I have listed ideas for after school clubs that are easy to plan and fun for kids to do.

Organize a cooking club to make a nutritious snack for everyone. Make a healthy trail mix with granola or cereal, peanuts, pretzels, seeds and dry fruit. Mix up fruit smoothies in a blender with low-fat yogurt, fresh fruit, honey and ice. Put together mini-pizzas with small bagels, pizza sauce, and cheese. Review math concepts such as fractions, addition and subtraction with the cooking lesson.

Physical fitness is an activity to plan each day. Kids need about an hour of physical exercise each day. Have a fitness club to organize a team sport such as dodge ball, softball, and volleyball to play with everyone. The club can also plan relay races and fitness and movement games. If weather is rainy or snowy, play indoor volleyball, basketball or set up an obstacle fitness course.

Putting on a play or puppet show is an activity that can be ongoing for several weeks or more. Have a drama or puppet club, which meets twice per week. The kids will pick a story or play that they like, design costumes or puppets, create props, and practice their parts. Pick a date for the performance and invite other students, friends and family to come see their production.
Eight more great after school club activity ideas:
  • Science Club: do experiments and record results
  • Chess Club: have tournaments
  • Book Club: read a book, discussion, and write book reviews
  • Dance Club: learn dance steps from all over the world
  • Language Club: learn sign or a foreign language
  • Photography Club: take photos of other clubs
  • Journalism Club: put together a monthly newsletter
  • Art Club: drawing, painting, sculpture, and cartooning
Plan on each club being between one half to one hour in length. Offer sessions so everyone can have an opportunity to participate in many of the activities. A different club or activity can be offered each day. Have kids sign up for a club that they are interested in. Involve the kids in the planning, preparation, and even leading the club. The more the kids are involved in the activity, the more successful the activity will be.

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How to Find a Good Math Tutor

In most cases it is found that the key to improving math is that the child needs to have a bent of mind wanting to be a good student. If this minimum ingredient is not achieved then all tutoring efforts may end up as being futile.

The most practical way to decide on a math tutor and finding the best among many is to let him judge by comparison. Let the child go to as many tutors as possible and let him decide which suits him the best. Tutoring centers and private tutors do understand this and offer free initial classes for new students.

The key to a good teacher is not only his capability of teaching well but also his interest in teaching students. It needs to be a mutual and team effort between student and tutor which will ultimately lead to fruitful education. With good chemistry between the two, children understand math much better and are also open to giving feedback for better training practices. A good teacher would go out of his way to do more research to find some innovative ways of teaching that would be more beneficial to his students. The tutor should be able to know methods and algorithms that can really help children get more marks in mathematics.

One mistake that parents make very often is to treat mathematics at grade 1, 2 or 3 as not very important and think that it involves only basic computation. However the very foundation for math is laid in these grades and therefore it is very important for such young children to get a good and strong foundation and build problem solving skills at an initial stage in education.

Lots of students feel afraid of mathematics because of a weak foundation. Such students need tutors who are really patient with them. It is not always fruitful to have long sessions of tutoring rather emphasis should be given on short sessions and then time should be given to watch their reaction. Tutors should emphasize on finding the reason why students struggle to solve certain problems and trace their root causes. Another way could be to go through the students notes to find out the line of thinking used by student.

A good math tutor should be interested in finding out which procedure is good for the student and which is not. As an example, there might be many ways of finding factors for a trinomial but student needs to master only one, with which he/she is comfortable. The tutor should be flexible enough to allow and assist the student in getting good with the means and method the student chooses even if it is a bit slower.

Patience is the foremost quality to look into a math tutor. Tutor should be willing to assume it's his own child and him being the math tutor, what treatment would he then impart. There are a lot of cases wherein tutor do not open heartedly embrace other students as their own children and give them preferred and more in depth tutoring as compared to others. A tutor without open and good heart would not be a very good teacher.

So before you make a final call ensure the math tutor is qualified, has good rapport with children, is equally sensitive to each and every student and creates the process of learning math a whole lot of fun.

Looking for a trustworthy maths enrichment centre in Singapore, visit www.eimaths.com now.

Thursday 14 May 2015

Teaching Kindergarten and Preschool Math

The way math is presented to children makes a tremendous difference in their success as learners, as well as your success as an educator. Children need to take part in activities that encourage them to experiment, to investigate, and to record their observations.

Preschool and kindergarten students always need to have things to move around or manipulate in order to make sense of math concepts. In the education world these are called "manipulatives" and there are a great assortment of these available, such as blocks, counters and pattern blocks. Give children ample time to play with the manipulatives in order to satisfy their curiosity about the materials before attempting to use them to teach a math concept. Introduce new math vocabulary as the children play, as this will help them when they participate in teacher led experiences.
Keep structured lessons short to begin with and do not assume the children understand your expectations. Spend a week teaching proper use of materials and proper cleanup. Teach the children to use mats to identify and define their work area.

The following steps work well when teaching young children. First, demonstrate the math activity two or three times before you give the children materials. You will quickly lose the children's attention if you pass the materials out first. Second, give materials to the children and ask them to try the activity. Check to see all have understood the concept and are experiencing success. Assist children that are having difficulty.

After a few days of the same or similar lessons, record your math experience as the children observe. Keep it simple. For example, after a lesson making repeating patterns print the words, I made a pattern. Say, "I used a red block, a blue block, a red block, a blue block." Draw the pattern and color the blocks. Pass out paper and have the children draw what they did and record words using their knowledge of letters and letter sounds. Recording the activity gives children an opportunity to share and solidify their knowledge.

A Singapore maths educational article by Scotts Digital, a digital branding agency in Singapore

Tuesday 12 May 2015

Effective Way to Teach Mathematics - A Guide For Tutors

Mathematics can be considered as the most problematic subject area among average students. Not all students are able to grasp the concept of their math subjects as easily as how brilliant student are able to do so. This is the reason why home tuition will mostly cover math subjects. Thus, private tutors must develop a skill on how they will be able to deliver the concept of the subject matter in a manner that can be understood by their student easily.

In order to make teaching mathematics effective, teachers must follow the most important principle of teaching math to keep them on the right track. Teachers need to make everything about the concept make sense. Let's face it math can really be very complex. Your teacher can teach you the steps and procedures on how to solve a certain math equation but fails to make you understand why these steps actually work.

More often than not, math teachers will only focus on the how of the concept rather than the why. Meaning, the students may grasp the procedure and solve certain problems but loose on the concept or their ability to understand why the procedure is working. For instance, a child may be able to learn the procedure or the how to multiply but is not able to understand the concept or why the formula works. This kind of learning is very superficial and can be forgotten over time. But, if the teacher is able to let the student understand the concept behind the formula, then it can be considered as learning the subject matter as whole. The understanding of the procedures and the concept may vary from one student to another. Thus, the teacher must be flexible with how he relays the subject matter.

Teaching tools is another factor that needs to be considered to. Making use of different tools to make teaching more effective must also be given priority. With the innovations in technology, so many teaching tools have been developed. From abacus to calculators, textbooks to e-books, even games are utilized to make understanding easier. However, teachers must effectively use the resources efficiently and effectively. Teachers can start from the basics. As time goes by, they can now add more tools to aid them in their teaching strategies. You need not grasp every tool all at once. You can utilize each tool one at a time, taking in to consideration how your students are benefiting from each tool.

You see, every child has a unique learning potential. Thus, it is very important for educators to identify how their students are responding to their way of teaching. Thus to make teaching effective, it is the responsibility of the teacher to use variations on their styles and they must be flexible enough to adapt on the learning capacity of their student. This goes especially true among those who are providing home tuition. They must be very keen in observing whether their manner of delivering the subject matter is effective or not.

A Singapore maths educational article by Scotts Digital, a top branding agency Singapore

Friday 8 May 2015

Singapore Math Methods and Beliefs

At least for me, Math is one of the most difficult subjects to teach a child. This is especially true if you are homeschooling and you need to be the math teacher. When I started teaching my children, I was worried I would never be able to teach them how to be really good at math considering it isn't exactly my strong point.

I was very blessed to come across a program called Singapore Math. I was amazed at how differently they taught math compared to all of the other math programs I have come across. In fact, Singapore Math has been teaching me right along with my children. The concepts are presented in such a way that everyone can learn.

Singapore is known for having the highest math scoring students in the world. Singapore Mathematics teaches your child the exact same way and gives them the head start they need to become math geniuses. I became a believer of the Singapore Math curriculum when I saw the results in my own children.

They caught on very quickly with Singapore Math compared to the other math we had tried. They understood the material better, and still know how to effortlessly apply what they learned last year. That is proof of a great math curriculum.

I have found that there is a huge difference in the way Singapore Math teaches my children how to think about math. Sure, they learn to memorize things like any other math curriculum, but with Singapore Math, children learn to think about problems in several different ways.

For example, with the very small children, this curriculum will show them a sequence of numbers like 3, 4, 5, and 6. With these numbers, they will have to memorize them and decide if the sequence goes forward or backward. Other sequences will have numbers missing, and the child will decide which numbers are missing, where they go, and if the sequence goes forward or backward.
This requires the student to focus on thinking about the numbers rather than taking the easy way out by just memorizing them. While other programs teach you how to do math, this program teaches you how to understand math. The colorful pictures and entertaining characters really add a nice element to the material as well.

One of the Singapore Math methods I truly enjoy is the way they present math problems to my children. Most math curriculums give children a problem to learn how to solve. In order to help them solve it, they will show children how to place the problem within a formula.

With Singapore Mathematics the children learn each and every step of a problem, which gives them a greater understanding of how math works. They will then be provided with the problem as a whole, and this ensures that they are already familiar with the individual parts of the problem, so the entire problem is not overwhelming to them.

Singapore Math is just great for parents who want to raise intellectual thinkers. Children who understand the concepts of mathematics from the inside out can more easily solve problems and figure out answers to other types of problems. This is the reason that the Singapore curriculum is my first choice, and will continue to be as my children grow.

A Singapore maths educational article by Scotts Digital, a top marketing firms in Singapore.

Which Homeschool Math Curriculum Is Best?

Many parents usually ask the question of which math homeschool curriculum would be best for their children. Which curriculum has the most resources? Which has the best textbooks? This one comes with a lot of math worksheets and quizzes, why don't the others? There are a lot of questions and a lot of great curricula to choose from, but it's often hardest to determine which would fit their child's specific needs the best. This is why it's important to establish a foundation to build on when it comes to picking the right math curriculum for your children.

There are a lot of popular curricula offered on the market today and they all target different learning styles. One of the most popular curricula out there for both classroom and homeschool teaching is Saxon. This type of curriculum provides an approach that is very similar to the approach of an ordinary Math textbook used in classrooms. Each new lesson typically contains exercises which would help the student understand a specific topic better. On the completely opposite end of the learning spectrum would be Math-U-See. This curriculum is heavily video oriented, and is targeted towards visual learners allowing the child to visualize the topics of the subject first. This is a much more creative way of helping a child who doesn't particularly like math learn Mathematics.

If you've done any research into math curriculum then you've come across Singapore Math, which is a mastery-based type of curriculum. The focus of this type of curriculum is the memorization of certain topics and methods which are important to mastering the subject. Of course, there are still other curricula that are also preferred by parents such as Abeka Math and Miquon Math. All of these are tried, true and proven effective, which still leaves the question which one is the best?

Here are the two main determining factors in choosing; first is the teacher and the second is the student. The teacher should be an important factor in choosing the best math homeschool curriculum for the child. Yes, the teacher. Curriculum is a tool and an effective teacher is the key to learning. A teacher does more than provide a book, a teacher must be able to relay the information from the book in such a way that the child will understand it.

Great! More work to do, right? Math doesn't teach itself, teaching is always part of the equation for homeschooling, that part is no different than in a classroom. The trick is being enthusiastic about teaching the subject matter. If you hate the curriculum how is your child going to enjoy it? If you can't make a more rigid curriculum fun then choose a curricula that is designed to be more interactive and engaging to benefit the both of you.

In choosing which curriculum would be best for your child, identify your child's learning method. Does your child tend to me more visual, auditory or a memory based learner? For instance, many parents end up buying Saxon, Horizons and Singapore Math programs because their children are so different in how they learn. They all work well, but typically, children who are more language oriented and don't really care much for math tend to prefer Horizons. Children who are typically stronger in math prefer Singapore. Saxon and Horizons are fairly similar in approach, so many parents end up combining Singapore with either of those programs as Singapore is more of a critical thinking method.

It's true, choosing a good math homeschool curriculum can be quite a tedious task, but to answer to the ultimate question of which curriculum is best... it would have to be a combination of curriculum. No, that's not a cop-out, combining multiple methods ensures a better understanding and more well-rounded education and that's what your really researching isn't it?

A Singapore math PR article by Scotts Digital, a top marketing companies

Thursday 7 May 2015

The School Math Curriculum - How Children Learn Maths

Many parents worry that teaching math through play and the medium of Cuisenaire Rods will somehow confuse their child if the school he/she attends adopts a more formal or different approach. The fact is that it is universal math concepts that are being taught using the rods to provide children with a deeper understanding of the structure of number and our number system than would otherwise be possible. These concerns are of course irrelevant if you are homeschooling your children.

This approach teaches universal math concepts in a way that is totally child-centered. Children discover math is creative and fun. Concepts are discovered through play, games and open-ended challenges. Sometimes the hardest part for parents to accept is that 'maths is fun'. As a consequence children will always associate Math with a pleasurable, creative and constructive experience that they enjoyed.

This is often a world away from the memories of most of us.

This method is designed to complement the way children learn best and because of this children's learning is invariably accelerated compared to children exposed to more traditional and formal methods. Children are naturally kinesthetic/tactile learners and this reflects the dominant methodology which is truly multi-sensory as visual and auditory learners are also well provided for.
Math need no longer be a source of stress and conflict in the home.

Math related surveys consistently reveal that Math is probably the most hated subject on the school curriculum. One of the most iconic figures of the 20th Century - Barbie's - first words were '"Math is tough" following concerns raised in the US regarding the lack of math achievement by girls. The National Network For Child Care posed the question "What Can We Do?" in their newsletter. Back in 1982 a major report 'Mathematics Counts' was produced as result of a committee of enquiry into the teaching of Mathematics in schools in the UK under the chairmanship of Dr W H Cockroft. Some of the findings were alarming. When adults were interviewed the report observed how "... even an apparently simple and straightforward piece of mathematics could induce feelings of anxiety, helplessness, fear and even guilt..."

I question how much has changed.

A positive introduction to Math is absolutely crucial and what better way than through play? Just give the rods to a child of any age and he/she will do what they do best - play. Play is one of the most powerful motivational forces in the world. Learning should always be fun - structured, but fun. Most of our learning is non-conscious and incidental. For example children who use the rods regularly will 'know' their number bonds to 10 at a very early age without having to 'count' on their fingers.
Play is the harvesting of experience that will feed the growth of the child's understanding and further development. Play creates a positive learning environment. Directed activities can be introduced alongside Free Play to reflect children's particular interests. There are no limits to the possibilities. For example children can be asked to:
  • Create a star ship.
  • Build Cinderella's Palace
  • Produce a mosaic floor pattern etc.
It can be useful to keep a digital camera handy as children are often very reluctant to break up their creations. In fact it is a very good idea to treat their constructions as you did when they painted their first picture, as unique works of art. Photographs can also serve as a record of your child's progress. Play stimulates that most important attribute of the brain - our imagination.
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Solving Math Problems

A good math education needs to start very early, as early as in elementary school. However, it is rather clear that students are not learning math in a way which will help them love it, hence often times, they try to look for help with math.Consequently, it is not unusual that students simply turn away from math, and don't end up assimilating basic mathematical skill which would help them tremendously in the professional lives, in almost every single area.

It is not a mystery that the main reason why students have little affection for math is because of a deficient methodology lacking in meaningful math problems. One capital mistake is the tendency to entice memorization instead of critical math reasoning, which certainly leads to failure, since memorization doesn't provide the reach that true mathematical understanding does. With this kind of teaching method, it does not help the students that much with math. Take for example the case of Pythagoras Theorem.

The Pythagorean Theorem in geometry says that, for a triangle in which one angle is a right angle (having 90 degrees or also known as a right angle), the square of the length of the hypotenuse is equal to the sum of the squares of the lengths of the two other sides of the triangle. In equation form, it is often expressed as a2 +b2 = c2.

We can say that regardless the appealing appearance of the formula, instead of memorizing it, it would be obviously more productive to discuss how the formula is derived, or at least why it is plausible that it is true. He or she might talk on the history of the theorem, and might need to illustrate some drawings. In addition, presenting it in a story-like manner would make math more interesting for kids. As we probably have experienced before, a good story usually makes it up for a difficult concept, because it makes math much more enjoyable.

Another fun mode of educating kids in mathematics is through online games. There are quite a big number of websites which offer interactive games that help your kid understand the concepts of mathematics while at the same time, making learning an enjoyable experience. Not only free material is available online. Sometimes, quality material can be purchased at reasonable prices, which could really make a difference. Math doesn't get any easier with all the resources available nowadays.

In today's world it is clear that not all the responsibility of math learning is on the teachers. Parents too play an important role in the development of a kidýs learning process. There was one parent in California who was struggling to teach her kid about the various denominations of the dollar. Instead of just letting her daughter memorize how the coins look like and how much it is equivalent to, she set up an imaginary "toy store" wherein she tries to "buy toys" from her kid. This creativity and ingenuity did not only allow the kid to learn fast, but also made her understand the idea far better than the typical classroom scenario.

For mathematics to be entertaining, and to help you deal with math with your kids, mathematics should be presented in such a way that kids would remember the concepts and formulas easily. Creativity is the key, aside from having a full understanding of the principles behind.

Get train to creative methods to problem solving maths with Eimaths today!

How to Solve Easy Math Word Problems

Frank Howard Clark said, "I think the next best thing to solving a problem is finding some humor in it." What Mr. Clark would like to convey with this is that the way to solving easy math word problems is by having fun with the problems. And in having fun with them, there are two simple steps in solving math word problems:

Step 1: Translate the words into a numeric expression or equation

Math word problems can be converted into a series of expressions or equations containing a combination of mathematical expressions. To be able to translate these word problems you have to follow these steps:

1. Read the problem very well and in its entirety. Get the full perspective of the problem. Reading it in full will give you an idea of what the real problem is.

2. List all the factors provided. Make a list of all the given variables including units of measurement if available. Having all these information available will show you if you need to do any conversion like from miles to kilometers, pounds to kilograms, etc.

3. Define what needs to be answered. Be sure to know what you are looking for or what the problem needs to answer.

4. Organize your solution. Provide the procedures or steps you will take to find the answer to the problem. Showing the step-by-step procedure will help you track all the variables and expressions you are using.

5. Be aware of the key words. In translating and solving the problem, you should be aware of the basic key words in translating words into algebraic equations, such as:
Addition: added to, increased by, more than, sum of, total of, combined with
Subtraction: decreased by, subtracted from, less than, difference of, reduced by, fewer than
Multiplication: multiplied by, times, product of
Division: divided by, quotient of, remainder of, percentage, ratio of, per
Certain key words suggest specific mathematical operations that should be done to the given factors or variables.

6. Plot the expression or equation. Plot the expressions or equation properly following the order of operations.

Step 2: Solve the mathematical equation

To solve a mathematical equation, follow the order of operations by level:
  • compute first all those inside parentheses or the innermost expressions
  • compute those with exponents, raised to a power or root of
  • multiply or divide from left to right
  • add or subtract from left to right
It would be easy to solve the equation by writing down the answers for each level before going to the next level. Here is an example:

X = ((2 * 3) + (32) + (20/4) - (2 * 6)) * 2 + (3 * 8) - (4 * 5)
X = ((6) + (9) + (5) - (12)) * 2 + (24) - (20)
X = (6 + 9 + 5 - 12) * 2 + (24 - 20)
X = (8) * 2 + (4)
X = 8 * 2 + 4
X = 16 + 4
X = 20

From the sample equation above you will the order operations that were followed in solving the equation.

With these two simple steps to follow there is no need for you to just stop and stare and pray for divine intervention to be able to solve a math word problem! Now you can safely say that Math is easy and that it isn't hard to solve math word problems.

Empowered yourself with creative ways to problem solving maths with Eimaths now!

Wednesday 6 May 2015

Special Learning Strategies For Elementary Mathematics

Many children experience anxiety related to mathematics to a certain extent, and this may begin as early as kindergarten. This anxiety can result in poor academic performance in math, many misunderstandings in math content and procedures, and negative attitudes toward math. Obtaining a math tutor may be helpful for many students, but often, parents who have a general understanding of learning strategies for mathematics can provide equally effective help. The following information can help parents, teachers, and tutors provide a basis for mathematics learning for elementary school students.

Understanding the Learning Progression

First, we need to consider how children best learn. Think about very early learning for children and the idea of "cat". When toddlers see a cat, their parent says, "cat", and pats it, to give the child the name for that object. Soon, the toddler knows what a cat is, from seeing it, touching it, and hearing the name for it. Later, the child draws a picture, points to it, and says "cat". Eventually, as a child grows, he is able to associate the spoken word "cat" with a mental picture of the animal. This learning progression, from concrete (the real cat) to semi-concrete (the picture) to abstract (the spoken word) is an example of how children learn mathematics as well. To teach a child about triangles, first they need to interact with real triangles - touch them, trace them, see them. This is where manipulatives play a large part in mathematics instruction. Children use hands-on manipulatives to learn the characteristics of math concepts (like a triangle), or use them to show procedures (like adding 4 blocks and 3 blocks). The first learning strategy to use when teaching children new mathematics content, therefore, is to go to the manipulatives.

Learning the Underlying Rules

A second strategy that is helpful for students when learning mathematics is to memorize necessary facts, vocabulary, and rules. Much time is spent in the 1st and 2nd grade with students learning addition and subtraction facts, and an equivalent amount of time is spent in the 3rd and 4th grade with learning multiplication and division facts. Even with this practice time at school, many students have difficulty committing these facts to memory. It is critically important that students memorize these, however, as most later mathematics learning is dependent upon the quick and accurate recall of math facts. Think how difficult it would be for children to add 358 to 472 if they did not have a firm grasp of addition facts? Likewise, how would a student find a common denominator for two fractions if they could not recall basic multiplication facts? There are many, many ways that these facts can be practiced. One way is the "tried and true" flash cards. A variation of traditional flash cards is 3-sided flash cards. When studying multiplication facts, for example, write one factor in one corner, one factor in another corner, and the product in the final corner. When using these flash cards, cover up the product with your finger, so that the child can see the two factors, and practice multiplying them together. When studying division facts, put your finger over one of the smaller numbers, so they can see the large number and one of the smaller numbers. They have to divide to determine which number is covered. For example:

On your triangle, write 2, 3, and 6 - one number in each corner. When practicing multiplication, cover the 6, so that the child sees 2 and 3, and multiplies them together to get the answer of 6. When practicing division, cover the 2, so that the child calculates 6 divided by 3, to determine the answer of 2.

Helpful Shortcuts
Another strategy that is effective is teaching students the steps of a procedure by using mnemonics. For example, the first letters of Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally stand for the steps of the order of operations (parentheses, exponents, multiply, divide, add, subtract). The "family list" of Daddy, Mother, Sister, Brother, Cousins, Relatives indicates the steps for long division (divide, multiply, subtract, bring down, compare, repeat or remainder). Strategies such as these help students remember procedural steps so that they can perform them consistently.

For conceptual learning, like "What is an equilateral triangle?", children learn through the processes of explain, elaborate, illustrate. In this situation, a child should define the equilateral triangle (explain), tell what that means in his own words (elaborate), and draw a picture of it (illustrate).
As with any other type of learning, mathematics strategies can only be learned through consistent application and multiple opportunities to practice. You will know that children have become proficient in the use of the strategies when they are able to independently apply them to mathematics problems they encounter in school.

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Tuesday 21 April 2015

Math Problem Solving Tips

An Experienced Math Tutor's Tips for Solving Math Word Problems
As a teacher and math tutor, I have seen many students struggle with solving word problems. Who of us doesn't remember being asked questions about 2 trains leaving different stations at different speeds, and being asked to figure out when they will meet? While some of us love these types of problems, many others have great difficulty tackling these sorts of questions. Often we just don't know where to begin, or what strategies we should be using to try to find an answer.

This article is intended to help people who struggle with word problems, by providing them with a strategic approach and a set of tools to use when encountering questions of this sort. Like most writings on Problem solving, this article leans heavily on the ideas and writings of George Polya (1887-1985) a mathematician who refined many of the ideas for problem solving that are in common use today. His classic book 'Solve It' is a must read for the advanced student - a simplified system is provided below:
An Approach to Problem Solving:
Start by being sure that you understand the problem - I can't tell you the number of times that teachers see students turn in copious amounts of work that fails to answer the question that was actually asked. This is often heartbreaking for both the student and the teacher.
Always try to restate the problem in your own words. If you can't rephrase the problem, then there is a good chance that you may not fully understand it.
Be clear on what you need to accomplish. Think about what information you will need. Is there any information missing? Can it be found by using the information that is present?
Make a plan - once you are confident that you know what the question is asking and what data will be needed to answer it, start thinking about how you will tackle the problem
Think about if you have seen a similar question before. If so, how did you solve it?
Solve a simpler problem - if some parts of the problem are not clear try simplifying it and solving what you know. This is a form of 'divide and conquer' - once you have solved a part of the problem it is not uncommon for the answer to the mysterious part to suddenly jump out at you. You can also try simplifying the data - if the numbers are too big and awkward then make them smaller and simpler. This allows you to get clear on the steps and processes involved in solving the problem
Draw a picture - often using a diagram will help to organize the data in a way that allows your brain to create additional connections between the pieces and possibly spark some ideas.
List your data - can you put it in a table? Can you organize it?
Can you spot a pattern?
Do you know a formula? Are there any formulas that you know that could be relevant to the problem? Think about how you could possibly use them in this particular instance.
Can you work backwards? Sometimes approaching a problem in the other direction can cause your mental light bulb to turn on!
Guessing is great! Take a guess if you can and then check if your guess is close. Many of us adults were taught never to guess when we were in school - this is unfortunate as guessing and estimation are powerful problem solving tools.
Carry out your plan - you've got your plan so now it's time to execute it. Use one of the approaches above that you think fit the situation best. Don't be afraid to drop one approach and try another if you don't seem to be making headway.
Look back - is there another method? Could you solve it a different way? Is there a general principle that can be applied?
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What Are Some Examples of the Singapore Math Method?

What are Some Examples of the Singapore Math Method?
Mathematics can be one of the greatest academic challenges a child can face. By introducing Singapore Maths, Our School has integrated into their curriculum a way to reach all students at all learning levels. Singapore Math is a visual method, using pictorials to describe concepts.

1st Grade Addition
Instead of using numbers to describe a problem, Singapore Math uses pictures. These pictures are presented in stories that can aid in the learning process. A child may see a picture of four birds on a branch and two birds flying towards it, then they will be presented with the problem 4 + 2 =? Another addition problem may illustrate two children with two toys in front of each of them. They will be asked how many toys the children have together and be presented with the problem 2 + 2 =?
2nd Grade Multiplication
A child may see a picture of four birds nests, and each nest may contain four birds. They will be asked to solve the problem: there are (blank) birds in four nests. Being able to see the amount of parts in each whole as an illustration, the child can easily count and solve the problem.
2nd Grade Mental Math
Having experienced this visual style of math, students are then introduced to mental math. The pictures are less descriptive and the problems are more complex, encouraging a student to use their imaginative power to solve the problems. The student may receive three possible answers; three groups of circles with a numerical value in each of them. The student will then be asked to solve what 40 less than 578 is and asked to pick from the three answers available. In order to solve this problem, a mental strategy must be used. Students are encouraged to develop their own mental strategies and share it with others.
3rd Grade Word Problems
As the education process moves on, they will be required to rely on their own mental abilities more and more. The pictures will be replaced with word problems, and ask to solve. A student may see the following problem in words:
125 children participated in a math competition. 54 of them were girls. 


How many more boys than girls were there? 
Instead of being shown the two steps used to complete the problem, the student must determine what they are. Students are encouraged to refrain from drawing pictorial models and use equations to solve the problem. 
The country of Singapore has placed in the top three of when tested in mathematics for years for various. This method has been proven by the test of time to provide a strategy for math that works for all students.

Monday 20 April 2015

Help With How to Solve Math Problems

How to solve math problems can be a particularly daunting task for many students. Are huge number of people have a lot of difficulty with math although there are a number of ways which you can get round the main problems and if you keep positive and dedicated, you should certainly be able to do quite well.

Firstly, it is important not to be afraid to ask questions and write down anything that you're not sure of. The difficulty that many people have with mathematics, is that they have to be a hundred percent focused. This can be difficult and if you lose your concentration for a moment, you will often have to start over again.
This can be really frustrating and can severely hinder the learning process. This is where it is extremely important to keep notes at all times. As soon as something comes to your head, write it down. It is always a big mistake to only right down the answers when they come to you, if they come to you. You need to be able to study the problem intensely and when you have the first clue of how you might be able to solve it, you should write down their clue as clearly as possible.
You should also spend a considerable amount of time practicing. This does not mean that you have to spend several hours in one time; quite the contrary. You should spend maybe half an hour a day or even less but as long as it is on a regular basis, revising over what you have learned.

Collect as many of the objects needed for the math problem 4 + 3 = ___ For this skill building exercise we'll use toy cars. Line the cars up across the top of your child's homework page. (As the parent, you need to remember that linear thought is nearly impossible at this stage, so the cars will act as a visual cue to whatever the math problem might be.) Have your child read the problem out loud in its entirety while you verbally provide reassurance that s/he CAN solve the problem before, during, and after the reading. Next, have your child count out the appropriate number of cars for the largest number (4) and put the cars in the middle of the homework page (or wherever the child prefers the cars be placed, as long as the cars are front and center, because the object here is to give the child a tangible focus for what s/he perceives as intangible, i.e., the math problem). Now have your child count out the next number (3) one car at a time to add to the first 4. When your child reaches the correct answer of seven, s/he should be beaming, because s/he'll have accomplished something s/he'd originally perceived as impossible, and now should see math as something that s/he is very capable of. As you can see, this method will work for a long time for addition, subtraction, multiplication and division, although you may have to switch your tool to pennies to manage the larger numbers!
This will help program it into your mind and you will better be able to cope with the problems that arise in tests and exams. Having regular that short revision sessions are essential to any learning process.

A word of caution here. Don't punish your child when they initially struggle with the activity, nor should you or others say to them, "That's wrong." Instead, try using phrases like, "Are you sure? Let's look at that again." Keep trying until the child gets it right, then clap and make a big deal out of the correct identification just like you did (or may be doing) with potty training. The idea is to build links in the brain, not create more barriers, which negative language can cause. Soon your little one will be marching around telling everyone they know that they are a big girl/boy because they can put on their own shoes! As a parent, you may never know which small accomplishment will provide the breakthrough that your child needs to stop complaining and start getting excited about learning.
Get more ideas on Problem solving Maths.

Thursday 16 April 2015

Mathematics Lessons - Find Them Online and Get Your Problems Solved

Mathematics is a subject that people use throughout their lives and most often unknowingly. As a kid many people were afraid of the mathematics lessons and this continues till date. Kids fear the calculations and therefore get low grades in their respective classes. Most of the lessons and concepts in mathematics is not understood or conceived by kids just because they fear doing them. Today, learning mathematics is different and the main reason is that the style of teaching has been changed so that more and more students are able to conceive the concepts and grasp them in a better way.

Most of the schools give stress on the pattern of teaching so that more and more students enjoy learning mathematics and other subjects. Many have left the traditional way of teaching as there are many drawbacks of that system. The teachers are being trained in that way and learning is more related to activities rather than giving lectures to the students. As an adult, every person has to face mathematics every now and then in life. It is not just that you used the calculator or believed the salesman at the shopping mall and paid whatever was asked.

If you will analyze the facts you will understand that you need mathematics to sustain in life from day to night. In fact, this keeps us disciplined and helps doing a lot of work on time and helps us get some rest as well. Learning mathematics is important at work and business. We do plenty of calculations daily and we cannot ignore the omnipresence of mathematics no matter to what post we belong. If you think about anything in life, you will not find it free from calculations.

From business transactions to money making, from counting burgers you ate to calculating and managing things in your limited salary, you need mathematics in every aspect of life. So, if you find that you are poor at calculations, you can easily opt for learning mathematics by joining classes online. Remember, there is nothing to be ashamed of because you should not feel pity for the person who cannot count but for the one who refuses to count.

So, learn and practice problem solving maths from the time you are in school so that you do not have to face embarrassment afterwards in life. The most remarkable thing about today is that though math is vital in life, there are many ways in which you can master things nowadays.

Online Maths Tutoring - Get To Know Its Benefits

With the development of the internet technology and with the increasing number of people using this technology, nowadays, everything is done online and this is applicable to the field of education as well. Since the internet has the capability to shrink the world into a small room, many websites are offering online maths coaching service these days. As most of us know, mathematics is the toughest subject, but when its concepts are understood, it is the easiest subject to score good marks as compared to any other subjects. So, if a kid is struggling in this subject, if he is made to understand the subject clearly with the help of tutors, parents can enable the kid to get good marks in this subject, which has so far been a nightmare for their child.

Above all, in the present circumstances, parents are so busy in their work so they do not get time to teach or assist their child in his/her studies and this has also made the importance of online tutoring. 
This method of teaching is highly suitable for children due to its flexible time schedule and here are the other benefits offered by this method:
 
Convenience: Convenience is the biggest benefit of online method of tutoring as the students can take their lessons right at the comfort of their home and they need not carry their books or notebooks to a tuition center located at a distance place after returning from school. They can just sit in front of their system and can visit the website of the tutor and can get their doubts in maths clarified.

Flexible timings: Generally online maths coaching centers offer coaching to the students on their convenient timing and this has made this method more popular among the students and their parents as well. Due to this flexible timing, students can concentrate on other subjects as well. This will enable them to score well not only in mathematics, but also in other subjects as well.

Global location: When it comes to online tutoring, students belonging to any country can learn from any tutor offering coaching from any part of the world and this is the greatest benefit that can be enjoyed by students.

Cheaper: Online tutoring is cheaper as compared to regular tuition centers since with the former method, children can save on traveling expenses and also on coaching fee as well. Online tutors charge lesser as compared to regular tutors as they have lesser overhead cost.

Wednesday 15 April 2015

Advantages of Primary School Maths for Students

These days, maths has become one of those subject that everyone can be seen to be going for since it not only allows individuals to acquire enhanced learning but it also is the best way for them to have a bright future. While the subject may be dull and sometimes quite technical, it still must be studied at all costs as it truly has a wide range of many benefits to offer in both the short as well as the long run. Primary school maths has been labeled as the best way for children to actually have a bright future later on. Studying the subject at primary school level has a lot of advantages, all of which are unique in their own way.

New Subject to Learn
One prominent reason for giving a lot of attention to primary school maths is the fact that it enables students to have a good introduction towards the subject. This is due to the fact that at this point, only the basics of the subject are covered, which are quite fun to learn and study on a day to day basis. Since the subject is not as difficult at this stage, students can actually develop a lot of fondness for it right from the very beginning. This tends to help them in the process of opting for the subject when they reach high school and later on, within universities.

Enhanced Knowledge of the Subject
Studying mathematics right from the beginning, which is in primary school and before that too, is the best way for students to know all there is about mathematical concepts. This is what maths is based upon and in order to do well in the subject, it is highly important for them to see how these concepts work and what they are all about. Primary school maths tends to lay out all mathematical concepts as well as theories and everything as such in brief detail, which is enough for students to be able to understand the extensive part of the subject later on in their lives.

Enhanced Reasoning Power
Students get to learn many things by studying maths at primary school level. One of these exclusive things includes enhanced logic and reasoning skills. The subject is known to be an immensely practical one, which is why it is given so much importance in the first place. Students can use their knowledge of the subject in order to enhance their understanding of logic and also go on to improve their reasoning skills which eventually will help them in a lot of situations throughout their lives in the future.

High End Career Options
On the other hand, learning maths at this stage allows students to be aware of all that the subject has to offer in the short and the long run, most importantly. In the future, mathematics is the kind of subject that has various career options and that means more choice and ultimately success for an individual. Hence, studying the subject from such a level is something that enables students to see all that the subject has to offer. It is through this subject that children can realize that they have a shot at a bright future that allows them to enter fields related to maths, IT as well as science for that matter.

Primary School Maths – The Conclusion
For all that it has to offer, studying mathematics at primary school level is definitely worth it, especially when it has so many short term and long term advantages to offer. Teachers should give students special attention while teaching this subject as it can be complex at times and parents must see to the fact that their children can learn the subject and everything related to it right from the beginning as it will definitely be worth it later on.


Monday 13 April 2015

Teaching Kindergarten and Preschool Math

http://eimaths.com/
The way math is presented to children makes a tremendous difference in their success as learners, as well as your success as an educator. Children need to take part in activities that encourage them to experiment, to investigate, and to record their observations.
Preschool and kindergarten students always need to have things to move around or manipulate in order to make sense of math concepts. In the education world these are called "manipulatives" and there are a great assortment of these available, such as blocks, counters and pattern blocks. Give children ample time to play with the manipulatives in order to satisfy their curiosity about the materials before attempting to use them to teach a math concept. Introduce new math vocabulary as the children play, as this will help them when they participate in teacher led experiences.
Keep structured lessons short to begin with and do not assume the children understand your expectations. Spend a week teaching proper use of materials and proper cleanup. Teach the children to use mats to identify and define their work area.
The following steps work well when teaching young children. First, demonstrate the math activity two or three times before you give the children materials. You will quickly lose the children's attention if you pass the materials out first. Second, give materials to the children and ask them to try the activity. Check to see all have understood the concept and are experiencing success. Assist children that are having difficulty.
http://eimaths.com/
After a few days of the same or similar lessons, record your math experience as the children observe. Keep it simple. For example, after a lesson making repeating patterns print the words, I made a pattern. Say, "I used a red block, a blue block, a red block, a blue block." Draw the pattern and color the blocks. Pass out paper and have the children draw what they did and record words using their knowledge of letters and letter sounds. Recording the activity gives children an opportunity to share and solidify their knowledge.
Visit my kindergarten site for ideas, activities, tips, games and skills lists about teaching preschool and kindergarten maths.

Suggestions in Solving Math Problems

Mathematical problem solving are number problems. It is all about injecting the right strategy and process in arriving at an answer. It has two stages - the problem execution and the problem representation.

Define the problem first and set a strategy on how to solve it. Be analytical.
Suggestions to Help Solve Math Problems:

- Pay attention in class. Avoid unnecessary distractions that will take your concentration away from the lesson. Confer with classmates at the end of the period, not during class lectures. 

- Repeat in your mind the things a professor says. 

- Taking notes is often not good while a lecture is ongoing. It divides your attention. Focus on the lecture first, and jot down the important points later. 

- Solve as many similar problems about a subject for mastery. 

- Some problem solving maths have more than one method of solving. Learn all the methods and see what is least complicated for you. 

- Get a copy of the solution of a problem you find difficult to solve. Study the solution carefully. 

- Solve many problems. It is the only way to practice. 

- Understand and master basic principles and ideas. These are the foundation of even the most complex problems. 

- Understanding the logic behind helps in memorizing various formulas and theories. 

- Never hesitate to ask a teacher. They are ready to help. 

- Ask help from friends and classmates. 

- Get a tutor if needed. 

- Read supplements about the subject. Do not rely on class lectures alone. 

- Hints are sometimes better than giving up immediately.

Mathematics is fun to learn. Do not be easily scared at the sight of numbers. Mathematical problems all require simple logic and analysis. Do not be pressured too much to excel in the subject immediately. Do not be easily discouraged. Devise ways to make studying math a fun learning experience rather than a tedious task to do. When you begin to stop thinking about grades, true learning begins.

Why Preschool Math Counts!

One of the most critical mathematical concepts is cardinality: the ability to understand quantity. Research suggests that cardinality is innate; infants are born being able to subitize, which means to visually distinguish between different amounts.

How do we prove what infants know? Apparently, it's all in the eye movements. In 1992, Nature magazine published a study that showed 5 month old infants could recognize the consequences of adding and subtracting objects. Similar studies have replicated the results. Regardless of whether you accept the premise that infants grasp cardinality, you have anecdotal evidence that your preschool child does. Your child demonstrated an appreciation for cardinality the first time he or she looked up at you and asked for more!



All this is well and good, but how do we turn the toddler asking for more stories, more ice cream or more glitter into a successful math student? Here are a few preschool maths activities that you can build into everyday routines to develop and practice critical early math concepts. 

Count things your child can hold or touch
So many excellent online preschool math games, parents sometimes forget the importance of manipulative. The ability to make the one-to-one correspondence in more advanced cardinality (okay, counting) is strengthened by a child's ability to hold and manipulate the items being counted. Research shows that much of a toddler's learning is tactile and kinetic, so while technology is an outstanding asset in early learning, it can only augment, not replace, manipulative and kinetic experience. Work counting in whenever possible: count books with your child as you put them on the shelf; count blocks as your child stacks them; count snack pieces as you hand them out. Remember, a toddler learns with his or her whole body: you can also count as your child climbs stairs, hops or claps. That being said, preschool math games online can engage children through sound as well as sight. When you use technology, choose games that reinforce counting with music or sound effects.

Don't be in a rush to move to formal addition and subtraction. However, you can lay the groundwork by adding items to a set or taking some away and saying, "Now how many?" A child with a strong foundation in the mechanics of addition and subtraction will make a smooth transition to the more formal mathematic expressions of it.

Most importantly, remain patient and low-key. As toddlers learn to talk, we guide them to correct pronunciation and syntax; we don't sit them down for "talking class."  Similarly, if you "speak math" in the course of daily activities, your child will, over time, build a foundation that will add up to math success in school.

Wednesday 8 April 2015

Kindergarten Activities - Creative Kids Math

How do you identify creative kids?

1. They are imaginative, resourceful and uninhibited.
2. They are open to new ideas and see things in a different way.
3. They are curious, alert, and adventurous and risk taking.
4. They are independent in thinking and social behavior.
5. They are inventive and good at solving problems.
6. They love challenges and are easily bored with routine and mundane tasks.

Kindergarten activities which develop creative maths thinking encourage the kids to think critically, using their existing knowledge to explore new ways of thinking. We can incorporate language, music or math into these activities and for this article we will discuss on using math to develop creativity.
Whenever the word math is mentioned, numbers and formulas come into the picture. Math is more than just number crunching but when it is being introduced to kids creatively, can improve skills like reasoning, logic and problem solving and also widen the kids understanding of Math to a wider scope as listed below:

1. To enable the kids to sort objects in a logical series according to size, shape or any other characteristic.Find objects of different shapes like a book, a clock, a piece of sandwich or pizza, a photo frame, a ball, a pencil case. Put them together and ask the child to group them according to their size. For example a book is a rectangle, what other objects here are rectangle shapes.

You can invent different kindergarten activities by finding objects of different sizes or talk about animals and ask them what animals are big and small.

2. To enable the kids to understand the concept of numbers by letting them have direct experience with objects as the kids will discover that numbers are not just digits but extend to our everyday lives.
Kindergarten activities which kids under five need are songs, rhymes and finger plays that include numbers like Little Indian Boys/Girls, while singing, finger play with them, show your fingers while singing One Little, Two Little, Three Little Indians and so on.

You can also ask questions like - Mummy bought 5 apples and put them in the refrigerator yesterday. You ate one apple and Daddy ate two, so how many apples are in the refrigerator now? Allow the kids to answer and ask them to check the refrigerator to see whether they are correct.

3. To develop their spatial skills by discovering how to fit things together, take things apart, rearrange things and navigation.

Kids with well developed spatial skills are very creative, dramatic, artistic and musical. Some kindergarten activities which encourage spatial skills are playing with Lego, tangram, mazes, play dough and chess.


Engage your kids in creative thinking activities the whole day while you are preparing your meals, gardening or clearing your laundry by asking open-ended questions which are worded in such a way that there is no one correct answer. An example is while clearing your groceries asks your kids what they can do with this tomato. Open-ended questions like this engage the kids in divergent or creative thinking to come up with a whole range of brilliant and imaginative ideas.

Tuesday 7 April 2015

Best Paying Careers to Pursue after learning a lot of Concept Maths

Those who study humanities subjects end up making a lot of money as they mature up in their careers. However, early on they do not find a very high paying job due to softer skill set. This can be better understood with an example of an engineer and an admin officer. The engineer grows old to become a senior engineer perhaps whereas the other person becomes a manager and possibly an even senior chair holder. Learning math is a tough thing to do and as compared to the scarce math skilled labor in the market, the skill’s demand is huge. This makes every person who knows math well a well demanded individual. Here are a few occupations that pay handsomely if chosen.
Actuary:
Actuary firms hire actuaries and are responsible for making calculations and analyses of data based on national and international levels. For instance, these firms tell the governments how many people are going to die in a certain country in a certain year. In addition to governments, the clients can be corporations. An actuary can make an average of $70,000 each year that is a good enough pay.
Aerospace:
A person with good concept maths skills, can become an aerospace engineer. This field requires exceptional calculation skills and hence any person who has them can go on to become an engineer. Additionally, knowledge of physics is also a requirement in their field. On average, an aerospace engineer makes more than $100,000 every year.
Statisticians:
independent-learningBasics of statistics are easy, but as the level rises, it becomes more and more complex. Statistics is used not only in the calculation of numeric fields but also in the most theoretical of subjects. For example, the entire process of research, in almost every field is dependent upon the statistical analyses of data received from samples. Statistics teachers are needed for service on all levels of education, from the kindergarten all the way up to the doctoral level. In addition to that, governments and research firms hire statisticians for calculations and quantitative analyses. An average salary is about $75,000 per year for statisticians.
Mathematicians:
It is strange to know that mathematicians are employed more elsewhere than in educational institutes. Having said that; they are employed in large numbers at audit firms and in brokerage houses due to their exceptional skills of making calculations and analyses of the data received as output. A mathematician makes an average of $90,000 a year. However, if one’s concept maths is very good, they can get certified by accounting and auditing bodies to become financial analysts. Yes, chartered accountants are amongst the highest paid workers. Basically they too are math experts who develop a specialty of dealing with numbers related to asset valuations, liability calculations, and interest and so on. A financial analyst has one of the most important jobs in any corporation and for that matter, gets paid an average of $75,000 a year.
It is very clear that no skill goes un granted and unrewarded. Learning math is very beneficial and in the world of today where competition is high and jobs are very few, it is better to develop an interest in fields that pay higher instead of following low paying “interesting” careers. Being good at something very few people are is beneficial as it puts an individual a class apart from others. It does a world of good to the wallet and also benefits a person as he goes on to mature up in his career. From teaching to serving in a corporate or a government agency, math skills always benefit big time.








Saturday 4 April 2015

Some Habits to Adopt – Teach Math Enrichment Classes Efficiently

Teaching math is not all that easy. Other, more theoretical subjects are relatively easier to teach as compared to the highly calculative and numerical subject of mathematics. Teachers always try their best to convey their message in the best possible manner, since it affects both their career goals and their sense of accomplishment of their goals as teachers. While teaching any number based subject is tough, here are a few habits that one can develop and then expect them to groom them as teacher.
Letting the Concepts Make Sense:
Math cannot be crammed and needs to be very clear concept wise. Ever wonder why the concepts in this subject keep coming again and again each following year in the text books as the student goes on to get promoted to the next classes. The reason for this is that it takes several years to grasp a concept; hence, the curriculum of this subject is made such that it gradually clarifies the mind of students. The key is not to just focus on the “how” something works in this subject but to also focus on the “why” does it. With this comes care of the level of students under consideration. Being a teacher, it is an absolute crime to simply blindly trust the text book or a help book especially when it comes to calculations. Each question needs to be solved so that if any student has ambiguity in any question, there is a ready solution of it with the teacher.
Make a Goal:
What should the goal of a teacher be? Should it be to simply finish the course up by the end of the school year, or should it be to teach their students valuable things that would benefit them in the years to come in study and in career. There is nothing wrong in having the former as one’s goal with an exception that the teacher does not forget the duties that he or she has. However having the later as goal makes a teacher worth gems. The best teachers always make a long term plan for their students and stick to it for one reason only, that their students are better able to deal with every day complexities of the world. A teacher of math must become a building block in the academic structure of students helping students build their further studies up on the knowledge given to them.
What Tools to Use?
Those who teach maths enrichment classes make a lot of money, they really do. But their effectiveness is confined to the type of tools that they use in the process. Math cannot be taught on presentation slides, it is a board dependent subject that requires thorough practice. For geometry teaching, bigger compass, D and scales are available that are used for accurate drawing on bigger boards. A good teacher is to always keep along a register to note and solve questions and calculations that are not being solved by the students.
Making Math a Living:
Teaching maths enrichment classes can make a person very rich over time especially when it comes to teaching poor calculation skilled individuals. But to really cash in, one needs to love math to its core and should never feel tired of it. It is all about exploring new formulas and methods for solving the same questions over and over again. Doing this keeps the excitement alive and also equips the teacher with wider knowledge base and experience. Going through a number of math books is also essential in case a person wishes to make a publication in the field.