Philadelphia Tribune - Index

Philadelphia Tribune - Spring 2009 Education Guide - Index

Philadelphia Tribune
Tuesday, March 24, 2009 Page 17
Adding math to
everyday lessons
You may be surprised to
know that an investment in
your child’s education doesn’t
necessarily include a deposit
into a college savings account.
Studies show that a child’s
academic foundation and resulting
success is built upon
skills developed as early as
kindergarten, so it’s never too
early to start supplementing
their education.
With so many products and
programs focused on helping
your child learn to read, math
skills can easily be lost in the
shuffle. While a recent study
from Northwestern University
concluded that early math proficiency
is the most important
predictor for a student’s academic
success, too many children
in this country are behind
in math and too many parents
don’t know what to do to help.
Parents shouldn’t ignore the
role math plays in their child’s
future.
In addition to helping your
child with their assigned
homework, here are a few tips
to help them improve their
math skills and build the foundation
for a lifetime of successful
learning.
Have fun counting:
• Find ways to play counting
games during the day, such as
counting the number of stairs,
the number of red cars you
pass while driving, and the
number of spoons needed to
set the table.
• Have your child count the
number of cookies (or slices of
bread) needed for everyone in
the family to get two.
• Cook with your child and
have your child measure the
amounts for the ingredients.
• Ask your child to find the
right coins to pay for an item.
Play music together:
• March in a parade around
the house to the beat.
• Beat a simple pattern on a
“drum” and have your child
copy you. Then have your child
be the leader.
• Sign your child up for
music lessons.Play family
games that require math skills:
• Play card games like Go
Fish, Crazy Eights and Rummy
• Play board games like
Candy Land or Checkers or
Trouble
• Try Yahtzee
One of the most innovative
products created to help kids
learn math is DreamBox
Learning K-2 Math
(www.dreambox.com). The
engaging, Web-based adventure
was developed to increase
learning by placing
each child at the correct
starting point and continuously
adapting all aspects of
the experience to make sure
kids are learning in a way
that meets their particular
learning needs and preferences.
Elementary school teacher
Kathleen Marshall has been
using DreamBox Learning K-
2 Math in her classroom and
recommends parents use it at
home with their children. “I
have never before seen 30
students sit mesmerized in
front of a computer screen
having great fun doing math
that is appropriate for their
needs,” she says. “One of my
English Language Learner
(ELL) students turned with a
glowing grin and said, ‘Mrs.
Marshall, now I can do math!’
I nearly cried.”
Math matters and it’s as
important to give kids a solid
understanding of numbers as
it is for them to learn how to
read. Investing in all aspects
of your young child’s education
is sure to pay dividends
throughout their journey into
middle school, high school
and beyond. Spending time at
home counting, organizing
and playing math games with
your child is not only a great
investment in their future,
it’s a great way to spend quality
time together as well. —
Courtesy of ARAcontent