Math all around us!
When I spend time with my daughter, Penny, I try to show her how math is all around us. We talk about the measure of things. We guesstimate how many steps it will take to get to the end of the sidewalk. When I ask her how big something is and she responds “this big!” I ask her to quantify it, and, correct or not, she’ll answer back with a number. I’ll help her pick up her Tinker Toys and mention that it goes faster when two people help, and then mention that with math, we could figure out how much faster doubling the labor speeds things up. She doesn’t always understand what I’m talking about, but the main point, that math is all around us, is something with which she’s very aware.
I myself wish I was more numerate. I admire those that are. I feel pangs of envy when someone is able to use math and logic to solve a problem that I cannot. I am firmly of the belief that if given a good start anyone can become comfortable with math, mathematical reasoning, and numbers in general. This is important, too, because as the world around us is becoming more technical and reliant on technology, the greater the need there will be for those able to understand and use that technology; this of course is the purview of math and science. So many fields these days require a solid understanding of math that being innumerate is a huge hindrance and effectively closes off many exciting and fulfilling career choices. Even if math is not a tool used often in a job, the critical thinking and logical skills that the study of math enchances are something that employees not only want, but need to remain competitive.
Penny and I try to do what we call “Math Time” or play “Math Games” each night. At her age a single 15-minute session is perfect. We’ll play some of the games I’ll talk about in this blog, or we’ll learn a new concept like measuring or estimating or fractions. Above our breakfast table in our kitchen is an erasable white board that I use to give her “challenges” and to draw geometric shapes or number sequences that she tries to figure out. On her wall in her bedroom is a 1-100 number chart (this will surely be replaced by a picture of some boy I disapprove of some years hence).
Some may feel that all this is overkill. To some extent, that may be correct. It may not. As a first-time parent that lost his owner’s manual, I’m playing this thing by ear and simply trying to do the very best I can, and to give my daugher the very best start she can get. I try to keep the games fun, the learning motivated and the bond between us warm and constant. Time will tell if I’m doing the right thing.
