Developing Math Skills in the Home

How to make math more appealing

"Statistics" and "sexy" are two words not usually found in the same sentence. And yet, Dr. Hans Rosling, a Swedish professor of international health recently declared, "Statistics is now the sexiest subject around."

How are tech-savvy people using numbers?

To illustrate, by counting the number of tweets about celebrities, computer experts and statisticians produced graphics during a recent MTV awards show. The larger the graphic, the greater the interest in the celebrity. Researchers are also counting the numbers to learn, for example, what are the happiest cities in the United States. By analyzing how often positive words appear in text-messages, they can determine the outlooks of people who reside in different parts of the country.

Even the prestigious New York Times is providing ways for readers to develop math literacy.  During April, National Math Awareness month they published an article showcasing how to use The Times to develop math literacy.

Among numerous other suggestions, they recommend using the newspaper to learn how certain traded athletes are doing with both their former and current teams. Statistical categories are analyzed for the team as a whole and the player himself.

Capture Interest First

Even if your child is not interested in sports, there's something in the paper or on the Internet that he is interested in. Parlay that interest into a mathematical focus. If you are really creative, you can move from the mathematical to other areas, such as language arts. To illustrate, for every one human being on earth, there are 7,000,000 insects. Ask your child to figure out how many insects for your whole family. For the combined number of his friends. For the population of his school, and so on.

Segue then into a poem about bugs. Or have your child write a story in which bugs rule the earth. Or, rent a movie like "The Bee Movie" for the whole family to enjoy. Or, paint pictures in which numbers are featured.

Point Out The Ways Math is Used

No matter where you are or what you're doing, math is probably being used. Think of a given day. Then think of all the ways you can develop math awareness. Shopping for groceries. Following recipes. Reading food labels. Consuming gas and electricity. With just a bit of imagination, you can make these everyday activities pleasurable mental exercises for your children.

And the best news: Once your child has earned his or her degree in mathematics, he or she, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, will earn a starting salary that ranges from $50,000 to $141,000 a year. And that's no small change!