Michael Ymer - Maths for Parents

HELPING YOUR CHILD WITH MATHEMATICS - PRINCIPLES & ACTIVITIES

Over the coming weeks we will provide you with some general principles and activities which you might keep in mind when you are helping your child/ren at home.  Working together in a partnership can bring wonderful results and help us build a love of maths in all our students!

 

#1 Maths Principle - Building on Success

Building on success is important.  Create an impression that being successful in mathematics is desirable.  Reward effort and try not to criticise errors.

 

#1 Suggested Activities – Estimating

Estimating is an important activity and applies to all aspects of mathematics.  Whenever possible ask your child to guess quantities.  Some examples of estimating tasks that you might ask your child to do are:

  • Estimate how many pieces of bread are in a loaf
  • Estimate the number of lollies in a packet
  • Estimate how many people are in a room
  • Estimate the biggest house number in the street that you have just turned into
  • Estimate how far it is to a particular point in the distance whilst driving
  • Estimate how long it will be until you walk to a particular point
  • Estimate how many steps there are from the bottom to the top when you are walking up some stairs.  

 

Remember it is ok to work together to find out how close your estimating was!

 

Have Fun with Mathematics

 

Janine Hough