Ways To Encourage Math In Children
Mathematics has a deep relationship with the environment around us. Therefore, it ends up being important to stimulate math aptitude in children. What benefits are gained from doing this? And how can we get it?
What is math?
Mathematics is said to study the properties of numbers as well as the relationships that may exist between them. Well, in the case of mathematical aptitude the definition is different. What does this expression refer to?
Math competence concept
Competence in mathematics combines the ability to employ numbers and perform the basic operations that can be performed between them in order to interpret information of different types. The ability to employ numbers happens in the constant problems of today’s world that demand a solution.
In a nutshell, math competence combines math with real-world problem solving. In other words:
From the beginning of humanity, there was a need to measure or count everything around us. In fact, the progress of competence in mathematics and human civilization went hand in hand. Therefore, it ends up being essential to stimulate competence in mathematics in children.
Aspects that are part of competence in mathematics
- Ability to interpret information or data relating to the elements around us.
- Use of basic mathematical elements (measures, geometric elements, etc.) in everyday life situations.
- Thinking processes that lead to
problem solving
in different contexts.
Importance of stimulating math competence in children
In itself, logical-mathematical thinking is fundamental, as it involves the understanding of abstract concepts. Furthermore, it helps in understanding different relationships. These skills contribute to a person, in this case a child, to manifest a healthy development. This makes you successfully reach your personal goals and achievements.
Furthermore, when it comes to solving problems, intelligence is developed. It also gives them a sense of meaning and order in the decisions or actions they need to take. Finally, it establishes relationships between different concepts and promotes planning in relation to the goals that have to be achieved.
Ways to Boost Math Competence in Children
It is worth noting that when it comes to stimulating competence in mathematics in children, it should be taken into account that this stimulus must be in accordance with the age of each one of them, respecting their own rhythm. Here are some ways to encourage children’s math competence:
1.- Own experience
Allow children to be able to experiment with different objects. In this way, they will perceive the characteristics of each one, establishing differences and similarities. With that, reasoning is stimulated.
2.- Design logical activities
Design various activities for children involving classifying, comparing or identifying different objects. With this, the association between objects is stimulated.
3.- Show the causes and consequences of actions and use observation
It is necessary to show children the consequences of decisions made in daily life. This encourages deductive reasoning when solving problems. Observation must be used in different scenarios in order to obtain a better understanding of the environment around us by associating it with mathematical operations.
4.- Use of games and the design of problems
You can take advantage of games that stimulate thought development, for example:
guessing games
, Sudokus and card games. Conceive of problems that require mental effort from children. This must be done taking into account their age, as if the problem conceived is too complex, they will feel unmotivated and will abandon the challenge.
5.- Motivate them to reflect and ask questions
Children should be encouraged to reflect on certain things in everyday life, perhaps certain aspects that seem inexplicable, and then play with them in search of a logical explanation for this. Ask questions that encourage them to imagine hypotheses. For example, questions like “what would you do if…?”
6.- Letting them deal with math problems alone
Faced with a mathematical problem, children can be given guidance or a clue to solve it, but they must be left to find the solution to the problem themselves. In addition, they can be encouraged to employ and manipulate quantities. Example: you can encourage them to compare product prices.
Benefits of encouraging math competence in children
What benefits are gained when we encourage math competence in children?
1. The fact that they perform mathematical operations without using pencil and paper stimulates the capacity for attention and
concentration
.
2- According to experts, it provides versatility and independence for problem solving.
3. Helps with reflection before the
decision-making
.
Contributes to the development of analytical thinking and fosters wisdom
Analytical thinking involves breaking down several arguments, analyzing them, and reaching a conclusion. In this way, understanding about a subject or topic is vastly improved.
Thanks to analytical thinking, the ability to research with the aim of discovering the truth of facts is also developed. This means that in the future children will not be manipulated or deceived. Furthermore, wisdom is developed, that is, knowing how to apply the acquired knowledge, since competence in mathematics is related to other sciences, such as technology.
the mind becomes more agile
Competence in mathematics contributes to greater understanding of many subjects because mathematics itself explains how things work. This facilitates communication thanks to the fact that by understanding better, it is possible to express coherent, clear and accurate thoughts.
Furthermore, competence in mathematics speeds up the mind, since everyday life is made up of confrontations with situations that require making choices, a fact from which children cannot escape. And often, there is more than one way to solve a problem. For all these reasons, it turns out to be necessary and very beneficial to stimulate math competence in children.
