And so your son has grown up and you are thinking of teaching him some math … Well, it's a great idea! This article will give you some tips on how to best educate your baby without letting him fall asleep during the explanations.
Steps
Step 1. Encourage your child
Who do you think is best suited to living a truly satisfying teaching experience in the classroom: an excited and ambitious student or a rebellious and lackluster guy?
Step 2. Start teaching him things by carrying out an interactive activity
There are several possibilities: you can use educational folders or a simple exercise sheet. To help him troubleshoot, give him a handful of small items for him to count. Also teach him to use his fingers, in case he doesn't have any objects with him in the future.
Step 3. Focus on understanding the concepts and not just on the mnemonic aspect
Memorization is undoubtedly useful, but it is even more important that your child learns exactly how math works. In this way, he will be able to apply what he has learned also in other contexts, and this will help him when he will have to face more complex mathematical problems.
Step 4. Before discussing a new topic, make sure your child understands what you have previously taught them
If you move from one topic to another without being clear enough, you could create confusion in the child and put him in difficulty during the learning process.
Step 5. Integrate the teaching process with the game using the objects around you
For example, ask your child if there are multiple images on the walls in the living room or on those in the dining room, then tell him to count them and subtract them from each other.
Step 6. Reward your child
At the end of the study session, you should reward the child in some way. Whether it's a candy or a simple hug, rewarding him will give him self-confidence and push him to work harder and harder.
Step 7. Maintain a steady teaching pace
Sit down to study with him every day - or at least twice a week - to get him into the head of the various notions. Never forget to make the experience fun!
Step 8. Trouble him even when you are away from home
For example, at the grocery store, ask him how much money you have left over if, with ten euros, you buy beans that cost one euro. This will force him to make useful reasoning to improve in the study of mathematics.
Step 9. Play board games
Board games based on rolling two dice instead of one can be very useful for practicing basic addition. Once grown up, the child will be able to try his hand at those games where fictitious banknotes are used, such as Monopoly. This will teach him how to count money and allow him to practice addition and subtraction.
Step 10. Don't give up
You can't learn math in a day! The various concepts must "stack" in the child's mind as if they were bricks. If the school is a fundamental place of education for your child, you are undoubtedly one of the most important points of reference in his education!
Advice
- Don't be impatient if you get wrong answers! Working through problems logically is more important than giving the correct answers.
- Don't keep pace too slow. Going too long on a single topic will be boring quickly the child.
- Make it simple! Young children are not yet able to deal with overly complex mathematical notions. Be patient and don't rush.
