Girls And Math: Parents Can Help Their Daughters Succeed
Girls And Math: Parents Can Help Their Daughters Succeed by Art Gib
Despite the widespread acknowledgment in recent years that girls don’t get the same encouragement as boys in the fields of mathematics and science, this phenomenon is still a problem. There are simple steps that parents can take in the home to help their daughters feel more confident with math at school.
– Start young! There are lots of picture books to help your toddler learn how to count and use mathematical concepts without even realizing it. If a love for playing with numbers is ingrained early on in life, she will be excited to approach the subject in a school setting.
–Look for opportunities to bring up mathematical situations in everyday life. You could take your daughter to the grocery store with you. An elementary-aged gal could estimate how many apples make a pound, and then check her guess by using the fruit and scale in the produce section.
Older girls can check the price of cereal, the weight of the box, then figure out which cereals are the better deal based on their price per ounce. Students learning fractions can adjust the sizes of recipes based on how many people are being served.
Traveling provides yet another way for girls to see how math is used in everyday life. Have your daughter use a map to figure out how many miles there are till you reach your destination. She can then determine about how long it will take for your family to get there based on your average rate of speed.
The point is for parents to make a conscious effort in finding ways to show their daughters how math is useful to them in their daily living. Provide opportunities for them to practice these skills and to feel comfortable with numbers and their use.
– If you struggled with math yourself as a child, catch yourself before you pass on your own apprehensions to your daughter. Studies have shown that a parent’s attitude toward math will greatly affect a girl’s feelings toward the subject. As a result, they may give up before they’ve even begun! So try to stay positive at all times, and keep your own misgivings to yourself.
– Invest in some quality mathematical software that is clever and will draw your girl into the fun of the subject. Drills at school can be drudgery, but playing games on the computer is never boring.
– If your child is truly struggling in math and lags behind her peers, get her help while she’s still young. You may want to consider hiring a tutor to assist your daughter with her skills and help bring her confidence level up. Children sometimes become stubborn and resist parental help but are more responsive to an outsider who shows an interest in their academic success.
Girls can learn to have a positive experience with math and truly learn to love it. Their choice of future careers is greatly expanded by a solid foundation in the subject, and parents can do a lot in the home to help their daughters succeed.
If you live in Northern California and think your daughter may benefit from a quality San Francisco tutoring service, contact the professionals at TeamUP! Tutors (http://www.teamuptutors.com/). Art Gib is a freelance writer.
Article Source: ArticlesArticles.Net