1/ The pre-kindergarten years are critical for introducing Math & Science through fun hands-on activities:
- cooking (weigh, measure, and observe how food combine and change)
- singing & dancing (counting, pitch, duration, and loudness)
- card/board games (monopoly is the best)
2/ Don't teach math as systems/ rules that kids have to learn/remember.
- Some parents circumvent the possibility of kids not liking math by embedding it into their brains before kids have a chance to like/dislike it.
-If you are going this route, monitor the fun factor!
3/ Living and loving math with them around the house.
- Plan a trip together 'how long is that going to take by airplane, car or train?'
- Read map together (and then check it with GPS)
- Find the cost of having a pet (food, toys, vet bills, etc)
- Read an analog clock together
Get a 30,000-ft perspective on how math governs the physical universe with a book by Roger Penrose #nobelPrize in physics 2002:
"The Road to Reality: A Complete Guide to the Laws of the Universe"
2/ Learn once, teach twice.
If you're in finance, teach compound interest; if you're in marketing, teach Bell curve; if you're in startups, teach ROI.
3/ Forgive your bad math teacher, said an HS dropout.
"Not all teachers are good teachers. This was something I learned a bit too late. I should've focused on learning the basics and constantly practice. I gave up. You shouldn’t.
I'm not a stupid person. Math was my kryptonite."