MATHNASIUM Boulder

MATH IS IMPORTANT FOR YOUR CHILD'S FUTURE!

THE MORE MATH YOUR CHILDREN KNOW, THE MORE THEY WILL EARN DURING THEIR LIFETIMES!

There is no doubt about it, parents are concerned about their children's future prospects. In today's challenging economic marketplace where your earnings are tied to your education, knowledge of and proficiency in math has never been more important. Studies, such as the one published in 2001 by the Public Policy Institute of California, have shown that the more math a person knows, the more they earn in a lifetime. And this is true even in professions which are not typically seen as „math“ type professions, such as sales, merchandising, business, operating one's own small business, teaching, medical professions, and law studies. More advanced math skills lead to more productive logic and reasoning skills. However, in the US, a 2007 study states that U.S. students consistently performed below average in math, ranking 25th (near the bottom) in a list of industrialized nations! Thus, we have a dichotomy: our kids need good math skills for a promising future, and yet they are not competitively performing math at a high enough level to create those opportunities for lucrative professions in their adult years. What can busy parents do to make sure their children are prepared?

First of all, take a good look at your children's math foundation. Is it solid? Are there gaps? If so, work with your kids to help them learn their math facts fluently, and don't hesitate to obtain expert help for your child when you need it.

Second, ensure your child has consistent, qualified math help with homework during the school year. Without someone who can explain their increasingly difficult school work in a way that makes sense to them, numerous kids fall behind and problems with low self-confidence and a poor attitude towards school can ensue.

Third, and very importantly, recognize the warning signs of a child who needs extra help outside the classroom. For younger children, look for one or more of the following signs:

• They are having trouble learning their 10's addition facts such as 3+7=10 or 2+8=10 no matter how much you drill
• They have great difficulty learning their doubles facts such as 8+8=16
• They can't count backwards accurately
• They forget their math facts easily
• They never lose the habit of counting on their fingers

If your children „suddenly“ start to perform poorly in the 3rd or 4th grade, you can be sure that they have not mastered the fundamentals and need immediate tutoring help so that they can catch up and succeed.

In older children, if you begin to notice one or more of the following signs, you will realize that their self-esteem is already disturbingly low, and that they require immediate math tutoring:

• Your kids say they „hate math“ or feel „dumb“ in math
• They get poor grades
• They lack motivation and even refuse to do their math homework
• They are ashamed and do not even want to get outside tutoring
• They feel increasingly anxious about upcoming math tests

In our experience, parents have never brought their children to us for math help too soon. Rather many, 50% or more, have waited so long to get their children the expert help that they need that their kids have become math phobic, have lost their self-confidence, and have given up. In other words, many kids we see each week need full-scale math resuscitation! Getting the kids' math and self-esteem on track at this point is a long and difficult process that could have been avoided by getting help earlier. Hopefully by knowing the needs of the workplace and some of the warning signs of math deficiency, you will not hesitate to get your children expert math help that makes sense to them in time for them to develop confidence, succeed, and prepare for a great future!

Lisa and Alan Iguchi are the owners and directors of Mathnasium Math Only Learning Center. They specialize in teaching math affordably, customized to each child's needs, in a way that kids understand. Please call them at: 720.890.9000