Once a child has learned how to count, add, subtract, multiply, and divide, the question of why math is important is likely to arise. It is usually at this point that children start believing they know all they need to know about math to function adequately in life. After all, if they understand how to keep track of money and can figure out how to use and keep track of their credit card spending, budgeting, and shopping, what else do they really need to know?
Kids who don't like math can usually understand that some knowledge of math is required in order to know how to handle money, tell time, cook, share things, and understand how many of any item will be left if some are used. Even young children can understand why it's important to know how to measure how tall something is or how heavy it is, and they can usually understand how doing things like wallpapering or hanging window shades calls for knowing how to measure. What's not as easy for children of any age to understand - particularly as kids get older and the math gets more advanced - is how algebra-based math factors into their lives, especially if they are not planning to have careers in math-related fields. Once math starts to seem less "number-ish" and more "algebra-ish," it can start to appear a little more useless to kids who aren't mathematically inclined.
It is easy for kids to understand that there are certainly jobs and careers - physicians, statisticians, computer scientists, robotics engineers, surveyors, ecologists, math professors, etc. - where a solid knowledge of advanced math is crucial. Gaining that knowledge starts with learning the most basic principles of math and building on it. However, many elementary school students don't know what they want to do when they grow up, so it makes sense for them to get a foundation in math early in life; a foundation that will prepare them for college or the workforce. For those students who know without a doubt that their future does not include a career in a math- or science-related field, there are still some post high school courses or jobs that call for at least some math skills and knowledge. For example, some clerical or retail jobs require the use of math. Sure, most people rely on electronic means to get basic math calculations done, but there are still times when a person's knowledge of math is required.
In addition to the possibility of needing math in an otherwise "non-math" job, people who have a foundation in basic algebra have learned a way to solve all sorts of problems. Algebra provides us with a way to put labels on different aspects of a problem and use a logical approach to see likely outcomes or solutions. It allows us to turn anything in life into a math problem and see an organized, structured way to think about that problem, even if the problem doesn’t contain any numbers.
Our brains have the ability to think logically, but if we don't learn the language of logic, our brains don't have those labels to put on invisible concepts. For example, we know our bodies have the potential to tap dance or perform ballet, but if we don't take dancing lessons we will either not know how to dance properly or we'll learn a superficial way to dance that won't allow us to move beyond a beginner level. Thinking logically works the same way; in order to move from basic logical thinking to a more advanced level of thinking logically, we need to learn the proper steps. Math is part of that learning. It’s not just about whether we work in a math- or science-related field. Math allows us to understand the world around us.
Math is the most widely used subject in the world. Every career uses some sort of math. More importantly, doing math helps the mind to reason and organize complicated situations or problems into clear, simple, and logical steps. The reality in our society is that high paying jobs often demand employees who can take complicated situations and simplify them so that everyone can understand. A solid knowledge of math gives students the competitive edge to compete for these high paying jobs.
Be positive with your child when they say, “When will I ever use this math again?” Let your child know how important math is - and always will be - in their daily lives.
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