Why is it so important for children to lose their fear and master math? Beyond grades at school, mastering math is a huge advantage for anyone, and starting at a young age makes it much easier to do so.
Here are 10 reasons why your children should master math
1. They won’t fail in school
It is no secret that math is the subject that stumps children the most. Many end up finding it boring or not understand it, and that ends up being the first step towards failure in school. The foundations for understanding mathematics start in elementary school because if students reach high school with fears and doubts, algebra will go completely over their heads. Usually, if children do well in and master math, they will also succeed in other subjects.
2. They will have high self-esteem
This point is unmistakably related to the one above. Students that don’t have a problem with math, and who master math, are more self-confident and secure. Anyone with a background in child psychology knows the importance of this. Math could be seen as a vaccine against bullying.
3. They won’t be subject to manipulation
If children master math, when they are older, it will be easier for them to recognize speeches that manipulate data, disguise statistics, and calculate percentages incorrectly. Thus, they will be citizens who are more critical of speeches and propaganda. When children grow up, they may be more skilled with their personal finances as well as accepting or rejecting conditions from banks, loan companies, or similar offers. Deals and contracts look better when you understand numbers.
4. They won’t say ”I’m bad at math” to their children
When teaching math, this phrase is one of the most harmful. There are families in which being good or bad with numbers is perceived to be genetic or hereditary. When in fact, it is a matter of being taught correctly or incorrectly. If your children are good at dealing with operations involving numbers, they will not project this false belief onto their family.
5. They will appreciate other beauty in the world
Those who understand mathematical language have the ability to see another beauty in the world that others can’t see. There is mathematics in a wave that breaks, in the symmetry of the leaves of trees, in a kite that flies in the sky, in the formation of rows of ants. ”There’s a secret world out there. A hidden parallel universe of beauty and elegance, intricately intertwined with ours. It’s the world of mathematics. And it’s invisible to most of us,” says Edward Frenkel in his book, Love and Mathematics.
6. They will have more work opportunities
In an increasingly more technological world, careers with more of a future have a highly mathematical foundation. However, with the programming and management of Big Data, there are traditional career paths in which it is also important to understand numbers, such as medicine or civil engineering. As well as internet companies, where knowledge of algorithms is important.
7. Their minds will be opened
Those who don’t know anything also do not know their own ignorance and, if people manage numbers well, they will want to know more. This applies to everything, not just math. This is because the critical spirit is the one related to science, the one wondering why, and the one who establishes a hypothesis, tries it and fails. That process, which challenges our heads, ends up being fun. We all remember some classmates who were great with numbers, seeing them use a pencil and paper to solve a problem came with the feeling of not being able to keep up. As if it were a sophisticated joke we wouldn’t get.
8. They will master a universal language
We are told, with good reason, that English is the language in which the world of business and science moves. But the true universal language is mathematics. that is why, in prestigious universities in the US, there may be professors with a lower level of English but who are very skilled in math. When you master math, it is easier to move around the world, which is great when borders dissipate for job opportunities.
9. They will be able to change the world
We do not mean to say that children who master math are the only ones who can change the world. However, curious, free minds with a precise scientific foundation and desire to learn more have a better chance of discovering something that truly impacts the world and changes it for the better.
10. All doors will be open for them
The world needs journalists, lawyers, poets, philologists, historians, and psychologists, and in none of those professions would it hurt to be good at math. However, if numbers scare them, they may rethink pursuing careers that require math.
We think that these are more than enough reasons for why your kids should master math. We’ve never sat down to write them even though we have so many posts about education and math! We hope that these reasons have been enough to spark some reflection upon how important it is for children to not be afraid of numbers, to help them avoid feeling stumped and to master math. We’re always here if you need us.
Learn More:
- Smartick Improves Student Performance with Smartick Coding
- IMO: The Best Math Problem Solvers in the World
- The First Trimester with Smartick
- Going to School Is Not the Same as Learning
- Singapore: Experiences in Learning
Master’s in International Education from the Universidad de Alcalá– Instituto Franklin.
She has worked as a teacher in three different countries and is now a Translator on the Content Creation Team at Smartick and helps to adapt content for blog posts.
As a native Rhode Islander she loves any activity on the water and when she’s not working you can find her traveling, kickboxing, or trying out a new recipe.
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