Helping Students See the Math of Everyday Life

  

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In my role as a math specialist, I have the opportunity to work with students in all different grade levels. Most of these students struggle with math and are targeted for additional instruction to boost their math performance. In working with these students, one common thread that I see is that they really don't understand why they have to learn math. I don't fault them for this—I just don't think they've learned math in a context that is meaningful to them. I also think it's challenging for parents to highlight mathematical experiences in the students' daily lives. It's so easy for kids to understand why reading is so important—mom reads a good night story, uncle reads the newspaper, dad reads the street signs on his way to work. But, the occasions when math is used aren't always highlighted.

The greatest opportunity for kids to see math is when dealing with money. Even young students come in contact with monetary transactions almost every day. However, they often have little to calculate with today's electronic cash registers. So, one of my strategies for helping students see math in their lives is to ask them – every time I see them – how they've used math (outside of school) recently. The first time I ask this question, I usually get some strange looks and often a superficial answer such as "I counted 3 cookies that I ate for my after-school snack," or "I looked at the clock and saw that I went to bed at 8:30." These are a great start but, trust me, if you keep asking, the answers will get more and more interesting. Students will start to look for math in their everyday lives. They'll start to see how often they use math and might even start conversations with parents and siblings about occasions when they use math skills. This may seem like a simple strategy, but it helps students recognize that what they're learning isn't just applicable in school; they are skills that will be useful every day of their lives.

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