Maths. A subject that is taught worldwide and a staple part of knowledge needed in almost every area of work and life. However, when it comes to children learning it in schools, the majority of the time teachers and parents find that they just do not engage well in classes, meaning they don’t do so well when it comes to completing tasks and homework. So, what can be done? Make maths as fun and inviting as possible. It is important to approach maths the way you would with anything else for a child, with patience and a whole lot of excitement. Board games in lesson and over-elaborate resources are only a tiny pinch in the ways children can practice maths in a more invigorating way. The idea is to ensure that the activities stimulate their senses. It is also extremely important to remember that there is no one-size-fits-all solution for engaging children in maths as the process can look different to every child. With that said, here are some top tips for making maths more fun for kids, as advised by this private school in Gerrards cross.
Give them an explanation
One of the main reasons children don’t like to learn certain subjects is because they don’t see the value or meaning of it. And with good reason. Even as adults we require strong reasons to complete different tasks. Give children the same respect by offering them chance to discuss their questions and explaining it well. “Because you have to” is not a good enough reason and will never sit well with children. When you hear the common question of ‘when will I actually ever need to use this in my life?’, be sure to answer it with facts. Help students understand that there are a number of benefits that come with maths and relate what they are learning to the real world. Give them a list of exciting career paths that they can embark on by using the concepts they are learning in maths. You can even invite in members of the community to discuss how maths has helped them in their job role as well.
Stick to routines
Maths anxiety is a real thing and can be detrimental to a student’s learning. Whilst there a few effective ways to help tackle this anxiety, to ensure it doesn’t get worse, you should make sure to stick to a fixed routine in lessons. In turn, this can help students feel settled and confident when classes start. Begin by clearly outlining what your expectations of the students are. This can help them mentally prepare as well as ensure that they have all the tools needed to study well in class. Introduce each class in the same way. For example, you can give students a moment to quickly go over what they did in the last lesson before introducing any new topics. Writing the learning objectives on the board is also a great way to help students have a better idea of what will be taught in class. Throughout the lesson ensure your class is receiving hands on experience by working in smaller groups and having them rotate different activities. This means that you can complete a combination of activities from creative tasks to simple worksheets. Be sure to end the class on a high note with activities that reinforce their learning, utilizing the interactive features of the game PowerPoint template to make the closing moments memorable and impactful. This could be by getting students to summarise what they learnt in an exciting way through group discussions or playing games. This also gives you a good indication of whether or not your methods were effective and what can be adjusted for next time.
Thank you for reading.
