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Health & Fitness

Make Math the New Black

Recently, a kids clothing retailer sparked outrage over a back-to-school T-shirt on its shelves. The offending shirt insinuated – to put it mildly – that a girl’s best subjects are fun things like shopping, music and dancing, but that she is not good or interested in math.

 

The situation highlights an issue we in elementary education have fought against for years: that math is hard, scary and inapplicable to life in the real world. This attitude is, sadly, not unique among young women, but is felt by children of both genders and of all ages and backgrounds.

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Too often, math class is viewed as a dreaded requirement that must be suffered through to earn a high school diploma and get into college. However, as the world changes, our economy demands critical thinkers who can analyze and provide multiple solutions to complicated problems and persevere through difficult situations. Math teaches us these skills, and it’s time to recognize that everyone can learn it.

Find out what's happening in Pleasantville-Briarcliff Manorwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

 

One way to make math less hard, less scary and more applicable to real-world situations is to take the mystery out of it. A good example is the Singapore Math approach, which can be applied in classrooms using both traditional and digital platforms. This approach has been used successfully for years in Singapore, propelling students there to become the top math performers in the world.

 

Singapore Math introduces and reinforces math concepts using concrete, pictorial and abstract learning steps that tie math to real-world, hands-on experiences. Moving away from memorization of rules and processes, this approach methodically guides students through a problem step-by-step, using diagrams, to find the solution. For example, a student doesn’t just memorize that 3x3=9, instead students use manipulatives to create a visual representation of the mathematical equation. In addition students learn how to decompose and compose numbers, building a conceptual understanding that promotes number sense. Using this approach, students carry new concepts forward from one lesson to the next to gain understanding of increasingly more complicated problems.

 

One of the most gratifying things for educators and parents is to watch students lose their fear of math, gain confidence in their own abilities, and become more critical thinkers. The best accessory we can give students is a better appreciation for math and the tools they need to succeed. It’s the most fashion-forward option for our children, and for our economy.

 

- Nadine McDermott is the Principal of Todd Elementary in Briarcliff Manor, NY where she implements the Singapore Math approach created by Marshall Cavendish Education. With nearly 20 years experience as a teacher and principal, she encourages her teachers to work with students to face challenges head-on and to solve problems. As a coach for the Habits to Mind program and a trained musician, she values the philosophical importance of the Common Core State Standards and Singapore Math. Briarcliff Manor is one of the premier school districts in all of New York State, with students consistently achieving a high percentage mastery on standardized exams.

 


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