www.TheHomeschoolMagazine.com
7Not everyone needs to take Calcu- lus but everyone should be able to balance a checkbook. If your child
is going to be an English teacher, when
will he be using calculus? It seems as
though the public schools are sending
everyone who is headed to college to all
the;higher;math;courses.;This;is;just;not
necessary unless you will be getting your
college;degree;in;a;math;or;a;science-related;field.;However,;everyone;should
take a business math course. Many kids
are graduating from high school and
not;knowing;how;to;determine;percent-ages for a mortgage or savings account,
how to balance a checkbook, or how to
formulate a budget. Make sure that your
children have the life math skills.
8You don’t have to teach math in the same order as the neighbor or your local high school teaches math.
When I took math classes in high school
I;took;Pre-Algebra,;Algebra;I,;Algebra;II,
and Geometry, in that order. Now, the
schools put Geometry in between the
two;Algebras.;For;me,;that;doesn’t;make
sense, so our boys took math in the order
I;took;it.;I;also;skipped;half;of;Pre-Alge-bra with our guys when I realized that
they;just;didn’t;need;it.
9Take the tests. The world knows how to;assess;a;person’s;knowledge;only by testing, so I always wanted our
boys to know how to take a test. Taking a
test is a learned skill. Your child needs to
know how to read through an entire test
and then review it at the end before turning it in to the instructor. Children need
to be able to relax and take a test. Stressed
students;don’t;do;as;well.;Therefore,;I;al-ways;gave;the;boys;the;test;and;said:;“It’s
no;big;deal.;I;know;you;know;this;stuff.
You;know;you;know;this;stuff.;Just;take
the test.” And now, they test really well in
all;subjects.
10Math is fun!;Don’t;believe;that? Fake;it.;Smile;and;use;your;up- beat voice when teaching math.
If it gets too frustrating, get out the games
and;prove;that;math;is;fun:;Go;outside
and;make;a;Hopscotch;course;that;re-views their times tables and combine
math with a bit of PE. Take a nature walk
and see how many birds or bugs you can
count within a certain range. Measure the
lengths;of;your;steps.;Measure;the;length
and width of a room in your house and
determine the area. Measure the height
and determine the volume of the room.
In other words, get away from the books
and show that math can be really intrigu-ing;and;yes,;fun!
Around here, we play a game based
on something I told the boys when they
were;small.;I;told;them;that;every;job;re-quires some math. So, we may be sitting
around the house and one of our guys will
say, “Artist.” I know that he is challenging
what;I;said.;That’s;the;game.;And;then;I
say;something;like;this:;“Do;they;ever;sell
their;art?;Are;they;commissioned;to;do
a;painting;or;sculpture?;Do;they;have;to
paint;a;painting;that;covers;a;certain;sized
canvas?”;Then;the;boys;roll;their;eyes;and
try;to;think;of;another;job;that;may;not
require;math.;They;haven’t;bested;me;yet.
As I said in the introduction, math is a
necessary;evil.;Hopefully,;with;these;ten
tips,;it;will;be;a;little;easier.
Lori Lynn Lydell lives in rural central Pennsylvania with her best friend and husband
of more than twenty years. Together they
raise two boys who are knee-deep in high
school. Both boys are considering math-related careers. In her spare time she enjoys reading, writing, cooking, playing the
piano, knitting, and crochet. You can get to
know Lori Lynn better at her blog, www.lori
lynn.org, or friend her on Facebook. She
loves making new friends and meeting new
people, whether virtually or in person.
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. . . Math is a
necessary evil.
Hopefully,;with;these
ten;tips,;it;will;be;a
little easier.
