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5 Math myths that don’t add up

A word from Dr. Susan Canizares

“The foundation for our critical thinking capability and comfort level with math is shaped during our earliest years, when the brain is growing exponentially,” notes Dr. Susan Canizares, Chief Academic Officer, Tutor Time. “Unfortunately, some of the most widespread fallacies about math are also tied to early childhood. Dispelling these myths and providing developmentally appropriate learning opportunities can ensure our children build the fundamental skills they’ll need for future success.”

MYTH #1: You’re born to be good or bad at math.  

Every child is born with the ability to think mathematically and has the potential to develop critical academic skills – with the proper support. Many factors shape our interest and ability level, but being born with a ‘math gene’ is not one of them. We help children build confidence and an understanding of math through games and in conversations about their everyday world.

MYTH #2: If a child doesn’t get the basics of math early on, they can always catch up.  

Early math development is just as important as early literacy development. Math is part of a core set of learning domains that contribute to school readiness. Each concept helps to develop a foundation on which to build more advanced skills. Studies show that children who haven’t grasped the fundamentals by the early elementary years are likely to continue to struggle throughout middle and high school. 

MYTH #3: Kids can’t solve math problems.

Children learn by thinking about different ways to achieve their goals. They are problem solving all day, every day.  It’s important for parents, teachers, and other role models to project a positive attitude about math, recognize a child’s effort, and provide encouragement. Parents should help their children understand that solving math problems is not as daunting a task as it may seem; it just takes a bit of creativity, perseverance, and trial and error.

MYTH #4: Boys are inherently better than girls at math.

Gender related math achievement disparities are due to cultural factors, rather than biological differences. Research indicates that boys and girls share the same developmental abilities, but girls tend to doubt their mathematical capabilities early on due to subliminal messages.  This lack of confidence intensifies during adolescence, causing girls to lose interest in math – which ultimately shuts them out of the professional fields where math is essential.

MYTH #5: Preschool math is just memorization. 

We believe early mathematical knowledge is highly conceptual and includes foundational skills such as understanding sizes and patterns, spatial relationships, sequencing, classifying, and measuring. It’s critical that teachers guide children in active explorations, use descriptive language, and provide plenty of opportunities for children to express their ideas to promote critical thinking and reasoning.

 

Sources

https://www.tutortime.com/blog/2016/10/tutor-time-busts-5-myths-about-early-math/

 

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