How often have you heard the use of the word “better”? Let me share some examples with you and see how many you are smiling and nodding your head in agreement: “I am feeling better.”, “Our school is getting better.”, “You had better tell me the truth!”, “Does that feel better?”, “This is better than the alternative.”, “Arizona had better get better in Math and Science.”
I’m sure you can add to the list of the use of the word, better. But what does it really mean? Some of the adjectives for better include: finer, stronger, superior, improved health, preferred, higher, and do any of these adjectives help us define better?
Well, I’m going to challenge you to get “better” at mathematics in your home. I’d like to share why it is important that, in your home, mathematicians are encouraged to blossom.
Today, there are a lot of woes facing all of us from the credit fiasco to growing unemployment lines. Perhaps it is the loss of confidence in political figures or the continued war in the Middle East. For others it is the growing gap between the rich and poor, and for me, it is the growing gap between those who can and don’t learn how to be better mathematicians than couch potatoes.
A Wall Street Journal article in September, 2008, reported the following: “The U.S. where blissful ignorance is celebrated and intellectual excellence ridiculed. Brittney Spears, Sean Penn, Paris Hilton are icons and most Americans watch 4.5 hours of mindless television every day. The United States, where we have the highest high school drop-out rate in the industrialized world and where children are undisciplined when it comes to the learning of Math and Science.”
Bill Gates recently traveled abroad visiting world high schools and made the following comment, “comparing our high schools with those abroad, I am terrified regarding our workforce of tomorrow.”
So what does this have to do with me, you might be asking. Thanks for asking. It has a lot to do with you. Too often, when kids come home with math homework, parent’s don’t remember how to do those Algebra or Geometry problems, so they simply tell kids, “I wasn’t very good at math…Math is important, just not for us…” STOP those words before they come out of your mouth. You use the math skills you learned every day in problem solving, innovation, predicting, projecting, estimating, and more.
The technology advances we enjoy, today, are a result of math and science innovations. We have satellite technology which gives us cell phones, digital television, increased homeland security, instant worldwide communication and more. Math encourages innovation. Disciplined students who are willing to work when it gets tougher ensures the health of our economy, the security of our nation, medical breakthroughs, and the ingenuity of future generations to improve the quality of life for all.
So the next time, your child wants to get out of a math class or doing a math problem, remember, Math may be the most important skill your child learns for their future. Let’s all say YES!!!, to more Math for our kids and move from the bottom of the industrialized world in our ability to use Math.
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