Your June 2009 ShillerMath Tidbit by Larry Shiller
How kids excel in math
Get rid of the summertime blues!
Ever wonder why some kids do well in math and others don't? Could it be
their economic situation, their neighborhood, or something else?
It turns out that one predictor may stand out above all others: Whether or
not a child studies over the summer.
Children who don't do summer study have a lot of catching up to do in the
fall; those who do hit the ground running. In his book, Outliers, Malcom
Gladwellsays that children who study over the summer have a distinct
advantage over those who don't. In other words, learning shouldn't take a
vacation.
The lesson for parents? Take along a math workbook. Seize "teaching
moment" opportunities to help children learn math concepts through all the
senses, no matter what the summer activity. Hear a bird song? How many
times before it's answered? On a lazy canoe ride? How many gallons of water
are in that lake? Watching a game of baseball? How is the ERA (Earned Run
Average) calculated?
Want to give your children a distinct advantage? Put a little math in your
summer this year!
They said it
The mathematical sciences particularly exhibit order, symmetry, and
limitation; and these are the greatest forms of the beautiful. Aristotle
For the things of this world cannot be made known without a knowledge of
mathematics. Roger Bacon
Life is a school of probability. Walter Bagehot
"Obvious" is the most dangerous word in mathematics. Eric Temple Bell
June 2009 Puzzler [Grades 3-12]
Here's a common tech job interview question that's fun for children too:
Olivia has two buckets, one that holds three gallons and another that holds
five. She has an unlimited supply ofwater from a hose and can empty buckets
at will. How can she put exactly four gallons of water into one of the
buckets?
Visit http://www.shillermath.com/puzzler by June 25, 2009 with the correct answer and most interesting solution to be this month's puzzler winner.
I hope you enjoyed this short math break!
Sincerely,
Larry Shiller
Publisher
See what parents are saying about their favorite math curriculum for 3-12 year olds at http://www.shillermath.com/sm/contact.php.
ShillerMath publishes Montessori-based math curriculum, songs, workbooks,
and flashcards for ages 3-12. No Montessori or math knowledge is required
and there's zero lesson preparation - just read what's in quotes and you're
good to go! Students using this approach consistently outperform their
peers. ShillerMath includes authoritative materials and lessons used by
thousands of Montessori schools and is the math curriculum of choice for
schools and homes throughout the world. Visit the ShillerMath site http://www.shillermath.com for customer testimonials and all the details on this proven and amazingly effective product.
Call 407-413-9200 or email sales@shillermath.com for JUNE 2009 SPECIALS.
ShillerMath • 258 Thunder Lake Road, Wilton, CT 06897 888-556-MATH
1-203-210-5208
About Larry Shiller
America's Math Expert Larry Shiller has a mission: to make the US #1 in
math. President of ShillerMath, publishers of Montessori-based curriculum
for home, school, and afterschool, and Founder of the
Rising Stars Foundation, a 501(c)(3)
that builds positive role models for children in math, Shiller is a
graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Harvard
Business School.
