In the TED Talk "5 Ways To Share Math With Kids," Dan Finkel, a mathematician and educator, shares his insights on how to make math engaging and enjoyable for children. He outlines five key strategies:
Start With a Question:
Instead of presenting math as a set of rules to follow, begin with a compelling question that sparks curiosity and invites exploration.
Encourage Play:
Treat math like a playground, where children can experiment, make mistakes, and discover new ideas in a fun, pressure-free environment.
Use Visuals:
Visual representations can make abstract concepts more concrete and accessible, helping kids to understand and retain mathematical ideas better.
Embrace Mistakes:
Normalise making mistakes as a crucial part of the learning process, emphasising that errors are opportunities for learning and growth.
Be a Guide, Not an Answer Key:
Encourage children to find their own solutions and strategies, guiding them with questions and hints rather than providing direct answers.
Finkel emphasises that these approaches can help foster a love for math and develop critical thinking skills in children.
https://youtu.be/ytVneQUA5-c?si=A4ks_5ITfpltwWCB
The content by "Digital Schools" which can be found under the "Guest Contributor" category on this platform is produced by Digital Schools PTY LTD. Digital Schools works in partnership with the school as a 3rd party provider to help build and maintain the school website. As well as this, we assist the school by engaging with a range of experts who already provide products and/or services to educational institutions and we work with them to produce and publish information to this website that we think may be relevant, interesting or topical to families within the community.
PLEASE NOTE: The views, opinions and content published by us are that of the "Guest Contributor" and/or publisher (Digital Schools). It should be noted that whilst the publisher and guest contributors are acting with the best intentions and in the best interests of the school and their community, sometimes the content may not necessarily reflect the views of the school. We welcome your feedback. Down the bottom of this page is a feedback form so you can let us know what you think.