Schoolwide News

Charlie Schlegel, EAB's new Head of School, walked into my classroom this morning and told me he loves "mucking around" with math. I love hearing adults say things like this! Like many adults, Charlie has stories of not liking math in school because the procedures were taught by rote, and he didn't always "get it."  Sadly, many adults have had this experience in school. To combat stories like this, math teachers at EAB are working tirelessly to ensure that our students gain confidence in understanding mathematics by teaching the why and the how, putting learning into context, and engaging students in math play.  

Play is how most mammals learn. It's biologically programmed into us to want to play, and this is how we naturally develop skills, interact with others, and increase our knowledge base. Play is intrinsically reinforcing and motivating, and uses elements of the imagination combined with structures and materials in our physical world. When kids play they have fun, and when they have fun they learn.

Therefore, one of the ways to help your children in math is not to sit with them as they do their homework but rather to play math games with them. Some of my favorite math games are on this Math for Love website. There are some guidelines that Peter Gray, a play researcher, recommends when embarking on play with children.

First, the games need to interest the children. If they're not motivated to play the game, try again at a different time or play another game. Most of the learning happens when kids are having fun. To paraphrase John Lennon, "Learning is what happens when you're busy making other plans." 

Second, the games should have an element of imagination and choice. If your children want to change the rules, let them! My favorite from the Math for Love website is Horseshoes. This is a game where you pick a two-digit number (usually from rolling two dice) and four one-digit numbers; then you use the one-digit numbers to get as close to the two-digit number as possible using the four basic operations: addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. If your children are trying to get close to 63 using the numbers 2, 5, 6, and 8, they could make up a rule of "combining" 6 and 2 to get 62 or use the 2 as an exponent to get 82 = 64. These aren't in the original rules, but making up the game as you go is a key part of learning math through play because it's engaging, increases buy-in, and makes the game more satisfying.  

Other games that encourage math play include Chess, Cribbage, Set, and Prime Climb. If you enjoy reading stories with your children, the Bedtime Math App combines short bedtime stories with age-appropriate mental math problems.  

Encouraging math play enriches our children's learning experiences and fosters a positive attitude toward mathematics. By working together to play math with our kids, we can inspire curiosity, enhance skills, and build lasting confidence.