Teaching Kids Why Math Matters?

Day in and day out, math teachers hear the same question: “Why do I need to learn this?” Math teacher Peter Caryotakis has two answers for his students. “Because someday your children will ask you for help with their homework,” is his funny (but accurate) reply.  He follows up with a more serious answer: “Because knowing math will keep as many doors as possible open in your future.”

Math teachers all over the country have their favorite answers to this timeless question, reasons that demonstrate why math matters. In a nutshell, these reasons can be summed up by three words: Personal, Practical, and Patriotic.

Personal Reasons to Learn Math:

A person's success in life depends on how well she can solve problems. No matter what her career or life situation, she’ll find satisfaction and reward by knowing how to tackle challenges head on. And while kids can’t possibly practice every problem they’ll ever have in life, there is a class in school that can help them learn how to think logically: math. Doing a math problem helps practice the problem-solving steps that apply to everyday situations: define the problem, think of ways to solve it, implement a solution, and evaluate the results.

Read More - http://www.education.com/magazine/article/math-matters/