We all experience frustration, but it is in frustrating situations that we often learn the most. Part of what we have to teach kids is that frustration is okay.
Games are fun, for sure, but they also teach us valuable thinking skills.
We have to show our kids that it’s okay to make mistakes, and help them learn how to react when they actually make one.
Get ready to do some math in your kitchen!
How we think about gardening and problem-solving can actually be pretty similar: both are really just experiments….
Being a good problem solver helps in all aspects of life, and requires a full toolbox of strategies!
Being good at math begins with believing you are good at math, and with having a positive math mindset. So, how do we do that, and help our kids do that?
There’s some interesting mathematics hidden in your dice, and it’s not just probability!
Sometimes the solution to a problem involves truly unexpected thinking. And that’s where the real fun is!
Sometimes, the best way to make progress in problem solving is to take a break!
Your child has a problem to solve and no idea how to start. Here are some ways you can help (without telling them how to do it!).
Who would’ve thought that connect-the-dots would be so important to our world?
Yes, you do mental math. And you should share it with your kids.
Mistakes happen, but did you know they can be valuable?
What does it mean to generalize? Why does generalization matter? And why do my kids need to learn how to do it?
Being good at math doesn’t at all depend on how “smart” we are. It simply depends on our willingness to start somewhere, work hard, fail, and try again.
Games are way more than just fun.
What Homer Simpson knows, or rather doesn’t know, about geometry.
Why teach kids to jump in and experiment? Because this is where confidence is built, creativity shines, and critical thinking is learned.
With the right ingredients, you can build your kids’ math skills in two minutes a day, and almost no prep work is required!
Most of us don’t have a tank in the driveway. If we want to solve a problem that involves tank tread, then what are our choices?
When you just don’t know how to begin, sometimes it’s a matter of choosing a path, just to see where it leads, even if it’s to a different path!
There are many different kinds of skills that we want our kids to learn, but what does it all mean, and which ones matter most?
Try a puzzle that focuses on how someone else managed to solve a puzzle!
Why do we fear word problems so much? Let’s talk about one of the reasons (and how to fix it!) here!
Sometimes the best way to help your child learn is to say less!
Think of focus like a muscle - the more you flex it, the better it will perform when you need it.
High school geometry did you a service, even if you aren't quite ready to admit it yet....
Do you know what the Pythagorean Theorem says… really says?
We know it’s not easy for middle school parents to help their children become better math students and stronger problem solvers. So we put on our teacher hats….
Using pictures to model sets is more e-Venn-tful than you might think….
Critical thinking is all the rage in education, and that’s a good thing. But for a parent, the idea of critical thinking can be kind of vague…
Playing cards have endless value in learning math. Here are just a couple of the many reasons!
Helping children to become better problem solvers is a worthy goal... but how do we do that?
Patterns and structures matter because they are everywhere, in everything.
Spreadsheets, like Excel, aren't magic... they're math!
Time for a little math magic!
It's a huge question - when you see that your child is struggling to learn, what do you do? Our answer - teach them how to struggle productively...
We help our children to be more persistent when we ask them to do things that are challenging, but not impossible.
Science isn’t the only subject where you dissect stuff!
Asking why is a valuable life skill. And it’s more than just “Why is the sky blue?”
It's time to meet one of the greatest equations from one of the greatest minds in mathematics. Don't be shy - be curious!
We investigate a strange way of encoding information using points on the number line… is this for real?
Why should we challenge our kids to about different frames of reference?
Some people might get the impression that geometry is a little… boring. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Understanding seemingly unbelievable math is not only fun, but incredibly valuable for expanding and practicing critical thinking and problem-solving skills!
Working on puzzles with our kids can be rewarding, as long as we adults don’t hog all the learning!
Math today is taught differently than how we (the adults) maybe have learned it, and that’s actually a good thing!
Don’t feel guilty if you enjoy a piece of mathematics that isn’t “useful”!
The relevance of the math we do matters. We all understand better when we can connect what we are learning to our lives.
It’s almost always worthwhile to ask a learner: “Hey, what's another way that you could solve this problem?”
Do you know people who effortlessly compute the tip at dinner, or quickly know how to divide up the bill between everybody at the table? What's their secret??
What’s the big deal about critical thinking? And how do I help my child be a better critical thinker?
This may sound a little strange, but we're really in love with division. We think you should be too...
Examine your decision-making skills by trying this unique probability puzzler!
Have you noticed that bubbles are always spheres? Why is that, and how is it related to STEM?
Adding a little mystery to learning can get your child engaged, while also building important critical thinking skills.
Discovering mathematics for yourself is powerful: it can make for a better learning experience, and improve your retention of that experience.
Drawing pictures as we learn, even if what we’re learning doesn’t seem obviously visual, can help us retain what we learn.
Chords in a circle, and an intriguing pattern... time for a drawing challenge!
Try living one day without using anyone’s name. Difficult, isn't it? Math is no different!
If at first you don’t succeed, draw, draw again!
Yes, famous people throughout history have created amazing mathematics!
SAT-style math questions can be hard. Luckily, there are helpful shortcuts you can use to be successful on the SAT, especially with multiple-choice problems.
Do you like movies with twist endings? If so, maybe you'll enjoy a mathematical paradox like this....
Maybe your child isn’t into math, but they’re into sports. Well, then they’re REALLY into math.
You might be surprised just how many fabulous shortcuts there are, just waiting for you to use them!
How a simple jigsaw puzzle can lead to some not-so-simple algebra and geometry!
Letters in math are vital. No matter what they are used to represent, they are a help... as long as you know what they stand for.
To prove something true, what if you prove that its opposite can't possibly be true?
Complex math problems don’t have to be complicated....
Being cool with an answer that doesn’t feel ‘finished’ is no easy feat.
Most of us dread the idea of helping our children with math homework. Thankfully, there are ways to work through the dread, and make it easier on everyone...
We've all heard of “keeping it simple”, but why is this valuable in mathematics?
You might not believe it, but we are all natural (math) problem solvers. What matters is finding the approach that works for you!
You know pi, but what do you REALLY know about pi?
There are unexpectedly deep ideas hiding in your 'simple' arithmetic!
Let’s all make friends with math. There is so much to be gained - and nothing to lose!
It’s possible to see why the Pythagorean Theorem is true simply by glancing at a picture!
