“For math to make sense to young children, it needs to relate to everyday events happening in their lives.” (MacDonald, 2007). This made me reflect about math in my surroundings; I am working in the admissions office at an International School in Singapore. I meet an average of 4 families a day, that is 4 x 5 days = 20 families per week, 20 x 4.4 weeks = 88 families per month, and 88 x 12 months = 1,056 families per year. Also, when I take families for a tour around the campus, which is 37 acres (converted to hectares it is 14.9), I found out with the use of a pedometer that I take about 18,000 steps in one day, 18,000 x 5 = 90,000 steps in one week....I could go on and on. It made me truly realize that math is all around us and I do not need to go to the gym to get my exercise and boy, do I meet a lot of people! It is important to connect math to children's reality in order to make it interesting. For example, at our school the younger grades keep track of how many days they have been in school then celebrate the 100th day and money raised for charities is tracked on a thermomenter. All making math a part of their lives.
Reference:
MacDonald, S. (2007). Math in minutes, easy activities for children ages 4-8.
Beltsville, MD: Gryphon House
Beltsville, MD: Gryphon House
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