When I meet a math phobic student who expresses a disinterest or defeated sense of mathematical ability, I often casually ask him or her if they like to shop. The answer is usually positive. I say, "If you gave the clerk a twenty dollar bill and your item was $12.50 wouldn't you want to know if you received the right change?" Students nod in response and giggle "yes". "Do you play sports?" Again, most students do, so it leads to a nice conversation about points scored for a TD or field goal, 3 point basket vs. foul shot, etc. Then I ask them to please tell me the time. They turn, look at the clock, and respond. Then I ask them something equally mundane like find a particular shape in the room (rectangle = window), find a pattern (flag), find a quantity (six or seven pencils may be on the table), finally I ask them the sum of 1+1. When they respond "2", I say, "Congratulations. You scored 100% on your first math assessment with me!" Surprised smiles replace worried frowns, and we're on our way!

      When I explain to students that MATH IS EVERYWHERE and convince them so easily with the opening exercise I just described, they seem to relax and realize that they are doing math successfully throughout the day and have already been doing it successfully throughout their lives.

      I encourage you to highlight for your child the number of times and ways in which you use math daily. Everything from balancing a checkbook, to estimating while you walk the aisles at Shop Rite, to using a odometer in the car to judge distance is using mathematics. Take your child to the market with you where there are many opportunities to explore mathematical concepts. Weigh the bananas after you guess which bunch is heavier, compare the prices of a beverage packaged in individual serving sizes vs. in bulk, estimate the price of the 1/2 lb. of turkey you're buying, "think aloud" so your child sees that adults 'do math' all the time, find the savings by using coupons, and let your child count the change needed or received at the register. It may take a bit longer, but the lesson that they can do it and that you trust them is the far greater reward. The more "math talk" that occurs in a child's life, the more comfortable they become thinking mathematically, computing mathematics, and applying math strategies. Please don't ever tell your child that you too may have disliked math or that you weren't good at it. The power of expectation has a very strong influence on our success.

      So, I ask for you to partner with me and your child's teacher in making this year the year of the mathematician! I look forward to meeting your child and working with them toward math mastery, and please feel free to contact me at any time.