Channel: yaymath

Category: Education

Tags: 1st grade mathelementary school math2nd grade mathkindergarten mathfirst grade mathfun math gamesmath for grade 1math puzzlesyaymathhome school mathlearning at homecommon core matheasy math for kidshome school math ideasmath for kidsearly childhood educationhomeschool mathcountingsecond grade mathyay math for kidsworld schoolingmath in naturepreschool mathpre-k matheasy math games for childrenmath videosfather daughter

Description: Ever wonder what parents who are math teachers try to teach their kids when they're young, like in the 1st grade? In early elementary school math learning, it's critical to instill broad-level skills, such as: • logical thinking • extended focus on a task • a sense of curiosity • freedom to make mistakes in safety • connectedness and appreciation for nature • an air of joy, and empowerment In this special father-daughter sequence, my 7-year-old and I take a walk through the forest, and end up doing a fun math activity that involves grouping. First, I ask her to collect 4 items along the way. Then when we stop, I challenge her to think of all possible groups of 1 item, then 2 items, then 3, then 4. Welcome to Yay Math, where inspired learning comes from creating deep and meaningful human connections. Below, I've outlined every specific and subtle teaching strategy to keep her engaged and interested in our task. It's the little things that can make the difference between igniting their deepest potential, or shutting them down. So in the video, you'll see: 0:50 – I asked HER to find her own items, to create buy-in for the activity. 2:18 – Allowing her to have momentary "space out", without stigmatizing it or demanding increased attention. Just letting her flow as she is. 2:28 – Following her lead. 3:00 – You'll notice I keep count for her. This appears to be what she needs age-wise, and is a subtle gesture of assisting and being in-tuned with her. (You'll notice that later on, at 5:56, she realizes I'm keeping count, and references my fingers to help her along.) 3:05 – I offer positive acknowledgement that she's stumbled onto a logical system. 3:24 – I allow her to finish a sequence that wasn't correct, before offering feedback. 3:40 – I encourage her to start over, giving her another chance to learn and practice. 4:16 – I took a risk with saying "Ah." to pivot her away a certain thought. Not the best choice I could have made, but it was brief and benign enough to work. 4:31 – We took advantage of a natural break in the action, when she noticed that the leaf had bite marks on it. These brief respites allow the brain to reset, so that we can jump back into the next task afresh. Plus, it keeps the overall mood light and informal. 5:10 – She asks a question that would be better answered by herself, so I kindly declined to answer it, to let her thinking continue. 5:36 – She hits a milestone, befitting of a "Nice!" reaction from me. 5:40 – Again asking her to repeat it, solidifying the concept in her mind. 5:45 – I repeat her groups after she says them, as another act of assistance and attunement. 6:30 – All of sudden, we're doing addition. So I go with it! Learning math can always be fun and connective. Please visit yaymath.org​ for: • all videos • free quizzes • free worksheets • exclusive blog dedicated to connected instruction • debut book on how to connect with and inspire students • all-in-one math courses that teachers and parents can use, backed by Yay Math energy