What Science Knows About Learning Math

For the past 100 years, many brilliant men and women have been researching and thinking about how we learn number concepts and what are the best ways to teach math to children and adults. Combining their findings, we compiled a list containing 10 Rules of learning math. #learn #math #pedagogy

Introduction to Mathematical Thinking - free online course

Sources:

What is Math Thinking and How Can Games Help Teach them

Research: Street Mathematics and school mathematics

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Video collaborators:
Script: Jonas Koblin
Artist: Pascal Gaggelli
Voice: Matt Abbott
Coloring: Nalin
Editing: Peera Lertsukittipongsa
Creative Director: Selina Bador
Production Assistant: Bianka
Made with MinuteVideos

Link to full script:

[pyschologygeek]

Math seems difficult because it takes time and energy. Many people don't experience sufficient time to "get" math lessons, and they fall behind as the teacher moves on. Many move on to study more complex concepts with a shaky foundation. We often end up with a weak structure that is doomed to collapse at some point.

[willyh.r.]

One key fact about math is that it involves a genuine understanding of a structure of a problem. Intuitive or superficial understandings are helpful but not always enough.

[injusticeanywherethreatens]

everytime you learn an equation, first learn its derivation and then try to apply the equation to a real life problem you've had or read about. that's what helps me get over the hump when i'm stuck.

very few times did my teachers derive an equation to put the equation into words that i can understand and write down a real life example of in words.

[mickeywood]

I went from being a D- math student in high school to a teacher's helper in the tenth grade. I took a class called bonehead math by other students. Thanks to my math teacher Mr. Powell I got over my fear of math. Mr. Powell was special, in that he made me feel special by memorizing the formula for a magic square (where all the numbers on a line would equal the same number), right before the Rubix cube became a thing. Our School district was shut down after that so I didn't pursue math as an extended course.

[ark-associates]

This is so right on - I've shown this from the then highly controversial "math" program I developed in way back in my remedial tutoring days which also began k-4. Controversial because my preference was to start kids off whenever possible BEFORE they could even count to 30 with fractions as their FIRST math experience. Fractions were learned thru origami, geometry and Egyptian Rope Surveying using an Egyptain "tape measure" the kids make themselves along with a tall and wide triangular strung across and plumb line intersection leveling homemade tool .

Take any piece of light rope and four different colored markers. Basically you take any made up unit of length like a domino works great and you lay it over the white nylon rope and with black mark away; at every 12 marks carefully, double mark, and write the next number of say 1 thru 50 for a 12unit x 50 tape measure. Then take another color and mark every third mark, another color marks every fourth and the third color marks every 5th (you get the 3-4-5 ratio from which you can make a perfect right angle and all kinds of other cool stuff.) You only do geometry with a compass and straight edge. You also make geometric optical illusions of curves-art by using only straight lines and have the kids slowly NO-pressure learn precision (very important) thru geometric coloring books AFTER teaching them the seven ways to hold and move a crayon or colored pencil. You create puzzles to solve and just let them play - they will - IF IF no pressure or expectations. Colored paper used and scissor cut into fractions. Show them the radius circumscribed onto the circle circumference to create the hexagon oh and how to divide a cherry pie into six pieces and also show to construct the pentagon. Thru play they will learn BASIC addition subtraction multiplication and division subliminally without any "instruction."

To convince parents why your starting with fractions show this simple experiment explaining the first "math" (actually Arithmetic but just use the math word because THEY ARE learning thru relationship EXPERIENCES anyway). Get 10 kids and 5 donuts very unevenly raised, 20/10 is better and divide the kids into two groups from one group those kids do the cutting the kids from the other group do the choosing which half. Watch what happens, those kids with the least "math" instruction (BS) will not use the diameter in half approach but look closely and analyze the unevenness before cutting. Then the results most often will not LOOK anything close to half and half approaching equals BUT BUT instead weigh the two halves and see for yourself the closer results - that was some pretty advanced mathematical vector-approaching thinking for 5 year olds. Lay out simple buildings outside on the pavement using chalk and your Egyptian tape measure and have all kinds of fun, diagonals to check squareness etc etc. Do simple simple division and multiply problems geometrically drawn instead (NO paper, NO numerals) these kids will have NO problems understanding multiply and divide fractions like the insanity of normal instructions creating opposite sentences. "When one M's and D's whole numbers you get more and less but it is the opposite when doing fractions" - with colored paper cut-outs 4 pieces of 1/3rds = 1 circle plus a little bit (1/3).


I took no money until after 6 months or so when the kids could do double digit times double digit FAST and accurate in their heads and divide two digit in to 6-7 digit also in their heads using ZERO multiplication tables but instead the Egyptian and/or Russian Abacus method of halves and doubling and the modified E pyramid of 1-2-5-7 instead of the standard E P of 1-2-4-8 because 5 times a number = half times ten (just add a zero) then add base number doubled to get the 7 result and from there - - then build TO the division "goal" - - easy to learn - in your head when taught the simple rules / tricks a quick mental cast out nines to verify results. Oh and when adding tall lists of say 3 digit or more numbers kids start from the LEFT and work right instead of the other way around and they do the whole think mentally with NO pencils and NO (BS) carrying - accurately to very impressive results. BUT by the book school-principles WILL often can mad - "you can't do that cause that is NOT the way its done regardless if you get the right answers in one-fifth time time - or less!! And boy does "this-kind" get mad.

It all works believe me - try it yourself.

[astraeusgodofthestars]

Before, I really hated math because I can't relate to it. But when I developed an interest in Astrology then in Astronomy, that's when I realized that Mathematics is not only the Mother of Science but for me, Mathematics is the language of the Universe.
I believe that when learning math, it has to be personal to you. Well, that's my 2 cents. 👍

[baguette]

I love this animation so much ! And it's really clear even if I'm french I understand very well your explainations 😁

[bubbletea]

this video was much needed, currently struggling in my final year in high school, don't know how im gonna cram everything in 3 months, but let's do it anyways !

[tippycanoe]

I love this video. Thanks so much for putting it together. The illustrations are helpful. Learning math should not be painful. I totally agree that learning math you need the concrete objects to help you understand the concept. Dr. Montessori created the wonderful concrete materials that help children understand the concept easily.

[sueelliott]

Thank you for sharing. I could not do math in school and was seen as dumb kid. I realised that I could do math better than most adults when I started working. Maybe they did not teach me right because I am a super intelligent adult. I home-schooled my own children pre school and they super intelligent. Its not what you teach, its how you teach it. I am now studying early childhood education in my 50's.

[adheenaeaswar]

I have never really understood y math is so difficult for a child I enjoyed doing math.I m in 10th r8 now and my favorite subject is math. this video helps us know why math is hard for the minds to process

[houseofcreationsgp]

This is the Best Video I've watched in Decades, it explains why I struggled when little

[brainstormingsharing]

Absolutely well done and definitely keep it up!!! 👍👍👍👍👍

[shaylore]

This video really inspires students to get interested in Mathematics !!!

[theguywhobetterthantony]

Perfect and important. I love your animations and voice👊❤

[angilapauline]

Yes, , , this is what I was looking for, , , thank

[knw-seeker]

Thanks a lot
I wish the school system and academic system would take this into
consideration for making a change world wide

[Natie-vwvt]

Watching maths videos on YouTube helps me so much more than in school, I learn more than just the basics in 4 days rather than many months and I remember it for the rest of my life

[sunapumohit]

This is the thing every parent should know why their kids are not learning maths it's because of how their being taught

[Kittycat]

Can you do a video on the four parenting styles: authoritarian, permissive, authoritative & uninvolved