National Mathematics Day 2023 - Tips to Develop Your Child's Love for Numbers: Starting in 2012, National Mathematics Day is celebrated each year in India on December 22, to mark the birthday of world-renowned mathematician Ramanujan. It is no hidden fact that Maths is widely feared by students of all ages and even adults. However, one cannot shy away from the undeniable existence of Maths in every aspect of our lives, academic and functioning. But why do students hate Maths? Hate could be a strong word, however, children may fear math due to various reasons, such as a fear of numbers, lack of openness to ask questions, negative experiences or mockery when doing something wrong. It is a common perception that math is overly complex. Meanwhile, math concepts can be challenging for young minds because a lot of them are abstract. Hence, creating a positive and supportive learning environment for children, right when they start their academic journey, is important.
Parents shape the personality of their growing children. The kids borrow their initial attitude and perceptions towards various elements of life from their parents and other adults around. Thus, parents should go the extra mile to emphasise real-world applications of Mathematics using interactive, fun approaches. Otherwise, the kid might develop an irrationally negative attitude toward Mathematics.
National Mathematics Day 2023
National Mathematics Day in India, celebrated annually on December 22nd, honours the birth anniversary of the genius mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan to recognise his exceptional contributions to the field of mathematical research. Events and activities are organised to promote the significance of mathematics in various fields and encourage students to pursue maths academically.
Srinivasa Ramanujan - The Man Who Knew Infinity
As per indiascienceandtechnology.gov.in, Srinivasa Ramanujan was a super-smart guy who changed how we do math in the 1900s, even though he didn't go to a fancy math school.
He was born in India in 1887 and was good at math from a young age. Things didn't start great for him. He got a scholarship for college in 1904, but then he lost it because he didn't do well in non-math classes. He struggled with money, but in 1910, someone from the Indian Mathematical Society saw his potential and decided to help him out. Ramanujan started writing down his math ideas in notebooks, and in 1911, he published his first math paper.
Later on, he went to Cambridge in England, where GH Hardy noticed how smart Ramanujan was. Hardy encouraged him to share his ideas in papers. In 1918, Ramanujan became the second Indian person to make a name in the Royal Society.
Even though he only lived until he was 32, Ramanujan’s mathematical contributions still help us today. We celebrate his birthday on December 22 as National Mathematics Day to remember his genius contributions to math.
Parental Tips to Spark Your Child's Love for Numbers
Making math a fun and engaging subject for kids is essential for fostering a positive attitude toward learning. Here are some creative and effective ways to make math enjoyable for your kids. These will help in nurturing a more positive attitude toward the subject.
Tip 1: Maths is Real, NOT Imaginary!
Show your child how math is important in their everyday life. Keep track of all the times you use math in a day, like when you buy chocolates, balloons, grocery, cook food, handle money, etc. Knowing that math is useful in real life can make learning more interesting for students.
Tip 2: Active Maths - Doing The Maths in Life
Once your kids start seeing how Maths is being used in daily chores, invite them to engage in these activities as well. Ask them to count the number of eggs you are buying, take their help in counting the number of bananas you bought or count the number of vehicles in a parking lot, count the number of petals in different flowers, etc. Once they start engaging in these menial activities, their fear of numbers will go away eventually.
Tip 3: Take A Step Ahead - Start Math Puzzles and Games
Introduce your child to age-appropriate riddles, number games, puzzles, and arithmetic games. You can have physical games as well as digital games on smartphones, tablets or desktops. There are several free and paid websites dedicated to learning Math with fun activities. Challenging your kids with such puzzles and brain teasers will encourage them to solve problems playfully.
Tip 4: Fun Competitions: Positive Reinforcement
Positive reinforcement is when you reward the kid with something they like, it could be a warm hug, a bowl of noodles or a chocolate, extra play time, etc. Arrange playful competitions where if they count to 100 correctly, they win or if they can spell all numbers upto 50, they get to play 15 more minutes with their friends.
Tip 5: Be Patient, Hurry will Scare Them
Kids are extra sensitive. Each child is special because they have their unique learning pace and style. Do not hurry them into learning something new just because other kids in the neighbourhood can do it. Show patience and be kind to them. Do not scold them or mock them for forgetting formulas or numbers or getting a sum wrong. Encourage them to try again and get it right. Once they start feeling negative about Mathematics and themselves, it would be a difficult road to making them feel positive again.
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