Sponsored post by Time4Learning.com
Strong math skills are crucial in the emerging job market. It’s no coincidence that educators and business professionals focus on the importance of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) when they’re discussing the need for future-qualified employees in what is now labeled the “Information Age.” And at the core of this age is math.
A recent study of the top 162 college degrees by Bankrate, an independent, advertising-supported publisher and comparison service, found that the “fields of study that topped the list fell in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields, bolstering the efforts to get more students involved in STEM programs.”
The winning major was Actuarial Science. These professionals help insurance companies price out their products accurately and profitably. Sue Vagts, director of the Actuarial Science Program at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln is quoted in the study: “Actuarial science is great for people who are strong in math or computers — anything analytical — that want to apply it in a business setting,”
That’s just one example. There are many more in the study that proves math skills are becoming increasingly important as our technology and industry advance. So, the question is, how can you, as a homeschool teacher, maximize your child’s math skills?
Improving Math Skills With New Tools
As a homeschooler, you have many resources and tools that are geared toward improving your child’s math skills. One such product is offered by Time4Learning, a PreK-12th online curriculum that teaches math, language arts, science, and social studies.
The product is aptly named Time4MathFacts. It takes a fun and interactive approach to learning basic math facts in addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. It assists your child in building a solid foundation in mathematics, so they will be more fluent and better prepared for future math concepts and topics.
What stands out about this product is its adaptability. Once your child’s math skills are assessed, Time4MathFacts allows them to work at a level and pace that suits their needs. It utilizes multiple game-like lessons that help your children recollect math facts in addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. The games are an entertaining and engaging alternative to traditional tools such as textbooks, flashcards, and basic memorization.
While Time4MathFacts is recommended beginning at the second-grade level for addition/subtraction and third-grade level for multiplication/division,
the program is a great refresher for higher grade levels as well!
Building Math Fluency
Research has proven that using a product-based learning tool to build math fluency, such as Time4MathFacts, improves recall and the speed at which students answer a question. Three major components that help children meet these goals are:
Individualized instruction: Each child works at their own level and improves at their own pace using skill-focused activities and lessons.
Progress-based rewards method: Children earn tokens as they improve and progress through the program. This learning method is both fun and challenging and stimulates the willingness to learn more. Tokens are used to create and modify avatars within the Time4MathFacts product.
Diagnostic reporting: You can monitor and track your child’s progress in math fact fluency and answer any questions they have about the product and lessons.
These three components motivate children to learn and retain knowledge at a quicker pace. Instead, children grow more excited and confident as they progress and collect additional tokens.
Getting Started
Most parents use products such as Time4MathFacts as an after-school or homeschool enhancement tool, summer study program, or adopt it when their child is having problems with math. Time4MathFacts is designed for students in second and third grade, but can also help students in grades 4-6 as well as students with special needs who require additional practice in math fluency.
Time4MathFacts is included in the Time4Learning membership at no additional charge. Like Time4Learning, Time4MathFacts works best when on a laptop or desktop computer using the latest version of your preferred web browser.
Now that you have another tool at your disposal, you can further improve your child’s math skills and prepare them for what’s next. After all, now that math is playing such a pivotal role in the nation’s developing industries and economy, it’s imperative that they have a strong foundation in math fluency. It may assist them in their future endeavors and even help them be more competitive once they enter the job market. You know the saying — it’s never too early to start.
Additional Homeschool Resources
Incorporating STEM Into Your Homeschool
Why is STEM Important In Your Homeschool?
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