Helping kids learn algebra










  • Frank D

    I started teaching my kid algebra (when he was around 6) by having him calculate the number of pennies I had hidden inside of my hand:
    3 x the # of pennies in my hand = 12
    when he got it right, he got the pennies! After doing many little problems, I told him I was tired of repeating \pennies in my hand\ and would just use p
    p / 6 = 1/2
    (he still got the pennies). Slowly, I started incorporating fractions, later squares and square roots, or if we did it in the car, there would be no pennies, but he would still like doing it, as kind of a game. Eventually, the problems became to long to remember, so I would have to write it down, etc.
    Now that I’m reading \Reality Is Broken\, by Jane McGonigal (awesome book), it makes even more sense, since it’s set up as game, has a very fast reward system, I can keep it more and more challenging as time goes on, etc. So I really like teaching this way, set up as a game.
    He’s 14 now and still remembers learning algebra that way, and is still good at doing math in his head. (If only I could continue bribing him learning and doing his homework with just pennies :)
    Frank D.

  • Morgan D

    You might want to check out the Khan Academy . It was recently featured on TED and has videos covering algebra, practice lessons, and an ability to keep track of progress.

  • Raymond Zeitler

    I make up word problems that revolve around cats. For example, suppose Simba can run 1 meter per second, and Sylvester can run 3 m/s. It’s dinner time, and mom opens the tuna can when Simba is 20m away and Sylvester is 40m away. If they both run toward the tuna at the same time, who will reach the tuna first? How much time will it take the first cat to reach the tuna? If Sylvester reaches the tuna first, at what time will Simba and Sylvester be the same distance away, and what would that distance be?

    One real deficiency in math education in USA is that negative numbers are introduced so late. I don’t recall seeing our daughter learning them until grade 4 or 5. I think they should be introduced a few weeks after subtraction, in grade 1.

  • Sacha Chua

    Raymond: Love that idea! We will work some physics into our exercises.

    J- is in grade 7 and is starting to work with negative numbers in her equations. I’m sure she’s come across them earlier and the concept doesn’t boggle her, but it would certainly be useful to practise all the operations with negative numbers. =)

    You can always introduce concepts earlier than the school does. Good luck and have fun!

  • Colleen Young

    Sacha – have you seen the nrich site?
    You may be inspired by some os the activities there.


  • Raymond Zeitler

    A few years ago the school system’s math teachers actually put out a notice that told the parents not to show the students “tricks’ to solving problems. This was a few years ago when they wanted the kids to do division a Certain Way.

    Naturally, I disregarded that notice, and I continue to show her material ahead of time. For example, when she was solving linear equations, I solved a quadratic. “This equation has 2 solutions; x will have two values.” “No way.” Five minutes later, after solving and substituting the solutions back in, she goes, “Oh wow!” :)

    I’ve also introduced imaginary numbers. She thought I was kidding. I can’t wait…. LOL