advertisement

Teach children math skills early on

Please rerun the article by Lauran Neergaard (“Early number sense plays role in math skills,” April 1). It deserves better placement in your paper. When the writer states that one out of five adults in the U.S. lacks the math competence expected of a middle-schooler, parents should wake up! If America is to continue to be a world leader, this deficiency needs to be corrected.

Where to start? How about right after giving birth? Most parents count those toes and fingers, checking to see that all is right. Most babies have 10 of each, and to think that we are born with these mathematical aids!

The author of the article quotes Dr. Kathy Mann Koepke of the National Institutes of Health, who states “We are in the midst of math all the time.” Our days are measured by clocks, our driving is governed by speed limits and route numbers, food preparations require timing, etc. We can help develop children’s mathematical sense early on if we use our common sense.

Patricia D. Herrmann

Arlington Heights

Article Comments
Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.