A common question students have is, "How is math useful in real life?" It may seem like the concepts taught are rarely used outside of the classroom. Still, in actuality, learning math allows us to develop skills essential to everyday life.
There are numerous applications of math that we use daily - from determining which store has the better deal to measuring ingredients while cooking. In our course, students learn to complete such tasks (as well as more complicated ones) efficiently by familiarizing themselves with the fundamental concepts covered in the curriculum.
We will begin each class with mental math exercises to practice calculations without calculators. These exercises facilitate and lead into lessons in basic math units, including:
- Number Sense (place value, order of operations, rounding)
- Integers (adding, subtracting, multiplying, dividing)
- Rational Numbers (square roots, scientific notation and expanded form)
- Fractions (adding, subtracting, multiplying, dividing, simplifying, converting)
- Proportional Reasoning (multiplying and dividing decimals, ratios, rates, percents, proportions, and fraction conversions)
- Measurement (metric system, metric conversions, elapsed time, and time conversions)
- Geometry (length, lines and angles, 2-D shapes, 3-D shapes, perimeter, area, surface area, volume, transformations)
- Algebra (variables, expressions, equations, inequalities)
- Data Literacy (graph types, histograms, misleading graphs)
- Patterns and Relationships (general term of a sequence, number sequences, solving equations by graphing, interpolating and extrapolating, equation of a line)
- Probability (experimental vs. theoretical probability, sample spaces and event types, calculating probabilities using independent and dependent events)
- Financial Literacy (payment methods and currency conversions, financial planning and budgeting, interest, monthly payments, loyalty programs, credit card programs)
After each lesson, we move into guided practise, allowing students to display their understanding and consolidate learning. We then continue into word problems, where students apply their knowledge to realistic situations, bringing together reality and math.
At the end of each unit, we will conduct short assessments and then send them to parents for their records.
Rather than focusing on what the answer is, we strive to understand how to get the answer. With our help, students will learn to think analytically through problems and find a solution. They will learn to identify the important information given in a question, apply logical reasoning, and carry out the necessary steps to come to a final solution.
There is usually one correct answer with math, but this does not mean there is only one path to the solution. By presenting different methods of solving a question, we encourage students to develop their own thought processes and find the path that best suits them.