| What is Mental Math? Lot of you out there are | | | | Read what past president of National Council |
| trying to find an answer to this question. | | | | of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) has to say |
| Well, answer is quite simple, mental math is | | | | about mental math: the time has come to |
| nothing but simple calculations done in your | | | | invest in helping students build the mental |
| head, that is, mentally. So now you are | | | | math skills in their tool kits as part of |
| wondering well, what is such a big deal, I | | | | their comprehensive mathematical |
| can easily calculate 10 + 5 and 95 + 100, my | | | | understanding. The payoff for this investment |
| 10 year old child can easily calculate 80 + | | | | can be tremendous both in improving students |
| 20. These are some simple calculations. But | | | | mathematical abilities and in giving a |
| often in our day to day life, neither we come | | | | visible sign that we are committed to |
| across such easy calculations nor will your | | | | preparing students with the kind of |
| children in future. Rather we come across a | | | | mathematical proficiency that the public can |
| bit tougher calculations. | | | | readily appreciate. |
| | | | |
| Let me draw your attention to your visit to a | | | | We all have had our share of difficulties |
| restaurant. Have you ever wondered, jeez, how | | | | understanding and learning math in the past. |
| much is 15% of that or 18% of that. Have you | | | | And the same difficulties face to our |
| been to a grocery store and wondered how | | | | children. Let me tell you that yes math is |
| much tax was charged to you? These are the | | | | difficult and boring if the numbers and the |
| kind of simple calculations I am talking | | | | relation between these numbers are not |
| about and not just 95 + 100. So now you got | | | | understood well. Today, most of our public |
| the gist as to what to expect in this | | | | schools teach us mental math in some form or |
| article? So before I show you some | | | | the other and I can guarantee you, more then |
| techniques, let me explain you why mental | | | | ninty five percent of the time it will be the |
| math is catching so much steam these days. | | | | most adverse and boring technique of rote |
| | | | memorization. |
| First, let me tell you some of the long term | | | | |
| benefits of learning mental math at early | | | | So what is the alternative? Alternative is |
| child age. Learning mental math at early age | | | | what asian students have been learning for |
| can help boost your childs confidence when it | | | | decades now. There are two different systems |
| comes to mathematics, develop mental | | | | in Asia that can help you conquer and master |
| calculation abilities, provide a sense of | | | | math. You and/or your child can calculate |
| achievement as the child's proficiency | | | | 1478 + 3456 + 98 29 in less then 5 seconds |
| improves, lead to greater mental capacity, | | | | and that too without any help external modern |
| promote intuitive thinking, enhance | | | | day electronic gadgets such as calculator. |
| problem-solving capability, enhance | | | | One system is the Abacus mental math method |
| creativity and last but not least, improve | | | | which has its origins in east Asia and |
| concentration and mental endurance. | | | | another system is the Vedic mental math |
| | | | method which has its origins in south Asia. |