Re: How to save an 8-year-old for lifelong mathphobia?

In article <460AF2FC.5020306@xxxxxxxxxxxx>,
Stephen J. Herschkorn <sjherschko@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
[Sorry about the previous empty post]


kj wrote:

I have no children, but I do have a whole bunch of nephews and
nieces. To my chagrin, all of them have turned out mathphobic,
with the possible exception of the youngest one, who is 8. (Mind
you, the only reason I still have some hope for him as far as math
goes is based on the uneducated assumption that "mathphobia" is
something that becomes established at a particular developmental
stage. Anyway, I found reading Slate's Emily Yoffe's "The Math
Moron", at http://www.slate.com/id/2152480/?nav=navoa , downright
*depressing*, and would hate see my nephew go the same way.)

Unfortunately, I live a couple of timezones away from my nephew,
and I see him only once or twice a year, which greatly limits what
I can do about all this. His mother (my sister) would like him
not to be mathphobic (as she is) but at this point she is happy if
he gets passable grades. His father is a great guy but, unfortunately,
not only is he mathphobic and totally uninterested in anything that
is remotely academic, he has no problem with the prospect of raising
an equally mathphobic son.

Anyway, bottom line: I rack my brains on how to kindle a love for
math in my nephew...

<>Any advise would be welcome. In particular, I would like to find
<>books (or websites) of mathematical puzzles suitable for his age.
<>I'm looking for stuff that is just difficult enough to challenge
<>him, but not so difficult that he would quickly regard as beyond
<>him (he tends to get discouraged quickly when it comes to academic
<>stuff, which I think may be his dad's legacy).

<>Also, does anyone know of a good internet forum to post this question
<>to? I'm a bit leary of going to one of the K-12 forums one can
<>find online, because I fear that they are populated by the same
<>misguided minds that have ruined math education in the US. (See,
<>e.g., the NYT article that Yoffe cites in hers.)


<Perhaps the mother can convince the father that they should hire a local
<tutor to do fun, eductaional math things with your nephew. I have
<clients with whom I do such things. For example, we go through the book
<you will find at
<http://www.activityresources.com/store/product.php?productid=89&cat=0&page=1
<.

<I would suggest that one of the parents sit down with the child with
<this book, but it sounds like neither are inclined to do so. Or perhaps
<both you and the child can get the book, and you can discuss it over the
<phone.

<There are also some mathematical games. Does Numble (numerical
<Scrabble) still exist? How about Dr. Nin and Turn-a-Dot? A great game
<for children is Set: See http://setgame.com/ .

There is the game WFF N PROOF which introduces logic
with Polish notation.


<--
<Stephen J. Herschkorn sjherschko@xxxxxxxxxxxx
<Math Tutor on the Internet and in Central New Jersey and Manhattan



--
This address is for information only. I do not claim that these views
are those of the Statistics Department or of Purdue University.
Herman Rubin, Department of Statistics, Purdue University
hrubin@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Phone: (765)494-6054 FAX: (765)494-0558
.

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