Essential Skills for Life

Mental mathematics is a challenge for a number of adults and pupils alike, you either know it or you don’t. The aspects that are tested in mental mathematics are: simple addition, subtraction and multiplication.

It might seem as if simple arithmetic is not essential but in real life, it is the basis of every monetary transaction whether you are purchasing something where you pay instant cash and need to be given change or you are a retailer and need to do some calculations.

It could be embarrassing at times if you cannot calculate simple change. How many people do you think lose a five pence, a ten pence or even a pound daily because they miscalculated the amount they paid a newsagent or a shopkeeper who thought it was their luck because the customer could not calculate?

Possibly that resonates with you and you say, ‘I’m rubbish at maths anyway.’ Well, maybe you are ‘rubbish at maths’ but that does not make it acceptable and certainly not fashionable.

When I was in my first year at secondary school, I had trouble understanding some aspects of the mathematics [although my mental maths has always been good], so I asked for help. Those I approached in my household could not help me and I remember at one point somebody said, ‘if you are not going to do anything scientific you would not need maths anyway,’ and I almost accepted that as a gospel of truth.

When I realised my flair for maths was disintegrating, I tried to look for solutions to help myself. I did not pass mathematics when I sat my exams the first time but I knew within me that it was something I could do, all I needed was time to practise-work out the sums and I am glad I passed it eventually.

Many parents or family members say the same thing about maths to their children today, why is it okay not to do well in or be rubbish at maths? This view is being debated in society today as the Telegraph of July 7 2012 brings to light that, ‘Sidelining maths is somehow acceptable, even fashionable.’ Arguing further the editor says, ‘No one would blithely state, “I’m not good at reading and writing”, but too often teenagers and their parents simply shrug and say “I’m no good at maths” as if it is a sign that they are creative sorts who are above what they caricature as mundane detail.’

I believe this is a point we should all look into as a parent or just a member of society in general. Mathematics in my view should be considered as a skill for life, not that we just know maths when we want to pass an examination then forget all about it. The more we actually determine to loosen the tied knots in our minds, the easier it becomes unless of course if it is due to a condition not just sheer laziness. Dr Dénes Szűcs cited in (Paton, 2012), argues that children develop the anxiety of mathematics during the primary school years which could have adverse effects later in mathematics education.

If that happens to be the case, all of us have a responsibility to ensure we grasp the basic concepts of mathematics, particularly the younger generation.

How can we all help?

Switch the TV off sometimes and get your child or ward to recite the multiplication table.

Let your conversations while journeying around in the car or bus centre around figures once awhile. For instance how many red cars can you spot before we get to our destination? On the way back do the same and ask them to add how many they identified in total. It could be fun for your child and at the same time you are getting them to do some simple arithmetic. How easier could it get?

Do not let your child go to the eateries with their Nintendo games instead, use the time that you considered ‘being together’ to actually do things together. Think of fun things that you could all observe which would allow for some multiplication, addition or subtraction. You would realise that even if you thought ‘maths wasn’t your thing,’ you are not as bad as you really thought you were. If you are really bad, ask your child the method, he or she used when you asked them to do a fun task and reflect on that idea afterwards. After all we are all learning aren’t we?

So, before you criticise the government reforms, your child’s teacher or even your teacher, see mental arithmetic as what we should all be involved in on a daily basis and play your own part well to ensure we are a society who do not just press numbers on a phone but calculate them in our heads.