America has long been “the land of innovation” and that has helped make this country the greatest economic power on the planet. Unfortunately, this may not remain true too much longer. As you know, the data are very clear that the United States is falling behind the rest of the world in math and problem solving and this should absolutely scare you.
Consider how many of the most important inventions of the last hundred years were “made in America” — the light bulb, the airplane, the telephone, the transistor, the digital computer, and the Internet. The great minds that developed these innovations, used thinking skills that are acquired and honed through the study of mathematics — creativity, analysis, evaluation, critical thinking, logic, and reason.
This won’t be the greatest country in the world for long, if we allow our kids to fall behind the rest of the world.
Why Are We Struggling in Math?
Unfortunately, what happens all too often is that kids believe math is just an exercise in 
memorization -- it’s boring. They lack the ability and patience to solve difficult problems. They’ve been conditioned to think that math is a series of facts and algorithms that to be memorized. You can get excellent grades if you just “learn” math this way. In fact, that’s mostly how I excelled in math class. Fortunately, I had a few great math teachers and a natural love for mathematics which combined into a powerful force where I learned to investigate patterns, make connections, create new ideas and learn how and why things worked the way that they did.
If we don’t help foster an environment where math is more than memorization, our children will never learn to create, build, solve, reason, imagine and wonder. Studying math does you no good if all you can do is plug numbers into procedures or formulas.
We no longer live in a math-optional world. If you can’t think mathematically, you will significantly limit your child’s access to the best careers.
What We Can Do About It
I’m constantly looking for ways to get kids excited about mathematics and problem- solving. Not because I think they need to know how to calculate a 15% gratuity or because they need to tally the bill at the grocery store! Those are useful basic skills, but what they really need to know is how to THINK.
By immersing kids in interesting math problems they learn to THINK, REASON, CREATE, ANALYZE, ASK MEANINGFUL QUESTIONS, FORMULATE IDEAS and SOLVE PROBLEMS. It’s these essential thinking skills that they will use everyday of their adult life while at work and at home. These skills are the ones that will propel our children forward and make them the leaders and problems-solvers of the 21st century.
School is Not Enough
Many parents are lulled into a false sense of security because they live in communities that have highly rated schools. From there it’s easy to sit back and assume, “school is preparing my child for the world that awaits, there’s nothing more for me to do”. The truth is school is only PART of the solution.
Don’t let your school’s high ratings lull you into a false sense of security. Kids from the best districts in the country are struggling to keep up in math and problem-solving when compared to kids from developing countries like Singapore and India. The main reason those students do better than ours is simply that they devote a much larger percentage of their time to studying and learning.
Look for Programs Designed to Make Kids THINK.
Our programs are designed to make kids THINK and to prepare them for the globally competitive world that awaits them. If the skills they have can be done by a computer or someone overseas, they are going to find it very difficult to compete. The only jobs left will require creativity, leadership, problem solving skills, reasoning and decision making.
A small investment now could lead your child to academic scholarships, the best colleges and the most desired careers. Considering that most of the top paying careers today require excellence in math, the potential return on investment is enormous.
For more information, visit www.MathPlusAcademy.com