Help your child excel in maths with these fun and easy hints and tips http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-d5l0XzPkLXg/Ta8k_puZ4BI/AAAAAAAAAAY/Z9uuQyvscas/s1600/homework.gif
A publication by 10ticks
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Contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Introduction How to incorporate maths into your everyday activities Top tips for getting your children to do their homework How to eat yourself smart How can exercise help decrease stress and boost revision
Introduction
Introduction:
The aim of this report is to give you the tools as a parent to help your child excel in maths. These hints and tips are designed to be incorporated into your everyday lifestyle so you don’t have to worry about giving up big chunks of your time. They also aim to be fun and show children how maths is used in real life. We will show why exercise is so good for you and your brain during revision and why your children should ditch the pizzas and Red Bull during revision period to truly boost their brain power. These hints and tips won’t cost you a penny and truly make a big difference to your child’s maths and even other parts of their education.
Chapter 1: Turn your everyday activities into maths boosting games
In this first chapter I will give you some ideas of how you can incorporate maths into your everyday lives. This is a great way to improve your child’s maths because it doesn’t take up any extra time and shows them how maths is used in everyday situations and therefore worthwhile learning. As well as using maths in everyday activities I will also point out some other useful tips.
• Use maths in your everyday activities. There are lots of ways to use maths in everyday activities. One really good example is cooking. This uses lots of maths such as measurements, ratios and timings and is lots of fun to do as well. Even everyday things like shopping can be used to improve maths skills. As you go around the shop you can get your child to keep a running total of how much everything costs as you put it in the trolley, great for addition. • Play games that involve maths such as Monopoly, Chess, Dominoes, Yahtzee and backgammon. Playing games like this makes your child use maths without even realising it but helps consolidate those basic maths skills. • Get on top of homework. It is easy to get back from school and forget about homework until the last minute. It is important to have a break after school to reenergise but make sure you don’t leave it until just before bed! (There will be more on this issue in a later chapter) • Start practicing times tables with children from the age of 5 to 11. This is one of the core aspects of maths and the new Curriculum, the more comfortable your children are with times tables the easier they will find maths in general. • Be positive – It is really important that you as the parent create a positive attitude towards maths. Even if you don’t like it yourself, you don’t want this to come across to your child because this will instantly give them an excuse to avoid doing it.
Chapter 2: Tips for getting your children to do their homework
We often get parents asking us how often they should use the 10ticks Home Learning System. Below is a guide on how to formulate a structured homework routine that is effective but also easy to implement. Using 10ticks within this routine will be great for your child’s maths and will really help them excel.
Eliminate distractions – This may sound obvious but it is easy to forget. As a parent you should try and make sure before your child starts their home work that all distractions are removed. This includes TVs that are switched on in the background, removing toys and even moving pets to a different room. This will help focus your child. Reenergise and refresh – Your children will be mentally tired from their day at school, so it is important to let them have a break and reenergise when they get home. It is important that they get something to eat, preferably a healthy snack, and have a chance to play and get some exercise. Getting outdoors and playing football or going on the trampoline is a great way destress and reenergise. Do the hardest task first – When you first start your brain will be at its freshest and will take in a lot more information. Also by doing the hardest task first your child will get rid of that dreaded feeling that there is still worse to come and instead look forward to the homework they are better at and more interested in. Positive reinforcement – I have mentioned this before, but it is really important. It is a much better way to mitivate a child than telling them off. So even if homework time is a struggle, try and pick up the good things and your child will learn that homework isn’t all bad. Take breaks – Don’t overdo it. Let your child take breaks every 15 – 30 minutes. This will allow your child to absorb what they have learnt and come back refreshed for the next task. With these homework tips you will hopefully see your child’s attitude towards homework change, making your life easier and helping them to reach their full potential.
Chapter 3: Top food tips for Revision
Although eating a balanced diet when you’re trying to cram for the end of year exams may not seem like your biggest priority, it can actually make a big difference. So it’s time to put down the pizza and the Red Bull and take on board these top tips on how to eat your way to success. What are the reasons for eating healthy? Although your brain only weighs 2% of your total body weight it uses approximately 20% of your body’s energy at rest. The brain is powered by energy which comes from broken down food. The primary source of energy for the brain is glucose which comes from carbohydrate rich foods like breads and pasta. The brain stores are very small so to keep it functioning at its best, it needs constant glucose replacement.
Breakfast I know you have heard this before but breakfast really is the most important meal of the day. Your body has been starved of food all night while you sleep and you need to refuel to prepare for the day ahead. • Cereal or toast, but make sure it is low sugar/salt cereal and try and go for wholemeal bread • Try and get a portion of fruit in the morning, a quick and easy way to do this as well as tasty is to have a glass of pure fruit juice. • Porridge is a great way to start the day it tastes great and will keep you going all the way through to lunch. Try adding in some banana and honey.
Lunch Keep it healthy at lunch don’t just go for the easy option of a packet of crisps! • Salads can be a good choice but make sure you don’t drown it in dressing sauce • Jacket potatoes can be very healthy and are a rich carbohydrate, add in beans or tuna and you have a super healthy lunch • You should be trying to get your 5 portions of fruit and veg everyday so make sure you stock up at lunch time.
Dinner The important thing for dinner is to avoid the fatty and greasy foods. This does your brain no good and makes you sluggish. • Fish is perfect for boosting brain power; it is high in protein and omega 3 and low in fats. • Chicken is also high in protein and low in fats but make sure it’s not deep fat fried and covered in batter. Serve with some new potatoes and some veg • Pasta is great for maintaining those energy levels throughout the day. Serve with a nice tomato sauce and you will be well on your way to reaching that 5 a day as well.
Snacks It is important to have a few small snacks throughout the day to keep those energy levels up but stay clear of the chocolate bars and crisps. • Fresh vegetables with humous is perfect and helps towards your 5 a day and you get some healthy protein from the chickpeas in the humous •
Peanut butter on toast, good for breakfast as well as a snack
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Fruit, cheap and full of sugar to boost your energy levels
• Nuts, high in protein and good at filling you up. Try and avoid the salted ones though
If you follow these simple steps you will be well on your way to boosting your brain power during those exam periods.
Chapter 4: Why is exercising so important for revision
Did you know that donning a pair of trainers and going out for a run can boost not only your physical health, but also increase your brain health? The benefits to brain function can be seen on multiple fronts, ranging from the molecular to the behavioural level. It has been shown that just 20 minutes of exercise can lead to an increase in information processing and memory functions. There are a number of reasons for the increase in brain power. Firstly, exercise increases your heart rate, which pumps more oxygen to the brain. Secondly, exercise aids the bodily release of a plethora of hormones, all of which participate in aiding and providing a nourishing environment for the growth of brain cells. These two benefits help stimulate the brain plasticity by stimulating growth of new connections between cells in a wide array of important cortical areas of the brain, helping to boost memory and mend damaged brain cells. There are also behavioural benefits, with a decrease in stress hormones. This is why exercise can have a positive effect during revision as it will allow you to concentrate more and to focus on the work rather than worrying about the exam. One of the best times to exercise is in the morning before you start revising or even before work. This will help boost brain activity and prepare you for the mental stresses of the day. It also produces increases in retention of new information and better reactions to complex situations. So if you’re getting frustrated with your revision because you don’t understand it, or are feeling stressed out at work get those trainers on and go out and do some exercise. You will feel much better! Even when you’re stuck on one particular problem or feel mentally exhausted, doing a few star jumps might reboot your brain.
Conclusion:
Hopefully over the course of this report you have gained some useful insights on how to motivate your children and the little things you can do to help boost their maths. A lot of these tips can apply to all subjects, English is really easy to incorporate into everyday lives just by encouraging more reading. The science behind eating and exercise can be applied to everyday life not just revision, even at work going for a walk at lunch can help boost your own brain power and make you more focused in the afternoons. This is just a brief overview of what is possible. There are lots more ideas out there that can help your children excel in education. But the main thing is to provide a positive attitude towards education. If your child brings home some homework that you didn’t like when you were at school don’t let them know that as they will instantly have an excuse to drag their feet. Keep up to date with more education hints and tips as well as other educational news by following us on Twitter and Facebook, just search for 10ticks.
Thank you for reading this White Paper Report. I hope that you found some of these tips usful and you will be able to use them to help your child’s education For more information on 10ticks and how we can boost your child’s maths, please visit us at www.10ticks.co.uk You can also contact us at info@10ticks.co.uk and one of the 10ticks team will be happy to help