Consider a controversial opinion being proposed by some parents and teachers. They think Kindergarten is too late to start teaching math skills to children. That opinion comes from a long line of research now being made available. A debate is underway when teachers should start introducing concepts like fractions.
Math skills are better started at home early in childhood.
Pre-school is an option for many kids that are in these various school systems. These students can then progress to Kindergarten with the right math skills they need. But statistics show that only 40% of students enroll in California pre-school classrooms. That makes it harder than ever for them to acquire basic math skills that they need.
Investing in early math skills can help increase the number of students who pursue math and engineering – the STEM fields – and will eventually fill the pipeline of engineers badly needed by Silicon Valley’s tech industry.
Laura Lurns · Learning Success expert
Key takeaways
- A new study suggests that exposing children as young as preschoolers to math sets them up for more success later in life, especially in STEM fields.
- While the focus has been on early literacy, research shows that the achievement gap between advantaged and disadvantaged children can appear as early as 9 months of age, suggesting it is important to begin teaching children math early.
- Programs in Santa Clara County, CA, are focused on early intervention in math to get students on track to succeed in the STEM, no matter what their background is.
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