Do you/How do you integrate mathematics into your daily activities?
Curriculum integration has been an issue for traditional educators for years. Within the constraints of a classic school setting, it is difficult to both present concepts, and integrate other subjects within a set class period. Homeschoolers have the luxury of defining how mathematics interacts with daily activities. Some homeschoolers point out to their children when they are using practical math skills ("hey, how much time is left before you can watch TV?"). Others use daily activities (doing dishes, laundry, making dinner) to illustrate how mathematics is used. Karen Lovett uses this example, "If we are travelling, we play counting and adding and subtraction games and tapes. At home, we measure things, cook, do worksheets and play math games. My older children are now learning money management and comparison shopping." Lisa Marie Knasiak explains how her children use math, "When they were younger, my kids would pour over the grocery ads with me. We were on a very limited budget, and they would help me "save money." (Jewel has corn on the cob on sale at 3/$1.00. Dominick's price is .50/ear. Which is less?"
Do your children ask, "Why do I have to learn math?" If so, how do you answer?
This age-old question is asked yearly by frustrated students, and often ignored by seasoned educators. Homeschoolers had a variety of answers. Mary Ruth Dilling responds, "I tell them that they need it for practical things like recipes, figuring budgets, finding percentages of what an item on sale costs, etc. I also tell them that some of the "book" work we do probably won't be used, but to get used to it - because that is life." Judy Jackson tells her children, "It is something used in every aspect of your life, no matter what you do. Life is a lot easier if you know math well and troublesome if you don't. There are things you can't do if you don't know math, and playing with it is A LOT OF FUN!" Lisa Marie Knasiak reports that her daughter has only asked the question once. Her response was to have her daughter ask everyone she met how they use math in daily life. "It worked," she says. "I think that once she realized that the people she knows and loves also use math, she accepted that it was important to learn."
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