BALTIMORE, MD--(Marketwire - March 8, 2011) - In recognition of Pi Day on March 14 and to build math awareness, Sylvan Learning, North America's leading provider of in-center and live, online tutoring at home to students of all ages, grades and skill levels, is offering free math resources to families.
Pi Day is the annual observance of the love of math and the mathematical constant Pi, commonly approximated as 3.14.
To celebrate Pi Day, Sylvan Learning is providing a free new online Math Activity Book with 30 days of math concepts, trivia, questions and puzzles. Parents, students and even educators can log on to Sylvan's web site to download and print activities and math games.
"Effort and attitude in math matters," says Judy Ann Brown, Mathematics Program Manager for Sylvan Learning. "Math skills build over time, so missing one early essential component can translate into long-term difficulties that can slow future progress. The Math Activity Book can be used by the entire family, including parents, to open a mathematical dialog that will revive forgotten concepts and practice skills."
Brown is also encouraging parents to play an active role in boosting their child's math skills by offering the following tips for getting them interested in math at an early age.
Make math connections to everyday life. There are many opportunities for children to see the value of math in everyday occurrences. Think of tasks that you do everyday -- rearranging a teenager's room is a lesson in geometry and equally cutting slices of pie can teach fractions. The more parents talk about math while completing these tasks, the more students will realize its importance.
Involve your children in real-life family decisions. Encourage them to plan a family activity while remaining within the budget. For example, ask your children to plan a night at the movies or create a budget for the family vacation.
Demonstrate your math ability. Think out loud so your child can hear your analytical reasoning. For younger children, count your change or discuss which measuring cup is needed when baking a birthday cake. For older students, calculate discounts when shopping or estimate how much money will be needed to fill up the gas tank.
Mathematize career choices. Casually talk about mathematics while highlighting the types of math needed in your children's chosen careers. Video game designers, architects, doctors, football coaches, musicians and chefs apply math skills in their daily work.
Praise your children's academic progress. Tell your children you are proud of their math efforts, even when they struggle. When students are confident in their abilities, they enjoy learning. That love of learning in turn leads to a willingness to try new, academic experiences.
Sylvan Learning's online Math Activity Book provides 30 days of math writing topics, questions and puzzles. Families can download the booklet and answers by visiting the following links --
Math Book -- http://email.internetstrategy.us/SS_Newsletter/misc/sylvan_math_booklet.pdf
Answers -- http://email.internetstrategy.us/SS_Newsletter/misc/sylvan_math_booklet_answers.pdf
Parents looking for additional math resources and information can visit www.SylvanMathPrep.com to receive on-the-spot math guidance during homework time and obtain free access to over 700 interactive math lessons for pre-algebra, algebra, geometry and math test preparation for the SAT and ACT.
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About Sylvan Learning
Sylvan Learning is the leading provider of tutoring to students of all ages, grades and skill levels. With 30 years of experience and more than 900 centers located throughout North America, Sylvan's proven process and personalized methods have inspired more than 2 million students to discover the joy of learning. Sylvan's trained and Sylvan-certified personal instructors provide individualized instruction in reading, writing, mathematics, study skills and test-prep for college entrance and state exams. Sylvan helps students develop the skills, habits and attitudes needed for lifelong success. Visit www.DrRickBlog.com to share your personal academic experiences and comment on academic trends. For more information, call 1-800-31-SUCCESS or visit www.SylvanLearning.com.