By Marcie F. Abramson
Barron’s Educational Series
ISBN: 0-7641-1533-2
First published in 2001
In a departure from the usual parenting or spiritual development book column I write, this time around I would like to introduce readers to an excellent math book for parents of fifth graders, sixth graders and also middle school students. If word problems in particular present a real challenge for the child, Painless Math Word Problems could be the book the parents need to work through with the students.
Are you afraid of doing math (especially word problems) yourself? Sure, school was a long time ago, but any book that starts out with “Painless word problems? How can that be? Word problems aren’t scary! Just wait and see!” cannot be all bad. (Admit to it, you just fell back into a Dr. Seuss singsong voice…)
Painless Math Word Problems is broken down into logical chapters that allow you to pass over the types of math your child has not yet tackled. Conversely, it allows the parent to focus on problem areas yet bypass the kinds of computations that do not present a dilemma for the student. The initial chapter explains how to tackle a word problem, determine whether the student has all the information needed to solve the question and also assists young students in ferreting out which information is crucial and which is merely superfluous. Subsequent chapters detail whole numbers, decimals, fractions, rates, proportions, percents, statistics, probabilities, geometry, measurements and algebra.
Why Should I Invest in Painless Math Word Problems?
It is tempting to outsource the effort to stem the summer brain drain. This is especially attractive if math has never been a parent’s strong suit and a tutor, learning center or summer school program offers help. While all these options are excellent choices for the student who needs a little extra help, it is crucial for parents to not discount the importance of spending learning time with their children.
Even if it means being one page or one lesson ahead of junior, this is a worthwhile experience. In addition, children do not mind working through problems together if they see the parents’ being just as involved and invested. Besides, this may be your second chance to really “get” geometry!
