I don’t watch “The Big Bang Theory” regularly (too busy managing my business and being a Mom). But the CBS comedy about four nerdy best friends regularly draws 23 million viewers.
Now let’s just say your daughter is a huge “Big Bang Theory” fan. She knows all the words to the theme song, treasures her “Soft Kitty, Warm Kitty” t-shirt and has a huge crush on Super Geek Sheldon. If she also happens to need help in Math, sign her up for Miracle Math Coaching, because we’ll use “The Big Bang” to coach her.
Or we’d use basketball, cheerleading, “American Idol,” Barbie dolls – whatever excites your child.
t’s proven that people learn more when the subject matter relates to what they’re interested in. So, Sheldon’s budget for comic books or Penny’s after-tax income from working at the Cheesecake Factory are all fair game. Here are a couple of “Big Bang” word problems I’d use to teach fractions:
- Sheldon and Leonard split household expenses with Sheldon paying 60 percent and Leonard paying 40 percent. (Sheldon had the bigger room.) If the rent is $1,200 a month, what’s the total rent Leonard would pay during the two years of the lease? $11,520
- Penny earned $200 a week as a waitress. If she got 15 percent in tips on half of her earnings and 20 percent on the other half, how much would she take home every week? $235
Miracle Math places a high priority on engaging students by tying instruction to extracurricular interests, activities and pursuits.
Our application includes a section asking for that kind of information, including favorite books, food, movies, television shows, sports and hobbies. Forget “put-you-to-sleep” word problems about the number of apples in a barrel or how long it takes a train to get to a station.
Our word problems uses a mnemonic strategy to help facilitate learning. For example, one student doing poorly in statistics had a strong interest in basketball. The academic coach created worksheets and word problems using Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant’s scoring and rebounding stats during the most recent basketball season. The student’s understanding of statistics shot through the roof.
What interests does your child have that would make good word problems? You can come up with some to give them yourself.
As the mother of three active and growing daughters, I know the importance of making sure your children receive the best education possible. That’s what I expect for my own girls, and that’s what I provide my Miracle Math students.
At Miracle Math, we use a trade secret approach to accurately match up the students to the coaches. This allows the students to enjoy and grow on an academic as well as a personal level. All of our coaches are professional educators with extensive training, who you can respect and trust.
From children to teens to adults, your brain is never done learning. And that’s why we love it! Curious how your student’s brain works? Check out the
free assessment to learn more or call us at (707) 398-3474.
