2squared Posted October 3, 2009 Share Posted October 3, 2009 I'm mostly a lurker, but I just have to ask how others define "mathy." I see a lot of descriptions of dc either being mathy or not mathy, and I'm wondering how do you define a mathy dc? My 7yo dd (2nd grade) is about 75% done with RightStart level B, and she is really understanding her math. She loves her math lessons and asks to do math first every day. In fact, she is disappointed if she doesn't have a math lesson. :blink: So, how do I know if she is "mathy" or if RightStart is just the perfect fit for us? I know it doesn't really matter either way, but my curiousity has been piqued. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThatCyndiGirl Posted October 3, 2009 Share Posted October 3, 2009 I've never understood that word and never heard it until coming to this board. I don't understand why people don't just say "good at math" or "not so good at math". ??? :glare: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joannqn Posted October 3, 2009 Share Posted October 3, 2009 To me, "mathy" means really enjoys math, is good at math, thinks mathematically, etc. My 7 year old is mathy. He loves math. Breathes math. Mumbles math to himself as he stumbles down the stairs first thing in the morning. Turns just about any conversation into a math one. The "human calculator" is his hero. He'll be reviewing Math-U-See Zeta over the next 4-6 weeks and then beginning prealgebra. If there were any school-related adjective to describe him, it would be mathy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haiku Posted October 3, 2009 Share Posted October 3, 2009 I describe my 7 year old as mathy. She seems to have an intuitive sense of how numbers work, and she can take what she's learned and use it to figure out more advanced concepts without being explicitly taught them. I describe my 6 and 15 year olds as not mathy. When taught a math concept, they seem to seek only to understand the algorithm and don't seem to understand or care about the reasoning behind it. Now, I will say that my non-mathy 6 year old is benefiting greatly from RightStart math, and I don't let him get away with a surfacey understanding. We plug along until he "gets it," but it doesn't come easily. I use "mathy" and "not" or "non-mathy" because even "non-mathy" people can be "good at math." To me it's more about that intuitive sense than proficiency. Tara Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChristusG Posted October 3, 2009 Share Posted October 3, 2009 I think of "mathy" as good at math and enjoying doing math. I've never used the word, but it's shorter to write then "is good at math and likes to do math." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
babysparkler Posted October 3, 2009 Share Posted October 3, 2009 (edited) All of my kids are good at math, but my oldest is the one I would call "mathy". He basically lives and breathes math. He taught himself multiplication, division, & exponents/square roots in Kindergarten and even asked the teacher if he could "show" the class at the blackboard how compound interest works :lol::lol::lol:. He is doing Algebra 1 in 4th grade now and spends all of his free time back in his Algebra book or making for me difficult math problems to stump me. This is what I consider "mathy". My dd7 is doing great in Rightstart C, and is very very good at math, but for her it isn't constantly on her mind... so I don't consider her "mathy". I think it has to do with lifestyle/thought processes more than being good at it or not... perhaps I am limiting the use of the word and should consider all of my kids "mathy"??? Edited October 3, 2009 by babysparkler Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joannqn Posted October 3, 2009 Share Posted October 3, 2009 All of my kids are good at math, but my oldest is the one I would call "mathy". He basically lives and breathes math. He taught himself multiplication, division, & exponents/square roots in Kindergarten and even asked the teacher if he could "show" the class at the blackboard how compound interest works :lol::lol::lol:. He is doing Algebra 1 in 4th grade now and spends all of his free time back in his Algebra book or making for me difficult math problems to stump me. This is what I consider "mathy". My dd7 is doing great in Rightstart C, and is very very good at math, but for her it isn't constantly on her mind... so I don't consider her "mathy". I think it has to do with lifestyle/thought processes more than being good at it or not... perhaps I am limiting the use of the word and should consider all of my kids "mathy"??? My son and your son would probably have a ball together. Care for a "playdate" in Washington? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
babysparkler Posted October 5, 2009 Share Posted October 5, 2009 My son and your son would probably have a ball together. Care for a "playdate" in Washington? I'd love that! Then one in Dallas? ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zaichiki Posted October 5, 2009 Share Posted October 5, 2009 To me, "mathy" means really enjoys math, is good at math, thinks mathematically, etc. My 7 year old is mathy. He loves math. Breathes math. Mumbles math to himself as he stumbles down the stairs first thing in the morning. Turns just about any conversation into a math one. The "human calculator" is his hero. He'll be reviewing Math-U-See Zeta over the next 4-6 weeks and then beginning prealgebra. If there were any school-related adjective to describe him, it would be mathy. Oooh. Good description! I'd go with "enjoys math (as in favorite subject) and thinks mathematically." My two oldest kids are good at math (for their age), but neither are "mathy." The extent to which they solve math problems well, I honestly believe, comes from being "raised" with Singapore Primary Math. My third child might be "mathy" ... he LOVES numbers, books about counting, pre-math/beginning math computer games... I don't know yet. (It could be a temporary hobby.) Who knows?! :) I've used the term, and I can admit that I'm not so sure there *is* an accepted definition. Ha! But.... yeah... LOVES math and thinks mathematically. I think that's it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lgm Posted October 5, 2009 Share Posted October 5, 2009 mathy - one that was born thinking mathematically & sees patterns easily...K-4 curriculum is a confirmation of what they've already reasoned for themselves, but fills in the nomenclature and puts words to the pictures/movies in their head. Thinks talking about number bonds is stupid b/c it's so obvious. Can easily extend a new concept or figure out the other cases of a concept that the class hasn't covered yet. Makes you thankful Singapore Math is priced right, b/c you skip so much. Likely has a favorite number and can tell you why it was chosen as a favorite number. Same with a 2D and 3Dshapes and would like to have a consultation with someone more in the know than mom about shapes in other dimensions. Sees math as delightful. Later on, thinks middle school math club is boring (club is inclusive, so nothing new for mathy kids), but goes for the cool problems in the competition. Oh, my mathy one has science as his favorite subject - lots of new discoveries there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MeAndTheBoys Posted October 5, 2009 Share Posted October 5, 2009 Yup, that's mine--the oldest self-taught adding 3 digit numbers in his head with carrying when he was 4, and has been running since. Taught himself how to read an analog clock at 3 1/2, and loves to make up problems involving time. His idea of "fun" always involves numbers--drawing weather charts, making building plans with square footage, then building it with blocks, etc-- My second is very good at math and doing curriculum a year ahead of his age, but he doesn't live and breathe numbers, so I wouldn't call him "mathy". Betsy All of my kids are good at math, but my oldest is the one I would call "mathy". He basically lives and breathes math. He taught himself multiplication, division, & exponents/square roots in Kindergarten and even asked the teacher if he could "show" the class at the blackboard how compound interest works :lol::lol::lol:. He is doing Algebra 1 in 4th grade now and spends all of his free time back in his Algebra book or making for me difficult math problems to stump me. This is what I consider "mathy". My dd7 is doing great in Rightstart C, and is very very good at math, but for her it isn't constantly on her mind... so I don't consider her "mathy". I think it has to do with lifestyle/thought processes more than being good at it or not... perhaps I am limiting the use of the word and should consider all of my kids "mathy"??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mabelen Posted October 5, 2009 Share Posted October 5, 2009 I agree with those who define mathy as someone who is intuitive about math, who sees and understands the world in mathermatical terms. My 13 yo dd is very good at math. She grasps mathematical concepts very quickly and retains well. She is engaged and enjoys challenging work but she is not mathy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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