Can solving math problems at bedtime change a child's academic trajectory?
In short: For many children, math is a source of intense anxiety. But what if the solution wasn't more drills, but more play? By connecting numbers to real life through nightly stories, social entrepreneur Laura Overdeck is helping students overcome fear and gain months of unexpected mathematical progress.
Math anxiety can be a significant barrier to learning, but new approaches suggest that changing the context of math can transform a student's relationship with the subject. Laura Overdeck, founder of Bedtime Math and the Overdeck Family Foundation, has focused on moving the needle on math and science education reform through hands-on, tangible learning. Her Bedtime Math app provides parents with a free tool to solve nightly math problems with their children, aiming to instill a love for numbers by connecting them to real-world scenarios.
The results of these interventions are measurable. A study published in the journal Science found that students using the Bedtime Math app improved their math achievement by an average of three months more than those who did not use it within a single school year. Remarkably, the impact was even greater for children of highly math-anxious parents, who gained an extra half school year of skills. This suggests that addressing the emotional connection to math can fundamentally alter a child's academic path.
Beyond the app, Overdeck's initiatives include Crazy 8s, the largest recreational after-school math club in the nation. According to a Johns Hopkins University study, participating in Crazy 8s for eight weeks significantly reduces children's feelings of math anxiety. This effect was notably more pronounced among younger children in the kindergarten through second grade clubs compared to those in the third through fifth grade clubs. Since 2014, Crazy 8s has seen 140,000 children participate across 10,000 clubs nationwide.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Laura Overdeck on reducing math anxiety and connecting math with real life | Homeroom with Sal
- Also: Laura Overdeck, Math Education Reformer and Philanthropist, to Speak at Stevens 147th Commencement | Stevens Institute of Technology
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