Top 10 Amazing Math Learning Centers in Ho Chi Minh city 2020

Top 10 Amazing Math Learning Centers in Ho Chi Minh city 2020

by | Oct 23, 2020 | For parents

Where should I send my children for extra Math help?  Is there any place in the city that teaches logic Math?

If your child is performing poorly in Maths and is unable to solve any of the Maths problems, parents start to think of sending her to a math center after school so that she can keep up with her peers.  Since Math is one of the most important subjects that indicate success in the future, bringing your child to an extra math class to help her review the concepts that she struggles with is not a bad idea.  As we all know, all the kids in your classroom do not master skills simultaneously.  Some may get it the same day you teach it, while others may get it a few weeks later.  If you don’t have time to give your child extra math help at home, the right centers will give your kids sufficient practice in the areas they need versus random activities.  In addition, learning centers can be used to give students an extension activity to build upon what they already know and connect it to the next skill that will be taught.

But where, and how to know which is the right learning center or extra math class to place your child in?  To save you from wasting money, time, and patience, in this article, we compile a list of 10 learning centers in Ho Chi Minh city that teach Math. 

1.Mathnasium

Mathnasium, headquartered in the U.S, is a global chain of professional and experienced Math learning centers for children aged 4 – 15.  Mathnasium Method has been designed and developed by Larry Martinek – an American Math Professor.  Mathnasium Method has been applied in a number of public and private schools, as well as Math learning centers across the U.S. over the last 40 years.  Mathnasium Vietnam began operating in HCM City in March 2011.  They are now having more than 20 learning centers across the country.

Highlights for parents to consider:

  • The learning plan is customized to address each student’s needs
  • Textbooks and homework available in both English and Vietnamese
  • Their monopoly ability assessment test pinpoints learning strengths and weaknesses of students
  • They have proprietary teaching materials so students can not take home or copy. Your student leaves all of his work there.
  • Lack of interaction with classmates: students spend most of their time working on their own problems and raising their hands if they get stuck.
  • Do not have Math courses for high school students.
2. Kumon

Kumon is an after-school education provider that specializes in an after-school math and reading programs for preschool to high school students.  They apply the teaching model franchised from Japanese, where children are given the opportunity to attend Kumon centers twice each week throughout the year for approximately 20-30 minutes per subject and complete daily assignments at home on non-center days.

Highlights for parents to consider:

  • Enhance the self-learning ability of children from an early age
  • Worksheets are broken down the mathematical process in such manageable units so that students can do most of the work independently
  • Individual instruction for each student to learn at her own pace
  • Kumon’s teaching method is based on repetition: Practice makes perfect. Children repetitively do a series of worksheets for many times, all while being timed. Therefore, students can do math problems very quickly, but they don’t get the “Why” behind the concept. 
  • Students at Kumon can be super fast at arithmetic, yet the school doesn’t cover that much of problem-solving, 
  • Lack of interaction and fun activities
  • Do not have Math courses for high school students.
3. UCMAS

UCMAS is an after-school Math program based on Mental Math and Abacus for children aged 4-14 years.  The program is based on the ancient, simple but powerful Abacus tool that provides countable beads for children to visualize numbers.   Children learn to manipulate those beads to perform arithmetic calculations such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.

Highlights for parents to consider:

    • Effective for children to develop an inclination towards numbers and become comfortable in complex calculations.
    • The UCMAS program incorporates and enhances Auditory, Visual, and Kinesthetic/Tactile learning styles in each child.  The abacus method teaches children to gradually visualize beads & calculate in their brains. 
    • The program does not focus that much on reading skills, thus students may find difficulties when moving on to learn different concepts of Math, such as word problems or geometry.
    • Do not have Math courses for high school students.

 

4. Everest Education 

Everest Education is an after-school learning center founded by Harvard and Stanford graduates.  Everest offers Math and English enrichment courses, test prep, college admissions consulting, private tutoring, as well as camps to students from Grade 1 to Grade 12  through the network of learning centers, partner schools, and online. All courses at Everest are taught in English 100%, thus will be the best fit for students in international, bilingual, integrated programs, as well as those who want to study in an international environment.

Highlights for parents to consider:

  • Teach Math in English: students learn Math and improve their English skills at the same time
  • Apply Singapore Math methodology – CPA method – in every lesson: students master math concepts throughout 3 stages Concrete – Pictorial – Abstract
  • Students learn to apply Math in their real life
  • Provide advanced Math and test prep courses such as SAT, IGCSE, IB…
  • Provide online Math courses for provincial students and students who don’t have the chance to learn offline
  • Customize study plan for each student – students can learn at their own plan
  • Do not have Math courses for kindergarten and young primary children.
  • Students need to have basic English skills to sit in classes, otherwise, they will have to do tutoring.
5. Abacus Master

Pretty similar to UCMAS, Abacus Master teaches young students to do mental math calculations based on the Soroban abacus method.  Abacus Master Vietnam is a franchise of the global Abacus Master system, which presents in more than 27 countries.  AbacusMaster’s curriculum includes computer-based visualization practice and exams which will accelerate and strengthen student’s capability of visualizing abacus movements in their mind.

Highlights for parents to consider:

  • Abacus Master’s program has been authorized and became popular in many countries, especially effective for children who need to sharpen concentration and memory skills.
  • Children master basic math operations and can do mental math very rapidly without calculators.
  • The curriculum is divided into different levels 
  • Flexible learning timeline and schedule
  • Suitable for primary and early middle schoolers only.  Students may need to find a different place to study when it comes to more complex Math concepts such as trigonometry, vector, or function… 
6. IMATHS

IMATHS is a brand-new Math program under ILA – teaching logic math for students from 4 to 10 years old. IMATHS program is designed to develop students in 5 key areas: Intelligence (IQ), Emotion (EQ), Social skills (SQ), Creativity (CQ), and Language (LQ).

Highlights for parents to consider:

  • Teach Math in English: students learn Math and improve their English skills at the same time
  • Curriculum is designed based on Cambridge textbooks
  • Student can practice Math online on IXL website
  • Apply CPA method: students master math concepts throughout 3 stages Concrete – Pictorial – AbstracT
  • Do not have Math courses for secondary and high school students
7. Intertu

Intertu is an after-school educational tutoring learning center that offers many academic courses and test prep for all students who are studying in international, bilingual schools, integrated programs, and have the plan to study abroad.  Their courses include IB – AP – A-level – IGCSE exam preparation courses, SSAT – SAT – ACT – GMAT – GRE exam preparation courses, teacher training courses…

Highlights for parents to consider:

  • Curricula at Intertu Education spread out in many fields.  Their courses are designed specifically compatible with training programs of international schools in Vietnam.
  • Suitable for international school students who want to prepare for international certificates such as SAT, ACT, IB, AP… or college students who want to take GRE, GMAT
  • Flexible learning timeline and schedule
  • Class format is not available, students need to learn 1x1 with their tutors, or learn in small groups if they can find any classmates to join them.
8. Izumi

IZUMI is the Japanese education learning system for children from 4 – 12 years old.  This is a franchise educational model from Japan, which came into operation in Vietnam since 2015. Their courses focus on these 4 following subject areas:
– Magic Cube – Multi-Dimensional Thinking
– Proactive Japanese – Active Japanese
– Active Power – Reading Enlightenment Wisdom
– Nippon Math – Active Intelligence Math

Highlights for parents to consider:

  • Apply Japanese teaching philosophy for children – kids can learn logical math, creative thinking in a very disciplined, independent way.
  • Customized learning for each student – students can learn at their own pace.
  • In addition to Math, Izumi also teaches active reading and Japanese for young students.
  • Suitable for primary and early middle schoolers only. Students may need to find a different place to study when it comes to more complex Math concepts such as trigonometry, vector, or function… 
  • Do not have Math courses for high school students.
9. American Skills

American Skills is the educational learning center system that followed the American teaching style and curriculum.  They offer Math, Vietnamese enrichment, social skill, and online English courses for students from kindergarten to secondary levels.  

Highlights for parents to consider:

  • Their Math program – Avits Math (IXL) is designed based on the U.S. Common Core Standards.
  • Customize study plan for each student – students can learn at their own plan.
  • Math concepts are introduced through tangible objects, visualized pictures, and fun activities to help students enjoy learning Math.
  • The program does not focus that much on reading skills, thus students may find difficulties when moving on to learn different concepts of Math, such as word problems or geometry.
  • Do not have Math courses for high school students.
10. Brain Talent

Brain Talent is another learning center system applied Japanese Math teaching method – Abacus. They provide abacus math training and logic Math courses for students from 4 to 12 years old. The program is most suitable for children from 1st to 6th grade – the “golden time” to develop foundation mental math and logic skills. 

Highlights for parents to consider:

  • Children master basic math operations and can do mental math very rapidly without calculators
  • Flexible learning timeline and schedule
  • Customize study plan for each student – students can learn at their own plan.
  • Do not have Math courses for high school students.
Should you have any concerns or any topics you want us to cover, feel free to leave your comments below.  You can subscribe to our newsletter to get the latest updates delivered straight to your inbox, and find more parenting coverage at
https://blog.e2.com.vn/e2-talk-tips-and-tricks-parents/
5 Benefits When Kids Learn Math In English

5 Benefits When Kids Learn Math In English

by | Oct 21, 2020 | For parents, For students

Incorporating English into other subjects like Mathematics, Science is recently a popular trend, especially in bilingual schools and integrated programs. But why do our kids have to learn Math in English? Let’s discover 5 undeniable learning Math in English below!

loi ich hoc toan bang tieng anh thuc hanh ngoai ngu

Practice English in the language of Math

The most benefit of learning Math in English is that children can practice English while solving Math. Vocabulary, terms, or knowledge of Mathematics are still being used in everyday life. Therefore, learning Math in English helps children become familiar and apply them to practice. For example, your child will easily help you to pay bills, go to the supermarket, make payments when you two travel abroad.

 

 

 

Take advantage of huge online learning resources

Having a good knowledge of Math in English still allows them to take full advantage of online resources out there. The internet nowadays provides us with tons of free, useful, and enriching Math learning sites, applications, resources from renowned universities, and other educational institutions. The only problem is: they are all in English.

>> Learn more free, useful online learning websites and resources that teach Math for kids here

 

Ready for international math competitions

Vietnamese students can confidently conquer international math competitions such as IMO, SASMO, IKMC by mastering Mathematics in English. Of course, the international arenas will require students of a certain capacity. But a good foundation in Math learning in English from the beginning will be a launch pad to help children conquer these competitions.

 

 

 

 

Advantages for studying abroad

A good foundation of English is always an advantage in the story of studying abroad, especially in winning scholarships from top universities. To be able to achieve these scholarships, students need to take international certification such as IB, AP, IGCSE, A-level, or GMAT, GRE – all certificates require Mathematics tests in English.

 

 

 

 

loi ich hoc toan bang tieng anh trang bi tu duy phan bien va sang tao

Deepen critical and creative thinking skills

If creativity is considered the most important business skill, critical thinking is one of the keys to success in the 21st century. Creative thinking and critical thinking can be formed from studying, especially from Math. In math, creative thinking occurs when students generalize. To generalize, children need to analyze the problem first to see the same or the differences of things, to recognize the constant and the changes, … At Everest Education, we offer Singapore Math system, which has been proven to be especially effective for young students, and apply the CPA method (Concrete – Pictorial – Abstract) to make the students’ Math learning experience interesting and comprehensively develop all these skills.

 

>> Check out other topic:

7 Ways To Help Students Stay Focused In Classroom

5 Reasons Why Your Kids Hate Math (and how to fix it)

7 Ways To Help Students Stay Focused In Classroom

7 Ways To Help Students Stay Focused In Classroom

by | Oct 21, 2020 | For parents, For students

Paying attention in class is daunting for children. Not being able to concentrate in a class impedes how well you are able to perform academically. Fortunately, there are some really simple things parents can advise your children to help them stay focused and achieve better results. Concentration is like a muscle that requires regular exercise to strengthen.

These tips below will help your kids build their concentration muscles.

Parents can learn more about the reasons why kids does not stay focused in school here

 

cach tap trung hon tren lop giai bai tap phu hop nang luc

Do work at the right level of difficulty

Students want to feel challenged, but not over-taxed. Work that’s too hard for them is tricky to concentrate on because they might not be able to understand what’s being said; work that’s too easy can be even more of a challenge because it’s liable to make them bored. 

In fact, in English courses at Everest Education, students are mastering each sub-skill of listening, speaking, reading, and writing at their own speed and with their own leveled materials. Through this personalized learning approach, Everest Education students increase their English skills twice as fast as the one-size-fit-all method.

 

cach tap trung hon tren lop suy nghi ve cac cau hoi

 

Think of questions

Thinking of questions is a good way to keep kids’ brains engaged with the topic at hand. Kids don’t necessarily need to ask them, just think of them and perhaps write them down. If the work is too hard, try to work out what kids would need to know to understand it fully. If it’s too easy, think of what kids would ask to advance to the next level.

 

 

 

cach tap trung hon tren lop dong gop xay dung bai

 

Get involved in discussions

Let your kids know: make your thoughts heard. That’s not to say that they should spend the entire class asking incessant questions. Speaking up once or twice during a discussion is good. If they have a particular point, it’s a good idea to get it said early on, while their friends are still getting warmed up and before someone else says it first.

 

 

 

cach tap trung hon tren lop ghi chu

 

Take notes

Let your kids know: making notes forces you to digest what you’re being told. Not only does it mean that kids actually pay attention, but they are also more likely to remember what’s been said as a result.

 

 

 

 

cach tap trung hon tren lop giac ngu hop ly

 

Have enough sleep

Make sure your kids stick to a sleep routine. Go to bed and wake up at roughly the same time, including during weekends. 

Relaxing activity before bed. This will let your mind and body know it’s time to sleep. Do something that does not involve electronics, such as reading a book or taking a warm bath.

 

 

 

cach tap trung hon tren lop che do dinh duong hop ly

Maintain a good diet

Make sure to stay hydrated. Eat healthy foods. Go for whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and lean meats.

>> Check out some brain-boosting food for your child here: https://blog.e2.com.vn/brain-boosting-food-for-your-child/

 

 

 

 

cach tap trung hon tren lop tim hieu van de benh ly

Check for medical difficulties

If your child’s doing all of the above and still finding it hard to concentrate, it may be worth considering whether there’s a deeper explanation.

Children who need to wear glasses (be myopic) – or a child who has worn glasses but need a stronger prescription, paying attention to the board all the time will make them tired and reduce concentration. Also for children with hearing problems, it will be difficult for them to understand what the teacher is saying. Take a look at the symptoms and visit your doctor if necessary.

 

>> Check out some other tips:

How to teach your kids the value of money: A detailed age-to-age guide for parents 

5 Reasons Why Your Kids Hate Math (and how to fix it)

 

 

5 Reasons Why Your Kids Hate Math (and how to fix it)

5 Reasons Why Your Kids Hate Math (and how to fix it)

by | Oct 16, 2020 | For parents, For students

At Everest Education, we have met loads of students who say they hate math or are terrible at math.  Math has a wide-spread reputation for being the subject students hate.  For many students, math is not something that comes intuitively or automatically – it takes plenty of effort. It is a subject that sometimes requires students to devote lots and lots of time and energy.  Therefore, it’s not uncommon to hear “I hate math class” or “math is too hard” from students who are struggling.

But what causes so many students to dislike math, and how can you help to turn their opinions around?  What can be done to ensure more students see how fun and fulfilling it can be?

If your child is among the many students who hate math, there are ways to help.  After a few courses studying with us, we don’t often hear the complaints from students anymore. Maybe they still don’t love Math, but at least they know that Math is important, Math is relevant to their lives, and most importantly, learning Math can be so much fun.

In this article, we will help you find out why hating math is so common and how you can help your child learn to view the topic as more than just numbers and equations.

Let’s see what can be the real reason behind the hatred towards maths

1. Students haven’t mastered the basics

Yes, this is the first reason for hatred towards maths from the lower classes itself.  Learning Math works much like a stack of building blocks.  Children have to gain understanding in one area before they can effectively go on to “build upon” another area.  Without learning the basics well, they cannot understand the maths lessons in the higher classes. Our national maths curriculum is designed in a way that children have to face more complex maths problems as they get to higher classes which cannot be done without knowing the basics that they need to learn in the lower classes. 

Our first mathematical building blocks are established in primary school when we learn rules for addition and multiplication, and those first concepts comprise our foundation.  The next building blocks come in middle school when students first learn about formulas and operations.  This is when the big problem starts to appear sometime between middle school and high school because students very often move on to a new grade or new subject before they’re really ready. 

What parents can do to help:

  • Go back to basics and help your child learn their times tables by heart. This doesn’t have to mean spending hours reciting tables over and over again; there are plenty of apps, games, songs, books and interactive worksheets that make rote learning fun.
  • If you realize your child doesn’t perform well at Math in her class, even in the primary years, try to review heavily to make sure to pick up concepts they’ll need later. If needed, bring her to an extra math class, hire a tutor, or at least spend time to help her review any time you find that she struggles in math class!

2. Students can not see the relation between Math and their real-life

Some subjects relate easily to everyday life, but children often see maths as something that happens purely in the classroom.  This can make it seem a redundant and pointless exercise and something they can forget about as soon as the school bell rings.  “What’s the point of learning Algebra in the first place?”, “Do we really need to find “x” and “y” in our day-to-day lives?”, “We just need to master the basic operations to buy food at the grocery store, don’t we?”, “When will I ever use Trigonometry anyway?”… If parents and teachers can not answer these questions, it is discouraging to children who wonder why we learn Math if it is not useful for life.

In other subjects like science, topics can be taught in a storytelling way that creates a space for the child to get into the topic with her own imaginations and dreams regarding the topic, which makes the subject more interesting for the child to understand, rather than by hearting it.  But in the case of Math, there are no stories for the teachers to share with the students, there are only some formulas, theorems, and more complex mathematical procedures.

At Everest Education, our teachers always give a lot of thought to lesson planning to develop not just skill but also mathematical attitude.  In short, make mathematics an important and valued part of classroom life.  If your child understands how maths applies to real life, they’ll stop seeing it as a useless, irrelevant subject. 

What parents can do to help:

  • Connect Math to the real-life scenarios: There’s no shortage of opportunities to show your child how numbers relate to real life.  Parents can take advantage of everyday examples, like working out how to stack the tins in the kitchen cupboard or how long it’s going to take you to drive to a friend’s house, helps put Math into context for your child and shows them how important it is in our lives.   If you have any relatives or friends who work with numbers for their career, ask them to talk to your child about their job the next time they visit.  It’s harder for your child to dismiss Math as boring and irrelevant if they appreciate the doors it could open in their future career, from video game development to fashion design.
  • To really make it sink in, tap into your child’s interests: for example, if they love football, show them how to work out statistics like how many points their team needs for promotion, or if they’re passionate about baking, use making a cake to explore mathematical concepts like weighing, measuring and calculating cooking times.  You can also point out how math plays a part in everyday life like when totaling up groceries and telling time.

> Explore some super fun math activities that help your kids develop a strong foundation in understanding math and enhance their interest in learning here: https://blog.e2.com.vn/playful-math-activities-for-your-primary-kids/

3. Students don’t have good memorization skills

Most of the students have memory problems affecting their studies.  But mainly Math is the one subject giving more headaches for students as they need to recollect the equations, theorems, graphs, exponential, calculus, logarithms, sequences, and many more which can be hard for children to memorize.  Also in solving the problem, there can be different ways, but the child needs to remember the way she was taught by the teacher in class to get the full marks. Each step included in solving the problem needs to be written in the answer sheet to impress the teacher.

Many students who struggle with math struggle with memorizing all the rules and equations involved.  However, in reality, memorization is only one part of learning math.  Jo Boaler, Professor of Mathematics Education at Stanford University, and author of The Elephant in the Classroom: Helping Children Learn and Love Maths explains: “Unfortunately, in most schools, Math is taught as a closed subject with right and wrong answers, and children are drilled that it’s just the formal methods they have to remember.  But actually, Math is an open, creative, and flexible subject so as a parent you can try and give them a different experience at home.”

What parents can do to help:

  • Avoid the use of memorization as much as possible (i.e., filling their minds with facts) because memorizing is boring.  Instead, teach them how to figure out or discover their own answers to the equations.
  • Teach kids how to focus on problem solving: Instead of simply memorizing, students should concentrate on understanding how and why these formulas work.  Students who rely on memorization when learning math aren’t able to apply their knowledge and tend to become discouraged when asked to think outside of the box.
  • In your child’s spare time, offer him or her number-based brain teasers that focus on building problem-solving skills rather than memorization. These can be a fun way to get your child excited about math.

4. Learning Math requires a lot of mistakes

In order to learn, math requires making a lot of mistakes.  Students with math anxiety don’t simply dislike math – for them, math causes debilitating feelings of fear and failure that hurt their ability to perform.  The pressure and lack of confidence these students feel when faced with math cause their brain to freeze and forget even the things they do know.  Students have to repeat the same types of questions over and over again until they get the right answers – and it can get frustrating.  Repetitively getting wrong answers can take a toll on one’s confidence, leading them to shy away from the subject.

What parents can do to help:

  • Show your child that making mistakes is part of learning: It’s important that children don’t avoid tasks that are challenging and require hard work.  Help your child understand that the harder it is to get an answer right, the more fulfilling it will be when he or she eventually solves it.  If your child gets discouraged while learning math, remind her that making mistakes is just part of the process of learning.  This valuable lesson applies both in the classroom and to life as a whole.
  • Change the way we talk about maths ourselves.  Stop saying that you ‘can’t do it,’ and agreeing with your child that it’s boring; if you’re helping with homework and there’s something you’re not sure about, make a point of exploring the concept with your child and educating yourself, rather than ‘leaving it to Daddy’ or her teacher.
  • Celebrate your child’s progress: When your child finishes a unit, go back through the unit with your child, and talk about the new skills your child has mastered.  When you’re working on math facts, make a chart of the facts your child needs to learn and have her cross them the ones that she has down pat.  And when your child accomplishes something especially hard, like mastering the subtraction facts or long division, do something fun to celebrate!

5. Learning pace is not personalized

Solving Math is like walking on a tightrope.  It’s a difficult subject.  One quick lesson in the classroom will not make every child learn its concepts.  Some children take time and go slow. Maths is a fear because we expect all kids to understand it at the first go.

At Everest, we have seen that almost any child can excel at math –  given they have time to master it.  The time will vary from student to student.   Some students only need a couple of days to master adding fives, while others will struggle for several weeks.  But if we persevere with the practice, the student will get it!  Because of that, rather than finishing the portions in time, teachers should be more concerned for the students getting a better understanding of the topic they teach.  But practically it never happens and hence parents have to arrange special tuitions for the students and unfortunately in tuitions also the same thing happens because when the classes are crowded, the teachers are not able to give special attention to each child.

What parents can do to help:

  • Utilize online math games and software often to customize the learning path that fits your kids.  We always have a list of favorite math sites or programs to recommend to our students, and our blended learning model allows us to integrate offline and online learning to take care of the special needs of every student.  Since students today are so technologically savvy, utilize their strength in the tech realm, and include math learning in their online repertoire. 

>> Check out some useful websites that teach Math, recommended by Everest teachers: https://blog.e2.com.vn/bring-math-to-your-bedtime-stories/

Math is not the enemy of the students, but the way of teaching, the order of teaching, the attitude of the teachers and parents matters the most.  Every child possesses the ability to grasp and score better marks in maths if taught and nurtured in the right way.  We hope that by applying these tips, parents can make Math a more satisfying experience for your child  – as this is the base of all subjects and needs to be applied in every instance of our daily life.

Reference:
http://schoolessons.com/blog/10/why-your-child-hate-maths-top-5-reasons/#.X4PeLtAza70
https://www.theschoolrun.com/5-reasons-kids-hate-maths
https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/promoting-empathy-your-teen/201806/what-do-when-your-child-hates-math

How to teach your kids the value of money: A detailed age-to-age guide for parents

How to teach your kids the value of money: A detailed age-to-age guide for parents

by | Oct 9, 2020 | For parents, For students

It’s never too early to teach kids about money!

Given how important financial lessons, including saving strategies and money-management skills, are to help children achieve long-term success, we are quite surprised that the local schools don’t teach that much about money.

However, as a parent, you can teach your child money skills – and you should.  A University of Cambridge study showed that kids from their money habit by as early as 7 years old and that their observant eyeballs are usually watching when their parents make monetary transactions.  With a little bit of deliberate involvement, you can give your kids a financial head start.

“It’s actually easy to teach kids about money,” says Jayne A. Pearl, an Amherst, MA-based author of Kids and Money: Giving Them the Savvy to Succeed Financially.  “Turn your day-to-day activities into learning experiences.”  Trips to the bank, store, or the ATM machine, for instance, can be a perfect opening for a discussion about your values and how you use money.  When children are very young, you can work money concepts into your child’s imaginary games, like playing simulating stores or restaurants.  The sooner parents start taking advantage of everyday teachable money moments, the better they can make monetary decisions, whether it’s buying a toy they want or saving for college. 

In this article, we suggest some top money lessons can be learned at each age, as well as activities to illustrate each point, and some useful websites and apps to practice those skills. Read on for some fun, simple ways to introduce finance to your child.

Age 3-5: You may have to wait to buy something you want.

Good spending habits are rooted in the ability to delay gratification.  For example, your kid has to wait for a month to buy a Lego box he has been eyeing.  Children begin to comprehend the concept of waiting between ages 3 and 5.  This provides you with the opportunity to teach them about how waiting factors into saving and spending.

This is a hard concept for people to learn of all ages.  However, the ability to delay gratification can also predict how successful one will be as a grown-up.  Kids at this age need to learn that if they really want something, they should wait and save up to buy it.

A three-year-old can grasp money concepts like saving and spending.  Parents can use allowance to teach children about waiting and spending.  Find a reasonably priced toy, for example, say around 100K VND, that your child wants and tell them they’ll have to wait and save for the toy. Give your child 20K for allowance each week and, when 5 weeks pass, take her to buy it.

Skills can be learned at this age:

  • Counting money
  • Earning
  • Spending
  • Saving
  • Giving

Activities for ages 3 to 5:

  1. Start small. If a child is waiting in line to use a slide or a swing set at a playground, explain to them that part of life is learning to wait for the things we want.
  2. An imaginary shop in the living room is more than just a fun way for your child to exercise her imagination. By exchanging play money for goods, your child begins to understand the basics of commerce. You can use cereal boxes, fruit, sponges, or paper towels as store items. Together, make pretend money and shop till you drop.
  3. Create three jars – each labeled “Saving,” “Spending” or “Sharing.” Every time your child receives money, divide the money equally among the jars.
Apps that can help:

  • Dragonbox Numbers: Dragonbox Numbers teach your child what numbers are, how they work, and what we can do with them. Your child can build up her number sense through very well-designed, interesting and kid-friendly activities. 
  • Peter Pig’s Money Counter: This app helps young kids aged 5-8 learn important money skills.  Children learn to make purchases within a budget, put money aside for savings and are rewarded for good saving habits.  Features include three interactive games, fun facts about money, savings tips, a trip to the virtual store where kids can buy accessories to dress up Peter Pig and save a photo to their device.

Age 6-10: You need to make choices about how to spend money

At this age, it’s important to explain to your child: Money is finite and it’s important to make wise choices, because once you spend the money you have, you don’t have more to spend.  While at this age, you should also keep up with activities like saving, spending and sharing jars, and goal-setting, you should also begin to engage your child in more adult financial decision-making.

This age is also the perfect stage to start explaining the difference between wants and needs, so that they can make better financial choices later in life.  Discuss the difference between ‘needs’ and ‘wants’, and encourage your kids to think about these before spending their money.  For example when you’re in the store and your children are asking for a new video game or piece of clothing, instead of just tossing it into the cart, talk to them about whether it’s something that’s really important to them or if it’s an impulsive financial purchase.

Skills can be learned at this age:

  • Goods vs. Services
  • Needs vs. Wants
  • Short vs. Long term goals

Activities for ages 6 to 10:

  1. Include your child in some financial decisions.  In addition to games, allows children to see the impact money has on day-to-day activities.  When you’re shopping, talk aloud about how you’re making your financial decisions as a grown-up, asking questions like, “Is this something we really, really need? Or can we skip it this week since we’re going out to dinner?” “Can I borrow it?” “Would it cost less somewhere else? Could we go to the discount store and get two of these instead of one?”

2. Give your child some money, like 20K VND, in a supermarket and have her make choices about what snack to buy, within the parameters of what you need, to give them the experience of making choices with money.

3. Have your child set a goal. Every time she adds money to the savings jar, talk with her about how much she needs to reach her goal, and when she will reach it.

Apps that can help:

  • Savings Spree: Savings Spree is a fun app for children ages 7 and up. The game teaches kids how the daily lifestyle choices that they make can add up to big savings or big expenses, depending on how they choose to spend (or not spend) their money. 
  • Financial Football: Visa and the National Football League have teamed up to create Financial Football. This fast-paced, interactive game requires players to answer personal finance questions to score points. If your child is a soccer lover, this app will be a brilliant way to incorporate financial lessons into his favorite sport!

Age 11-13: The sooner you save, the faster your money can grow from compound interest.

By the time your kids are in middle school, they likely have a fair understanding of how money works and their opinions about how to spend and save are already starting to form.  At this age, you can shift from the idea of saving for short-term goals to long-term goals.  Instead of letting children use their entire allowance to make big purchases, offer to match their savings up to a certain amount.  Introduce the concept of compound interest, when you earn interest both on your savings as well as on past interest from your savings.

At Everest Education, we started to teach our students about interests and compound interests at the beginning of their middle school as well. “What would you do if you had $100 right now?”, we asked. While other students claimed that they would buy food and toys and video games and even lottery tickets, there was a boy who said: “I would lend money to my friends and take an extra charge”. – and that’s how we sneak in the concept of interest!

Skills can be learned at this age:

  • Credit
  • Debt
  • Interest
  • Budgeting

Activities for ages 11 to 13:

  1. Introduce a reasonable allowance, giving the child the opportunity to manage their own finances. If a child wants a particular toy, make it that they’ll need to earn the money themselves by saving up their allowance.
  2. If you can afford it, consider starting a savings account for your child. For example, put 1,000,000 VND in the bank and get statements each month, showing your child how interest grows each month and the amount of money increases over time. You can even encourage your child to put a fraction of their weekly allowance into savings.

3. Give commissions, not allowances.  Don’t just give your kids money for nothing.  Pay them commissions based on chores they do around the house like taking out the trash, cleaning their room, or mowing the grass. In the book Smart Money Smart Kids, Dave and his daughter Rachel Cruze talk a lot about this system. This concept helps your kids understand that money is earned – it’s not just given to them.

Apps that can help:

  • Bankaroo: Bankaroo is a virtual bank for kids, where you can teach them about the value of money in a safe environment.  Kids will learn how to budget, save up for goals and spend responsibly using our cool easy-to-use app and website.

  • Stock Market Game: This is a program sponsored by SIFMA (Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association) Foundation to engage students grades 4-12 in the world of economics, investing and personal finance.  Not only does this tool help students build a fundamental understanding of investing, it also provides them with real-world skills practice in math.  
  • BusyKid: BusyKid allows parents to manage their children’s chores, pay them, and put that money on a reloadable Visa card for the kids to use, so they’re the ones seeing the balance adjust with every purchase and every chore.

Age 14-18: To prepare for the world, be sure to consider how much each thing would cost.

High school years are the final step before your kids make it out into the world on their own.  Although they can be difficult, conversations about finances are important to have with your high school-aged kids. Before they leave for college or jump into the workforce, helping them understand their own relationship with money can help them succeed both when they first make it out into the world and for decades to come.  Talk to your kids about how they can start saving for college while they’re still in high school and use the money they’re earning from a summer job to get a head start.  You should also educate them about how loans work and the eventual payback process so that they understand borrowing money now means you could pay more later.  Encourage them to ask questions when it comes to money and create a safe environment where they can come to you about it.

Skills can be learned at this age:

  • Works
  • Banking
  • Investing (stock vs bonds)
  • Taxes
  • Good vs. Bad debt

Activities for ages 14-18:

  1. “Sit down together and create a budget that includes categories and monthly expenses. Help them review the budget on a quarterly basis to make sure they stay on track,” advises Jeremy Straub, CEO of Coastal Wealth, a financial firm in Fort Lauderdale.  While your child won’t be paying monthly bills like an electricity or water bill, if she has to pay for her own cell phone bill, or maybe birthday gifts for her friends… you can factor these extra expenses into a budget. 
  2. Discuss the cost of college:  As your child enters high school, discuss college and costs of tuition.  This will teach your child how to invest financially in their future, increasing the likelihood of financial stability and success long term.  Websites like College Scorecard can be used to explore the financial benefits of colleges.  The site provides information on employment rates of alumni, the average student debt, and whether the money spent ultimately pays off.
  3. Encourage your teens to get jobs and earn money.  Teenage years are a great time for kids to start finding a summer job to supplement their allowance or gifts that they get throughout the year. 

While the familiar summer jobs, like working at grocery stores or coffee shops are still popular, there are many opportunities for older kids to make an income online by doing translation jobs, being English tutors or freelance writers…  After all, if your teen starts working, she will appreciate all of the work you do – and what it takes to fund your family’s lifestyle.

4. Introduce the concept of investing: Once they’ve mastered basic banking skills, encourage your kids to learn about the complexity of globalized markets. Explore the idea of stocks, mutual funds, or savings accounts.

Apps that can help:

  • JA Build Your Future™: This app allows teens to explore more than 100 careers; see what levels of education are required, from no education to a doctorate; learn about potential income; and then calculate the cost of education, including factoring the cost of attending in-state, out-of-state public universities and private universities.
  • Mint: This is arguably the best-known personal finance app.  Mint really is aimed at adults, but if you have teens who have a bank account and a job and even pay some bills, it may be perfect.  If your teens spend too much and don’t stay within their budget, Mint will let them know.
  • Free Stock Market game: FREE stock market game that allows users to create their own custom stock game and create educational lessons for their players. It is used by over 400,000 individuals and students each year.  Users can then create their own custom stock market contest and invite their classmates, friends, family or co-workers to a friendly competition.  If your child is good at English and has the potential to become a successful entrepreneur in the future, encourage her to give it a try!

Parting words…

The earlier children understand the relationship between spending and saving, the more financially healthy their lives will be.  Therefore, no matter how old your children are, it’s important to show them that a strong understanding and relationship to their personal finances can help them succeed later in life.  This starts with passing on positive behaviors for them to follow at a young age and then having financial conversations with them as they get older.

Should you have any concerns or any topics you want us to cover, feel free to leave your comments below.  You can subscribe to our newsletter to get the latest updates delivered straight to your inbox, and find more parenting coverage at
https://blog.e2.com.vn/e2-talk-tips-and-tricks-parents/

Reference:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/laurashin/2013/10/15/the-5-most-important-money-lessons-to-teach-your-kids/#526b0f6a6826
https://www.thesimpledollar.com/financial-wellness/how-to-teach-kids-about-money-from-toddlers-to-teens/
https://www.parents.com/parenting/money/family-finances/teaching-kids-about-money-an-age-by-age-guide/
https://www.weareteachers.com/online-financial-literacy-resources/
https://www.wikihow.com/Teach-a-Child-the-Value-of-Money
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/how-to-teach-your-kid-the-value-of-money_n_5ba12acae4b013b0977f9e89
https://www.mother.ly/child/how-to-teach-kids-about-money/teens

90 important Math terms and numeracy explained for primary students

90 important Math terms and numeracy explained for primary students

by | Oct 2, 2020 | For parents, For students

Learning math is like learning a foreign language.  In order to be successful in Math, students must become fluent with the vocabulary.  To help children learn Math in a language that is not their first language, teachers and parents need to assess whether this is desirable and attempt to find meaningful, effective ways in which they are able to correctly use Mathematical terms and apply them to problem-solving.

As many parents have realized that throughout the time studying Math in English, your child will be introduced to a huge number of words and phrases, many of which may seem baffling – both to them and to you.

In this article, we list down the most important Math vocabulary words and concepts that every primary student should know. This list is designed to inform students, parents, and teachers of the vocabulary and meaning of terms in mathematics that students may have encountered in their primary school, in international Math contests, Math online learning sites… and will encounter when they transfer to post-primary education. 

Please note that this is not a comprehensive glossary of every basic mathematical term that could come up throughout your child’s primary school life, merely the key ones they will need to form solid foundations in the subject.

Term Definition Diagram/ Example
A Addends Numbers involved in an addition problem; a number that is added to another number
Addition Finding the total, or sum, by combining two or more numbers.
Acute angle An Acute Angle is less than 90°
Angle The amount of turn between two lines around their common point (the vertex).
Ascending order Arranged from smallest to largest. Increasing. 2, 4, 15, 31 are in ascending order.
Area The size of a surface. 
Average A calculated “central” value of a set of numbers.
B Bar chart A bar chart is a form of a graph that displays information using rectangular bars to show value.
Bar model A bar model is a method that uses diagrams of rectangular bars to represent maths problems in a visual way
C Circle A continuous curved line, the points of which are always the same distance from the center point.
Circumference The distance around the edge of a circle.

Circumference of Circle = 2πr
Complementary angles Two angles are complementary angles when they add up to 90°
Composite number A whole number that can be made by multiplying other whole numbers.
Cone A solid (3-dimensional) object that has a circular base joined to a point by a curved side.

The pointed end of the cone is called the apex, whereas the flat surface is called the base.
D Decimal A decimal number (based on the number 10) contains a Decimal Point.

“forty-five and six-tenths” written as a decimal number
Decline to gradually become less, lower
Decomposing number Decomposing is when we break the number apart
Descending order Arranged from largest to smallest. Decreasing. For example, 210, 52, 11, 9, 2 are in descending order.
Denominator The bottom number in a fraction.
Diagonal A line that goes from one corner to another, but is not an edge.
Diameter The distance from one point on a circle through the center to another point on the circle. And it is twice the radius.
Difference The difference means to subtract one value from another
Dividend The number that you want to divide up.
Divisible When dividing by a certain number gives a whole number answer For example, 10 is divisible by 5, because 10 ÷ 5 = 2 exactly

But 9 is not divisible by 2 because 9 ÷ 2 is 4 with 1 leftover.
Division The division is splitting into equal parts or groups.
Divisor The number we divide by.
E Edge An edge is a name for lines created when two faces in a 3D shape meet.
Equal Exactly the same amount or value
Even number Any integer that can be divided exactly by 2 is an even number.
Equation A mathematical statement shows that both sides equal the other. For example, 12 – 5 = 3 + 4
Equilateral triangle A triangle with three equal sides and three equal angles.
Equivalent fraction The fractions that have different numerators and denominators but are equal to the same value.
F Factor Numbers we can multiply together to get another number. For example, 2, 3, 4, and 6 are all factors of 12, and 12 can be divided into them exactly.
Fewer Smaller quantity or amount.
Fraction Shows how many parts of a whole:

• the top number (the numerator) says how many parts we have.

• the bottom number (the denominator) says how many equal parts the whole is divided into
G Geometry The branch of mathematics that deals with points, lines, shapes, and space.
Greater Bigger.

The symbol > means greater than

 For example, 7 > 4 shows that 7 is greater than 4.
H Hypotenuse The side opposite the right angle in a right-angled triangle.
Hemisphere A hemisphere is a half-sphere formed by a plane intersecting the center of a sphere.
Hexagon A hexagon is a 6-sided polygon
I Increase Make something bigger (in size or quantity).
Integer A whole number. It may be positive, negative, or zero.
Isosceles triangle A triangle with two equal sides and two equal angles across from them.
L Less than Smaller.

The symbol < means less than 

 For example, 4 < 7 shows that 4 is less than 7.
Line A line is absolutely straight, has no thickness, extends in both directions without end.
M Mean Found by adding a set of values and dividing the total by the number of values in the set. For example, the mean of 2, 4, 5, 7 and 12 is 6 because (2 + 4 + 5 + 7 + 12) ÷ 5 = 6
Median The median of a set of numbers is the middle number in that list. The numbers in the list must first be sorted into ascending order. For example, the median of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 is 4.
Midpoint The middle point of a line segment. 
Minuend The first number in a subtraction.
Mixed number A whole number and a fraction combined For example, 5½ (five and a half) is a mixed number.
Mode The mode of a set of numbers is the one that appears most often.  For example, the mode of 2, 3, 4, 5, 5, 6, 7 is 5.
Multiple  A multiple is a result of multiplying one integer by another.
Multiplication The basic idea of multiplication is repeated addition. For example: 5 × 3 = 5 + 5 + 5 = 15
N Negative number Less than zero.
Numerator The top number in a fraction.
Number line A number line is a horizontal line, with numbers placed at equal or segments along its length.
O Obtuse angle An Obtuse Angle is more than 90° but less than 180°
Odd number Any integer that cannot be divided exactly by 2 is an odd number.
P Pair Two together.  For example, {12,11} is a pair of numbers
Parallel 2 lines that always have the same distance apart and never touching.
Parallelogram A Parallelogram is a flat shape with opposite sides parallel and equal in length.
Pentagon A pentagon is a 5-sided Polygon
Percentage Percentage means ‘out of 100’ and is used to show a number or ratio expressed as a fraction of 100. For example, this 300.000VND  jacket had 20% off in the Christmas sale.
Perimeter The total distance around the outside of a polygon. This distance is obtained by adding together the units of measure from each side. For example, the perimeter of this rectangle is 7+3+7+3 = 20
Perpendicular Two lines or line segments intersecting to form a right angle.
Polygon A polygon is any 2D shape with straight, closed sides. 
Prime number A prime number is any number greater than 1 that can only be divided equally by itself and 1.
Prism A prism is a 3D shape with two identical flat sides and ends.
Product The answer when two or more values are multiplied together.
Q Quotient The answer after we divide one number by another. For example, in 12 ÷ 3 = 4, 4 is the quotient.
Quadrilateral A flat shape with four straight sides.
R Radius The distance from the center to the circumference of a circle
Ratio A ratio shows the relative sizes of two or more values. For example, the ratio of boys to girls was 2:1, meaning there are two boys for every one girl.
Remainder An amount left over after division
Right angle A right angle is an internal angle which is equal to 90°
Rhombus A Rhombus is a flat shape with 4 equal straight sides.
S Scalene triangle No equal sides

No equal angles
Sequence A sequence is a list of things (usually numbers) that are in order.
Set A set is a collection of things, usually numbers. 
Sphere An object shaped like a round ball
Subtraction Taking one number away from another.
Subtrahend A quantity or number to be subtracted from another.
Sum The result of adding two or more numbers.
Supplementary angles The two angles are supplementary angles when they add up to 180°
Symmetry When a picture or shape is the same on both sides, we call it ‘symmetrical’
T Trapezoid A trapezoid is a 4-sided flat shape with straight sides that has a pair of opposite sides parallel
Triangle A triangle has three sides and three angles right arrow. The three angles always add to 180°
U Unequal Not equal.
V Vertex A point where two or more line segments meet. A corner.
Volume The volume is the amount of space an object occupies, especially 3D shapes. For example, the volume is 10 × 4 × 5 = 200 unit
W Weight How heavy something is.
Whole number Whole numbers are simply the numbers 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, … (no negative, fractional or decimal parts)
Word problems Mathematical exercises presented in ordinary language rather than in mathematical notation. The most common types of word problems are distance problems, age problems, work problems, percentage problems, mixtures problems, and numbers problems. For example,

Ann is three times as old as her little brother Bob. In five years, she will be only twice as old. How old are they now?

>>> Parents can also download our free printable set of Math flashcards, and read the detailed guidance of how to use them with your child here: https://blog.e2.com.vn/use-flashcards-to-teach-your-kids-math-vocab/

Should you have any concerns or any topics you want us to cover, feel free to leave your comments below.  You can subscribe to our newsletter to get the latest updates delivered straight to your inbox and find more parenting coverage at
https://blog.e2.com.vn/e2-talk-tips-and-tricks-parents/