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Math success opens doors to college and careers.
The technical and professional jobs of the future demand more mathematical knowledge and problem-solving skills.
Children who believe they can be successful in math are more willing to put in effort, even when they struggle, and this results in better performance.¹
Success in elementary school math predicts future achievement in middle and high school math and other subjects.² ³
Students who complete higher-level math in high school earn higher incomes in the future.⁴
The number of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) jobs is growing and half of all STEM jobs are available to workers without a four-year college degree. STEM jobs pay 10% more than other jobs available to these workers.⁵
Families can support children in developing math skills for the future by:
praising effort and modeling positive math attitudes.
“Great problem solving!”encouraging children to seek help and try new strategies when they are stuck.
“Let’s try a different method.”confronting stereotypes about who is good at math.