Mad about Maths?

2 + 2 = 5. Simple. Many people think that's where it ends and after school, it has no relevance. This is not the case.

It is becoming more and more common, people in their middle ages returning to school to enroll
in night courses to improve their skills in maths / english / science or languages. In recent years there have been many government initiatives to engage the general public in improving their skills in maths and english specifically to help them better themselvesin the workplace and increase their confidence with sums they encounter in their day to day lives.

A prime example is the Direct gov programme where parents / adults who find they are bafflled
by their childrens' homework, they should contact the phoneline to get involved with the free
skills courses on offer. This is an excellent initiative as it increases the general level of learning
of the populace. However, this scheme shouldn't be a necessity in today's society and we should examine the root of the problem, the cause of the apathy towards maths in the early years when these skills should be nailed.

Benefits of maths - confidence
The benefits of learning maths skills are many and varied. For one, having a good grasp
of maths means that one isn't forever scowling at a problem and asking colleagues for help.
Having maths skills means you can be more independant and can take on problems head on, without fear. This can greatly increase your confidence and lead to more senior role in the workplace as you oversee those who are developing their skills.

Employability
Having skills and qualifications in maths allows you to apply for a greater variety of jobs.
They instantly open more doors and brighten your outlook as you can say yes to a lot of
different opportunities. Maths not also helps with a professional post with a company but
it can also help by opening up doors to part-time freelance work like tutoring. Many children
suffer at school and need extra help to get their skills up to par and working as a tutor allows
you to aid them whilst also making some money with your own skills. This is a direct example of the maths skills at work but there are also many other different opportunities out there using the same kinds of skills. Bookmaking and small-time accounting are just a few examples.

Economic Wellbeing
There are many benefits to learning maths and keeping your skills up to scratch. the above confidence boost and ability to moonlight as a tutor/ bookmaker are to name but a few. These are personal benefits of learning maths skills but the wider picture is that with better maths skills, there will be less waste in the economy: less time wasted as employees tackle problems quicker. Less waste at events and in government departments as employees gain confidence in the art of estimation and mininise the waste originating from buying too much of a particular consumable. There are many good reasons behind getting involved in learning more english and maths skills. confidence, employability. There is also the lucrative path of working as a tutor, earn part time wage as maths tutor.

Maths, Maths, everywhere !
However, there are many jobs where a good grasp of even elementary mathematics skills are a necessity. A good example is the humble P.A.. Working under someone doesn't mean your skills needn't be up to scratch. The assistant needs to help organise the superior's day. This means calculating time intervals when tasks can be carried out, keeping track of calls and reports. In addition, the seemingly simple task of getting the coffees also requires a sharp mind so correct remuneration for each person's drink can take place.

Root of the problem
In the UK, school doesn't foster the importance of maths skills as a concept. In fact, the opposite occurs frequently. Children are expected to simply pick up the maths at an exponential rate like a savant (Rain Man) with little explanation or reinforcement of how to gofrom A to B in a mathematical system. This 'you know it or you don't' strategy, borne out of the lack of specialist maths tutors and a strict time sensitive curriculum maths in schools.

Patience is the key
These factors are the main reason that children aren't learning the essential skills they'll need
in the working world. The above benefits should be stressed to children when the despair with their maths homework and the concept of delayed gratification, working hard now for something good later in life, should be cemented into their minds. Remember, a good knowledge of maths needs patience to be able to learn it in the first place.

Talk talk

For many, the word presentation means that their world has come to an end.Premonitions of yourself stuttering, crashing and burning in front of a thousand strong class suddenly whip up into your head. Your plams get clammy, your knees start knocking.

But it needn't be that way.

I'm a recent graduate and having gone through the academic machine myself, I've had to do all manner of presentations as part of my course, my part-time job even involved giving presentations to young people, the most challenging group to interest. And I'm going to pass these skills on to YOU!!

Note-Cards / Aide-memoirs.
First and foremost, many of you will want some sort of aid to hand during the presentation.
Whether it be out of an actual need or simply to bolster your confidence by having it there, that's fine. However, in either case, you must do this in the right way to help the credibility of your talk. Small flashcard-sized prompts work fine. Aim to put 3 or four concise points to a card and use as few as you can, this way, you don't alienate your audience as you squint at unwieldy A4 sheets. These also act as an inadvertant screen between you and those listening so it's important
to avoid this.

Know your oats
Perhaps not cereal grains but its important that you know your presentation intimately.
Know your material so you're confident you can speak well about it and handle questions with ease. If you're giving a powerpoint presentation be sure to only use the minimum of slides you can get away with (aim for 3/4/5 for a 5-10 minute presentation), whilst still communicating your points. Remember, YOU are giving the presentation so it's important that you only use the powerpoint as an aid, don't rely on it. Occasionally, look to the screen and your audience will follow, then look back to your audience. This is another technique to engage your audience and ensure that they're looking and listening.

Loud and Proud
A seemingly obvious point but it's often overlooked when you're in front of a group and it's showtime. Remember to stand up straight with shoulders back ( good posture is tantamount to a good presentation as it opens up the chest, allowing you to breathe easier) and speak loudly and clearly the back of the room. This way, everyone in the room will be able to hear you easily. This will aid relaxation allowing you to focus on the material you're talking about. Also, try to look the audience members in the eye and scan all around the room as you talk to ensure that 1) Your audience is paying attention and 2) To create a rapport with your audience. It helps to draw the audience in with eye contact because they are more likely to engage with your ideas if you're talking to them in a personal manner.

Summary
Rounding off, it's important that you only use the smallest of cards as a trigger
to help you kick of your thoughts on each of your important points. Know your material well
before the presentation and keep an order to your thoughts to aid the flow of your talk
from one point to the next. Speak loudly to ensure everyone can hear you and easily take in what you're saying. Good Luck!!