Education expert uses a whiteboard to explain the importance of investing in children’s core math skills before they start formal education

In the 7th lesson of our EdBits series, education and numeracy expert Deepa Srikantaiah uses a whiteboard to describe why children who develop a “number sense” –through learning core numeracy skills before they enter the early grades of formal education–is often the greatest predictor of later academic success.  These core skills consist of counting to 10, adding a group of objects together, naming two-dimensional shapes such as circles or squares, and using positional words such as up, down, inside or outside.

Deepa goes on to illustrate research showing a correlation between investing in education and the rate of return on investment in human capital.  She explains that the rate of return on a $100 investment in a 3-year-old child’s education is much higher than investing the same amount in a 15-year-old’s education.  Watch the video to learn more.

What is your experience? Have you seen academic performance effects on children who learn these core numeracy skills before they enter school? Or when they don’t?  Leave a comment and explain how.

Source: Heckman 2006: http://jenni.uchicago.edu/human-inequality/papers/inv-young-rep_all_2007-01-31b_mms.pdf