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10 Mega Reasons Why Subtraction is Important in your Life

Math is like a family of four. Subtraction is just one of those family members. Subtraction is to take a number or an amount away from another amount or number. Picture a table with four legs. When one leg breaks that table will be of no use. This is what subtraction is to math. A strong leg that we cannot do without.

Career Choices

Some career choices require the knowledge of subtraction. To become a bank teller you definitely need the ability to subtract, or what about any career in sales. Without subtraction you are going nowhere fast. Everything in life is mathematically orientated.

Obesity

Obesity has become a major problem in this day and Era. Especially under young children and teenagers. One place where you will definitely use subtraction is when you lose weight.

Teamwork

What about a team. Sometimes you add players, but others times you take players off the field, always changing. That is subtraction.

Pregnancy

When a woman is expecting a baby she is not alone anymore but together they make two. As soon as she gives birth to the baby one is "subtracted" and once again she becomes one.

Balance

Can you imagine how boring life would be without color? Just think off nature and water, like for instance mountains, the sea or even a lake. Without color it would be extremely boring. Subtraction brings color to your life. It helps to bring a balance so that both weights are equal and not one overpowering the other.

Dentists and teeth

As we grow up we will get certain teeth at a certain age. When the new tooth starts to push through the gum, the old one falls out, making way for the new one. When we get older we need more specialized help, and we go to the dentist and he "subtracts" the extra tooth.

Clutter

Do you know what clutter is? It's all that tiny little things you collect. If you leave it over a period of time you will have so much junk that needs to be thrown out. Instead of collecting you need to subtract from your closets all the clutter you have collected over time and make way for new stuff. This is something that you need to do regularly in order to know what you possess.

Knowledge

Do you realize all the knowledge you have gained through time. A little bit here and a little bit there and you are a wealth of knowledge. You are like a library. Full of books, audios' and DVD's but instead of lending and borrowing, you need to give away some of what you have learned to others. By subtracting from your well of knowledge you can enrich someone else with it by teaching them what you know.

Brainstorming

Brainstorming can be a fountain of ideas springing forth. Have you ever done brainstorming? Well, it can be very creative when two or more people get together and put all there ideas on paper. Then they pick out the ones that are the best. The others are then stored away for further use. But at that moment you are subtracting the ideas that are not so good and only using the good ideas.

Cleaning the garden

When you have a garden you need to maintain it so that it can be kept neat and tidy. So in other words you have to clean it regularly and take out plants that have grown too quickly or have multiplied. When you take plants out you are subtracting.

Read, Learn & Flourish!

How to Reduce Anxiety and Nervousness on Math Tests

Math tests can be overwhelming and threatening at the same time. The emotional aspect that goes with it that makes you feel like a failure and at that very moment you have a poor self image. Your brain races and you can't think clearly. Sweaty palms, dry mouth, heart palpitations and to top it all up, your mind goes totally blank instantly.

Have you ever been there? Most probably you have! Every one of us experiences this at least once in our lifetime when taking a math test. The good news is that there is ways to combat this.
Taking time to study beforehand will eliminate most of these systems, because the fear makes you nervous, and when you know your subject all fear will be gone. When preparing for your test make sure that you take every problem into account, don't leave anything to chance.

Set up a practice exam beforehand if you struggle with anxiety and stress. Many bookstores or even the Internet have them readily available. Work through them so that you can identify any problem areas with enough time to spare if you need to master something.

Divide your exam paper in three parts. Do the easy ones first, those are the ones that you can do in your sleep. Then move on to the second part, the ones that are a bit more difficult, and when they are finished work on the ones you battle with. It is no good to sit for an hour with something you can't do and miss the marks that you are able to do.

Start to speak positive over yourself, things like, "I am able to do this". If your attitude is positive you will be able to do anything. So work on the attitude and built your self esteem up, don't break it down with words like, I'm a failure, I can't do this, it's just too difficult. This will surely sink your ship.

When you feel your attention wander bring yourself back in focus. Don't daydream during your test; you'll have plenty of time afterwards to worry about the marks.

Use some relaxation techniques to relax those tense muscles. Deep focused breathing and some positive talk at the same time will help you to stay calm and relaxed. Do simple exercises like contractions of muscles? Start at the feet and slowly work your way up your body. Contract each part and let it go. The tenseness will be gone quickly.

Not all anxiousness is bad. A little adrenaline pumping through your veins can actually be the whip you need to get you through the test. Become excited about the test. You have worked hard and now's the time to be rewarded. All that is standing in your way is to do the test and then you can move on to a new level of learning, which is actually very rewarding in itself.

Life is full of tests. Some we fail and some we pass but with each one, we learn something new. As you study for your test remember that the skills you learn today will be the stepping stones of tomorrow.

What about audio or DVD's. Get a math tutor on audio or DVD and listen to the solutions to the problems. This way it will sink in deep into your long term memory. Personally this has been something that really worked and helped me.

Remember to get a good nights rest, eat well and make enough time to study beforehand. Common sense will get you through!

Read, Learn & Flourish!

5 Fun Ways to Learn Subtraction: Critical Thinking Activities

Although subtraction is a relatively easy math concept to learn, there are at least 5 fun ways to learn subtraction. These fun ways allow learning subtraction to be more enjoyable, instead of completing the traditional mind numbing repeating worksheets. Most students find that when the math problems are related to their lives, creative, and challenging they will find not only can they subtract - they have the ability to apply subtraction to many situations.

The first fun way is through the use of an online computer program that uses virtual manipulatives by Utah State University. Their website is http://nlvm.usu.edu and is designed to engage student critical thinking skills as they apply subtraction concepts. An interactive activity is called color chips in which you use different color chips to illustrate the subtraction of positive and negative integers. This activity requires the students use their problem solving skills to solve subtraction problems.

Another fun way to practice subtraction is to play baseball math. In this activity the teacher draws a baseball stadium on the chalk board from an overhead view. Students are divided up into teams. Each team takes their turn coming to bat, solving subtraction problems. The team not at bat waits for their turn to bat, since there is no field to protect. Students are asked to solve a variety of subtraction problems to get a base hit, once the team member gets a hit he/she places at symbol or marker on first base. As long as the team is at bat they get to continue placing runners on the bases and advancing around the bags and scoring runs. Just like in baseball, 3 incorrect answers equals three outs. Then the next team comes to bat. This is a good way to review subtraction facts.

Variations of math baseball include: football, soccer, hockey, basketball, softball, and other sports.

A third fun activity is playing subtraction Jeopardy. In this activity students are given the answers and they have to come up with a subtraction problem that results in the answer given. This is an excellent problem solving interactive activity requiring the use of critical thinking skills to develop these problem answers. It also makes a connection to real world math situations for everyday choices when applying subtraction math for shopping, sports, activities around the home, and choices in life.

A fourth fun way to learn subtraction is by using paint by numbers kits. Students get to paint each numbered part of a picture when they solve an associated subtraction math problem. This teaches students not only the how to solve subtraction problems; it also teaches them how to use critical thinking and problem solving skills as they use the paint by number set to learn subtraction. This type of fun activity teaches them how to problem solve as they hone their subtraction skills and make connections to situations in the real world.

A fifth way is to have a simulated store in the classroom that sells various products, the use of empty containers and plastic foods allow the store to be used more than once. This activity has only one way students can purchase items, the total must result in a certain number or fall within a certain number range to purchase the products.

This creates a problem solving situation in which students must have a sound understanding of subtraction as it relates to other math concepts. These include connections with addition, division, and multiplication. And additional challenge can be by having the answers incorporate sales tax.

The key aspect in all of these fun activities is students' minds are engaged as they learn to solve and make connections as they subtract numbers for applications in everyday life situations.

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Learning Measurements by using your Kitchen

If you want to learn or teach measurements, the best place to do so is in the kitchen. Almost everything that is done in the kitchen is based on measurements. If a child wants to perform the simplest task such as making some Kool-Aid, measuring is involved as they will have to measure one cup of sugar for 2 quarts of Kool-Aid. If a parent were to make a batch of chocolate chip cookies with their child just think of the possibilities there. Measurements in a simple batch of cookies include cups, tablespoons, and teaspoons and just imagine the possibilities if you were to double that recipe.

Learning measurements in the kitchen can begin at a very early age and as the child grows, so can the learning. There really is no better place to teach measurements although teachers do bring these lessons into the classroom somehow they are not as effective as they are in the kitchen with hands on experience. Plus all kids just love to cook in the kitchen. Even preschoolers can help you bake a cake or prepare a simple dinner. Here is when you would want to explain to the child what tools are used to measure wet and dry ingredients. Show them what a cup of liquid looks like and then a cup of flour or sugar. Show them and then test them on which is bigger, a teaspoon or a tablespoon. Let them practice with water until they get it right. Let them play with dry ingredients such as flour but if you aren't so daring then let them play with the measuring devices in the sand where the mess doesn't count.

Weight is another measurement and this can be introduced early at the grocery store by weighing produce or buying deli meats. In the produce sections they have those scales and kids are fascinated by them. Let your child weigh some fruit and explain how many apples are in one pound, etc. This type of activity is preparing them for later work in the kitchen. Understanding all of the concepts involved with measurement can be difficult for a child first starting out. Most kids love the kitchen, which is a great place to begin the adventure of measurement. Once your child knows the difference between a cup and a tablespoon, start teaching them what you know about conversions and equivalents. Give lots of praise and encouragement along the way and when they're enjoying their first meal, remind them that they're the ones who made it and that measurement was the key.

Before you start to teach measurements to your child, discuss the process. Set some reasonable goals together and designate rewards for various levels of progress and understanding. This will create motivation for your child to learn measurements. Since you will be working in the kitchen, rewards can be easy to create. Set a weekly ritual of cooking something delicious together. Your child will learn their measurements and the whole family will get a nice meal in the bargain.

Here are a few of the easy math lessons that can be taught using your time in the kitchen. Once the child is a bit older then you can get to conversions in measuring. Even if you don't know all of the conversions between units of measurements, simply using the tools will help your children become familiar with the amounts that each measurement can hold. Show them the ones you do know: how two half cups equal 1 whole cup; four � cups equal 1 whole cup and so on. You may come across something that even you do not know in which case you should show the child how to be resourceful and find the answer.

Cooking can be a great way to explain to children how an algebraic equation works. Teach then the basic knowledge that cooking and baking requires following a specific formula which is just like algebra and if the formula is not followed precisely then you will come up with something different than you originally wanted.

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New Year Resolutions For Students

Realistic suggestions for school students to consider:

New Year's Resolutions: how often do you make them? How often do you break them? Most New Year's Resolutions don't last long because they are too difficult and unrealistic. People swear to lose 3 Kgs, exercise for an hour each day, get awesome grades in school, and become a nicer person-- all by March.

You're much more likely to keep resolutions if they are realistic and attainable. Pick a few relatively easy things that will make life better for you and those around you. Here are some suggestions for simple resolutions that may be useful for college students.

• Whenever possible, get an extra hour of sleep every night.
• Spend ten minutes every evening straightening up your room.
• Read at least one book per term just for fun.
• Work to improve English communication skills.
• Put more effort to improve emotional and physical well being.
• Keep up better with the news.
• Spend a little less time watching TV.
• Spend a little less time on Orkut or Facebook.
• Work in extra walking into your everyday routine.
• Call your mom more often.
• Help a friend with homework when needed.
• Do your laundry (at least a part) by yourself before it piles up on the floor.
• Avoid drama as much as possible, and be kind to your friends.
• Try to improve your attention span in class.
• Attend class more seriously.
• Volunteer for charity or services in your neighbourhood.
• Eat breakfast every day.
• If you're religious, spend a little more time observing.
• Refuse to get involved in relationships that are no good for you.
• Stop comparing yourself to other students who you think are smarter or more attractive.
• Cut your "fun" spending by 25 percent.
• Sew the missing buttons back on your clothes.
• Help your parents.
• Live up to the expectations of your parents, teachers and well wishers.

Say time and again to yourself, I can do it! I will do it? Now is the right time to start!

For your success & Glory!

Boosting Your Self-Esteem - Improving the Way You Feel About Yourself

"Self-esteem is the reputation we acquire with ourselves."
- Nathaniel Branden
Leading self-esteem researcher and theorist

Improving self-esteem is a very personal journey. It's a key part of feeling happy within ourselves, and of feeling that we're succeeding in the things that matter to us.

Positive self-esteem helps you to be yourself, handle adversity, and believe that you'll win through, despite setbacks. It's an inner force that sustains you, and gives you the courage you need to be the person you want to be.

Low self-esteem, on the other hand, does the opposite. It's connected to self-doubt, and to a general feeling that you're not quite good enough to meet life's challenges. If you have low self-esteem, you may believe that you aren't capable of achieving your dreams, and you may even believe that you shouldn't dream at all. In fact, low self-esteem is used to diagnose many mental disorders, and it can be associated with to a variety of negative emotions, including anxiety, sadness, hostility, shame, embarrassment, loneliness and lack of spontaneity.

What Is Self-Esteem?
You're probably familiar with the idea of self-esteem. It's most often associated with self-confidence, but self-esteem is more than just confidence – it goes deeper. In fact, some people argue that you can have self-confidence and still have low self-esteem – most notably if you approach life with a "fake it ‘til you make it" attitude (in other words, "pretend" until you succeed).

Healthy self-esteem doesn't involve faking anything. And although there's significant debate over the definition of self-esteem, a leading theory is that it's a combination of two factors: competence and worthiness.

Other models have focused on one of these factors or the other. However, it's the relationship between the two that provides the best description. Nathaniel Branden says the following in his book "The Psychology of Self-Esteem":

Self-esteem has two interrelated aspects: it entails a sense of personal efficacy and a sense of personal worth. It is the integrated sum of self-confidence and self-respect. It is the conviction that one is competent to live and worthy of living.

Competence and Worthiness
The competence element of self-esteem deals with how far you believe that you have the skills and abilities you need to succeed in areas that matter to you.

This isn't generalized success, or even a general sense of competence. It's specific to areas of your life that are particularly important to you. For example, if you can sing and dance and entertain a crowd like no one else, that won't contribute to positive self-esteem if what you really value is academic success. Likewise, if you rise to the top of your profession, but you're not proud of that profession, it's unlikely that it will help your sense of self-esteem much.

It's this idea of "value" that brings us to the other element of self-esteem: worthiness. This is where you express your overall evaluation of yourself. It's based on your values, and on whether you routinely behave in a way that is consistent with these values. Together, these factors influence whether you believe you're "good enough", and whether you like and respect the person you are.

By combining competence and worthiness, and by looking at how they relate to each other, we get a full and dynamic definition of self-esteem. Just feeling good about yourself isn't self-esteem. There has to be a competence element, so that your behaviors result in positive actions, not destructive ones. Too great a sense of worthiness can lead to conceit, and even narcissism. Healthy self-esteem keeps those things in balance.

Improving Self-Esteem
Now that you know what self-esteem is, you're in a better position to improve yours in a robust and balanced way.

Here are some tips for improving your self-esteem:

Think about yourself positively – The only person who can change your view of yourself is you! No one else can give you self-esteem – you have to build it by thinking about and using all of the positive things in your life. Make sure that you get into the habit of positive thinking, and learn how to detect and defeat patterns of self-sabotage. And be your own best cheerleader and supporter!

Take pride in your accomplishments – When you do something well, celebrate it. Don't wait for someone else to tell you how wonderful you are. Tell yourself!

Set goals – The more successes you achieve, the better you'll feel about yourself. Goal setting is a great technique for targeting, tracking and recognizing success. It helps you to build competence and, from this, build a sense of pride and a feeling of worthiness. Make sure that you embrace goal setting!

Be consistent – You improve self-esteem when you act in ways that are consistent with your values. If you find yourself in a compromising or difficult situation, do all that you can to make a decision that is consistent with these values. Achieve your goals with integrity, and don't undermine your self-esteem by cheating, or acting in a dishonest way.

Remember that you aren't perfect – Don't be too hard on yourself. We all make mistakes, and that's often OK, just as long as we learn from them. The only person's standards you have to meet are your own: stop worrying about what others think, and focus on the great things about yourself. If you do, your inner confidence will shine through, and more than compensate for any shortcomings you might have.

Look after your physical self – Being active can improve self-esteem. Activities that improve your overall health help you feel more in control, and give you a sense of satisfaction that carries though to other areas of your life.

Key Points
The way you feel about yourself is key to self-esteem. You're the one in control, and you can make a difference. If you like yourself, and believe that you deserve good things in life, you'll have high self-esteem. If you dislike yourself or criticize yourself excessively, you'll have low sense of self-esteem.

Having healthy self-esteem is important because it helps you get through life's challenges and achieve the things that matter most to you. As such, make a commitment to yourself to value what you do and who you are!

For your Success & Glory!