Ongoing research is shedding new light on the importance of math to
children's success. Math skill at kindergarten entry is an even stronger
predictor of later school achievement than reading skills or the
ability to pay attention, according to a 2007 study in the journal
Developmental Psychology.
The issue is drawing increasing attention as U.S. teens continue to
trail their global peers in math, performing below average compared with
students in 33 other industrialized nations, based on the most recent
results of the Program for International Student Assessment in 2010.
Parents play a pivotal role in kids' math attitudes and skills, starting in toddlerhood.
