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After seeing a commercial on the Brainetics program I almost purchased it but decided to search further. She has struggled with math from the very start of pre-school, just as I did. I began reading out loug the introduction titled "Math Used to Totally Suck" to convince her to at least give the book a try. She's had tutoring in math and yet she still struggles with understanding the concepts beyond basic addition, subtraction and multiplication.
After reading for about 2 minutes she got up and said she needed to get something and came back with paper and pencil. It's as if her brain shuts down at the very mention of math or numbers. I searched every website on the internet to find help, knowing that there had to be a better way to understand math beyond the standard school teaching. I understand some of the negative reviews, but my only concern is that for the first time in her life my 12 year old smiled after doing a math lesson. The smile on my daughter's face was worth all the money in the world. The beauty of the book is that Danica also makes sure to reinforce on nearly every page that being intelligent is much more important than being pretty, that intelligence can never be taken away while being pretty doesn't last, and most important to many 12 year old girls--boys like intelligent girls.We received the book yesterday and my daughter's first reaction was the usual rolling of the eyes and dread that she always exhibits when math is mentioned.
As I read the introduction she became interested and settled down to read the book herself. She skipped the first part, chapters 1, 2 and 3, which deal with factors and multiples and went to fractions, something she's been struggling with.
After all the tutoring, math lessons and school work, this was the first time she ever smiled after doing math. She excels in every other subject, even being placed in honors ap english.
Yeah. I then came across recommendations for the book "Super Math-E-Magics" but the only copies available were selling for $175, which I was hesitant to pay for a book I had never seen.
I finally settled on this book because like it or not, most 12 year old girls are interested in boys, makeup, hair and all the other nonsense that Danica mentions in her book. She worked a few problems on improper fractions and multiplying fractions and got the answers right.
It was as if a closed door had finally opened for her and she's eager to get home from school to learn more math.Some people gave negative reviews and yes, there is a lot of silly stuff in the book that has nothing to do with math, but my daughter skipped through all of that and went right to the important topic that she needed help with.Great book.
Danica McKellar didn't just play a smart girl on The Wonder Years; she is one. Thank you, DM. I gave this to one of my tutoring students, and the girl actually enjoyed doing her homework.
In Math Doesn't Suck, she shares that knowledge and her own early struggles with math. I am now reading her pre-algebra sequel, Kiss My Math; so far it is every bit as good as the first. A certified math genius with her own theorem and everything.
If I could, I would buy this book for every student in sixth through ninth grades. She emphasizes that being math-smart isn't dorky; it's cool. She then proves it by teaching troublesome topics (such as decimals) in a breezy style, as if she's writing a teen magazine instead of a math book.
I look forward to her books on algebra, geometry, trig, and on up through calculus. Keep up the valuable work.
This achievement has brought me renewed confidence in myself at a time when I need it most. I am a 38-year old mother of 5 who recently decided to go back to school. I was told that I could retake the test so I went to the library and checked out a bunch of math books to study and get prepared. I essentially skipped Basic Math and Pre-Algebra. Also I was told that she is writing a 3rd book in an email from her company. I found Danica's book "Math Doesn't Suck" I read it first and read the entire book in one night.
I live in Southern Ohio and am attending Hocking College. I took my placement test and tested into the lowest class available which was Basic Math. It has saved me money and time that is so valuable to me. I loved it and everything began to make sense. I studied it for 2 weeks then went back and took my test again and tested into Intro to Algebra. I am excited to read "Kiss my Math".
Thanks for writing a book that actually makes sense.
I absolutely love this book. It surprised me to see some of my own tactics in the book. It has been an amazing tool to use when I am tutoring my middle school students in math. Danica McKellar did a superb job in this book. I can honestly say that I read this book in a matter of a couple of days and am reading it again and taking notes down. By the way, I bought this book because a student had recommended it to me.
She is a tireless advocate who encourages girls to excel in mathematics, and there is no reason why they should not. . This book is an excellent guide for students who get discouraged by incompetent math instruction or boring and badly authored math textbooks. Danica McKellar is for me, one of the true heroines in the modern world. She obtained her degree in mathematics, and for that I respect her. (I've seen my share of those). Without question, this is a five star book./
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