Materials-wise, I can’t recommend the Murderous Maths books by Kjartan Poskitt enough. They’re what got me into maths, and introduce topics at a basic level while leaving the top end open for further development. They’ve got lots of fun puzzles and activities. I think they’re aimed at 10-14 year olds, so would be towards the top of your tutee’s age range.
Less paper-based and more free is NRICH (http://nrich.maths.org/), which is run by a group at Cambridge (I’ve done some holiday work writing questions for them). It contains materials for all ages (pre-school up to sixth form! (4-or-5-ish to 8)) and is intended as simultaneous for teachers and keen students. It’s got a good selection of mathematical games as well as themed monthly questions, and keen students can type up their solutions and submit it to them for a chance of being featured on the website. The games in particular will be a good way of introducing lots of mathematical concepts, since that’s how they’re designed.
In fact, teaching your kids basic game theory is probably a good idea. It teaches you them to think rationally and is easy to motivate (beat all your school friends!). Many rationality concepts and techniques are founded upon the basics of game theory!
Thanks for the tips—and yes I know and love the Murderous Maths books too. I even met Poskitt a few times at book fairs, he’s a really funny guy from what I remember.
Materials-wise, I can’t recommend the Murderous Maths books by Kjartan Poskitt enough. They’re what got me into maths, and introduce topics at a basic level while leaving the top end open for further development. They’ve got lots of fun puzzles and activities. I think they’re aimed at 10-14 year olds, so would be towards the top of your tutee’s age range.
Less paper-based and more free is NRICH (http://nrich.maths.org/), which is run by a group at Cambridge (I’ve done some holiday work writing questions for them). It contains materials for all ages (pre-school up to sixth form! (4-or-5-ish to 8)) and is intended as simultaneous for teachers and keen students. It’s got a good selection of mathematical games as well as themed monthly questions, and keen students can type up their solutions and submit it to them for a chance of being featured on the website. The games in particular will be a good way of introducing lots of mathematical concepts, since that’s how they’re designed.
In fact, teaching your kids basic game theory is probably a good idea. It teaches you them to think rationally and is easy to motivate (beat all your school friends!). Many rationality concepts and techniques are founded upon the basics of game theory!
Given the international nature of the internet, it would be helpful to provide clarifying definitions for country-specific terms.
Good point, fixed.
Thanks for the tips—and yes I know and love the Murderous Maths books too. I even met Poskitt a few times at book fairs, he’s a really funny guy from what I remember.