Great Ways to Help Your Child with Math
Math is a learned skill that parents can help children learn with an encouraging attitude and lots of practice. Support your child’s math skill development by offering your child the help and support that they need to succeed in math. This help does not have to difficult, costly, or time-consuming. Start by putting the following simple actions into practice with your child.
Pay attention to the basics
Start with a good foundation in the basics of math. Practice math skills such as counting, addition, subtraction with your child as often as possible is a great idea. Make sure that they have a good understanding of these concepts before moving forward with more complex math concepts. A strong foundation helps children to build confidence as they move forward and learn to use these skills in more complex ways.
Here are some essential tips for establishing a good picture of your child’s math strengths and weaknesses:
– Speak to your child regularly asking about math class activities, lessons, and homework
- Review at schoolbooks, worksheets, or math websites with your child
- Review any standards and objectives for your child’s grade and school district to familiarize yourself with what your child needs to know
- Make sure to communicate with your child’s math teacher, asking particularly about what target skills your child should practice
Practice Math Problems with Your Child
Math is a skill that improves with regular and consistent practice. Use a mix of different approaches in different settings to keep learning interesting.
Different approaches to use may include:
– Practicing using worksheets and drills
– Pointing out real-world math. A good understanding of measurement, fractions, shapes, chronological ordering examples, time and money can come from seeing these concepts used in real-world applications
- Point out these concepts and discussing them when you see them occur in your every-day life. This could include times when you are shopping, cooking, or gardening with your child
- Using games and puzzles that cover math concepts and require creative solutions
Model a healthy mindset about math
A healthy mindset towards learning math includes believing that you are capable of learning and having the confidence and the resilience to keep learning. This means that you persist working through challenges, even when the education gets tough.
Set a good example – Try not to make remarks such as “I’m not good at math,” or tell your child about how you may have hated math when you were in high school. These attitudes can easily influence a child’s attitude toward math.
Work on establishing confidence – Be encouraging and patient to help your child build confidence in these developing skills.
Encourage effort with praise – Let your child know that it is okay to make mistakes when learning. Celebrate the energy that your child puts into the work rather than focusing on getting answers correct or earning a particular score.
Stay motivated to learn with your child – Getting other friends and family members involved with the vital encouragement and support that your child needs to succeed.