Tips For A Struggling Math Student

Helping our kids grow in math is important. Below I share some helpful strategies all about helping a child who is struggling in math.

1. Take The Cue - Tears, meltdowns, or any resistance to tackling the subject is a sign that your child is struggling.
   

2. Forget What You Think You Know About Teaching Math - Many of us parents think we cannot teach math or we have forgotten the math or we do not teach it like it is taught in the public school classroom. Instead, tell yourself it does not take 12 years to teach math, teaching math is not solely about the number of problems completed or hours spent and focus on small chunks of information. Even the smallest step forward is progress!
   

3. Ask Questions - Determine what is at the root of your child’s struggles. Are there learning gaps? Math builds upon foundational skills. Does your child need to take a step back to learn the building blocks which lead up to the current topic? Does your child understand the math terminology and the instructions to solve the problem? Is it a calculator issue or a reading comprehension issue?
   

4. Focus On One Objective At A Time - Mastery-based learning uses smaller amounts of intention and focus so the current concept is mastered before moving forward to the next concept.
   

5. Short Drills Throughout The Day - Too much information at one time can be overwhelming. Spend a few minutes throughout the day introducing math facts, multiplication tables and/or definitions of math terminology.
   

6. Make Math Fun - Use board games, puzzles, crafts and family oriented activities such as cooking to practice and reinforce concepts.
   

7. Retrain Your Brain - Lengthy lessons are not necessary for effective learning. When stress and anxiety are removed from the learning process, the areas of the brain responsible for receiving and processing information are more receptive to learning.

There are many pros to homeschooling a child who is struggling with math. A homeschool curriculum allows us to flip the academic model to one which meets the learning needs of our child. Above all, be creative and enjoy the process of learning math skills alongside your child.