Practice Makes Perfect: Tips for Helping Your Student with Math
For some students, math is a challenging subject, and it can be even more so when a single classroom has many kids. Over-crowded classrooms means one student who is struggling cannot get the individual help he or she needs because teachers are overworked and overwhelmed. Ensuring your student gets the math-homework help he or she needs is your responsibility as a parent. However, math tutoring can be expensive. The good news is that you can help your student at home by following these tips.
Maintain Healthy Communication with Your Child's Teachers
Talking to your child's teachers is extremely important for learning exactly where your student is in his or her studies. If you only depend on your child for telling you what he or she is doing in math class, you may not get all the information you need to help. For example, if your child is in the middle of learning the basics of algebra, he or she may not tell you that the multiplication tables are too challenging for them to be starting to learn the basics of algebra. However, your child's teacher can tell you about past test scores and other issues he or she may have noticed in your child's work that point to difficulties with multiplication. In this case, you will need to focus on teaching your student multiplication before helping with basic algebra. Be sure to get a copy of the math syllabus so you will always know where your student is in class and so you can make sure you do not get ahead of what the teacher is teaching. You can plan your tutoring around the syllabus so your student will have the enrichment he or she needs at the present.
Make a Quiet Place at Home for Math Studies
Creating a study-friendly environment at home is an essential aspect of providing your student with a great foundation for learning. Set up a desk or table with plenty of room to work at in a room where there are few distractions like television, music, or other children. One of the most detrimental environmental influences when it comes to beneficial studying is distractions, especially for kids. Make sure you always have plenty of paper, sharpened pencils, and other supplies on hand. When you have to stop in the middle of a math problem to go get more paper or a pencil sharpener, another distraction is interrupting your and your student's thought processes. Also, make sure your student has eaten and gone to the bathroom before you start working on math homework or practice sheets.
Stick to a Schedule
If you do not have a schedule for math studies, you have greater chances of missing times that would be best for your child to study. Sticking to a schedule and being adamant about doing so shows your child you are serious about helping and that you care about his or her learning. Set aside a time every weekday to sit down and do math. Make sure to set your time when you know your child is less likely to tired or hungry. Also, wait until an hour or so after school is out before you start studying so your child will have a break between the extra math studies and the regular school studies.
Helping your child succeed in math can be a lot of fun while also being challenging. However, when you start seeing your child understand math concepts he or she did not understand before having your help, you will have one of the greatest feelings in the world.
