American schools are shifting their focus to include equal importance on mathematics and sciences. Parents should identify early if their child is struggling with math and work with the teacher to help. Private instruction or tutoring may be necessary if the child is failing.
In recent years, curriculum-based standards in American schools have been heavily focused on reading. However, more recently, the focus is beginning to shift to include equal importance given to mathematics and the sciences. Many children struggle with math early on, and because math is a progressive subject based on early foundations, math gets harder for some children each school year. If your child is struggling with maths, there are many ways to help, and the sooner you do it, the better.
Many parents don’t realize their child has trouble with math until they reach the secondary grades of elementary school, when concepts beyond addition and subtraction of the numbers 1 to 10 are introduced. If your child has passed third grade and is struggling with math, you may need to go back to basics to see where he got lost. Did he somehow misunderstand or never grasp the concept of bringing or borrowing over and subtraction? Try to remember whether you’ve noticed a rapid or gradual drop in your child’s math grades and see if you can pinpoint where the difficulty started.
If your child has done well in math up to a certain point but is struggling with a new concept, such as division or algebra, talk to his or her teacher. Many parents who try to help their child with their math homework only confuse things more for their child. Math teaching methods are constantly evolving, and while you may be able to find answers to your child’s math homework, you may not be able to explain it the way their teacher teaches it. You must work with the teacher to help your child gain solid knowledge.
If helping your child with math involves asking the teacher to work with him after class or hiring a student tutor, then make arrangements. Children often respond better to assistance from someone other than their parents. If tutoring or staying after school isn’t an option, then you need to sit down and go through your child’s resume so you can explain accordingly. Regularly review old and new concepts with your child and always check his homework.
The best thing you can do to help your child with math is to stay on top of the curriculum right from the start. As soon as your child is introduced to addition and subtraction, he uses flash cards, interactive software, and any other practice medium you can think of. As new concepts such as multiplication and division are added, practice them in addition to the previous concepts. Mathematics is a progressive study, and a solid understanding of the subject requires building one concept on top of another.
In case your child is failing in math and school can’t help her, it might be time to consider drastic options. Private instruction or tutoring is an option. While it can be expensive, there may be some means to offset the cost and it will be worth it if it will help your child and keep her from having to repeat a grade. In some cases, repeating a year or changing schools may be the only option. Most importantly, make sure your child can understand basic math concepts that will apply to life skills like paying bills, managing a budget, and other necessary math skills.
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