Diagnose Your Child's Math Mistakes With 2 Easy Questions!

If your car starts making a funny sound, you take your car to the auto shop. The car experts run diagnostic tests to find the root cause of the problem funny sound. Then the mechanic can fix the problem.

If your daughter gets a sore throat and a fever, you take her to the doctor’s office. The children’s health experts run diagnostic tests to see what virus or bacteria is giving her those symptoms. Then the doctor can treat the illness.

How Does This Relate to Math?

Like funny car sounds and children’s fevers, math mistakes are a symptom of a bigger problem. The mistakes give an insight into your child’s understanding of the math concept they are working on. To “pop open the hood” of your children’s mathematical thinking ask the following two questions:

1.    “How did you do this math problem?”

2.    “Why did you do the problem this way?”

Have your child walk you through their steps for solving the problem. Throughout the explanation, ask your child to explain their reasoning for the steps they took.

Your child should be able to give you an accurate mathematical reason for every step they take. If they can only answer “because my teacher told me to do this,” or “I don’t know” that is a big red flag that your child is missing key concepts.

The Diagnosis

If your children can’t describe why they do math the way they do, it means they rely on algorithms too much. They are probably not using mathematical reasoning and are missing math concepts and skills. We call these missing math skills and concepts “math gaps” and they can wreak havoc on a child’s ability to feel confident and successful in math.

What to do next

If your child has math gaps bring him or her to the math experts at Mathnasium of Littleton to get a free, no-obligation assessment and then get those math gaps filled in with math knowledge.

Give us a call today. (303) 979-9077

For more information about math gaps read:

·      Understanding Math Learning Gaps

·      Most Children Have Math Gaps And It’s Often Not Their Fault

·      How Can My Child Have Math Gaps?!

·      Why Does Mathnasium of Littleton Focus On Foundational Skills?

·      How Can You Boost Your Child's Math Success?

·      Math Takes Time to Conquer

Other referenced articles include:

·      Understanding Mathematical Reasoning

·      When are Math “Rules” Not Really Rules?

·      Is Your Child Dependent on Algorithms…and is that a Bad Thing?

·      How Math Concepts and Math Skills Work Together and Why You Should Care

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