How Do You Know If Your Child Needs Help With Math?

Math is not a subject that is naturally intuitive - it requires teaching, strategies and conceptual understanding. If your child has trouble with the foundations of a topic, they will not understand the additional concepts that are built off of the knowledge of that core concept which can continue to compound the issue. When a child is having a tough time understanding math, they will typically get frustrated and either disengage or act out - neither of which will help them to be successful in math class.

If you notice a change in how your child relates at school or their attitude towards attending classes or towards their teacher, be sure to dig a little deeper and find out what’s truly bothering them. Help with math is readily available so there is no need for them to continue to struggle. They can get a great tutor who will teach them any concepts they don’t understand, provide strategies that are pertinent to their unique learning style and can personalize the learning so it’s interesting to them.

If you are unsure if your child needs help with math, here are some key ways to know even if they are not telling you directly:

1. Poor Attitude Towards Math - If you hear your child make comments about hating math, disliking math class or stating that they are just not good at math, it’s highly likely that they are not doing well in class and you may want to consider hiring them a math tutor..
2. Putting Off Homework - When it comes to getting homework done, most kids want it out of the way as quickly as possible, so if your child is procrastinating on completing their homework, there is a good chance that they are not understanding the work they need to do. Procrastinating on homework is definitely a sign that your child could benefit from math tutoring, especially so they are prevented from falling further behind.
3. Poor Results - Poor grades in class and on tests are a good indication that your child is having trouble with math concepts and needs more help. Dedicated tutoring ensures that your child gets the help they need so they can improve their grades, do better on their tests and feel more confident about their progress.
4. Teacher Feedback - Another simple way to discover if your child is having trouble in math is to ask their teacher. Even if they have not yet had a chance to help your child with the issue, their teacher will know if they are having trouble understanding based on their attitude, behaviour and how they answer questions on homework and tests. A quick note or call to get the teacher’s opinion will be a big help in determining if you need to hire a math tutor for your child.

Quite often, math tutoring is the best solution to get your child individualized attention to help them get to the root of their knowledge gaps so that they can learn what they need to and be able to catch up to their peers.

Kids who feel supported when they struggle become much more confident learners over the long term. A tutor can teach your child how to find the resources they need so they can become more independent in the future. They will also teach them study skills, how to think about problems critically and what logical thinking looks like. All of these skills translate across your child’s whole academic career, not just math.

Math is a tough subject for many kids and sometimes they need extra help to get past any roadblocks they make have in their learning. Getting help sooner rather than later can go a long way. If your child develops a bad attitude towards math, gives up or has poor confidence, it can affect their results for many years to come. Hire a great math tutor for your child if you notice they are having trouble - you’ll be glad you did!