4 Steps to Improve Core Math Concepts

Many students and people in general struggle when it comes to math. Sometimes this is because of a belief that math is hard and they just aren’t math minded. Other times this is because they just don’t understand core math concepts. As a children’s math tutorial center, we see math struggle all the time. Grappling to understand core concepts of math makes it hard to understand higher levels of math as a child progresses through school and onto adulthood. Missing core concept can also give kids a math stigma early on, which can prevent them from taking more difficult math classes later in their schooling. 

Math doesn’t have to be this way! There are plenty of ways that students and parents can do to ensure a healthier relationship with math from early on in a child’s life. Working in groups, learning to comprehend instead of just memorize and practicing are just a few of the ways students can develop better math positive habits. Let’s explore more in depth how to keep your child in a math positive mindset. 

Explanation

From the time we enter this world as a baby, we explore our surroundings. Everything is new to us and we approach it all with a sense of wonder and adventure. Once we have the ability to start using words or hand signals for communication we start putting meaning and explanation behind things. Think of math in the same way. Having your child explain how a concept works is a great way for them to become better at problem solving. They can practice this with parents, grandparents, teachers, siblings and friends. By having to explain concepts, children practice explaining the same thing in different ways so that other people understand. It also helps them learn how to logically sequence so that when it comes time for them to practice the concept, they’ll be able to remember the steps.  

Comprehension vs. Memorization

In math, just as in reading, there are some basic things that need to be memorized. Things 1 + 5 = 6, 1 + 6 = 7, 1 + 7 = 8, for instance or multiplication tables like 2*5 = 10, 2*6 = 12, 2*7 = 14 and so on. Memorizing math on basic levels allows you to recall information faster in order to shop smarter, bake faster or cook easier. However, when and how math needs to be applied is when concepts and patterns need to be understood. Often we see students who come in seeking help at Mathnasium of Littleton. They have their tables memorized, but they don’t understand why or how to apply them. Understanding the addition and multiplication examples above conceptually for addition means that you are gathering 2 quantities or numbers together to get their sum. For multiplication, you are gathering the total of a certain number that has been copied so many times.  We then work on helping students understand what and why they are memorizing to stop them from just pure regurgitation. 

Team Work Makes the Dream Work 

Math is a great way for students to practice working in groups … as long as one isn’t doing all the work. Math should not be a passive thing. Working in group or with just a single partner can help when it comes to math problem solving. First, because it helps kids explain to other kids using “kid terms”. Kids have a way of explaining and understanding to one another that’s hard to achieve by parents and teachers. Second, everyone’s brain works differently. And different ideas come from our different brains. One kid may be better at understanding one part of a problem, while another might be better at understanding a different part. Together, kids can give each other ideas for how to more creatively and better hitches. 

Go To Mathnasium

It can be embarrassing for kids to admit when they are having problems in any area of school, especially if they don’t feel like their friends and classmates aren’t. Regularly checking in with your child about where they stand in school and making sure they have good routines set up to be able to regularly do homework is important to helping them succeed in math. If you find that your student is struggling in math and you or they are afraid they’re not fully understanding what they should be, hiring help is a good way to make sure they are given the individual attention and clarification they need. 

Going to a math tutorial center like Mathnasium may seem a little intimidating at first, but the results are worth it for kids and parents. Letting skill gaps in math comprehension go too long can really lead to a lot of frustration in the household and a lot of stress for your child. Mathnasium can help because it moves at a pace that allows for children to follow. Most people need help at various points in their life. Teaching your child that receiving help when needed, is something that is beyond just math learning, it’s a life lesson!