Last week we gave you a list of “5 Math Resolutions for Kids”. This week we have 5 math resolutions for parents. It’s always a great time to make great choices regarding your kids’ math learning and the New Year is a great time to start.
We know life can get busy, but we promise that if you find the time to implement just a few, if not all, of the following resolutions into you and your child's weekly daily life, getting your kids to gain a new perspective on math will be made so much easier.
Ask your children at least one math-related question every day. You can do this ANYWHERE, the grocery store while tallying up price, during dinner time, or just ask about their math class that day. (If you’re looking for actual word problems, you can find them on our FaceBook page every wednesday).
Focus on concepts, not just straight answers. While assisting your student with homework, instead of asking “What’s the answer?”, ask “How’d you solve that?” or “Why did you use that formula here?”
Play family games that include math. You can implement this with general games such as Monopoly,The Game of Life, Connect Four, or Chess. And you can also check out our list of math-specific games that are fun for the whole family!
Help your child manage their time. Kids, just like adults, can be very busy with school, homework, sports, clubs, etc. When they have quite a bit going on it can be very easy for them to become stressed and feel overwhelmed, and all of their grades - particularly math - can suffer. You can help your child learn how to prioritize their tasks so that they have time to study and do their homework without feeling rushed.
Maintain a positive attitude about math! As we’ve discussed before, parents who feel that they’ve had trouble with math can unknowingly and unintentionally pass their anxiety about the subject on to their children. There is no need to give a false, lengthy speech about how much you love math, especially if it isn’t true, but simply avoiding expressing your negative thoughts and feelings can save your kids a lot of insecurity and stress.
And of course, one of the best things you can do to improve your students skills and scores in math in the new year is…
Bring your child into Mathnasium for a no-obligation first visit!
