With a healthy start to the new year, now is a good time to start making great choices about your kids’ math education. A student’s comprehension of math depends on their own drive and habits, but also on their parents to help set them up for success in math.
Below are some simple things parents and children can do to help them be more successful math students. Math can be menacing for adults, too, but the suggestions below are all at your finger tips and not intimidating. Some of them can actually be fun!
5 Math Resolutions for Kids
- Ask at least one question a week in math class. Asking questions shows that the student is attentive and willing to learn. Questions that go unasked result in guessing. It’s hard to master concepts, especially math concepts, by guessing.
- Do math homework first. Your child likely has homework in multiple subjects weekly, if not daily. Do math first keeps their mind focused before they fatigue and will lead to less frustration, overall.
- Double check answers after the math assignment is completed. Math often isn’t just about coming up with the right answer, however, by double checking math problems, your child will get in the habit of double-checking work in general, which is a great habit to have later in life.
- Read a book that includes math. Not every child is one that likes to read in their spare time, but if your child does, incorporating math reading into their reading habits can help them help themselves. And if your child doesn’t love reading, either? Pick a math book (Here’s a great list of 30 fun math books for all ages) and try reading a chapter out loud each evening. You might learn a thing or two, too…
- Join a STEM club or participate in an activity that involves math. Some say practice makes perfect. Whether you believe this or not, studies show that extra curricular math clubs have a positive impact on problem solving ability, standardized test scores and the likelihood of majoring in math intensive major in post-secondary education (The Social and Work Structure of an Afterschool Math Club).
5 Math Resolutions for Parents
- Ask your kid at least one math-related question every day. You use math all the time! Take opportunities to share the math you use on a daily basis for educational purposes. Routine things like building, fixing, cooking, shopping etc. can all become learning moments if you take the time to ask your kids to help you problem solve. (And by the way, if you’re looking for math-related riddles, our weekly word problem challenges are the perfect place to start!)
- Focus on concepts, not just answers. Answers are great and generally, yes, you want them to be right. Better yet, is more foundational building that revolves around your child understanding the whole picture. When they understand concepts is truly when they’re mastering.
- Play family games that involve math. Board games are a great way to spend quality time together as a family, while also stealthily learning. Monopoly, Connect Four, Checkers and Chess are some popular ones that mostly revolve around math. You can also do the same on road trips by counting or singing songs about counting.
- Help your child manage their time. These days there are so many extracurricular activity choices for children. As much as we are trying to expose them to a plethora of activities to stimulate them, this can actually overstimulate them at times, making it hard to concentrate on really important stuff like school, math included. Prioritizing tasks can help children grow up to be better at time and stress management.
- Speak positively about math. As much as we wish it were the case, not every adult loves math. You don’t have to love math. However, avoiding speaking negatively about math or how daunting it was to you as a child will help your child form their own opinion about it, and, by incorporating all the steps above, that could be a quite a positive outlook.
And, of course, one of the best things you can do to improve your child’s skills, mastery of and confidence in math in 2019 is
- Take your child to Mathnasium of Cherry Hills for a no-obligation first visit!
