The arrival of COVID-19 has impacted all areas of daily life, including how children are being educated. With the disruption to our sense of normalcy, it may be challenging to see the benefit of math instruction being moved completely online.
The shift to online learning comes with its own unique set of challenges, but it also presents parents with an opportunity to take charge of their child's learning. Let’s discuss five reasons why you and your child should embrace learning math virtually.
Have you ever wished there was more focus on one math concept versus another in your child's curriculum?Does your child demonstrate advanced math skills and need to be challenged? Is your child struggling in a particular area?Now is the time you can focus their learning as you see fit.You can work with your child's teacher to find more challenging work for your advanced student or access resources to support your child who may be struggling.
There is now more time for independent learning that will allow your child to go at his or her own pace. With the pausing of standardized testing and even the hiatus of assigning grades in some cases, the spotlight can shift to ensuring your child is comprehending information rather than simply memorizing. One way to do this is to focus on activities that promote active learning. Instead of passive activities where your child may only listen to recorded lectures or watch videos with little interaction, active learning engages students in activities such as reading, writing, discussions or problem-solving. While passive learning is necessary, active learning lends itself more to self-study as it puts your child in the driver’s seat.
In a typical classroom environment, when instruction is given, the teacher presents the concept first, provides an example for the student to follow and then the student works to duplicate the outcome shown in the example. However, with online learning your child can work through problems based on their learning style. Maybe your child is an auditory learner and needs to talk out loud as they think through the problem. Or your child may be a visual learner and need to write out flash card to help them connect with the material. When your child is unable to rely on constant live instruction, tailoring their assignments to fit their learning style may allow for an easier transition by encouraging student-led learning.
When your child is learning offline it can create more flexibility in their daily schedule. If your child has more energy in the morning, you can let them get an earlier start to their day. If your child is not a morning person, when possible, allow them to have a later start.
Forecast their daily and weekly needs and collaborate with them to agree on how study time and free time should be spent. When the schedule permits, change up some of the activities for variety and to prevent burnout. Include short breaks to give them a bit of a reset and time for some movement and fresh air.
With online learning you can collaborate with your child to create a virtual learning experience they will look forward to being a part of. This is a great time to allow your child to develop and learn their strengths. You can encourage and promote the activities that give them the chance to problem solve regarding any difficulties they may be experiencing and tap into their creativity. You can allow your child to be creative in their learning and cater to their learning styles. Find balance in helping your child when needed while also allowing them to use their analytical skills independently. You want your child to know it is OK for them to be challenged as they learn.
We understand the benefits of a flexible online learning environment. Mathnasium@home is our new program where we bring the Mathnasium center and the Mathnasium Method™ to you! Through Mathnasium@home we offer live math instruction to students from home. This is included in your Mathnasium membership at no additional cost. In addition, we offer in-person coaching for grades 2 through 12 that is tailored to meet your child’s specific goals. Give us a call or send us an email for more information regarding our services.
(720) 474-1878
