How Can Parents Help Kids Whose Math Skills Have Taken A Hit During The Pandemic?

Even though many schools are planning their transitions to in-person learning, a large majority of schools are still following hybrid and virtual models. In many cases, children are still doing at least some of their learning at home. Many parents are worried about the long-term impacts of the extended break from full-time in-person learning on their children's education. The COVID-slide is more severe in math than in reading, says a recent article in the Washington Post. These concerns and challenges are real and we want to provide a framework to support early math learning to support families. In this post, we would like to share some tips and tricks that families can use to support and encourage math learning at home. 

1. Include math in your daily routines: Just like bedtime stories are a ritual in many homes to support early reading development, incorporate math into your child's life daily at home. Everyday routines at home such as setting up the table, cleaning up, cooking, shopping, planning, etc. present tactile opportunities for families to engage directly in mathematical concepts like counting, patterns, etc. Questions such as "How do we share a cookie evenly so that it is fair?" or "How did you get this answer?" develop a child's cognitive thinking and encourages logical reasoning in a child. 
2. Play a math game: Jigsaw puzzles and blocks are easy games that bolster math skills by building children's spatial thinking, says this recent article. Skip counting forward, backward, and in groups could be encouraged by simply jumping, hopping, or doing silly repetitive movements as the family counts together. This would be a fun and engaging exercise for the entire family to participate in while building basic arithmetic skills for children.
3. Avoid overboard Homework Help: Well-intended homework help provided by parents may end up backfiring and damaging the child's confidence in their own abilities. Often, parents end up teaching concepts assuming that their child has no clue about the topic or end up being frustrated when they are unable to explain concepts in a way that makes sense to the child. It's more effective to start by asking the child to explain the problem, as explaining sometimes leads them to discover details about the problem that wasn't apparent before to the child. At other times, it's more productive to research the problem together with your child using the available resources. 'Productive struggle' is more helpful than solving the problem for your child, says the article. 
4. Avoid reminiscing your feelings about math: Firmly believe that every child has the potential to thrive in math if they are provided with the right instruction and support. Avoid making statements such as "I'm not a math person" or "You're good at math". These statements indicate that you can either be good or bad at math. Instead, praise children for the efforts they put into learning math and embrace a growth mindset - the belief that with hard work and effort you can learn and thrive in math!
5. Share how you use math in your life: Use opportunities in daily life and routine to share how you use math in your life. This can spark your child's interest and math learning. The practical application of math concepts in daily life shows children the value of learning and developing their math skills.

At Mathnasium, with the right materials, the right instruction, and the right support, we believe that any child can learn, enjoy and thrive in math. Let us help take away your burden of helping your child achieve their math goals. Join the thousands of parents doing something about their child's math learning loss and consider enrolling in our program. Contact us today at 484-973-6889 to learn more about our free assessment!

To Schedule Your Child's Free Assessment