To help your child earn an A in high school math you will need to start years ahead of time because math concepts build on each other. A solid grasp of arithmetic is key to success in algebra, and other high school math classes.
We call a missing concept in math “a math gap.” Having a math gap is similar to having a cut on your skin. It hurts, but with proper treatment the skin will heal and the pain goes away. Without proper treatment, it will likely become infected and more painful. A student with a math gap, who doesn’t get math tutoring, or enroll in a math center, is at risk for falling further and further behind. The longer they struggle, and further behind they feel, the more likely they are get to a point where the barrier to succeeding math feels insurmountable. On the other hand, a student with a math gap, who gets help to learn the missing concepts, will have an easier time progressing and succeeding in high school math.
The best time to catch and remediate a math gap is in elementary school, but sometimes a math gap goes undetected until middle school. Math in sixth and seventh grade transitions children from doing basic operations with integers and into pre-algebra and algebra. Students in sixth start working with non-integers and negative numbers and start doing problems about ratios, rate, and proportions. Students in seventh grade start learning about equivalent and linear expressions and use variables more. Some students with a math gap muddle through elementary school with decent math grades. Then their progress stalls in middle school, because they lack the foundational skills in arithmetic to move into algebraic thinking and problem solving.
Middle school students have an easier time than high school students do getting help to correct math gaps. High school students lead busy lives and they may feel insulted by doing “babyish” arithmetic.
Kids know when they aren’t thriving in math class. They sit wondering how other kids seem to figure out problems as if by magic. Adolescents often start to believe they are bad at math, especially if they believe the myth that people either have a brain for math, or not. This lack of self-confidence in their ability to learn affects their motivation and effort in math. The truth is that with the right instruction and foundational skills, almost anybody can be a math superstar.
Another reason to get math help for children in sixth and seventh grade is that move they can move into the next level of math class easier in middle school than they can in high school. High school math classes move faster and teachers do not want to put teenagers in a math class that they aren’t ready for.
Not getting into the advanced math classes in high school may inhibit them in college, and eventually push them away from choosing a math-heavy career.
A sixth or seventh grader struggling in math could enroll in a kids’ math program and by high school earn A’s. If you have a middle school child who is lacking confidence in math, or whose grades have started to slip, we can help.
Our detailed assessment will find the math gap. Then we will customize a math program to help them learn the particular skills they need. With a little help your child could be getting A’s in math, and even pursue a math-related career.
In addition, once they gain confidence in math, you will notice that confidence spill out into other areas of life.
Call Mathnasium of Cottage Grove and ask Pauline for more information about our unique program.
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