Six Signs Your child is Struggling with Math

Six signs your child is struggling with math—and how Mathnasium can help

     Article by Paul Wiseman

“When your child gets stuck on a math idea, he or she isn’t likely to speak up,” says Alan Cotton, owner of Midland’s Mathnasium franchise. “They’ll often just quietly fall behind, then get frustrated with the subject. Sometimes they finally just give up. It’s so important for your, as parents, to address this early, so you can take steps to get your children back on track.”

Here are six signs that may indicate math struggles:

1. Math grades are lagging, but your student has good grades in other subjects;
2. Low self-esteem about math. Comments like, “I’m no good at math.”
3. Missing key milestones. Addition/subtraction should be mastered by the end of second or third grade, multiplication and division by the end of third or fourth grade, fluency with fractions by the end of fifth or sixth.
4. Physical signs like counting on fingers suggest poor retention of number facts.
5. Comments from the child’s math teacher about “not working up to his/her potential.”
6. The child seems bored with math.

If your child is showing one or more of these signs, the first thing to do is talk to him or her, then seek help from their teacher. Enrolling in an after-school math program like Mathnasium is another.

Mathnasium is really a great idea for any student, That’s because kids who have spent the summer without solving problems, calculating answers and checking their work need to refresh their memories on key concepts—and they also need time to rebuild their math muscles. “For many children this can result in poor performance in the early part of the academic year,” Alan explains.

Mathnasium provides students with customized programs that, with two or three hours of study per week, can help them shake off the fog of summer and prepare them for the rigors of the new school year’s math curriculum. Mathnasium students have shown significant increases in performance on standards-based tests after 20 or fewer sessions, the equivalent of a few months’ work.

“Some students can start the new academic year and get their math muscles back in shape on their own,” Alan points out. “But in my experience, many kids struggle. A program of structured study at Mathnasium can make all the difference between starting off well and having a difficult year.”

Mathnasium is not just for those struggling. Math lovers can go there to further hone their skills and get ahead when they feel restrained by generalized math programs. Mathnasium also offers preparation for standardized tests. A little extra prep can help even good students by giving them the confidence they need to avoid “stressing out” over a timed test.

Giving your child some time at Mathnasium can help assure a great fall semester. Call today to learn more.