Too many kids are stressed out. A common childhood stressor is academic pressure. Feeling as if you don’t measure up to expectations is stressful. Feeling less successful than other kids in class is also stressful.
The pressure may come from adults, peers, and their own internal drive for “perfection.” Adults understand how trying meet expectations creates stress. Grades often feel like a job performance review to children. Your kids want to make you proud of their performance.
Kids are still learning how to deal with stress. They may not even realize what it is. It can show in different forms such as:
What Does Stress Have to Do with Math and Mathnasium?
Math homework, the pressure to get good math grades, and math classes cause stress for many families. Mathnasium of SCOTTS VALLEY minimize stress where math is concerned.
Learning math in a non-stressful environment actually helps kids learn concepts quicker and retain skills longer.
Suggestions for Reducing 5 Stress Triggers Related to Math
1. Low math grades on tests sometimes stress kids (and parents) out.
Suggestions: Remember, a grade is just an indicator of learning, not a statement of your child’s intelligence or worth. Emphasize that you care more about your child’s effort and learning than the letter grade.
If your child isn’t meeting their own, or your, expectations for math grades think about what is causing the low grades. If a math gap is causing problems, give your child the tools to thrive. Learning gaps, especially in foundational skills, make learning new material more difficult. At Mathnasium of SCOTTS VALLEY, we will work to close their learning gaps. This will reduce their stress (and probably raise their math grades!)
2. Inappropriate placement in a math class will stress kids out.
Accelerated math classes move at a faster pace than other math classes. They are not appropriate for every learner. Likewise, some children are in math classes that are move too slowly. That can cause stress too. Often the key to better math grades is finding the appropriate placement.
Suggestions: Schedule a conference with the teacher and/or the school counselor to get insights. Come in for a free comprehensive assessment from us to see if any math gaps are holding your child back, or if he are she is advanced and needs more stimulation.
3. Entering middle school and high school and moving to a new school can cause anxiety. Adolescents who struggle in math have additional social pressures. This social stress may manifest itself as apathy. The stress may lead them to goof off in class.
This can be true even when they get good grades.
Suggestions: Recognize that teenagers are figuring out how they fit into social groups as individuals. Many teenagers don’t like to ask for help in front of their friends. They would rather deal with the confusion. Mathnasium of SCOTTS VALLEY provides a socially safe place to catch-up.
4. Pressure to do well in high school math often causes stress. These stresses include taking final exams, getting into college level math, or taking the PSAT, SAT, ACT or other tests.
Suggestions: Strong study skills and habits help high school students tackle the academic challenges. Encourage your child to plan ahead for tests, to ask questions in class, or at Mathnasium. Focused study is one of the best ways to increase learning and retention. It also reduces test anxiety. We provide a great study atmosphere here at Mathnasium of SCOTTS VALLEY While we are a math learning center, the study skills for homework and tests learned here may transfer to other areas of academics.
5. Your own memories about school might add to your child’s stress. If school, and math in particular was a stressful time for you, you might inadvertently pass some of those anxieties and stresses on to your child. Of if math came easily to you, they may feel pressure to live up to your expectations.
Suggestions: Try not to dwell on your own experiences as a predictor for how your child will experience school and math. Instead, talk about how your experiences will help you navigate your child to succeed.
Do More than Just Hope
If you want your children to not stress of over math homework and tests, you need to give them the tools needed to succeed. Give us a call today and see if Mathnasium can help relieve some of your child’s stress. Most kids really enjoy their time here at Mathnasium of SCOTTS VALLEY
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