kid doing math homework he broke

Boy Has Brutally Honest Answer To Math Question

"Pax was doing math in homeschool where they're learning to count money. He recognized that the math question had a familiar name, Jayden, which is also his cousin's name."

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VIRAL VIDEO: Kid's Very Funny Answer to a Math Question

This little boy may have a future in standup comedy. He's reading a math problem in a book about somebody named Jayden who has "one dollar bill, one quarter, and two pennies." And when it asks "how much money he has" . . . the kid says, "Jayden's broke."

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Little boy turns his maths lesson into comedy show, his video goes viral

- An unnamed kid has gone viral after giving a very funny verbal answer during his mathematics lesson

- When asked how much Jayden would have with $1, one quarter and two pennies, he blurted out laughing "Jay broke!"

- The boy's clip has been seen millions of times on Twitter as people used the opportunity to talk about the task of teaching kids

PAY ATTENTION: Click “See First” under the “Following” tab to see Legit.ng News on your Facebook News Feed!

The video of a little boy during his mathematics lesson has got everyone talking about how very funny he is.

After reading out a question from his textbook, the boy gave the most unlikely answer to it as he followed it up with a burst of very infective laughter.

The question reads:

"Jayden has $1 bill, 1 quarter and 2 pennies, how much money does he have?"

Breathtaking video of 2 kids displaying wrestling skills goes viral, people could not believe it

The unnamed kid answered: "Jay broke!" as he went into a pearl of laughter. Many have been commenting on his funny act and how happy he seemed to have easily 'solved' the question.

Watch the video below:

As at the time of writing this report, the video of the kid has been watched over 4 million times with many saying the boy's comedic show really got them laughing.

There were people who shared their experiences teaching kids like him. Below are some of the reactions it generated:

@RMercerRice said:

"Did substitute teaching for yrs and it was kids like him that kept me going back for more."

@NanaWerk said:

"I was a teachers aide for six years, and I agree. Kids like Jaden made my day everyday."

@flippedhatnupe said:

"I really laughed, is that your kid?"

@Jaici8 said:

"In 2014, I realized gr-5 students did not know how to sit & do homework at home. I stayed after school every day that year, Monday to Friday, for any students who wanted to come to 'homework hour'. We did homework during 'silliness hour'. God I miss that!"

Beautiful curvy lady goes in desperate search for boyfriend, begs men to shoot their shot (photos)

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Meanwhile, Legit.ng earlier reported that the video of a brother and sister performing a wrestling fight broke the internet.

Posted by @KelzMff, the Twitter user captioned the video: "Please, don't try this at home". In the funny clip that has got many talking online, the older of the two children handles the other with utmost care.

Is it right for parents to fight in front of their children? | Legit TV

Source: Legit.ng

Joseph Omotayo (HOD Human-Interest) Joseph Omotayo has been writing for the human interest desk since 2019 and is currently the head of the desk. He graduated from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, with a degree in Literature in English in 2016. He once worked for Afridiaspora, OlisaTV & CLR. He is a 2022/2023 Kwame Karikari Fact-Checking fellow. He can be reached via: [email protected].

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Our weekly newsletter with the latest celebrity news, fashion updates, interviews and exclusive offers, have you seen this hilarious clip of this kid's response to a math problem.

Over the weekend, a comedic clip of a child named Pax doing math broke the internet.

The short video shows a child presumably learning virtually, with a math workbook in front of him. He reads from the book, saying “Jaden has one dollar bill, one quarter and two pennies.” Pax then finishes the problem, reading, “[H]ow much money does he have?” Without missing a beat, the child says “Jaden broke!” before erupting into a hearty laugh.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Grown Folks Music® (@grownfolksmusic)

“It’s the laugh for me” wrote the person behind the Instagram account @grownfolksmusic.

Celebrities, including Don Lemon and Viola Davis, have been reposting the video all weekend. “Finding as many moments to laugh out loud as I can!!,” Davis said on Twitter .

What do y’all think, is this baby from Louisiana or what?

Photo credit: World of Pax

A Child Called 911 To Get Help With Their Math Homework

“You said if I need help to call somebody.”

A child struggling to solve a math problem called the people they’d been taught were always there to help: the police. Audio of the child’s 911 call was shared on TikTok by @911_stories_ and may serve as a reminder to parents to be a little extra thorough in how they explain when little ones should dial those three numbers.

The child’s call to 911 begins like most 911 calls do — with the dispatcher identifying themselves as 911 and asking what the caller’s emergency is.

“I need some help,” the child responded.

“What’s the matter?” the dispatcher asked.

“With my math,” the child said. “I have to do it. I have takeaways.”

Luckily for this child, the dispatcher seemed more than willing to offer a bit of homework help. “Oh you gotta do the takeaways?” the dispatcher said. “OK. Tell me what the math is.”

“Here’s one,” the child responded. “Five takeaway five.”

“And how much do you think that is?” the dispatcher asked.

But before the pair can work out the correct answer, a caretaker (perhaps the child’s mother?) confronts the child about being on the phone: “Joni, what are you doing?

“The policeman’s helping me with my math,” the child responded.

“What did I tell you about playing on the phone?” their caretaker asked.

“You said if I need help to call somebody!” the child said, passionately defending themselves.

“I didn’t mean the police!” their caretaker said just as the call cuts off.

Although it’s unclear when or where this 911 call took place, this isn’t the first time a child has sought homework help from 911 . In January 2019, a dispatcher in Lafayette, Indiana, took a call from a boy who just needed to tell someone that he’d “had a really bad day” at school. “I just have tons of homework,” the boy said. “[It’s] math and it’s so hard.”

“Is there a problem you want me to help you with,” the dispatcher, who was identified by the Lafayette Police Department as Antonia Bundy in a tweet sharing audio of the call, asked. Bundy then coaches the boy through a fraction addition problem and checks to make sure that’s the only problem he’s having trouble with before hanging up.

In 2018, NBC 4 reported a child in Fort Collins, Colorado, called 911 seeking help with their division homework . “Hi, this isn’t an emergency, but I’m 10 years old and I’m working on my math homework right now and I can’t figure out what 71 divided by 3,052 is,” the news outlet reported the child asked.

While Fort Collins Police used the call as a chance to remind people that 911 should only be contacted for emergency situations, that dispatcher also took a moment to help the 10-year-old work out the answer.

Of course, police don’t recommend children call 911 for anything other than true emergencies. Kids Health recommends that along with teaching children how to call 911 , parents should coach kids on what qualifies as an emergency situation where a call to 911 is warranted.

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29 Possible Reasons Why Your Child is Struggling with Math and How You Can Help

Does your child stare at their math homework and take a long time to finish it? Does your child bring home Ds and Fs on math tests? Have you been shocked by what the report card says about your child’s math grades? You are not alone. Over the years, I’ve met and helped many parents whose children struggle with math. There are common themes in their struggles. Many students face the same set of problems that result in their difficulties with math.

Math is a subject that many students find challenging and often struggle with throughout their school years. For some, it might be the complicated arithmetic operations or the seemingly obscure concepts that leave them feeling overwhelmed, while others may simply have difficulty grasping the abstract nature of the subject. As a parent, it can be disheartening to see your child struggle in math, and it’s important to understand the root of the problem to effectively help them overcome their difficulties.

In this article, we’ll explore the common reasons why your child may be having difficulty with math and provide practical tips on how you can support their learning journey. By understanding the specific challenges your child faces and providing targeted assistance, you can help them gain confidence in their math abilities and thrive in the world of numbers and equations.

Table of Contents

Why should we care about math?

Math is an essential subject for students to learn, especially during their elementary years. The reason for this is twofold: first, mastering math skills at an early age provides a strong foundation for understanding more complex concepts later on; and second, math is a subject that permeates many aspects of daily life, making it all the more crucial to develop math skills early on. In fact, according to a study , early math skills were a stronger predictor of later academic achievements than reading, attention skills, socioemotional behaviors, and social skills.

As children progress through their school years, they will encounter a multitude of subjects that require math, whether directly or indirectly. For instance, the fields of science, technology, engineering, and even economics all demand a solid grasp of mathematical principles. Additionally, math plays an important role in understanding the world around us, from measuring distances or calculating time to making financial decisions. In fact, a study conducted by the Pew Research Center found that 73% of adults in the US believe that math is crucial in preparing students for the real-life workforce. Additionally, 93% of adults agree that success in math helps students become successful in life. By instilling a solid mathematical foundation within our children during their formative years, we pave the way for them to excel in various academic disciplines and careers.

How do I know my child is struggling in math?

There are several telltale signs indicating that your child may be struggling with math . Being aware of these signs enables you to identify your child’s difficulties and provide the necessary assistance. Research suggests that early intervention in math proves to be more effective than support offered at later grades.

• Frequent difficulty with basic operations such as counting, addition, and subtraction
• Struggling to understand mathematical language
• Constant reliance on finger counting past early development stages
• Slow speed in solving math problems and frequent mistakes
• Inability or unwillingness to communicate understanding
• Anxiety towards math (saying something like “Math is not for me”)
• Putting off math homework until the last moment, resistance in doing math-related tasks
• Low self-confidence in math skills
• Consistently poor test scores or grades in math subjects

Possible reasons why your child is struggling in math and how you can help

There are many factors that may be contributing to your child’s difficulties in math. Identifying the factors that are affecting your child is crucial in determining the best approach to help them improve.

I’ve compiled a list of possible reasons why your child is struggling in math. Granted, there are many factors and many of them are interrelated. Perhaps only few of these factors apply to your child. Or, your child may be suffering from many of them. Identifying even one factor and helping your child overcoming it can make a significant difference in how your child perform in math and how your child feel about math. Let’s take a look at the list now.

Reasons related to your child’s math skills

Lacking foundational understanding

One common reason why children struggle with math is a lack of fundamental understanding. This means that they may not have a solid grasp of basic math concepts from their previous grades, causing them to fall behind in more complex aspects of the subject. For example, a child who doesn’t understand what multiplication is or when to use it will have trouble understanding or doing 2-digit by 2-digit multiplication. When a child hasn’t developed solid understanding of ratios and fractions by the end of middle school, it’ll be difficult for them to comprehend advanced algebra topics such as rational functions in high school. When foundational knowledge is missing, it can be challenging for children to understand what they are studying in school, which can hinder their progress and even result in a negative attitude towards math.

How you can help:

• Regularly review basic math concepts with your child, ensuring they have a solid understanding of numbers, addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.
• Help your child identify and address any gaps in their mathematical knowledge by working through math problems together and discussing the reasoning behind the solutions.
• When you discover your child is lacking knowledge or skill that he or she should have developed already, go back to the earlier concept and review them with your child.
• Encourage your child to practice math frequently using workbooks, online tutorials, or educational games to solidify their fundamental understanding of math concepts.
• Consider hiring a tutor or seeking extra support from their teacher if your child continues to struggle with basic math concepts despite your efforts.
• Be patient and supportive, reinforcing the importance of a strong mathematical foundation and reminding your child that improvement takes time and practice.

Lack of foundational skills

One of the reasons your child might be struggling with math is a lack of foundational skills, the ability to perform mathematical operations with ease. These skills include basic mathematical operations such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. For example, if your child has not mastered addition and subtraction and still relies on finger-counting by Grade 3 or 4, it will be difficult for your child to solve more complex problems such as calculating the area of a table or tallying up results of a survey. Similarly, when a child is struggling with solving an equation, he or she will have a hard time modeling linear functions. The difference between “foundational skills” and the “foundational understanding” mentioned above is that your child may have understood certain concepts such as when to use multiplication, but still has not attained fluency in doing the mathematical operations. “Fluency” here means that your child can perform required operations accurately, quickly, and confidently. In order for your child to grasp and master concepts and skills that they are learning in school, they must become fluent at mathematical operations that they are expected to know at their grade level.

• Identify the specific areas where your child needs improvement and provide targeted learning materials and exercises to strengthen their fluency in those areas.
• Work with your child’s teacher to determine any gaps in their foundational skills and develop a plan of action to address them.
• Consider hiring a tutor or enrolling your child in a math support program to provide personalized instruction and help them build their foundational skills.
• Encourage your child to do calculations without a calculator or computer as much as possible when they are in elementary school. In my learning center, we strictly banned the usage of calculators until Grade 8. While some may say this is too drastic, this policy was very effective in developing automaticity and confidence.
• Incorporate math into daily activities and real-life situations. Make math relatable and enjoyable while helping your child become more confident and comfortable with numbers. For example, let your child add up the amount of allowance she is getting each week or ask your child to calculate the tip you should leave at a restaurant.
• Be patient and encourage your child through their learning process, celebrating even small successes, as building a strong foundation takes time and effort.

Lack of understanding and reliance on rote memorization

One possible reason children struggle with math is their lack of understanding of mathematical concepts and a heavy reliance on rote memorization. Instead of developing a deep understanding of the underlying principles and processes, they simply memorize formulas and methods, which limits their ability to apply their knowledge to new and unfamiliar problems. If you ask your child where he got the answer or how he did it and all he can say is “I don’t know,” then, your child may be suffering from this problem. Lack of understanding prevents children from fully grasping the meaning behind the math, making it difficult for them to excel in more advanced math classes as they progress through school.

• Encourage your child to focus on understanding the “whys” behind mathematical concepts or methods, rather than just memorizing formulas and procedures.
• Use visual aids, like number lines, graphs, and charts, to help your child grasp mathematical concepts more easily.
• When working through math problems with your child, make sure to ask them to explain the reasoning behind each step. Be interested in the problem-solving process, not just the final answer. Ask your child, “How did you come up with this idea?” or “Why do you think your teacher did this?” Engage your child to think. Build a habit of questioning the reasoning behind the formulas and procedures.
• Help your child look at a concept from multiple angles. This is a strategy used by many teachers. For example, when learning fractions, you can show what fractions are by using physical manipulatives or look for examples of fractions at home, such as half a pizza or quarter of a glass of water. You can relate fractions with time, such as a quarter (1/4) of an hour, or relate it to percentage such as percentage of restaurant bill that you pay as a tip (20% being equal to 1/5, for example).
• Provide your child with opportunities to apply their math skills in real-world situations, such as calculating the tip on a restaurant bill, measuring ingredients while cooking, or figuring out the distance between two locations on a map.
• Seek additional resources, such as tutoring, online videos, or math-focused apps and games, that provide alternative explanations and methods for solving problems.

Underdeveloped problem-solving or critical thinking abilities

Another possible reason that your child may be struggling with math is underdeveloped problem-solving and critical thinking abilities. These skills are crucial for understanding and solving mathematical problems, as they help kids analyze information, identify patterns, and think logically. If your child understands the concepts and can do basic operations, but is struggling with word problems and application questions, then, your child may not have developed problem-solving abilities or techniques. At lower elementary school grades, children are not expected to have developed these skills. However, as they finish elementary school and go into middle school, they should have developed some problem-solving skills. Many children who are not accustomed to problem-solving may “freeze” when they are faced with a problem that looks complex, does not resemble textbook questions that they practiced, or involves multiple steps. Fortunately, problem-solving and critical thinking abilities can be nurtured and developed.

• Help your child break down a complex problem into smaller, manageable steps. Understand that a complex task requires many small steps. Break down a complex problem into smaller part, and concentrate on one part at a time.
• Understanding what you know: Organize what’s given to you in a question. Jot down what you know from the given question or task. Visualize it by drawing a diagram, if applicable.
• Figuring out what you can: Looking at what you know, what information can you further figure out? Find them out and put them on paper. The more information gained, the easier it is to have new ideas and make connections.
• Thinking about how your can use the information: Think about how you can use the information that you have so far to solve the problem. This is where a student has to strategize using the information they got in steps 1 and 2 above.
• Know that problem-solving is a trial-and-error process, not a straightforward process. It’s natural to take a wrong approach, realize it, and try another approach from scratch. The important thing is get started on a problem and make progress one step at a time.
• Praise your child’s progress even if it doesn’t lead to the final answer. One significant hurdle that students face is “freezing”: when they are faced with a difficult-looking problem, they just give up and say “I don’t know” or “It’s too hard”. Just jotting down the given information is a good progress. Figuring out one addition piece of information from the given information is also a good progress. For example, if your child has to calculate how many water bottles it takes to fill up a pool as a part of school project, ask your child to get started by just jotting down what she knows and doesn’t know. Then, ask your child to find out one thing no matter how small, such as measuring the height of the water bottle or how deep your backyard pool goes. Praise your child if she makes even a small progress.
• Encourage your child to participate in activities that develop problem-solving and critical thinking skills, such as puzzles, board games, strategy-based games, challenging problems, or math contest questions. The more exposure your child has to problems that require thinking, the faster your child’s critical thinking ability develops.
• Discuss real-life situations where math is applied. Help your child see the relevance of math skills in daily life and encourage them to think critically about these scenarios.
• When solving math problems, tell your child to verbalize their thought process. Model this behavior for your child. “What do I know already?” “How can I find …?” “What should I do now?” “How can I use the information that I already have?”
• There are tutors or tutoring programs specializing in problem-solving in math. If the above is overwhelming, seek the help of these tutors or tutoring programs.

Inadequate practice or low automaticity

One possible reason why your child might be struggling with math is inadequate practice or low automaticity. Automaticity refers to the ability to perform basic math calculations quickly and accurately without conscious thought or attention. It is essential for students to develop automaticity in their math skills in order to progress in more advanced math concepts. Even if your child understands a concept, if he has not practiced the mathematical operations behind it to the level of fluency, he may still find himself struggling to keep up in school or do well in tests. This is because there is a limited amount of information that your brain can hold at one point in time (called working memory), and when students with low automaticity tries to tackle more complex problems, their working memory is occupied with basic mathematical operations; in other words, the student is too focused on basic math operations to do higher-order thinking. This is why practicing to the point of fluency is so important. I prepared many students for various math contests when I was teaching in the past, but I have not met one student who was not fluent in calculation skills and still excelled in a math contest. Moreover, if your child has not developed automaticity, she might not be able to finish a test in time.

If your child is doing mathematical operations too slowly or not having enough time to finish a math task or math test, it is possible that your child hasn’t practiced enough to develop fluency in the math topic.

• Encourage regular practice outside of just the class time. Provide engaging materials and resources like fun math worksheets, math games or puzzle books for them to use at home.
• Break down topics into smaller components and set specific practice goals. For example, target mastering addition and subtraction before moving on to multiplication and division.
• Make math a part of everyday life. Involve your child in real-life situations necessitating math, such as cooking, shopping, or budget planning, to help them see the importance and practicality of math.
• Monitor your child’s progress and identify weak areas where more practice might be needed. Provide additional practice materials or worksheets to focus on strengthening those areas.
• Consider using digital tools or mobile apps designed to improve math automaticity. There are various resources that offer engaging practice exercises to help your child develop their skills.
• Seek help from a tutor or extra support from their teacher if necessary. They can provide additional guidance and individual attention to help your child overcome their struggles.

Lack of communication skills

Another possible reason for a child struggling with math could be due to inadequate communication skills. Math is not just about numbers and equations; it also involves understanding and explaining concepts, reasoning, justifying solutions, and effectively communicating ideas to others. In addition to testing students’ understanding and skills, teachers also assess their ability to communicate mathematical ideas. For instance, a student should be able to show their work (i.e. the steps taken to arrive at the solution) using accepted mathematical conventions during a test. Moreover, a student needs to be capable of explaining their ideas or methods when doing a presentation or project in their math class. One student I taught had a solid foundation in math and understood everything she learned in school, but she was still doing badly on tests. After realizing she was struggling with showing her work, a little assistance in mathematical communication immediately helped improve her test performance by 20%.

• Take a look at your child’s homework or test. Are they properly showing their work? Are they using accepted mathematical conventions, such as correctly using multiplication and division symbols or accurately writing decimal numbers? Is the work on their test organized and easy to read? If not, guide them in understanding how to show their work or communicate their ideas properly.
• Encourage your child to discuss math problems and assignments with you, their teachers, or their peers. This can help enhance both their understanding of the subject and their communication skills.
• Encourage your child to assist her younger siblings or friends with math. Peer tutoring is an extremely effective method for enhancing communication skills. Throughout the peer tutoring process, your child will need to explain mathematical concepts clearly to ensure that the other person understands them.
• Help your child practice explaining their reasoning when solving a problem, both verbally and in writing. Observe how they are explaining or writing down their work. If they are not using standard mathematical notations or representations, suggest ways to correct it.
• Offer support and encouragement by praising their efforts to communicate their understanding of mathematical concepts, even if they may not have fully grasped the material yet.
• Talk to your child’s teacher about your concerns. Ask the teacher for suggestions that you can implement at home.

Ineffective test-taking strategy

One potential reason why your child might be struggling with math is using ineffective test-taking strategies. Ineffective test-taking strategies can result from anxiety, lack of time management, failure to understand the question or overlooking important instructions on the test. Consequently, this approach can lead to lower scores and decreased confidence in their math abilities, regardless of their actual competency. To find out whether test-taking strategy is the culprit, you need to take a look at your child’s test. Did your child finish the test on time? Did your child understand the instructions for each question? Did your child show work where necessary? Was the work organized and easy to see? Where did the teacher take off marks? By analyzing your child’s graded tests, you can gain significant insights into the reasons behind your child’s low grades.

• Practice time management techniques together, such as allocating a specific amount of time for each test question or setting a timer during preparation tests.
• Don’t get stuck on one question. If you tried and still don’t know how to do it, circle the question and go to the next one.
• Do the easier questions first before the harder questions. You can easily get marks doing easier questions, so these ones should be done, first.
• If you don’t know the answer to a multiple choice question, eliminate the wrong choices and guess one from the remaining choices.
• Underline the important part of a question or jot down the given information on work space, first, before attempting the question.
• Make sure to show work in a neat way. Use methods that are taught in school, where possible. Some teachers don’t like to see methods taught outside of school. Use proper math terms, math symbols, and math conventions.
• For longer questions such as critical-thinking questions, if you don’t know the answer, show your partial work as much as possible to get part marks.
• After a question is done, briefly review the answer and make sure the answer makes sense. For example, if a question is asking about the weight of a person, “3000 kg” would probably not going to be the right answer.
• Know the time limit and develop a sense of how fast each question needs to be done. Keep track of the time as you do the test so that you’ll be able to finish all questions.
• Try to leave some time for reviewing the test after all questions are done.
• Discuss stress and test-taking anxiety with your child, exploring ways to manage emotions, like deep breaths or mindfulness exercises and free writing before the test. (See the section on test anxiety, below).
• If your child cannot finish a test or do bad on a test, other factors may be responsible as well. These include language barrier (see below) or insufficient practice (see the section on Inadequate practice or low automaticity, above).

Reasons related to other areas of learning

Language barriers

Language barriers can be a significant reason why a child might be struggling with math. Just like any subject, math has its own language and terms that students must understand to be successful. If English is not your child’s first language, he or she may have a hard time understanding his or her teacher’s lessons, understand the homework, or understand the questions on a test. Word problems and math instruction can be challenging even for native English speakers, and much more so for students who are not fluent in the language. As an immigrant myself, I struggled to comprehend English on math textbooks and tests during the first couple of years in Canada. It is frustrating because you know you can do the math; you just don’t understand the language and how to express your thoughts on paper.

• Communicate with the teacher or school for language support, such as ESL or ELL resources, to help your child improve their English proficiency.
• Utilize bilingual textbooks or materials, if available, to help your child understand math concepts in their native language. Make sure that your child does not fall behind in mastering the necessary topics outlined in the curriculum.
• Ask your child’s teacher if your child can use a dictionary during a test.
• Practice math vocabulary with your child, focusing on key terms that they encountered in their math class.
• Encourage your child to ask questions and seek clarification when they do not understand a math problem or concept.
• Find a tutor who is fluent in both English and your child’s native language so your child has the support they need during the learning process. Ask the tutor to focus on math vocabulary, how to read a math question, how to communicate the thought process behind solving a question, and how to show work in English.
• Ask your child to create flash cards or vocabulary notebook with English words on one side and the same words in the child’s native language on the other side.

Learning disabilities

Presence of learning disabilities may hamper your child’s math progress. These are neurological conditions that affect the way an individual processes, understands, and applies new information. Dyscalculia is a common learning disability specifically related to mathematics, making it difficult for the affected individual to comprehend numbers and arithmetic operations. A child with a learning disability might have a harder time grasping mathematical concepts, leading to frustrations and lower performance in the subject.

• Consult with a professional to assess and diagnose potential learning disabilities. Don’t try to tackle the issue on your own.
• Seek specialized help from qualified educators who are trained in working with learning disabilities, such as a resource room teacher or a private tutor.
• Incorporate learning strategies that are tailored to your child’s specific needs and support their learning style. For example, using visual aids and manipulatives can be helpful for a child with dyscalculia.
• Ensure that your child receives appropriate accommodations at school, such as extra time on exams or modified assignments, in order to give them an equal chance to succeed.
• Be patient, understanding, and supportive. Encourage your child to develop and maintain a positive attitude towards learning, while also recognizing their unique strengths and abilities.

Reasons related to your child’s study habits

Lack of review or practice

One of the most common reasons for children struggling with math is the lack of review or practice. It’s essential for students to revisit previously learned concepts and practice problem-solving skills to better understand mathematical concepts. Before taking any quizzes or tests, a child should review what they have learned in school and complete review questions to reinforce the ideas. In essence, the child should develop a solid understanding and achieve a level of fluency, meaning they can answer questions quickly and accurately without difficulty or struggles.

Additionally, it is crucial to ensure that your child does not just cram before a test, as this approach only engages their short-term memory. To store the learned material in their long-term memory, your child should engage in periodic math practices. Doing periodic practices and reviews helps your child remember important concepts and skills even after a test.

• Review the school lessons by reading over the school notes.
• Do the school homework. If possible, check the answers for your child. Praise the parts that your child got right and give feedback on where your child got wrong. Note the questions that your child had difficulty answering.
• Before any quizzes or tests, review the school lessons again and do more review questions. Revisit the questions that your child had difficulty on in the step 2.
• Set aside dedicated time for math practice each day, ensuring a consistent learning routine. Having a routine helps can give your child a sense of stability and allow your child to focus on the task.
• Work closely with your child’s teacher to understand your child’s strengths and weaknesses in math, and tailor reinforcement exercises accordingly. For example, if your child is lacking some foundational skills, you can have your child do exercises targeting these areas of weakness.
• For younger children, find and use resources like workbooks, apps, or websites to provide engaging practice opportunities. For older children in high school, the primary focus should be on their school homework and additional resources should be considered only as a supplement. Usually, school teachers create their tests based on the class materials and homework given to students.
• One potentially useful idea is to incorporate problem-solving activities in routine tasks like shopping, cooking, or measuring distance. Create a habit for your child to use their math skills in their daily life.
• If your child is unwilling to study or do math homework, this could be a symptom of a number of other factors such as low self-confidence, math anxiety, or lack of interest. These problems are described elsewhere in this article. In some cases, tackling these problems might be more effective than simply forcing your child to do practices.

Poor organization and time management

One significant reason why a child might struggle with math is poor organization and time management skills. When a student lacks these skills, it becomes challenging for them to manage their workload, keep track of assignments, allocate enough time for study sessions, and maintain focus during lessons. As a result, they might consistently fall behind in their math work, feel overwhelmed, and ultimately develop a negative attitude towards the subject. The good news is, there are many ways that you can try to help your child manage their time better .

• Help your child create a simple and effective organizational system for their math notes, worksheets, and textbooks to keep everything in order and easily accessible.
• Encourage your child to use a planner or digital app to keep track of assignments, tests, and due dates, so nothing falls through the cracks.
• Have your child create a to-do list every day and have them check off the item that they finish. This will create a sense of accomplishment when a task is finished.
• Teach your child to break down a complex task such as a large project into smaller, manageable steps. Have your child write down what they want to accomplish in the to-do list, as mentioned above.
• Establish a consistent homework and study routine. Set a fixed time to study math daily.
• Monitor your child’s progress and challenges in organizing their math work, providing support and reassurance as needed.

Insufficient resources

Does your child have sufficient resources to learn and practice math? Insufficient resource means that they may not have access to adequate materials or support that can aid in their learning process. It could be a lack of textbooks, online resources, or poor instruction from their math teacher. Sometimes, children don’t get enough practice materials from their school so they don’t develop the necessary automaticity, the ability to do mathematical operations with fluency and accuracy.

• Provide your child with a variety of math resources such as textbooks, workbooks, and online learning platforms that offer supplementary materials, practice questions, and interactive games. You can find these resources in Amazon, general bookstores, and bookstores specializing in educational materials.
• Check your local library for math resources. Your local library may have free math textbooks for rent as well as free online resources.
• Make sure that the extra materials you give your child aligns with the math curriculum in your state or province. For example, if you live in Ontario, you’ll want to use materials that aligns with the Ontario curriculum.
• Communicate with your child’s teacher to discuss their progress, needs, and any additional support that can be provided in school.
• Consider hiring a math tutor or enrolling in a math learning center if your child requires more personalized assistance and can benefit from a one-on-one approach.

Missing or late homework or project submission

One reason your child might be struggling with math is due to missing or late homework or project submissions. Falling behind on assignments can lead to gaps in understanding and increased stress, making it even more difficult for your child to grasp new concepts. When a child misses crucial practice opportunities, they may feel overwhelmed and disheartened, creating a negative cycle that can hinder their overall progress in math. Moreover, not completing school homework or projects and submitting them in time has a negative impact on your child’s report card. Many teachers take into account the homework completion, assignments, and projects when giving a final report card grade.

• Help your child establish a regular homework routine with a dedicated space and time for completing assignments.
• Encourage your child to break down larger projects into smaller, manageable tasks to reduce the likelihood of procrastination and not finishing the projects in time.
• Consider using a planner or calendar to help your child visualize upcoming deadlines and manage their time effectively. Create a to-do list, and have your child check the items off as they complete it.
• Reinforce the importance of asking for help when needed, whether from a teacher or a peer, to ensure they don’t fall behind.
• If necessary, seek additional support such as tutoring, learning resources, or joining a study group to help your child catch up and stay on track.

Inconsistent attendance or skipping school

Inconsistent attendance can have a significant impact on a child’s ability to grasp mathematical concepts. If a child misses school days, they could miss crucial lessons, class discussions, and activities that may not easily be made up or understood independently. Missing out on these opportunities can hinder their progress in math and lead to low grades attained on tests and increased difficulties in the subject.

• Ensure your child has a consistent daily routine in attending school and understands the importance of attending school regularly.
• If your child misses school, encourage them to ask their friends for class notes and homework. Help your child study the content of the missed lesson and complete the missed homework.
• If needed, communicate with the school and your child’s teacher to be informed of any missed lessons or activities, and work with your child to create a plan for catching up.
• Seek additional support, such as tutoring or online resources, to help your child catch up on any missed material.
• Address any underlying issues or obstacles that may be causing your child to skip school or have inconsistent attendance, such as social or emotional challenges, and if needed, seek appropriate professional support such as a school counselor.

Distractions at home such as distractions from social media or TV

One common reason children struggle with math is the presence of distractions at home, particularly technological distractions, such as smartphones, tablets, video games, and televisions. If these devices are turned on while your child is studying, they can divert your child’s attention away from their studies. This negatively impacts their ability to learn and comprehend material, significantly reducing the effectiveness of a study session. Furthermore, when children spend a lot of time engaging with distractions such as TV, the internet, or social media, they might not have enough time to review or complete their homework.

• Create a designated study space for your child free from distractions, allowing them to focus solely on their math work. When your child is studying, make sure their study space is quiet and computers, smartphones, iPad, and TV are turned off unless it is necessary for their assignment.
• Set clear boundaries and rules on screen time, ensuring ample time is allocated for study. For example, set a daily time for study and turn off devices when your child is studying.
• Encourage your child to use educational technology or apps that promote mathematical learning and problem-solving in their free time.

Limited support when needed

One possible reason why children struggle with math is limited support when needed. It’s important to remember that every child learns at their own pace, and some may require extra help and guidance to fully grasp mathematical concepts. When a child doesn’t get the necessary support, they may become discouraged, fall behind, and develop a negative attitude towards math. This can lead to a vicious cycle where the child’s confidence in their math abilities diminish, falling further behind, which in turn make them like math even less.

• Communicate with your child’s teacher to understand the specific areas where your child needs help and request additional resources or support.
• Consider hiring a tutor or enrolling your child in an after-school program focused on math to provide targeted help and reinforce classroom learning.
• Make learning math fun by incorporating educational games and activities that promote mathematical thinking and problem-solving skills.
• If your child wants some help with their homework, you can give some assistance, but be careful in doing so. Sometimes, homework help can do more harm than good . If you are not sure how to help your child, ask your child’s teacher for support, hire a tutor, or enroll your child in a tutoring program.

Reasons related to how your child views math or themselves

Math anxiety

Math anxiety is a common reason why children struggle with math. It is an emotional response to the subject, often characterized by feelings of fear, stress, and panic when faced with math problems. This anxiety can be debilitating, making it difficult for a child to focus, process information, and effectively solve problems. Math anxiety can stem from various factors, including negative experiences with math in the past, pressure to perform well, or a belief that one is not good at math. As a result, children with math anxiety may develop a negative attitude towards the subject, which can hinder their progress and success in math. If your child regularly avoids math-related activities, says something like “Math is not for me” or “Math is only for smart people”, or shows apprehension or fear when doing math homework, your child may have math anxiety.

• Help your child develop a growth mindset by praising their effort and perseverance rather than focusing on their performance or grades.
• Avoid saying things like “Math is hard and it’s not for everyone.” This will allow your child to view math as an insurmountable task. Instead, say something like “I know math is hard, but if you try your best, you’ll become so good at it!”
• Help your child improve foundational skills such as basic arithmetic. Children who developer better foundational skills tend to feel less math anxiety.
• Work with your child to identify and address the specific triggers of their math anxiety, such as a fear of making mistakes, time pressure, or comparing themselves to others.
• If you are not comfortable with math, be careful when helping your child with homework. Math anxiety can be passed from parents to children when you show negative attitude toward math. Instead, see if you can hire a tutor or let your child attend extra help sessions in school.
• Let your child do some free writing so they can express their inner thoughts, struggles, and fear about math without being judged by other people. Free writing has been shown to reduce anxiety and increase test performance of kids with math anxiety.

Parental attitudes towards math

One significant reason why children might struggle with math is the parental attitudes towards the subject. As stated above, parents can pass their math anxiety toward their children. If parents express their own dislike or anxiety for math, or frequently say things like “Math is not for everyone” or “When do you ever use this in life?”, children can inadvertently develop a negative outlook on the subject. Their parents’ fear and apprehension can cause them to believe that math is essentially difficult and inaccessible and that math is something to be feared. This leads them develop math anxiety, and as a result, they avoid investing their time or effort in learning math. Parents need to recognize and address their own attitudes towards math and be mindful of how these might affect their children’s perception of the subject.

• Be conscious of your own attitude and refrain from making negative comments about math in front of your child.
• Encourage and create a positive environment around math at home, making it seem enjoyable and less intimidating.
• Share stories of how math helped you with everyday situations or use math-related games and activities to engage your child.
• Talk to your child about the importance and relevance of math in different aspects of life, such as finance management, technology development, and career opportunities.
• Express enthusiasm when it comes to helping your child with math and approach difficult problems with a problem-solving attitude rather than getting frustrated.
• If you feel math is too frustrating, consider hiring a tutor or letting your child join extra help sessions at school. Ineffective homework at home often does more harm than good to your child’s learning and self-confidence.

Test anxiety

Test anxiety is a common issue that many students face, especially when it comes to subjects like math. This type of anxiety can cause your child to become overly stressed, resulting in a decrease in their ability to focus during a test. As a result, your child may get lower marks than they deserve to get. Does your child feel overly stressed or hopeless before a test? Does your child exhibit sleep disturbance, irritability, or mood swing as the date of test approaches? If so, your child may be suffering from test anxiety.

• Encourage open communication: Talk to your child about their feelings regarding math tests and help them understand that it’s normal to feel anxious. This can help them share their concerns and feel supported.
• Try free writing before a test. Free writing brings forward your child’s inner apprehension and fear about tests. By writing it down, your child may realize a test is nothing to be feared for, alleviating their anxiety.
• Help your child establish a consistent study routine that includes reviewing math concepts regularly. Encourage your child to do thorough review before a test. Often, anxiety toward a test is due to lack of preparation. When your child is more prepared, it’s possible that they will feel less test anxiety.
• Practice relaxation techniques: Teach your child deep breathing exercises, progressive muscle relaxation, or meditation to help them calm down and manage their anxiety before and during tests. For example, deep breathing helped me feel relaxed before stressful 3-hour exams in University of Toronto when I was a student there.
• Help your child develop a growth mindset, the idea that intelligence and one’s aptitude in doing something can be nurtured and developed. Your child may experience test anxiety because of fear of doing badly in a test. To counter this, one thing you can do is to routinely praise your child’s effort and persistence and help your child view challenges as growth opportunity regardless of the result.
• Seek professional help: If your child’s test anxiety is severe, consider consulting a school counselor or a mental health professional to provide support and resources for managing their anxiety.

Having a fixed mindset, not growth mindset

When children have a fixed mindset, as opposed to a growth mindset , they might lack motivation to improve or even fear challenges such as tests. A fixed mindset is the belief that intelligence and abilities are static and cannot be improved, which can lead to a fear of failure and a lack of motivation to learn. In contrast, a growth mindset is the belief that intelligence and abilities can be developed and improved with effort and perseverance, fostering resilience and a love of learning. Adopting a growth mindset can dramatically impact your child’s academic performance and attitude towards math.

For example, if your child believes she is smart (a fixed mindset), she fears that doing badly on a test can destroy that belief. She will, then, feel anxiety toward tests or try to avoid taking on challenges that may result in failure. If your child believes she is stupid (also a fixed mindset), she might feel powerless to study or prepare for a test. In contrast, if your child believes that he can learn anything if he puts in enough effort and time (a growth mindset), he may view tests as a good challenge; even if he doesn’t do too well on a test, he believes he can study harder next time and get a better grade.

• Encourage your child to view challenges as opportunities for growth, emphasizing the importance of effort and persistence.
• Praise your child’s effort and progress, rather than focusing solely on their grades or results. This helps them value the process of learning and promotes a growth mindset.
• Teach your child that mistakes are a natural part of the learning process and provide constructive feedback, helping them understand how to learn from errors and improve.
• Change the way that you praise or criticize your child. Don’t say something like “You are so smart!”, “I know math is hard for you, but let’s review for the test”. These statements contribute to the belief that intelligence is a fixed quality. In fact, students who believe that intelligence can be improved through hard work can improve their math performance over time. When your child shows you a good test result, praise by acknowledging the work that your child put in. When your child shows you a bad test result, explore ways to do better in the next test with your child.
• Share stories and examples of famous individuals who succeeded through hard work, dedication, and resilience to reinforce the idea that abilities can be developed.
• Model a growth mindset yourself by embracing challenges, demonstrating persistence, and celebrating your own learning and growth.

Low self-confidence or low self-efficacy

Low self-confidence or low self-efficacy in math can be a significant reason why your child might be struggling. Self-confidence is general belief that a person is a capable person, capable of achieving things that he or she puts his mind to. Self-efficacy (in math) is a specific belief that a person is good at math and can perform well in math-related tasks. Both concepts are similar, and they both influence how children approach problems and challenges. If they lack confidence in their ability to solve math-related tasks, math can become a daunting and frustrating experience. Children may begin to feel defeated and avoid practicing, making it more difficult for them to improve their skills and understanding of math concepts.

If your child often says that math is not for them or they can’t do well in math no matter how much they tried, they have low self-confidence or self-efficacy in math.

• Actively encourage and praise your child’s efforts and progress, no matter how small, to help build their confidence.
• Offer a supportive and non-judgmental environment for your child to practice and make mistakes, emphasizing that mistakes are a normal part of the learning process. I used to tell my students that if they are not making mistakes, they are not learning anything useful.
• Give your child a success experience in math. To do this, help your child become good at one area in math, such as multiplication or geometry, through a lot of teaching and practice. Let your child see that success in math is not impossible.
• Identify your child’s strengths and acknowledge them. When you look at your child’s completed homework or test result, praise about the areas that your child did well first, instead of criticizing about where your child got wrong.
• Consider hiring a tutor, joining a study group, or finding other resources that can provide personalized instruction and support. Improvement in understanding and skills may lead to better self-confidence.
• Be aware of how you discuss math and learning in general, and model a positive attitude towards tackling challenges. Don’t show or voice your own insecurity or anxiety toward math to your child.

Lack of interest or motivation

One common reason why a child might be struggling with math is due to a lack of interest or motivation. When children don’t find the subject engaging, they are less likely to put in the required effort and dedication to overcome challenges and learn effectively. A child may not be motivated in learning math for various reasons, one of which is the inability to see its relevance in real life. They might struggle to find a connection between the mathematical concepts they learn in class and how they can be applied outside the classroom. Additionally, low self-confidence can also contribute to a lack of motivation, as they might feel defeated or overwhelmed by the subject, believing they simply cannot grasp the material. Furthermore, relying on rote memorization rather than understanding the concepts properly can make math very boring. In my experience, students who have developed good understanding and good skills often enjoy solving problems in math.

If your child routinely puts off math homework or is unable to focus on math tasks, it’s possible that your child hasn’t developed interest in math.

• Identify your child’s interests and find ways to make math relevant to those interests. For example, if your child enjoys sports, use math problems that involve scoring or statistics to engage them.
• Create a positive and encouraging environment for your child to learn math. Offer praise for their efforts, celebrate their achievements, and encourage them to keep trying when they face challenges.
• Make math fun by incorporating games, puzzles, or technology to keep your child engaged and interested in learning. This can help make math more enjoyable and relatable for your child.
• Discuss with your child why math is important and how it can be useful in their daily lives. Helping them understand the practical applications of math may increase their motivation to learn.
• Consider finding a math or STEM-related extracurricular programs for your child. These programs can provide fun math-related activities that your child can enjoy, igniting their interest in the subject.

Reasons related to your child’s school

Poor teaching methods or not understanding the school lesson

One potential reason that your child might be struggling with math is poor teaching methods. In some cases, teachers may not provide clear explanations. Some teachers might be unable to provide individual attention to students who are struggling. Also, they might not be able to provide adequate feedback to help children understand and correct their mistakes because of class size. Another possibility is that a teacher may be using project-based teaching where students have to work in groups and come up with their own answer together. Research has shown that struggling students often get left behind in such inquiry-based teaching method, and they can thrive more with direct instruction. Yet another possibility is that a child may not understand their teacher because the teacher speaks with a heavy accent.

If your child doesn’t understand the lessons in school, he or she will not be able to review, practice, or learn more advanced topics.

• Arrange a meeting with the teacher to address any concerns you may have about your child’s progress. Work with your child’s teacher as a team .
• Seek additional resources such as online tutorials, textbooks, or apps that use alternative teaching methods to reinforce and complement your child’s learning process.
• Consider hiring a private tutor or enrolling your child in after-school programs that focus on individualized learning and targeted math support.
• Encourage your child to ask questions during class and engage in open communication with the teacher regarding their understanding of the material.
• Develop a positive relationship with the teacher, so they know you are invested in your child’s success and are willing to work together to find the best support for your child.

Class material is too advanced or pace of the class is too fast

One possible reason for your child’s struggle with math could be that the class material is too advanced or too fast-paced for their current level of understanding. This may occur if your child is enrolled in an enriched or gifted class (a math class for high-achieving students) or if your child has advanced to a higher grade (e.g., from Grade 8 to Grade 9). To be fair, every child feels a little overwhelmed at first when attending a new math course. However, if you notice a significant decline in your child’s grades or see that they are struggling more than before, you may want to discuss their feelings about the math class with them.

Your child might tell you that the level of difficulty of the material covered in their math class is much higher than what they are used to. They might also tell you that the tests have become too challenging, or that their teacher is moving through the material too quickly, or that there are too many tests. In such cases, your child may be feeling overwhelmed or intimidated by the complex topics or the pace of the course. They might not understand the classroom material or have enough time to review, resulting in low test scores.

• Help your child develop a growth mindset, encouraging them to believe in their ability to learn and improve. Tell your child that a challenge, such as the math course that your child is taking, is a great opportunity for your child to improve his or her perseverance, critical thinking, and math skills.
• Offer additional resources at home to help your child better understand the material. This could include tutoring, online math courses, or educational games targeting their areas of struggle.
• Consider hiring a tutor who can help your child review and understand the class materials so he or she will not fall behind.
• Consider talking to your child’s teacher about their struggles and whether the material is, indeed, too advanced for them. The teacher may be able to recommend adjustments to the curriculum or suggest additional support to help your child catch up.
• If your child is building up too much frustration and is falling behind a lot even after trying their best in an enriched or gifted class, you and your child may want to consider switching to a standard-level class.

Large class sizes

One possible reason for your child’s difficulties in math could be large class sizes. In crowded classrooms, teachers might not have the time or resources to give individual attention to each student, leaving some children behind in grasping math concepts. Furthermore, the pace of the lessons might be too fast for some students, causing them to fall even further behind. The noisy and chaotic environment might further hinder their ability to focus and learn.

• Consider finding a tutor or enrolling your child in a smaller class or math program to provide more personalized attention and cater to their learning pace.
• Work closely with the teacher to identify specific areas where your child needs help. Ask your teacher what materials, such as workbooks or math apps, that can help your child improve in his or her areas of weakness.
• Create a quiet and dedicated study space at home for your child to review and practice.
• Encourage open communication with your child about their math struggles, to help them feel more comfortable discussing their feelings and asking for assistance.

Reasons related to your child’s health or home life

Change in environment or unstable environment

One reason why your child might be struggling with math could be due to a change in environment or an unstable environment. Children thrive on stable environment , and any significant changes in their surroundings, such as moving to a new school, dealing with a family crisis, or experiencing other personal issues, can have a negative impact on their learning abilities. As a result, they might find it difficult to concentrate and learn new math concepts or skills. An unstable environment can lead to increased stress and anxiety levels, which may impede their learning progress.

• Communicate with your child about any changes happening in their life, and create a safe space for them to express their feelings and emotions.
• Establish a stable and consistent routine at home to provide them with a sense of security and stability.
• Encourage your child to participate in extracurricular activities that promote stress relief and personal growth, such as sports, arts, or clubs.
• Offer additional support by checking in with their teacher, hiring a tutor, or engaging in supplementary educational resources or programs to reinforce their math skills.
• Speak to a school counselor, therapist, or mental health professional if it’s apparent that stress or anxiety is the primary cause of your child’s struggling in math.

Health issues

Another potential reason why your child may be struggling with math could be due to health issues, both physical and mental, which can affect their academic progress. For example, a child who is experiencing chronic pain is more likely to miss school and attain lower grades . Mental health issues, such as ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), can be a problem as well; they can make it harder for the child to sit still, maintain attention, and follow through on tasks – crucial components to succeed in math lessons.

• Stay in communication with your child’s teacher and the school nurse to monitor any health issues affecting your child’s performance in school.
• Ensure your child receives appropriate medical care and regular check-ups to address any health problems that may arise.
• Consider seeking the help of a specialist or counselor to provide support for mental health issues, such as ADHD, to develop tailored strategies to improve focus and attention in a learning environment.
• Establish a consistent daily routine that provides ample time for rest and physical activity, promoting a healthy balance between academic and physical well-being.
• Practice patience and understanding about your child’s health issues and continue to encourage their efforts, emphasizing improvement rather than just focusing on the end result in math.

Insufficient Sleep

An often overlooked reason why children might struggle with math is insufficient sleep. Contrary to popular belief, children can indeed suffer from insomnia. I once had a Grade 9 student suffering from persistent insomnia, and she found it difficult to concentrate in school and often missed classes. Sleep is crucial for optimal cognitive functioning; when children don’t get enough sleep, retaining and processing information becomes a challenge, which could severely impact their overall learning including math.

• Establish a consistent sleep routine to ensure your child gets enough rest each night, aiming for 8-10 hours.
• Monitor and limit screen time, especially before bedtime, as exposure to blue light from electronic devices can disrupt sleep patterns.
• Encourage physical activity during the day, as exercise has been shown to promote better sleep.
• Provide a comfortable and quiet sleep environment, removing distractions that could prevent your child from falling asleep or staying asleep throughout the night. You can try blackout curtains to make the bedroom completely dark at night.
• Consider speaking with a healthcare professional to assess whether there may be a medical cause for your child’s sleep issues and discuss potential treatments.
• Know that often, insomnia comes from psychological factors rather than physiological ones. For example, anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, depression, and bipolar disorders can cause insomnia. If this is the case, over-the-counter sleep medications and in-home remedies may not work. You may need to consult a therapist or psychiatrist specializing in child or adolescent psychology for help.

Insufficient Nutrition

Insufficient nutrition may be a surprising factor that could contribute to your child’s struggles with math. Proper nourishment is essential for the healthy development and functioning of the brain. When your child does not receive adequate nutrients from their diet, it may affect their cognitive abilities, including memory, concentration, and problem-solving skills, all of which are critical for math success. Poor nutrition has been linked to increase in school absences and negative impact on the cognitive development of children, while proper nourishment has been linked to improved cognition, concentration, energy levels, and psychological well-being .

• Ensure your child is eating a balanced diet, rich in essential nutrients like proteins, healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals. Consult a nutritionist or pediatrician if necessary.
• Limit the consumption of processed and sugary foods, which may contribute to poor brain function and decreased focus.
• Provide your child with regular meals and snacks at consistent times throughout the day to maintain stable blood sugar levels and support their focus during study sessions.
• Never skip breakfast! Breakfast has been shown to reduce aggression and disciplinary problems .
• Consider vitamin and mineral supplements if your child’s diet is lacking in specific nutrients. Always consult with a healthcare professional before adding supplements.
• Promote healthy habits such as hydration, exercise, and proper sleep, as they can also have a significant impact on their cognitive performance.

Collaborating with Teachers and Other Professionals

It’s essential to maintain open communication with your child’s teachers and schools to ensure they receive the necessary support. Teachers are typically more than willing to offer guidance or recommend additional resources to help students succeed. Also, enlist the help of other professionals, such as tutors, school counselors, and therapists, depending on what kind of problem your child has. Don’t try to tackle the problem on your own. And, don’t think that having a problem means your child is doomed to a life of failure in math. Most of the issues mentioned in this article can be overcome. I’ve worked with students with learning disability, attention deficit disorder, low foundational skills, low motivation, or language barriers, and most of them eventually became successful in getting into university and starting the career they wanted. By working collaboratively with the professionals and staying proactive and positive, you can help your child overcome their struggles in math and instill a lifelong love for learning.

Struggles in math are not uncommon among children, but with proper support and a tailored approach, you can help your child overcome these challenges. By understanding the possible reasons for their struggle and implementing the strategies, you’ll be setting them on a path toward improvement and success. Remember to remain patient, supportive, and communicative with your child and their educators, and watch as they transform their math struggles into strengths.

Richard Zhang, M.Ed., is an educator and a software developer with a Masters degree in education from University of Toronto and an immense passion for education and learning. Until the pandemic, Richard owned an award-winning learning centre in Toronto. For 15 years, he has taught and mentored hundreds of elementary, middle school, and high school students succeed in academics. He is also an app developer specializing in web and mobile application in educational and business sectors.

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This kid hilariously yet perfectly broke down a math problem in a way that both children and adults can understand.

That kid just gets it. Save me your common core bullshit or whatever math is called now that requires an entire sheet of paper to prove 1 + 1 = 2. This is the kind of math that can actually be applied in the real world. Oh Jayden has a whole $1.27 to his name? Well he is going to be laughed at by his peers and his teachers since that doesn't even get you a school lunch. That simple. But you know what? I bet Jayden will appreciate that when he gets older because that infectious laughter will light a fire that will burn inside him throughout life and become a millionaire before 30. Keep all your dollars because this math actually makes sense. 

Did I blog this because this kid's incredible laugh made me feel the slightest joy of happiness after yesterday's Giants game? Yes. Yes it did. And I know that there are a bunch of other fanbases who feel as sad as I do on this shitty Monday. So shout out to this kid and Jayden's broke ass for allowing a smile to briefly appear on my face. 

Speaking of faces, this kid should get the kindergarten teaching job that this guy was fired from.

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Memes and rants about the failing education system in the US and other countries

so i was helping my little brother with his math homework and the way he had to add was so confusing. i’m still in high school and i learned it a completely different way. the “new” way is so time consuming it’s trash

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How to help kids with tricky math homework

By Gretchen Vierstra, MA

Expert reviewed by Bob Cunningham, EdM

Quick tips for helping kids with math homework

Quick tip 1, acknowledge feelings and effort..

Not understanding what to do can be stressful. Take a moment to acknowledge that, and praise the effort. For example, “I’m proud that you know what the homework is and brought home the right materials.”

Quick tip 2

Find an example math problem..

Find a similar math problem that’s been solved. This could be a problem from class or a sample problem from a textbook that includes the answer. You can also look for examples online by searching for terms from the assignment. 

Quick tip 3

Help kids jog their memory..

Look at the example problem and its solution together. Then ask, “How did the teacher say to do the problem?” Having a completed example in front of them can help kids remember directions from class. 

Quick tip 4

Take notes on the process..

Work through the first problem together and make notes on each step. This reminds kids that math is a process. They can use these notes to show teachers their efforts and get feedback on how they solved the problem.

Quick tip 5

Say it’s ok..

Doing tricky math takes practice. Say that it’s OK to not know the answers every time. And if you’ve ever struggled with math, be open about that. It helps kids know they’re not the only ones who struggle. 

Math homework can be tricky for lots of kids. And sometimes the adults helping kids aren’t sure how to help — or how to do the math problem themselves.

When kids have trouble with math homework, the most important thing is to not dwell on it for too long. A good rule is to not spend more than 10 to 20 minutes working through math homework that kids are unsure of. Spending more time than this can be frustrating for everyone — without providing many benefits.

Here are other things to avoid when kids ask for help with math homework: 

Try not to contact the teacher right away. Kids might give up easily if they’re not sure what to do. But it’s important for them to think of ways to approach the problem. That way they can share their process with the teacher for feedback.  

Don't write a note that just says they didn’t understand it. Instead, be specific about what kids are having trouble with, like adding fractions. This information helps you and the teacher find the “missing piece.”

Having trouble with math homework doesn’t always mean kids have trouble with math in general. Keeping track of what you see can help you figure out what’s going on and the best way to help. 

Dive deeper

What causes trouble with math homework.

Here are some of the reasons why kids might need help with their math homework: 

Trouble with math: When kids need help with math homework, it may be a sign that they’re having trouble with math in general. Learn more about math challenges in kids .

Trouble with reading: To solve some math problems — especially word problems — kids have to read well. Learn more about reading challenges , and what can help.  

Trouble with homework: Sometimes kids may be having trouble with homework in general, not just the math homework. They may even feel anxious about it. Learn about homework anxiety .

Parents and caregivers: It’s common for families to have trouble helping kids with homework, including math homework. Get answers to common questions about homework and ways you can help your child. Use these conversation starters to reach out to your child’s teacher for more support with math homework.   

Educators: Learn more about using evidence-based math practices to teach your students. 

Explore related topics

Homework battles are common. Here's how to avoid them, according to psychologists and parents.

• Many parents and kids struggle with stress and anxiety over homework.
• Ask your kids whether they want help, but know your limits.
• An education specialist recommends having a routine and space so kids know what to expect.

When Carl Nassar approaches his 14-year-old daughter about homework , he can feel his own anxiety . There's time pressure to get the assignments done before dinner and internal pressure telling him he's a good parent only if he helps her succeed. Before long, Nassar can see his daughter's stress levels skyrocket, too.

"If we approach our kids with this angst, this anxiety — well, you've seen it happen — our kids resist the implied pressure," Nassar, a therapist and dad, said. "When we're out of sorts, our kids get out of sorts."

While there aren't any formal polls about how common homework battles are, a quick survey of parents will likely show you that many families dread after-school study time. Here's how to end the homework battles and ensure that assignments stop ruining evenings in your home.

Get in the right frame of mind

Many parents steel themselves for battle before bringing up homework with their kids. But Nassar recommends the opposite approach.

"Find your calm. Help your child find their calm," he said. "Only then do you talk homework specifics together."

Diagnose the problem

You should identify the biggest roadblock to peaceful homework completion, Tim Urdan , a father and professor of psychology at Santa Clara University, said. Maybe it's time management or procrastination; perhaps it's that your child is easily distracted. When you identify the main problem, you can brainstorm solutions.

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Ask your child what they want

It's possible to be overinvolved in homework, especially with older children and teens, Urdan said. So ask your child whether they want help and which type of help would be best. With that approach, they're more likely to feel empowered, rather than micromanaged.

Know your limits

If you don't have the academic skills or the patience for homework, you may need to find someone else, such as another parent, neighbor, or tutor, to help your child, Urdan said.

While this may seem harsh, it can improve your child's academics. Studies have found that parents can pass on their school-related anxieties to their children as they help with homework, Jessica Mercer Young, a mom of three and psychologist who researches early-childhood education, said. For example, when parents with anxieties about math helped their kids with homework, their children picked up on those anxieties and ultimately learned fewer math skills, Mercer Yong said. There's nothing wrong with knowing when to step back, Urdan said.

Break up the work

Homework can seem overwhelming to kids (and parents), so Urban recommends breaking it into smaller chunks. Have your child work for 20 minutes, then give them a 20-minute break to play, check their phone, or move their bodies. For younger kids, the sessions should be even shorter. The key is to foster a sense of accomplishment and productivity, rather than tedium.

Don't take over

It may be tempting to take over your child's assignments to get them done more quickly. But that can signal to your child that you think they're incapable, Mercer Young said. Instead, ask your child some questions so that they can ultimately figure out the answer to the problem.

Have a routine and set space

Discover the homework routine that works for your family and stick to it, John Bianchette, the vice president of education and training at Mathnasium, said.

"This will help kids know what to expect and be ready, motivated, and focused when homework time rolls around," he said, adding that a designated homework space was important, too.

Stay positive

Keep yourself and your child in the right state of mind by encouraging positive thinking and interrupting any negative thought patterns.

"Those negative thoughts and words can significantly hinder a student's ability to get their homework done," Bianchette said.

If your child says, "I can't do this," Bianchette recommends encouraging them to use a more positive affirmation, such as: "I may not understand this right now, but I am smart and can figure this out."

Remember your role

As a parent, your job isn't to make sure your child does their homework perfectly. It's to de-escalate their stress and make homework feel manageable, Urdan said.

"You are the calming influence trying to help your child build better habits and develop confidence," he said, "so be careful not to make it a more negative experience."

Play the long game

Don't expect changes instantly. Instead, focus on building a healthy approach to homework over time so that, ideally, you can become less and less involved with your child completing their assignments.

"You are building a collaboration with your child to help them develop better homework habits," Urdan said. "Good collaborations take time to develop, so don't give up if the first few attempts don't go well."

Watch: Doctors debunk 16 myths about raising kids

• Main content

Child Struggling with Math? 12 Signs and 7 Ways to Help

Written by Jordan Nisbet

• Parent Resources

• What causes children to struggle with math
• Common signs among children struggling with math
• How to help your child struggling with math

Many parents around the world -- like yourself -- have a child struggling with math . Without proper resources or a solid support system, this reality can be daunting.

But, don’t worry because you’re not alone! One of the most common complaints among children who dislike math is it’s too difficult or that they’re not smart enough. Sadly, this belief is one that can severely impact any child’s success in mathematics.

Parents often remark the causes and symptoms can vary from child to child, which is why we’ll outline and help you understand:

• How parents and teachers can help a child struggling with math

Let's start helping your child succeed, instead of struggle, with math. 👇

3 Main causes of a child struggling with math

Math can be hard because it’s a cumulative subject — it builds upon itself year after year. This is why so many parents worry when their kids appear to get disengaged with or disconnected from math.

It’s vital for parents to know this doesn’t necessarily mean their child lacks intelligence or drive. Believe it or not, kids who have trouble understanding math are often putting in a great deal of effort — mentally and physically.

So, what exactly causes a child to struggle with math? Research has narrowed the answer down to three things:

Lacking building blocks

As mentioned earlier, math is cumulative, so learning and understanding the basics is a must. If a child falls behind in one area due to a lack of understanding, moving on to more advanced topics will remain a challenge.

For example, if a child doesn’t yet understand the foundational knowledge of addition, it will be very difficult for them to grasp the concept of multiplication .

In 2015, the University of Akron published a study called “The Importance of a Strong Mathematical Foundation”. Researchers tested 39 ninth and tenth graders on fractions, ratios, and proportions. Participants had to complete questions ranging from third to seventh grade.

Only seven participants were able to pass the assessment. Seeing these results, study author Jasmine Wriston wrote:

[Students] were simply being taught mathematics concepts correlating to their current grade level and not based on the current mathematical knowledge they brought to class. Due to this, students were not mastering each grade level standard before continuing onto higher level instruction. This lack of mastery creates huge gaps in student understanding, hindering students from making the necessary content connections and gaining conceptual understanding.

Math anxiety

In the midst of hardship, it’s easy to feel as though we’re the only ones going through a certain problem. For parents of a child struggling with math, it’s no different. And while alarming, we hope parents everywhere find comfort in knowing their child is not the only one who may experience anxiety when it comes to math.

A feeling of tension and anxiety that interferes with the manipulation of numbers and the solving of mathematical problems in a wide variety of ordinary life and academic situations.

In fact, our guide to overcoming math anxiety highlights that around 93% of adult Americans experience math anxiety to varying degrees while 17% of Americans overall suffer from high levels of math anxiety.

Symptoms of math anxiety can include:

• Lack of response
• Low achievement
• Negative self-talk
• Feeling of permanency
• Intense emotional reactions
• Physiological effects like nervousness, clammy hands, increased heart rate, upset stomach and lightheadedness

And, for this reason, children can struggle with math from childhood all the way into adulthood.

Learning difficulties

There are numerous mathematics learning disabilities, including one of the more common ones: dyscalculia . Other names for it include math or number dyslexia .

According to Dr. Daniel Ansari , a professor in developmental cognitive neuroscience at Canada’s Western University, children with dyscalculia:

• Often struggle with working memory
• Have trouble remembering math facts
• May understand the logic behind math facts, but not how or when to apply their knowledge to solve problems
• May not understand quantities or concepts like biggest versus smallest, or the difference between the word  five  and numeral  5

Researchers aren’t entirely sure what causes dyscalculia but suspect it’s linked to the brain’s structure and function. Because there can be various factors involved — like one’s development, environment, genetic makeup or injury — how the symptoms show will likely vary as no two children are the same.

12 Signs of children struggling with math

1. expresses negative comments about math.

It can be tough to spot a child struggling with math. One of the more visible signs lies in what they say about the subject.

When your child says things like “I hate math” or “I’m not good at math,” and tries to avoid math-related activities, it’s usually a sign that they are struggling with the subject.

2. Gets anxious around math

Be it during a class, a test or working on a homework assignment, your child grows increasingly anxious when it’s time to do math.

Even though they may understand the concepts, math anxiety results in them forgetting what they’ve learned or how to apply them when the time comes.

3.  Grades that are lower in math but higher in other subjects

Whether you hear it from a teacher or see it on their report card, your child performs well in every subject — except math.

Lower math grades may lead them to focus on subjects they’re already succeeding in, and spend little time practicing or studying math.

4. Trouble connecting math families

As students learn more math facts, they should begin to see the relationship between certain numbers and equations.

Your child may be struggling with math if they do not see the connection between, for example, 2+3=5 and 5-3=2 .

5. Difficulty managing time

Time management is difficult for many people, including adults, so this sign can seem somewhat vague. Pay attention to see if your child has any trouble judging increments of time, adhering to set schedules, or reading clocks — analog or digital.

6. Trouble applying math concepts to real-world problems

Your child may grasp math concepts, but have a hard time seeing how they apply to things outside of the classroom. For example:

• Finding out how many days remain until their birthday
• Calculating the cost of something and how much change they should get back
• Determining how much of a certain ingredient to use when helping you prepare food

P.S. Did you know that Prodigy Math features over 50,000 teacher-made questions that include real-world problems?

7. Mental math difficulty

While it can be helpful in early years, working out math problems using fingers to count could be a sign your child is struggling with math.

This is because as children get older, they’ll encounter bigger numbers and more advanced equations that require mental math practices — something that finger counting can discourage.

8. Doesn’t try to find alternative approaches to problems

The moment a roadblock arises when tackling a math problem, your child may get discouraged and move on before thinking about — or trying — another potential solution.

9. Trouble with basic math concepts and fact recall

Memory could have a significant impact on thinking with numbers. Despite having been taught foundational math concepts and facts in the past, your child has trouble remembering and applying them appropriately.

10. Trouble learning advanced math concepts and facts

Due to mathematics’ cumulative nature, making connections between prior and new lessons is key.

Having difficulty when building upon earlier math concepts will limit a child’s ability to anchor new math skills in a meaningful, long-lasting way.

11. Difficulty paying attention

Every child learns differently — some can sit down at a desk and complete certain tasks, while others benefit from a more active, hands-on output.

If your child gets fidgety, loses their place in a problem, or seems mentally tired when doing math, they may be struggling with (the particular way they’re doing) math.

12. Not hitting milestones

Generally, children hit certain math milestones around the same age — but sometimes, they have trouble developing these skills at the same rate and fall behind.

Students in 1st and 2nd grade, for example, may struggle as they move on from counting by ones to twos, fives, and tens, while others pick it up with ease.

Tip: Use Prodigy's free parent account to get monthly reports about your child's math progress as they play Prodigy Math. See how it works here!

Check out the infographic below outlining math milestones and what you can expect at different ages!

Click to expand

How to help a child struggling with math (in 7 ways)

As a parent, one of your biggest goals is to help your child succeed. It’s important to remember, however, that the first step to solving a problem is identifying it.

Having awareness of the signs above will help you identify any problems your child may be experiencing with math.

And to take it a step further, we’ve outlined seven tips you can use at home to help transform math into a subject your child loves instead of fears!

Make math fun

For some children, all it takes is a change in perspective to transform math from something feared into something loved. A traditional pen-and-paper approach won’t always work and that’s when you need to get creative.

Tip: Consider reintroducing math to your child through a game-based lens. This can take on many forms like word problems , math books , math apps and more.

Or, try Prodigy Math — the engaging, curriculum-aligned math app used by over 100 million students and teachers. In-game educational content is free and accessible at home or in class.

🌟 Plus, there are Membership plans available to maximize math practice and help you support your child's learning journey with ease. Becoming a member will unlock extra in-game rewards for your child and give you access to new parent features like Goals and Rewards, Practice Areas and Practice Sheets.

Find daily applications

Math is all around us and exists in our everyday lives, but do your children know that? Incorporating math into their day-to-day routine can help them understand — and appreciate — its relevance.

So, what are you waiting for? Start learning by doing!

Tip: Involve your child when it comes to activities like shopping, cooking, or gardening! Each of these real world applications involve numbers, facts, and concepts which can help solidify knowledge and understanding, as well as enjoyment in math.

Practice with your child daily

On the surface, this tip may seem as simple as sitting beside your child while they do homework and ensuring they complete it. But, involvement in your child’s education has many benefits.

According to author and developmental psychologist Rebecca Fraser-Thill, parental involvement fosters academic achievement, improves social skills, and can increase self-esteem.

Tip: Set aside time to practice math for as little as 10 minutes each night. This will help reinforce what they’re learning in class and keep foundational concepts front-of-mind as teachers introduce them to more advanced concepts in class. Even if your child doesn’t have any math homework, try our free, colorful and printable worksheets:

• 20 Telling Time Worksheets
• 20 Addition Worksheets
• 20 Long Division Worksheets
• 20 Multiplication Worksheets
• 19 Order of Operations Worksheets

Identify problem areas

If you can identify them yourself, amazing! If not, get in touch with your child’s teacher for a more intimate and accurate idea of how you can help increase your child’s ability to succeed.

Tip: Working with your child’s teacher, come up with an at-home action plan. This is also an excellent opportunity to share the types of learning that works best for your child at home — something their teacher may not know.

Adopt a positive attitude

While children can have negative attitudes toward math, your attitude toward the subject may need to change first. A 2017 study in School Science and Mathematics found that parents’ attitude toward mathematics can significantly predict students’ attitudes toward mathematics.

Most of the time, the negative attitude is simply because the students have told themselves they cannot do mathematics; they are never going to use it anyways; and so forth. School-based factors are compounded when they are reinforced at home, such as parents’ negative attitudes toward mathematics.

Tip: Even if you find math tricky, try your best to maintain a positive mindset about it around your child. Encourage your child when they get stuck and attempt to work through the problem together until you arrive at a solution! By practicing this, parents can become a positive influence on their child’s attitude toward math. As a result, this can increase children’s overall achievement and interest in math well into adulthood.

Get a tutor

Some parents have been out of school for a long time and are unfamiliar with certain teaching strategies. Others simply don’t feel comfortable being the “teacher” at home. This is why some parents consider going the online tutoring route.

Math Geek Mama outlines some helpful ways to find a math tutor for your child!

• Word of mouth from friends or family
• Check library or community centre bulletin boards
• Ask your child’s teacher or school counselor
• Find a local or online tutor using websites

Tip: A great way to make tutoring go further is to set learning goals and rewards with your child. If your child has a Prodigy Math Membership, you can set learning goals for them to achieve in our fun, engaging math game. When they successfully complete a goal, they'll receive in-game reward of your choice!

Look into potential learning disabilities

If your child does have a learning disability, the sooner you seek help the better!

It can be challenging to address and diagnose but, in the long run, receiving prompt and appropriate support can help ensure the best educational journey possible for your child.

Tip: If you haven’t already been contacted, connect with your child’s teacher or school administrator(s) to discuss how they can help. As learning disabilities tend to be identified in school, they may use a process called response to intervention to help pinpoint whether or not a child has a learning disability.

Final thoughts: Is your child struggling with math?

Struggling with math can make children feel like they’re not smart and affect their self-esteem. However, this is a common struggle.

What’s more, there are practical ways to help as you can see!One of the greatest things you can do today is to let them know that everyone struggles — even you — and that everyone also has strengths!

Share a personal example of a time you struggled with math and, if possible, how you overcame it. Then, try incorporating some of the helpful tips listed above.

Math may be a struggle, but going on this journey together will help increase your child’s confidence and motivate them to keep trying!

You want your child to succeed in math. We can help.

Yes, Prodigy Math Game is a curriculum-aligned, fantasy-inspired platform used by many kids. But it also comes with incredibly valuable tools and features for parents like you. Watch the one-minute video below:

Ready to motivate your and help support them along the way?

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Math Homework Guide For Helping Kids With Math At Home

Sophie Bartlett

While the amount and difficulty of math homework that your child will receive will vary from school to school, one thing is common to all parents: you will at some point be asked to help your child with math homework.

This blog is part of our series of blogs designed for teachers, schools and parents supporting home learning .

Depending on your age, how recently you were taught elementary school math, and your own attitude toward learning math, you may face that moment with a level head or with a rising sense of panic.

Much of today’s math may at first glance seem unfamiliar to you – math curriculums have changed quite a lot in the last 5-10 years, never mind the last 20 – and elementary school children today in every grade are expected to do more and demonstrate greater understanding than in many previous years.

If you feel like you’re more in the ‘panic’ than relaxed camp, you’re not alone. Hundreds of thousands of parents across the country feel the same way!

As experts in math tutoring, we’re on hand to support you to support your children!

The research shows that input from carers and parents is the key factor in determining good outcomes at elementary school.

However, we also understand that when you’re busy juggling the needs of your children, yourself, and completing the 1001 other daily tasks that come with being a parent, planning a math lesson is the last thing you feel like doing.

So in this article we aim to give you the key information about what elementary school math now entails, some math homework activities suitable for each grade, and lots of links to more worksheets, workbooks, and more.

Fun Math Games and Activities Packs for Kindergarten to 5th Grade

Individual packs for Kindergarten to Grade 5 containing fun math games and activities to complete independently or with a partner.

The move to math mastery

• Math in your child’s elementary school

How to help with 1st grade math (6-7 year olds)

How to help with 2nd grade math (7-8 year olds), how to help with 3rd grade math (8-9 year olds), how to help with 4th grade math (9-10 year olds), how to help with 5th grade math (10-11 year olds).

• How to help with 5th grade math – state assessments (10-11 year olds)

How to help with 6th grade math (11-12 year olds)

Final thoughts on math at home.

Recently, math curriculums have placed an emphasis on mastery, fluency, and problem-solving in math.

In a nutshell, the onus is on a deep understanding of mathematical concepts, rather than learning strategies and facts off by heart, and this is something to bear in mind as you look to help your child with math throughout elementary school.

Approaches like concrete-representational-abstract , open up the inner workings of mathematical concepts and allow us to really take a look at what we’re doing with numbers.

Studies have shown that by using concrete math resources in the first phase of learning, children are more able to understand representational images (like pictograms or bar models) in the second phase of learning.

These two steps make the abstract phase of learning (when there are only numbers involved) seem like a completely natural progression.

Using these steps is a great way to help your child understand the way that math applies to the real world, and it means that they will be well-equipped to deal with all sorts of mathematical conundrums.

Math in your child’s elementary school

Once you know about the standards your state follows and where some of these more ‘modern’ math concepts come from, the key thing to know as a parent is how your own elementary school is implementing these standards.

This will help you understand exactly what it is that your child needs to know for math at each point of their elementary school life.  

The main elements you should get on top of are as follows:

• The state standards or scheme of work your school is following
• Your school’s home learning or homework policy
• Key curriculum terminology that may be new to you

1. Your school’s math curriculum

Most schools now publish on their website the math topics that children will be studying each year and each term. They may refer to this as their scheme of work or their curriculum. There are lots of different ways schools teach these topics but Eureka Math is one of the most popular curricula and one you may hear about a lot!

This is an invaluable resource for you as a parent as it means you can make sure that you’re supporting them with the right homework help at the right time. If your child hasn’t completed their place value module this semester, it will make it harder for them to do multiplication x 100 or work with decimals as an example.

2. Your school’s home learning or homework policy

Before Covid-19 times, home learning in a school context was generally just used to refer to the ‘added extras’; the stuff relevant to your school’s math curriculum that you could do to support it.

While in subjects like Geography and History it might suggest museums or websites to visit, in math it was more likely to be focused on recall of number facts and multiplication facts, and occasional homework sheets.

Now of course home learning incorporates so much more to it than just ‘homework.’ However, your school will have a policy on what it expects or wants families to do for math homework in addition to ordinary lessons and it’s worth taking a look at this before worrying that your child has too much or too little math homework.

Read more: The homework debate in elementary schools

3. Important terminology in elementary math 

Even if you have a great working relationship with your child’s class teacher, some of the jargon used in schools can be almost indecipherable.

Here are just some of the more esoteric and unexpected key terms that teachers may use when talking about math:

But don’t worry. We’ve created a free math dictionary for kids and parents that includes all these terms and more. Head over there whenever you encounter a word whose meaning is unclear.

Now we have run through the key things you need to know about what your child is learning in math at school, we can move onto how you can help them with their math homework!

While kindergarten might have introduced many new ideas and a very different way of learning than preschool, 1st grade is when your child will be tested on how well they’ve actually understood what they’ve learned.

Here are some quick tips you can use to help your child feel prepared for the challenges ahead of them.

Math tip 1: Check their understanding of the basics

Moving into 1st grade, there are some basic math concepts children should feel comfortable with. The key topics to check are:

• Does your child know how to count to 100?
• Can your child write numbers from 0 to 20?
• Can you child answer “how many?” questions about groups of objects?
• Can your child count up starting at any given number?
• Can your child solve basic addition and subtraction problems? 
• Can your child understand the numbers 11-19 as a ten plus some ones?
• Can your child name basic 2D and 3D shapes?

If your child is struggling with any of these, they’ll probably find parts of what they learn in 1st grade that much harder. Luckily, you can find ways to help them practice these in our dedicated 1st grade math page.

Math tip 2: Work on helping your child recognize number bonds

Number bonds are pairs of numbers that add up to certain totals e.g. 3 + 7 = 10. A good understanding of number bonds is important for nearly every part of math your child will learn and an important building block to develop number sense, so it’s crucial they feel comfortable with them.

The most important number bonds are those that add up to 10. Look at the example below:

Children should understand the relationship between 4, 6 and 10 and the different ways these three numbers can interact. So they should understand that 4 + 6 = 10 is the same as 6 + 4 = 10, and that 10 – 6 = 4 or 10 – 4 = 6 are the reverse .

Once your child is happy with numbers bonds up to 10, you will want to move on to number bonds up to 20. These are slightly more complex, and need a basic knowledge of place value as well.

For example, the expression 9 + 5 can be reformulated as 10 + 4, but this is much easier to do if your child understands that 9 is close to 10 and 4 is close to 5.

• 1st Grade Math : Home Learning Toolkit for 6 and 7 Year Olds

It’s likely that your 7-year-old will encounter many concepts that are new to them during their 2nd grade math lessons, and this can be a daunting time for some young children.

New ideas, coupled with the higher expectations of accuracy in their answers can be a shock to the system for some 2nd graders, so here are a few quick tricks that will help your child get over any mathematical shaped obstacles swiftly and smoothly.

Math tip 1: Cultivate accuracy as a habit in 2nd grade

An easy way to work on cultivating accuracy is by getting your child to measure anything and everything with a ruler or a tape measure. This is a good way for you to ensure that your child is giving accurate answers to questions, without the questions themselves being too difficult.

For example, a quick measuring activity that helps promote accuracy in answers could be as simple as this:

Mom: “So Sophie, can you tell me how many centimeters long my cell phone is?”

Sophie (using a ruler/tape measure): “I think it’s about 7cm long.”

Mom: “ You’re right it is roughly 7cm long, but can you tell me exactly how long it is?”

Sophie: “It is 7.4cm long.”

Mom: “It is! Well done.”

This may be a simple example, but it shows you just how easy it can be to implement real-life math into your daily life in a useful way.

There are lots of ways you can make it fun, whether that be by measuring each other’s height, recording how much a plant grows each day or even seeing how long the pet dog’s tail is. The possibilities are endless here!

Cultivate a habit of accuracy early on, and this will be reflected across your child’s learning for the remainder of their school life (and not just in math).

Math tip 2: Work with equal groups of objects to gain foundations for multiplication

In 3rd grade, students will dive deep into multiplication, so it’s important for 2nd graders to begin setting a foundation for understanding the concept.

Second graders should already be proficient in skip counting by 2s, 5s, and 10s, so take it a step further by asking them to skip count by 3s, 4s, or any other number (up to 12). This will familiarize them with the numbers they will see in the times tables.

Another way to help set a foundation for multiplication is to ask your child to organize objects into rows and columns to make an array. You could even practice during snack time at home, using food like crackers or M&Ms to organize into an array.

Add in the mathematical element by asking them to use addition to determine the total number of objects in the array. (Add up the number in each column or add up the number in each row.) They can also be asked to write an equation to represent the total.

Math tip 3: Challenging your 2nd grade child with math at home

Up until this point, your 7-year-old will be used to using one operation (adding or subtracting) at a time.

Challenge them by mixing it up!

Ask your child to mentally add up the things you buy on a shopping trip. Every now and then, put something back to keep the subtraction practice going.

One of the most important things to do at this stage is to try and incorporate math into everyday life in fun and engaging ways, and this is just one of the ways you can do so!

Another favorite way is to incorporate some of these math games into family life at home. There are loads to choose from, indoor, outdoor or even in the car!

• 2nd Grade Math : Home Learning Toolkit for 7 and 8 Year Olds

At this age, it’s useful to introduce a couple of new concepts that, while it is important to ensure they are not too difficult, can be a little confusing at first.

At this point in elementary school your child will be dealing with large numbers and more complex operations. This might seem daunting, there’s plenty you can do to get over these hurdles at home.

Math tip 1: Use written strategies to add and subtract large numbers

If you’re shopping online, enlist your 8 year old to help you. Tell them exactly what’s on your wish list (and don’t be afraid to push the boat out). Once your child has a list of items and prices, work together using written addition to find the total.

This is your chance to really splash the (metaphorical) cash, so if you’ve had your eye on that $1,000 sofa or the $2,300 TV, now is the time to add it to your shopping list! Just make sure hands stay well away from that “buy now button”….

Math tip 2: Help them get started with division and multiplication

Your child may have learned the very basics of multiplication, but it is covered much more heavily in 3rd grade, and division is introduced for the first time.

Rather than just getting your child to memorize the multiplication facts, support their learning by helping them see multiplication and division in more simple terms.

One of the simplest ways to look at multiplying is repeated addition . 5 x 2 can be seen as 2 lots of 5 (or 5 + 5). Equally, 2 x 5 can be seen as 5 lots of 2 (or 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 2.) Develop this understanding by showing this using objects:

Division can be explained in terms of grouping and sharing. Grouping involves seeing an expression such as 10 ÷ 2 as, “How many groups of 2 can be made from 10?”

While sharing involves seeing 10 ÷ 2 as, “If I share 10 into 2 equal groups, how many are in each group?”

Math tip 3: Practice multiplication facts every day with your 3rd grader

The more you practice, the better. Sing it, shout it, whisper it, dance it. Whatever it takes!

Although it might not seem like the most entertaining math in the world, a solid knowledge of your multiplication facts removes barriers to more complex math further down the line.

Multiplication facts play a huge role in everyday life, with many of us taking them for granted. For example, if you are shopping and see that pineapples are $2.00 each and you know that you require 3 of them, you have no problem working out that this will come to a total of $6.00.

At 8 years old your child might not be able to work that out just yet, and that is why it is so important for them to cement their multiplication fact knowledge as early as possible.

Math tip 4: Challenge your 3rd grader with some fractions!

One way to really ramp up the difficulty level is by getting fractions involved. They may not be anyone’s favorite part of math, but you should not underestimate their importance both in and out of the classroom.

Ordering fractions can be a challenge for even the strongest mathematicians at this age, so try ordering tenths first before moving onto other fractions like quarters, halves and thirds.

You can make this more fun by creating a simple clothesline and pegging fraction cards to it. Adding a time limit to activities such as this can also help your child to engage with the task, so why not give them the challenge of ordering all of the tenth fractions in under a minute?

• 3rd Grade Math : Home Learning Toolkit for 8 and 9 Year Olds

This is the age when knowledge retention really begins to come to the fore, and if you spend just five minutes a day revisiting a few fundamental skills, you’ll find that your child can take on new ideas effortlessly. In particular, familiarizing your child with angles, and continuing to practice multiplication facts (up to twelve) will stand them in good stead in the future.

Math tip 1: Get the protractor out (whenever you can)

Protractors have a funny way of muddling most young mathematicians, and it certainly doesn’t help that there are two rows of numbers to contend with!

That being said, it is a crucial part of a mathematician’s pencil case, so try to have one on hand and use it wherever possible to measure angles accurately. This is a great way to make an otherwise dull trip to the home improvement store for your child exciting, as they help you to measure the all-important angles on everything from tins of paint through to planks of wood.

Bringing in active math such as this can be a great way to cement learning, and you should find that your child is much more engaged with the topic as a result too!

Math tip 2: Get your 9-year-old to read the time, all the time!

Telling and writing time is a skill mastered in 3rd grade, but it is one that can be quickly forgotten without practice. Time may go quickly for us adults, but for kids who have grown up predominantly reading the time on phone screens and tablets, analog clocks look like something from another planet.

You can avoid the confusion by hanging analog clocks in your home from an early age and modeling reading the time out loud at every opportunity. Practice makes perfect when it comes to telling time, so be patient and keep at it.

Try to remember to ask your child what the time is every time you take a glance up at the clock, as not only will this be a good chance to help them learn how to tell the time, but it might just remind you to get the dinner out of the oven too!

Math tip 3: Challenge your 4th grader with math at home

Weather permitting, take a walk down to your local bus stop or if the rain is proving too potent, browse train timetables online. (Bonus points if it’s a timetable that really applies to your commute or a regular journey!)

Challenge your 9-year-old to work out the difference in time between stops on the route.

Can they find the shortest stop?

The longest one?

How long does the whole route take?

Not only is reading timetables interesting, but it’s also a skill that could be useful in later life. They will have no excuses for missing the bus to high school if they have been taught how to read timetables properly!

If riding a bus is not common for you or your child, you can also look at an online map and calculate how long the commute takes in your car to various places around your town.

• 4th Grade Math : Home Learning Toolkit for 9 and 10 Year Olds

At this age, it’s worth having conversations around what your child finds difficult and easy in math.

Everyone struggles with math at some point, but if you can ask for help, you’re much more likely to succeed. With the introduction of several completely new topics, now is the time to work through any misunderstandings and avoid them building up into a bigger issue.

Math tip 1: De-mystify the relationship between fractions and decimals

The relationship between fractions and decimals is one that puzzles many 10-year-olds (and in fact, a lot of adults too!).

When children first encounter fractions at school, there’s no mention of decimals, so it’s no surprise that it comes as a bit of a shock later on. The important thing to remember is that fractions and decimals are just two different ways of showing part of a whole.

One tried and tested technique that is used by teachers and parents across the land is to bring many children’s favorite food, the trusty pizza, into the mix here. If you are splitting the pizza into four, why not ask the question of how much each person is getting as a fraction and a decimal?

By being able to visualize the mathematics taking place in front of them, children are better equipped to work out the answer, and of course, they get some pizza too! This is a fantastic way to help your child with math at home.

Math tip 2: Challenge your 5th grader with math at home

At this age, the curriculum offers plenty of challenges for 10-year-olds.

Being able to recall equivalent fractions and decimals will stand your child in good stead, and if you are looking to challenge your child then these are the topics you should do it with.

Quick quizzes on converting decimals into their equivalent fractions are a good way to encourage learning on these topics, and you can easily incorporate them into everyday life. Examples could include:

• I’ve filled this glass of water up ½ to the top. How much room is left in it as a decimal?
• We’ve walked 0.25 of the way to school. How far is that as a fraction?
• ⅕ of your dinner is made up of vegetables, how much is this in decimal form?

There will be a lot of other examples that come up in your everyday life, but these ones are just there to inspire you!

If you’re searching for something to accompany the real life math, take a look at our blog which tackles how you can tackle 5th grade math in greater detail.

How to help with 5th grade math – state assessments (10-11 year olds)

Fifth grade is typically a grade level where students will have state assessments across multiple content areas at the end of the year. With these assessments looming, it can feel like a mad dash to the finish line, but you have to remember one simple thing…

Don’t panic!

Just remember that there’s plenty that you can do in a short amount of time to boost your child’s confidence in math.

Begin by taking a look at practice test papers together as this is one of the best ways for both of you to find out which math problems your child finds easy and which ones need a bit of work. It also helps to break word problems down step-by-step to scaffold your child’s understanding of math questions.

Bear in mind that it is normal for children to react differently to test papers than to the work they see day-to-day, so try to build a positive experience around tests to relieve the pressure (the promise of a trip to the park after completing a sample test is a good way of doing this). 

Math tip 1: Practice taking tests the fun way

The best way to get your child on board with practice test papers is to take them together.

Don’t worry about getting the answers wrong – by showing your child that mistakes are the first step in plugging knowledge gaps and growing, you’re teaching them to be more resilient in the face of a challenge.

The best part?

You can ask them to teach you how to correct your mistakes, which will help to consolidate their own learning in the process.

If you don’t have the time to sit and take the whole test, you can do one question a day together for a strong, steady build-up of skills. Slow and steady definitely wins the race.

Math tip 2: Never neglect the basics!

A common mistake is to focus on the plethora of new concepts, leaving basic skills like mental arithmetic to stagnate.

Strong foundations in basic math make the harder stuff more accessible; if you’re getting nowhere with the tough questions, go back to the basics.

A good grasp of place value, multiplication facts and mental arithmetic will help when you revisit those difficult questions later on. 

Math tip 3: Challenging your 5th grader with math at home

Once your 11-year-old has the basics down and feels confident with exam technique, you can stretch their learning by introducing pre-algebra.

Confident mathematicians will enjoy the novelty and challenge of working out what the letters mean in simple equations. Keep things simple to begin with and work your way up to more difficult equations in the future. Examples of some equations you could start with include:

Equations are never high on most children’s to-do lists, but they do become increasingly important as school life goes on, so beginning to secure this knowledge at an early age is only ever beneficial.

5th Grade Math : Home Learning Toolkit for 10 and 11 Year Olds

With a new school, new friends, and new subjects all to deal with, kids can feel overwhelmed with the start of 6th grade before they even start! While it might be tempting to try and help with subjects like math by finding ways to ‘get ahead’, the best support you can offer is to make math seem less scary to your child.

Math tip 1: Make math a ‘normal’ part of life

As adults, we use math in our day-to-day lives without really thinking about it. Sometimes it doesn’t even seem like math to us, because we’ve become so used to it.

Your child won’t have that kind of context yet – to them math is still just a bunch of facts that aren’t related to real life.

Luckily, the fact that we use math all the time makes it very easy to give your child that context: get them involved in activities like shopping, cooking, working out holiday budgets; anywhere you realize you use math, get your child involved!

Math tip 2: Take time to ‘review’ the day with your child

Some of you might already automatically ask your child how their day was when they get home – and your child might reply with a one word answer, if they reply at all!

But if you take this just a little bit further, you can actually help your child strengthen the memories of what they learned that day. Your child might start by talking about things that happened with friends, or ‘funny’ bits of lessons (which we call ‘episodic’ memories).

At this point, asking something like “What were you supposed to be learning about when X happened?” will help your child remember that topic – and as they talk about it, they’ll be making that memory stronger in their minds.

It’s important not to ignore the ‘off-topic’ stuff, or try and get around it – these stories are important to your child, and listening to them shows you’re really interested in what happened to them at school.

Math tip 3: Help your child develop a Growth Mindset

A Growth Mindset is a way of looking at work. Instead of saying “I can’t do this” when they run into an especially hard problem, someone with a growth mindset will say “I can’t do this yet, but I can learn to.” It’s developing your child into young learners!

Your child may already be learning about Growth Mindset in school – it is very popular with teachers – but how you speak at home will also have an impact.

Many of us struggle with the kind of math your child will be starting to learn in 6th grade, and it’s a very natural reaction to say “I wasn’t very good at math when I was your age.”

You might mean that your child is much better at it than you are, but that’s not what they hear; you’ve managed to make it to adulthood apparently being “not very good” at math – if that’s the case, why should they bother trying?

You can encourage your child to develop a growth mindset by using phrases like “You’re working very hard on that”, “I’m sure I learned this but I’ve forgotten, can we both look at it?” and “I’m sure you can get this if you keep going” instead.

To summarize, if you find yourself wondering ‘how can I help my child with math homework?’, the simple answer is to work in stages depending on the level your child is at.

1. Early stages of math

If they are in the early stages of their mathematical journey in any single concept then you should help them by using concrete manipulatives to help them visualize the problem.

• Is your child struggling to work out what half of 12 is? 12 pieces of pasta on the kitchen table could help solve this.
• Do centimeters and inches prove problematic? Using a ruler to measure their favorite toys can help here.

The use of concrete resources is only limited by your imagination and there are hundreds of examples to be found all around the house which can help your child get better at math.

2. Good foundations

Once your child has a firm grasp on the basics, it is time to move onto representational problems to help them continue to progress.

You certainly don’t have to be an artist to use pictures as representations to help your child with math. By creating simple scenarios on paper rather than with physical objects, it begins to remove reliance on having something in front of them to help them solve the problem.

This ensures that they are using their brain as they have nothing else to help them!

3. Developing broader understanding

The final stage is to move past both the concrete and representational stage and onto the abstract stage which consists of numbers and more formal written strategies.

These are the types of questions your child will come up against in their tests, so by introducing them to them at home, you will help to ensure that they are already one step ahead of the game.

Just as when a teacher is teaching a whole class, different techniques work for different children struggling with math, so it is crucial that you take the time to find the thing that will give your child that aha moment! 

Looking for more detail? Try these articles

• The best free websites and apps for math homework help
• Division for kids: How to help at home
• Fractions for kids: How to teach it at home

Do you have students who need extra support in math? Give your students more opportunities to consolidate learning and practice skills through personalized math tutoring with their own dedicated online math tutor. Each student receives differentiated instruction designed to close their individual learning gaps, and scaffolded learning ensures every student learns at the right pace. Lessons are aligned with your state’s standards and assessments, plus you’ll receive regular reports every step of the way. Personalized one-on-one math tutoring programs are available for: – 2nd grade tutoring – 3rd grade tutoring – 4th grade tutoring – 5th grade tutoring – 6th grade tutoring – 7th grade tutoring – 8th grade tutoring Why not learn more about how it works ?

The content in this article was originally written by primary school teacher Sophie Bartlett and has since been revised and adapted for US schools by elementary math teacher Katie Keeton.

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7 Homework Help Tips from a Former Math Tutor

I remember it vividly. The first time I came home with Algebra homework, I panicked. I had no idea what the teacher had taught, much less how to solve the problems assigned. I remember asking my parents for help, and my Dad hesitantly stepped up to the plate. He wasn’t sure either… he told me he took Algebra in college, not in middle school. I wondered if they’d placed me in the wrong class. It was a rocky start.

Would you believe this same girl ended up as a math teacher and tutor? In Algebra no less?

It’s true. At first I had NO clue, but then things started to click in class. The teacher’s explanations began to make sense. My Dad was SUPER-relieved to be off the hook. And years later, after getting a minor in math, a major in engineering, and a Master’s in education, I LOVED teaching math.

Totally weird, right?

So how does a person go from one extreme to the other like that? Lean in and let me tell you the secret… You know what I’d like to think was the difference? My Dad’s willingness to sit down with me and try to help. His support when I said I thought I might need to talk to the teacher for some extra help. His encouragement the next night when I brought home what seemed like  another impossible assignment.

I know first-hand that parents can play a huge role in the tone of their child’s education.  Hear me loud and clear: your child doesn’t need a rocket scientist to help with homework. Just your presence, encouragement, and positive attitude will go a  long way in helping your child succeed in school! 

That’s right — studies show that parental involvement in homework assignments can improve students’ overall success, but how should a parent approach it?

Need Homework Help? Here’s 7 Tips for Success This School Year:

1. have a designated daily homework spot.

Have a place set aside for your child to do his homework every day. Ideally, it would be a quiet, well-lit place with a table or desk big enough to spread out books, papers, and projects. Have a stash of materials available for completing homework assignments. Depending on your child’s school and grade level, these might include:

• Pencils and/or pens
• Pencil sharpener
• Notebook paper
• Graph paper
• Markers and/or colored pencils
• Glue sticks

2. Snack Before Starting Homework

Kids work pretty hard at school. Between that and the fact that they’re growing at an alarming rate, they need a  lot of food.

So grab a healthy afternoon snack right before starting homework. It’s basically a necessity.

Need some healthy afternoon snack ideas? Check out our Pinterest board Healthy Snacks for Kids :

3. Take a Brain Break and Talk about Your Child’s Day

While you’re at it, snacking and all, take some time to talk with your child about her day. This became one of my favorite parts of the day when I was in middle school and high school. When I would get home from school, my Mom and I would always sit down to a game of Mancala  (affiliate link). We’d start playing and she’d say, “So. I dropped you off at school. Then what happened?”

There were many days when I would shrug and say, “Not much. It was fine.” But my Mom would never take that for an answer. She’d follow up with “Well, your first class was math. What happened in Math?” Some days, she would change it up and ask, “What did you learn about?” or “How is your teacher?”

But she would never let me just say, “It was fine” and leave it at that. Maybe it was her journalism bent, but she always knew what questions to ask . The game made it easier to open up and talk with her, because we had to sit there and play anyway — might as well be talking.

Before I knew it, we’d played 3 or 4 rounds of Mancala and I’d recounted everything about what happened in my day: what my friends said, what classes were giving me fits, and what happened at the school lunch  table. And I knew my Mom cared. 

4. Have a Set Time to Complete Homework

After your child is fed and has had a “brain break,” it’s probably a prime opportunity to start working on homework. It might be tempting to slip into free time, but it’s a good idea to subtly emphasize the importance of homework by asking your child to complete it sooner rather than later.

You may wish to implement a “no screen time before homework” rule or something similar so that your child doesn’t try to sneak in a show or video game first. (As we parents who love to binge-watch Netflix know, it’s never just one episode. Of course our kids would want to do the same. It makes total sense.)

As an added perk, recent studies have shown that reducing screen time overall can improve grades (and reduce the risk for obesity).

Don’t get me wrong… I like to let my kids watch TV or movies in moderation. (It’s partially how this article is getting written!) But I admit that it makes sense: reducing the amount of time in front of a TV or device increases the amount of time for other things like playing outside, talking with family and friends, and yes, doing homework. So try to limit your child’s usage until homework is finished, and I’ll bet you it helps tremendously!

5. Teach Your Child to be Organized

This is a biggie. Organization is a HUGE life skill for kids to learn! And the good news? It doesn’t have to be taught all at once. In fact, it’s better to approach it by teaching a little at a time accumulated over years, depending on your child’s developmental readiness.

So where do you start? Well, if your kids are very young, chances are they don’t have  that much homework. My Kindergartener’s teacher sends home a page at the beginning of the week and he picks 3 small assignments to complete before Friday. Teaching him to be organized and manage his time well means we make a habit of doing a little homework each night, not waiting until Thursday to complete it all. And I’ll talk to him about why we do it that way, too.

Older kids, starting around middle school, will benefit from learning to use a planner every day. Some schools give these to their students on the first day. If your child’s school does not, look for an academic planner that he or she won’t mind carrying to every class.

Let her decorate it with her style, and please be sure her name is somewhere on it in case it gets lost! Show her where she should write down all her assignments on each day and how to put due dates for bigger projects on the monthly calendar. Remind her that as soon as the teacher says, “For your homework, I want you to…” she should pull out her planner and write down what she needs to do. That way she won’t forget any important details!

6. Tackle the Hardest Assignments First

After your child has had a snack and a small break from the academic world, it’s time to dive in. Suggest he starts with the most difficult assignment or the longest assignment. Devoting his brain to the hardest thing first ensures that he gives it his all, rather than waiting until the end to try to tackle it when he’s run out of steam.

7. Support Your Child During Homework

This one will be different for every child, so you might need to try a couple of strategies before you find what’s a good fit for your family. Especially for elementary school kids, it often helps to have a parent sit next to them while they do homework. But that doesn’t mean parents should be watching their every move like a hawk.

Instead, support your child by letting her know you’re there to help if she needs it. But rather than hovering (who can work like that?), try working on a similar activity. If she’s reading, catch up on a book or magazine for yourself. If he’s working on math homework, pay the bills or balance your checkbook. Make your grocery list and clip coupons while he works on an art project. Get the idea? Sure you do.

Older kids might not need as much hands-on attention. You’ll probably be able to get away with making dinner in the kitchen while your children work on homework at the dinner table. And high schoolers are hopefully even more independent when it comes to homework, though they may need some help or input at times (for example, when proofreading a big essay).

These cover the basics of helping your child have a better school year with homework. But what do you do when your child asks you a homework question that you can’t answer? Not sure what’s an appropriate level of help? Don’t miss my next post with more advice on how you can help with your child’s homework!

READ NEXT: 7 Must-Know Back to School Safety Tips for Kids  

About Aubrey Hunt Before hopping on the crazy ride we call motherhood, I studied engineering and taught math and science to middle and high school students. Now, perhaps like you, I fill my days singing The Itsy Bitsy Spider and praying my preschooler will eat a vegetable — any vegetable!

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What to do when your child hates math.

Addressing the Negatives

Not all kids in school like math. I had one kid who loved it enough to ask for sudoku puzzles to calm her down in school, and two who wish it never existed. So, when your kid thinks math was created by adults to make their lives miserable, how do you handle it? What do you do when your child hates math?

First, you find out if there's something 'clinical' going on. Seriously, it's one thing to not like math, and another to have an actual learning disability in math , and you'll want to know which it is for your child. The school can work with you to determine if your child has Dyscalculia, which is just a fancy name for a learning disability in math.

Article continues below...

Want to stop school struggles.

Download a free tipsheet "10 Parenting Tips for School Success" to stop constant challenges at school and at home!

But How Do You Know If It’s Dyscalculia?

If your child really hates math, there are formal charts and scales that professionals can use to assess your child's learning capacity for math. And you'll definitely want to request that your child be evaluated.

And then, there’s the old, tried and true, mama-method. If a number of these warning signs ring true for you, your child might need to be evaluated for Dyscalculia:

• “just not a math kid”
• starts to break down emotionally when facing math homework
• takes many times longer to do math than other subjects
• does not seem to “grasp” the math no matter how many times it’s been reviewed and retaught
• struggles with learning basic computations
• goes 'blank' or freezes when you ask anything math related
• begins to shift from "not a math kid" to "hates math"

On The Plus Side

The good news is that Dyscalculia is relatively easy for a school psychologist to assess, and there are strategies, accommodations and modifications that can help your child be more successful in school .

For parents, the most important thing to help your child is to get her the support they need in math, and then make sure you balance all of that attention on their challenge area by focusing on their strengths !

Kids with learning disabilities can get discouraged when we only focus on what they’re struggling with, and forget to help them see where their gifts lie.

So what do you do when your child hates math? Address it as necessary, and focus on what your child loves!

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Confused by your kid’s math homework? Here’s how it all adds up

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Allonda Hawkins said the way her children are expected to do math is “100 percent different” from the way she learned.

“There are terms that I’ve never heard before, like arrays. It’s very foreign to me and it’s hard to teach,” said the 38-year-old real estate agent from Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

The mother of four children, ages 5 to 11, often turns to YouTube for explanations and recruits her fifth grader, Zoe, to help her younger siblings. Hawkins said she’s catching on more now that she can eavesdrop on her kids’ online classes, but still is frustrated that she doesn’t have more guidance.

“There are a lot of teachers that lack grace with parents who don’t understand,” Hawkins said of the new approach to math. “We end up teaching [our kids] the old ways, which don’t fully benefit them — especially with assignments where they have to show their work.”

With virtual learning, parents across the country are getting an up-close look at math instruction — and, like Hawkins, they don’t always know what to make of it. But with more than half of American kids still learning at home as of Feb. 21 (either all virtually or in hybrid programs), it’s time for parents to get up to speed.

Experts say it’s important for parents to know the basic ideas behind the current methods if they are going to help their kids. Positive parental help could make the difference between students being excited about math or falling behind during the pandemic, said Jennifer Bay-Williams, co-author of “Elementary and Middle School Mathematics: Teaching Developmentally” and professor of education at the University of Louisville.

The new approach is actually not all that new. It’s grounded in research going back more than 30 years and is reflected in the Common Core State Standards, which are used in 41 states. (And most states now follow standards with the same principles, whether or not they call them Common Core.) Instead of memorizing procedures to solve problems, kids are now asked to think through various ways to arrive at an answer and then explain their strategies. While some parents believe these methods are just a more complicated way of teaching math, they are designed to promote a deeper understanding of the subject and help students make lasting connections.

“There’s not just one way to solve a problem,” said Megan Burton, president of the Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators and associate professor of elementary education at Auburn University in Alabama. To fully grasp deeper mathematical concepts, “students need to think about what makes sense and build on what they learn.”

“There are a lot of teachers that lack grace with parents who don’t understand.” Allonda Hawkins, parent

Educators and mathematicians pushed for states to adopt Common Core math in hopes of moving away from a curriculum that was “a mile wide and an inch deep” and focusing more on big ideas, said Bay-Williams. When the Obama administration offered benefits to states that adopted the Core, the standards took on a partisan edge. But they were not meant to be political, Bay-Williams said. They were meant as simply a short list of concepts that would prompt teachers to spend more time on core mathematical ideas and would be common across states. In addition to a brief outline of what kids should learn in each grade, they include eight standards for mathematical practice that frame how to do math.

Related: PROOF POINTS — Evidence increases for writing during math class

The first practice standard, to make sense of problems and persevere in solving them, is the top priority, said Bay-Williams. A focus on understanding problems and working to solve them should shift the pressure away from just getting homework done correctly and encourage parents to ask how their children are thinking.

“It creates in kids this identity that they can do math” when they are asked to explain their thought processes, Bay-Williams said. “Just memorizing something their parents show them and then practice, practice, practice, leads to a different emotional reaction and a different way they think about themselves as a math doer.”

Research is clear that allowing kids to experience a “productive struggle” pays off in children’s math ability. “Productive struggle” is merely wrestling with an idea or pondering a new concept, which is when teachers say learning occurs.

127 = 12 tens and 7 ones

“Kids need to know math may be a little challenging, but it’s going to make sense” eventually, said Burton. When watching a kid struggle to complete a math problem, “it’s very tempting for a parent to want to get in there and rescue the child, which doesn’t always help in the long run,” she said.

One of the key concepts in Common Core math is that students are asked to look at numbers and think about the amounts they represent. For instance, 100 can be thought of as 100 ones, or a bundle of 10 units of 10, or “10 tens.” And 127 can be thought of as a bundle of 12 units of 10 and seven ones, or “12 tens and 7 ones,” or even “10 tens and 27 ones.”

Students are asked to use the idea that numbers can be represented differently when problem solving, too.

Take 4 x 27.

Traditionally, a student would line up the numbers vertically, multiply 4 x 7, carry the 2, then multiply … well, most adults remember the procedure. (The answer is 108.)

Now, kids are encouraged to think: Wait a minute, that’s really just 4 x 25, which is 100, plus 4 x 2, which is 8. If I add the two products together, I get 108.

4 x 27 = (4 x 25) + (4 x 2)

“That works pretty slick and makes more sense,” said DeAnn Huinker, professor of mathematics education at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and director of the university’s Center for Mathematics and Science Education Research. “I can do that in my head, write down a couple of partial products and add it up.”

Huinker advocates redefining math success: “It’s not being able to tell me the answer to three times five within a heartbeat. Rather, being successful means: ‘I understand what three times five is.’ ” (For those following along at home, it’s three groups of five.)  

Math practices today emphasize reasoning, being able to make a viable argument and critiquing others. Teachers have students pause and think before diving in to learn a standard algorithm, said Bay-Williams. In a classroom, students might pair off and share their math strategies with a partner. With remote learning, teachers may ask students to turn to an online interactive whiteboard or record a short video.

For some students, it might help to use a number line to see the relationship between numbers.  If a student is given the problem 12 minus 7, the student can start at 7, jump to 10 (that’s 3), and then jump to 12 (that’s 2), so the difference is 3 plus 2, or 5. Ten in this example is known as a “benchmark number,” said Huinker, and students are encouraged to use benchmarks to move toward more efficient and meaningful computation strategies.

3 x 5 = three groups of five

An array, which flummoxed Hawkins, is a model that students can use to master multiplication. It’s essentially a grid. Students can plot out 5 x 6 by coloring in five rows of six or six columns of five. Count the total number of squares and you’ve got the answer: 30. Break the grid apart into sections, and you can see three sets of 10. The visual representation can also help kids understand area and measurement and can plant the seed for connections that will help in later math. Parents may think it’s tedious, but when students use visual models and explain their thinking, it also helps teachers make sure students truly understand a concept and haven’t just memorized a formula, said Burton.

Related: You probably don’t have your preschooler thinking about math enough

In China Grove, North Carolina, Abby Covington, a mathematics instructional coach at Millbridge Elementary School, hosted a webinar last fall for parents to explain teachers’ math expectations and tamp down pressure for perfection with homework. The school typically holds similar events in person each year, but tailored this year’s online content in response to parents’  questions that arose with virtual learning.

“We honor and value mistakes, because mistakes are how we learn,” Covington said. “We want to be celebrating the different types of math strategies [children] have instead of having that go-to ‘this-isn’t-how-I-learned-it’ mentality that we hear parents say a lot.”

“Yes, we want future citizens who can add and subtract, but we also need citizens who can reason and talk about their thinking — skills that humans can bring to the table that my calculator can’t.” Mathew Felton-Koestler, Ohio University

In time, students will learn to do the traditional step-by-step approaches to solving problems, which are faster and more efficient, but Covington said the idea is to build a proper foundation: “I tell parents we are going to get there … that’s our ultimate goal, we’re just not in a race.”

To help demonstrate the value of the new flexible approach to teaching math, Mathew Felton-Koestler, associate professor in the department of teacher education at Ohio University, produces videos for parents such as “What’s Wrong With Carrying the One?”

“Yes, we want future citizens who can add and subtract, but we also need citizens who can reason and talk about their thinking — skills that humans can bring to the table that my calculator can’t,” said Felton-Koestler. “People worry that if we are focused on these different strategies, kids aren’t going to be good at doing computations. That doesn’t turn out to be true. They end up being just as good — and much better at higher-order type tasks.”

And critical thinking skills are what employers are asking for in the workplace, he said.

Some parents of older kids are finally seeing the long-term benefits of all that early focus on how to think about math. Despite having an MBA, Michelle Majdoch, 46, of Coral Springs, Florida, said she was initially confused by her kids’ math homework with the story problems and drawing to show their work.

But now that her children are in fourth, fifth, 10th and 12th grades, she gets it. Having to learn three ways to do a problem in the early grades made each of her kids discover the methods that made the most sense to them. These days, her high school daughters are doing well in Algebra 2 and pre-calculus. Now “I can see the progression of what’s going to happen,” she said of watching her kids as they move through the math curriculum, which she was pleased to find was similar to what her older kids had learned when the family lived in Ohio.

With school instruction spilling over to the home, it’s fair for parents to say to their kids: “Wow, that’s so interesting. Here’s how I learned it,” said Huinker of the different math methods. Then they can ask the child how the “old” way is similar to or different from what is being taught in school now.

Related: Mix a little math into that bedtime story

Michele Alley said she and her third grade daughter, Cora, often disagree about how to do math homework. In a spare bedroom converted to an office/school, Alley works full time while Cora and her first grade son, Carter, do their distance learning at home in Monticello, Kentucky.

If it’s something Cora understands, she follows her teacher’s directions. But, if her daughter gets stuck, Alley said, she doesn’t know how to help other than to demonstrate the way she learned it in the 1990s — working through the problem by writing out the equation on paper. “Whatever the teacher says is the gospel, which is a good thing. They should listen. But they need to know there is more than one way to do things, too,” said Alley, 36, a re-entry coordinator for the state department of corrections. Alley said she would welcome more information about Common Core math. “I know very little about it. I can say I don’t like it, because I don’t know how to do it.”

“It’s very tempting for a parent to want to get in there and rescue the child, which doesn’t always help in the long run.” Megan Burton, Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators

Some schools are doing what they can to fill parents in on the whys behind the new ways of teaching math.

In Alley’s district, Bell Elementary hosts math nights for families twice a year to help bridge the home-school divide, and in October pivoted to a drive-through “Family Learning Night” on a Saturday morning. The fall event drew 300 people — one of the best-ever turnouts — perhaps because it was held on a weekend and reading materials were also distributed, said Jamie Reagan, a first grade math intervention teacher at Bell.

Teachers gave out goodie bags with math games and information on math standards in “layman’s terms” so parents would know what kids needed to learn by the end of first and second grades, said Reagan.

“Kids can learn while they are playing — it doesn’t have to be a worksheet,” said Reagan, who also regularly provides math packets with cards, counters and other materials in tubs in front of the school for families to pick up. Teachers have had to adapt their instruction as they go back and forth from in-person to virtual learning, she said, and have come to realize they will have to make adjustments next year, as many students will likely not meet grade-level expectations when they are assessed later this spring.

“[Families] are doing all that they can and we are providing as much support as possible, but it’s still not the same,” said Reagan.

On the upside, said Burton, of the math teacher educators association, the pandemic gives parents time to help children see the usefulness of math outside of school.

“When you are setting places at the table, ordering things online to be delivered, rearranging furniture and measuring, have your child be with you,” said Burton. “We need to recognize that math is important. Math is fun. It’s like a puzzle, and it’s understanding the world around us. If parents can convey that enthusiasm, it has a huge potential for impacting their child’s success in the future.”

Also, there’s a pandemic on, and parenting has never been so hard. Bay-Williams, the author of a book on teaching math to kids, said parents should trust their intuition about what ends up being important.

“Take a deep breath,” she advised parents supervising online math learning right now. “Kids are resilient, they are learning things at home — baking with you and doing things that are going to serve them in other ways.”

This story about teaching math was produced by The Hechinger Report , a nonprofit, independent news organization focused on inequality and innovation in education. Sign up for the Hechinger newsletter .

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Our charter school uses Everyday Math. I find that the students do develop reasoning skills and can often solve a question three ways. What they don’t develop is deep fluency in computational skills with this curriculum. They work very slowly. And if you are bright or like math, it is very very slow winding and boring process. Most parents seem to supplement with at least the occasional workbook, and if they don’t their child will probably become behind because they can’t keep up. The serious students on the East Coast go to Russian Math School, on the West coast they go to Korean math school. Workbooks everywhere.

Most CC tests such as CAASPP are untimed. But if your child needs to take a timed math test the skills are not there.

““Kids need to know math may be a little challenging, but it’s going to make sense” eventually, said Burton. When watching a kid struggle to complete a math problem…”

Although there is some validity in the idea, say, digging into a good word problem, the philosophy endorsed is standard math education misconception. Mathematics is hierarchical and structured. Presenting it as such, clearly and step-by-step, makes its learning far easier and more successful and these are the best motivation for learning more. Standard algorithms are critical and reasonable speed and accuracy with elementary arithmetic (not unreasonable speed, don’t overdo it) are essential to successful further study. Math pedagogy and textbooks of a half-century ago were far more effective than those of recent decades. The heart of the problem is a general lack of mathematics competence among college mathematics education faculty. It is disturbing but true that many of these so-called experts are not competent at the pre-calculus level and have little appreciation for the rate of mathematics acquisition necessary for success in any math-based disciplines, so-called STEM careers.

I am a parent and I see the math problems and also WORD problems that are sent home with my children. They state one thing and then the statement changes halfway through, such that the first part doesn’t apply anymore. This is 3rd-grade math. It is ridiculous and a WASTE of educational funds on the curriculum. My daughter had NO idea what the problem was asking. I read it and also became frustrated that she had become so confused she gave up. I read it and the word problem suggested we were supposed to consider the first half of the statement and work with it to figure out the problem, but after reading over it 3 or 4 times, I could see the first part was completely IRRELEVANT. This is the kind of garbage we need to get rid of. As a single parent, the last thing I need to be working on is breaking down the ACTUAL math problem so my kid can get to the MEAT of it and learn something. By the way, we DO have citizens who can read and talk about their thinking. We have A LOT of them. They are just not heard anymore because of censorship, and only one side is being promoted and heard. “Yes, we want future citizens who can add and subtract, but we also need citizens who can reason and talk about their thinking — skills that humans can bring to the table that my calculator can’t,” said Felton-Koestler. “People worry that if we are focused on these different strategies, kids aren’t going to be good at doing computations. That doesn’t turn out to be true. They end up being just as good — and much better at higher-order type tasks.” What? MANY of us do well at ‘higher-order type tasks’ and our kids will also, without the irrational ‘critical thinking skills’ tweaked into every math problem. What happened to basic math skills?? It is supposed to be FUN! Talk about a failed education system.

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7 ways to help your kids with math homework

As schools across the country remain closed as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are republishing this article as a resource for parents and caregivers taking on homeschooling responsibilities. In this post, Joan Ferrini-Mundy, NSF’s former chief operating officer and current president of the University of Maine, joins colleagues in our Education and Human Resources Directorate to share tips on taking an educator’s approach to math at home.

If you’ve ever had to help your child with math homework, you really appreciate their teachers, who do it every day. “Math anxiety” isn’t something only kids experience. 

Maybe you haven’t seen an algebra formula in years, and weren’t that comfortable with them when you were a student. Maybe you’re a skilled mathematician, but don’t know how to explain what you’re doing to a child. Whatever the case, math homework can leave parents feeling every bit as frustrated as their children. Homework doesn’t have to lead to unpleasantness, though. 

What I’ve learned through my own experience — as a teacher, a researcher, from helping my own children and now watching my daughter work as an elementary school mathematics teacher — is that communication is (excuse the pun) the common denominator when it comes to making math homework a positive experience. 

The National Science Foundation (NSF), where I work, is dedicated to research. We support scientists across the country who study learning and education systems. But we’re also teachers at heart. On lunch breaks in the past, a group of us have gathered to help our NSF peers with their own questions about how to help their kids learn math. 

Here are a few tips from what we’ve learned: 

Try as hard as you can to understand what your child is saying. When your child is working out a math problem, ask her to think out loud, to say what she’s doing and why. In some cases, your child might be able to answer her own questions. Don’t just come in with an explanation of how things should be done. 

We’ve learned a lot about teaching. NSF-supported researchers and other scientists are producing findings that change the way we understand learning and how we teach. Math instruction today might look very different from when you were in school. Keep an open mind. If you’re dismissive of something, there’s a chance your child will be, too. 

Assume there is some logical thinking your child is employing. Even if he’s producing incorrect answers, your child is employing some kind of thought process, and understanding it is the key to providing help. Let’s say your child is adding 1/3 and 1/4 and getting 2/7. If his explanation is that he was adding the numerators and denominators, you’ve just learned that he might not fully understand what a fraction is. And that gives you a starting point for helping. 

Homework is about more than producing the correct answers. It’s about learning processes and skills. Even if you can come up with the right answer to a problem with which your child is struggling, there’s a lot you still need to explain — namely, how you arrived at that point. 

Become a teacher’s ally. Talk to your child’s teachers. Find out how they are teaching certain ideas and concepts. At times, parents unhappy about their children’s struggles to learn can approach teachers from a place of frustration. View your child’s teachers as your partners and collaborators. 

Find additional help. Worried you won’t be able to understand the math your child is trying to learn? Take a careful look at her textbook or online learning materials. See if the publisher provides any resources. Look for other publicly available teaching aids, especially those that have had NSF support. Do you have friends or coworkers with children? Start a lunch group to talk through your homework challenges. 

Remember, every child is different and learns differently. Just because your oldest child learned his multiplication facts one way doesn’t mean his younger sister will do the same. Which brings us back to the first tip: Listen to each child and do your best to understand. 

COVID-19 Resources:  Coronavirus.gov ;  Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) ;  What the U.S. Government is Doing

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