How to Help Your Student with Math

Galileo said, "Mathematics is the language God used to speak the universe into existence." Math underlies all of Creation, and every human is designed to understand math and enjoy it. When we approach math with joy and faith, we’ll help our student to thrive in math and to tackle challenges with resilience.

When one of my math students is struggling, parents often ask how they can help. I’ve answered in many ways, but there are a few simple principles that can often turn around a frustrated child. Here are my best tips for helping your student love math and thrive in it.

1) Set aside dedicated time and space. With our busy lives, it’s easy to let the kids just do their homework in the midst of the busyness. But we all know how hard it is to concentrate with distractions. Doing homework in the car or on the couch or floor can sometimes mean less focused attention. And math really needs focused attention.

Dedicated space is a big help. A small desk in their bedroom or a table in a common area would be ideal. It can be a physical reminder that this is study time and that we are prioritizing their education.

Dedicated time is even more important. It’s easy to pack out our kids’ schedules with so many activities that they are doing homework on the fly. As with most things done on the fly, the quality will suffer. You want to get the most out of your tuition dollars, so it makes sense to set aside time each day when your student is rested and able to focus to do their homework well.

2) Be calm and confident. Kids who struggle with math often have parents who struggled with math. In God’s wise design, we all have things that come easily or come harder. If your brain is wired such that it takes a little more work to grasp math, I encourage you to trust God’s design. You are made well, and God is wise. He permits struggle, not to defeat us, but to help us grow in perseverance.

Parents with math anxiety can unintentionally communicate fear to their kids. If a student asks a parent for help and the parent gets nervous and shies away from helping, the student may think, “If my big strong parent is afraid of this, it must be really scary. There is no way I’m going to understand it.”

Here are some different ways to respond:

• I’m not sure, but let’s find out. This communicates that it’s OK not to know the answer, and that not knowing is a solvable problem.
• Read me the problem. It’s amazing how often a student will suddenly see what to do when they read a problem out loud. (Worked for me every time with my kids!)
• What information do you have? Listing the information that’s given (Johnny has 3 red apples, Sally has 4 green apples) helps them see what they have to work with.
• What are they asking for? Get clarity on what question they’re answering, so they don’t wander off in a random direction.
• What did your teacher say? Jogging their memory about what was taught in class may remind them how to tackle a problem.
• Let’s draw a picture. Neuroscientists say that when you do math, the visual part of your brain is always firing. That suggests that if they’re stuck, it may be because they can’t visualize the quantities. With younger children, this may mean drawing apples. For students 2nd grade and above, bar models may help them.
• Let’s look at the textbook. If your student needs support regularly, it may be worth checking with your teacher about buying a second textbook to keep at home. Asking your student to explain what they learned that day will reinforce their learning and better empower you to help.
• Let’s check with a classmate/the teacher. If you’re still stuck, see if you can reach a classmate. If not, email the teacher. If you can communicate that you’re stuck, the teacher at least knows that the student (and the parent) did his/her best.

Parents who’ve always found math easy can also find it hard to stay calm and confident. They may interpret a genuine difficulty as a lack of effort. When a student is struggling, parental frustration can make them feel defeated, and they spiral down. Our children need to know we believe in them and that we are there to help them.

If math comes easily to you, here’s your challenge: it is said that you don’t really understand something until you can explain it simply. While your child is learning math, you can be learning through explaining.

3) Lean into helpful habits and resources.

• Friday Check-Ins. If your student struggles with organization or follow-through, you might institute what I call “Friday Check-Ins.” Or Friday evening, log into FACTS and look over your student’s grades. If the grades are good, celebrate! Have ice cream or play a game. If there are any low grades, postpone the celebration and spend the evening (or some time over the weekend) working on missing assignments or redoing assignments.
• Memorize the Facts. Memory work is a key component of classical education because it really does help kids. Students need to memorize addition within 20, subtraction within 20, times tables up to 12 x 12, and division by numbers 1-10. This will make math easier today and will make success possible in the future. There are lots of ways to do this. Some families will quiz their kids in the car. Flash cards are always a great resource. Math facts songs may be a great memory tool. And math games are great—both your child’s math facts and his/her relationship with you will improve if you play math games together.
• Other Resources. If your student still needs a boost, there are lots of options. Khan Academy is a free online learning and practice resource that aligns pretty well with our curriculum. Books like Singapore Math’s Process Skills or 70 Must-Know Word Problems will make you and your student Singapore Math superstars.

Galileo said, “Mathematics is the language God used to speak the universe into existence.” Math underlies all of Creation, and every human is designed to understand math and enjoy it. When we approach math with joy and faith, we’ll help our student to thrive in math and to tackle challenges with resilience.