Tips to Help Your Child With his Homework

Your child comes to you for help with his/her math homework. However, you are yourself not sure about the problem. Does that happen to you? Don’t worry; it happens to a lot of parents out there. Here are some suggestions for you. Remember, showing kids that it’s ok not to know all the answers is a positive step forward.

It’s important that you don’t spend more than 15-20 minutes trying to figure out a problem which either of you got no clues about. Labouring way too much without results will only frustrate your child without yielding any positive result.

Acknowledge the fact that not understanding what to do can be stressful. You can start by saying something positive to let your child know you appreciate them for trying. Ask them to show an example. It could be a sample math problem from their textbook. If they are struggling to find one, try typing one of the problems in the search engine. Your search will bring about a list of websites designed for the purpose of helping them. Once a sample problem is discovered ask how the teacher told them to approach the problem. Having a solved example done in a step by step manner will help your child recall instructions in the class discussions. Make notes on the steps that your child remembers as you work through the problem. This helps your child to understand that math is a process and a means to an end. The list that you create also becomes the material that your child can carry over to the teacher to showcase his/her efforts even if they didn’t get the answers right. It will help the teacher to assess their understanding and help them with the needed approach to help them better understand the equation and solve the problems.

Speaking of what to do, it’s also important to understand what not to do as a parent. Try not asking your child what the teacher said. It will only make them nervous and more confused. If they remembered, they would much likely not come to you for help. Refrain from contacting their teacher right away. Kids with altered learning and thinking capacity might give up or get frustrated if they are unsure about what needs to be done. It’s important that they think of possibilities and ways to approach the problem before heading over to their teacher. Also, avoid writing notes to their teacher mentioning your child’s inability to understand the assignment. Rather try to inform them what your child’s trouble areas are and ask them to find ways to address that problem.

Also you can enrol your child into an after-school program that specialises in math. Kumon is a good option since they take a diagnostic test before starting their learning sessions. This gives them a fair idea about your child’s ‘just-right level’ of learning. From there they begin the instructions through small steps worksheet designed for self-learning. This helps develop their concept on a step by step basis and also develops their critical thinking skills. Over time your child gets the idea of how to approach a problem and how to solve it. Help your child find a math learning centre that’s appropriate for them, one that lets them progress at their own pace. After all as a parent it’s your duty to help your child develop the right aptitude and attitude towards math.

Kumon is a home based program which deals in after school enrichment in Math and English. The students have to visit the centre twice a week and get homework worksheets for rest of the days.