Is your child struggling with math homework? Here’s how to help

Do you often get stumped when your child suddenly asks you to help him do a long division, or solve a complex algebraic equation? You are not alone. Parents often struggle while trying to teach math concepts to kids because certain rules have changed over time and the ones that still remain the same have become rather faded in their memories. A quick look at Google may give you a temporary solution, but you can’t really clarify all the doubts with this search engine alone. Here are effective ways to help your child with this rather difficult subject.  

Check out an online math tutorial 
Video tutorials are often very helpful. In these online resources, math experts will share step-by-step instructions on how to tackle commonly faced problems and understand the basic concepts. This will enable you to handle your child’s challenging math homework with utmost ease. Make sure that you go through the entire tutorial before trying to explain everything to your child.  

Some YouTube channels, which offer demo visuals, can be of real help in clearing the concepts of graphs and charts. However, not all content in YouTube will be useful. You have to subscribe to the right channel for proper guidance. While parents of elementary kids can resort to HomeSchool Pop or KidsEduc, middle or high school students will find Mathantics or Eddie Woo’s math channel useful.    

Look for a home tutor 
During the pandemic kids are already spending a lot of time on-screen. They often find online classes hard to follow due to connectivity issues, communication gap and also low attention span. So, it may be a good idea to arrange a home tutor for your child, as face-to-face interactions are considered to be more effective modes of imparting knowledge. In fact, many students find it easier to clarify their doubts while in front of their mentors. 

Fix the problem with real-life applications 
Identify the problem-areas and come up with solutions that involve real-life applications. They can be more effective than theoretical explanations. For example, if your child is struggling with basic addition and subtraction, including him in activities like cooking and grocery shopping might help as these involve numbers. You may also introduce you child to math-related puzzles like Sudoku.