You’ve bought the school equipment, packed the lunch boxes and have said or are about to say goodbye to your child as they start back to school after the summer break. However it’s likely that your child has lost at least some of the math gains they made over the previous year (a Duke University study found that some students lose up to 3 months of learning!) Have no fear, follow the steps below and check out the following links to get your child back on the math track.
Polish mental arithmetic skills
Math lessons will always go smoother if your child has the basics sorted. Confidence in core skills, like addition, subtraction and the times tables will help them in the other areas of math and science. Find why mental math skills are so important (and why some disagree) in No No No Don’t Let Your Child Finger Count. Build your own mental math program using the advice in the short Who Wants Their Child to be Lightening Fast at Mental Maths video series. Finally break through the times tables with your child, whatever their learning style using Maths Insider’s very own tried and tested 31 Days to Faster Times Tables program
Check out additional tutoring
Whether your child is struggling with math or you want to stretch their skills, you could join the mass of parents who supplement their children’s school math (60% of Palo Alto, California parents supplement their child’s math). My own kids use online math programs Math-Whizz (US, UK and India 5-12 years old) and Conquer Maths (UK 4 – 17 yrs old) but you can see which other online programs get the Maths Insider seal of approval in the Maths Insider Online Math Programs Awards
When it comes to offline learning, math tuition centres around the world are bursting at the seams. If you’ve been tempted by adverts for Kumon, the biggest name in center based math tuition, then the truly insider information in The Ultimate Kumon Review will help you decide if Kumon or other copycat tuition centers will work for your child.
If you suspect that individual private tuition might work best for your child, especially as a short term solution to a specific math issue then check out how to choose the best in Math Tutor. A low cost option is to tutor your child yourself. Find out how in the free eBook Yes! You Can Be Your Child’s Math Tutor
Bring math into your everyday life
As well as daily math lessons at school, highlight the math that surrounds your child in their everyday life. My kids and I had some fun speculating about the math of our Neighbours Lamborghini and Bon Crowder’s membership program That’s Math will have your child pondering the math behind shampoo bottles, bathroom tiles and lots more math around the home. The Back to School Super Math Giveaway from Bon and I also has some great free resources to help you kick start your child’s school year. Nice short activities and math talking points can be found in the daily posts from Bedtime Math and little ones will have fun with any of the 24 Short and Sweet Math Activities for Preschoolers
Make math cool!
Do your kids know just how cool math is? 21 Seriously Cool Careers That Need Maths will show them cool career options open to those who enjoy mathand Math for Grownups has interviews with regular people who use math in their jobs. Teens and preteens will get a kick from the short but entertaining video presentations in Ted Talks to Get Your Teen Excited About Math
Take a look at the 17 links above and soon you and your child will have plenty of actionable tips to make this year a great year for math!
Cool! Thanks for sharing these links. I agree, we have to supplement our kids with these aside from school. My daughter will love those online math programs.