Do you ever feel like a fish out of water when helping your child with their math homework? The pressures of parenting can make it difficult to help, especially if you have limited knowledge about what’s being asked on the assignment. No matter if it’s basic arithmetic or higher level algebra questions, supporting our kids in mastering this subject can seem daunting and overwhelming for any parent. But don’t worry–it doesn’t have to be so hard! Dropkick Math Academy offers online math help for both parent and child.
Read on to learn why parents often struggle to assist their children with math homework. We will also provide strategies to help tackle tricky problems easier so you can become an effective facilitator who supports, rather than frustrates, your child’s learning journey.
Has Math Changed?
When your child asks for homework help, it can be an eye-opening experience. Technology has made its mark on the educational system, and math lessons are no exception. Despite many advances in technology, math has always retained its basic principles. So, in short, math hasn’t changed, but how it is being taught has.
This may explain why it is so hard to help children with their homework. Parents have not been taught mathematics the same way that children today learn it.
To ensure children remain competitive, math literacy is an important focus in their education. Teaching math skills is no longer just about solving equations and memorizing facts. It involves engaging them with higher-order math concepts such as problem-solving, critical thinking, data analysis, and algorithmic thinking to prepare them for the automated future of workflows and improved public services enabled by artificial intelligence.
Math education should be seen as a gateway to drive innovation and help children understand the interplay between technology, automation and virtual collaboration so they can thrive in our interconnected digital world.
While this may sound intimidating to most parents, learning this new way of thinking about mathematics is vital to help your child along their educational journey.
Finding Multiple Ways To A Solution
Math is no longer about memorizing formulas and crunching numbers. Today, math education focuses on teaching children the skills to be creative problem solvers. Rather than merely looking for one right answer, students must take a deep dive and think analytically to find multiple paths that lead to the same solution.
They are encouraged and trained to recognize patterns, identify relationships between concepts, judge cause and effect, and use reason to connect math with real-world applications. By focusing on the process, math teaches students concepts and how to think more critically and effectively by using math in everyday situations.
“The highest achieving kids in the world are the ones who see math as a big web of interconnected ideas, and the lowest achieving students in the world are the kids who take a memorization approach to math,” said education author Dr. Jo Boaler.
Unlike traditional math classes that used to rely solely on lecture-style teaching, modern math instruction focuses on encouraging hands-on activities in which students can explore math concepts and make connections between fundamental math theories.
By combining visual aids like videos, models, and interactive software with textbooks, modern math instructors are able to provide more engaging educational experiences that help students better understand complex math concepts.
Math manipulatives are also a great way to help children understand math concepts and for them to learn how to look at equations in various ways. By utilizing math manipulatives, children can start to understand that there are often many ways to find a solution.
Asking Questions
When working with your child on their homework, there are some questions you can ask them that will help both of you understand the tasks at hand. By asking the right questions, children can find multiple paths that lead to the same solution, figure out the concepts behind math questions, and show they truly understand basic math foundations.
“What if?” is an excellent question to ask your child when they are learning math. The question “What if?” is known to be at the root of innovation, experimentation, and play and allows children to contemplate questions beyond their immediate understanding. It can help to fuel curiosity, a deeper understanding, and intellectual breakthroughs.
“What is going on here?” is another example of a question that can help children look for the underlying structure of a problem. This simple question is an excellent way to check if your child truly understands the concepts or if they have just memorized them.
The illusion of learning can be a tempting trap for students to fall into. Recognizing information once it is presented can give the illusion that they have learned the material, but in reality, they can only recall it as long as they are given clues. This can create a false sense of confidence and lead to frustration down the road when the material must be recalled without any hints.
By asking simple questions, parents can help their children better understand the root of mathematics and ensure they don’t just have an illusion of learning.
An Education Grounded In STEM
Math has never been more important than it is today. We must provide our children with the math skills that will enable them to thrive in this rapidly changing world. Educators and parents must prioritize math learning and provide an education grounded in concepts of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics).
Traditional teaching methods are no longer enough to prepare students for their future roles properly- math instruction needs to reflect the changing landscape of society and its reliance on math-centric occupations.
By shifting math instruction away from traditional learning activities, math can be presented in a way that is applicable to students’ lives, resulting in increased motivation and success in math performance. As educators and parents, it is our duty to ensure that our children receive valuable math instruction so they can realize their potential and become fully prepared for what lies ahead. This includes becoming educated ourselves so we can effectively help our children.
How You Can Help Your Child
It’s important to take a step back and realize that homework assistance doesn’t necessarily mean knowing the answers but instead being a resource for guidance as your child learns something new. With the help of Dropkick Math Academy (and a little patience and determination), homework doesn’t have to feel like a struggle for either of you.
Dropkick online math help is elevating the way parents and their children learn math. Dropkick Math Academy’s programs aim to put parents alongside kids so they can learn together with fun, engaging activities. With Dropkick Math Academy’s approach, parents develop an understanding of the math being taught and support their children in a hands-on way. Dropkick Math Academy believes involving parents in the learning process helps foster a positive relationship between parent and child while allowing both generations to gain confidence and skills.
By learning alongside your child, we will expose you to new learning strategies your child is experiencing in their classroom. We believe that by working together, you and your child can learn math fundamentals and gain skills that will translate for years to come.
Focusing On Relationships
Dropkick Math is a tutoring company that provides support in learning key math skills by focusing on relationships and engaging the parent/guardian. All of our programs are focused on the four pillars of math (number sense, operational sense, proportional reasoning, and algebraic reasoning) to help parents and children understand the basic fundamentals of math.
We believe relationships are the primary key to learning success. Our certified Ontario teachers offer a fun and engaging way to learn for both parent and child to understand the building blocks of mathematics.
Get started today by learning more about our programs.
