Many primary school students find themselves having trouble with and fearing their math homework. But, they don’t realize just yet how important math is to the development of their educational careers. So, if you want your child to actually enjoy math, you can do the following at least ten minutes a day:
1. Make math fun
Math homework can be repetitive and boring. Children need to be constantly interested in something in order to really learn from it. So, to make your child’s math homework fun, you can try to make it as interactive as possible. For example, if your child is learning about basic multiplication facts, use objects to illustrate how multiplication works. Allow your child to do the activity.
Use simple facts, such as 1×1 and so on, or 2×2 and so on. Use Cheerios or some other small objects to illustrate how multiplying 2×2 works. Have your child place two Cheerios on one side of a sheet of paper. Then, place another two Cheerios on the other side. Put them together, explaining that your are adding two groups of two. Do the same, except with three groups of two.
2. Practice everyday
Even when your child isn’t doing homework, encourage him or her to do math problems in order to improve his or her skills. These practice sessions could consist of almost every lesson imaginable, but always remember to start with the fundamentals. Start with addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division facts. Explain how multiplication and division work hand in hand. Write your own set of problems, or have your child recite the multiplication and division tables at least ten minutes a day.
3. Enforce lessons learned
Once your child returns from school, ask what he or she learned in math class. Then, take those clues and enforce or add to the lessons yourself. This way, if your child has any questions that he or she was afraid to ask in class, you can help answer them.
4. Real life activities
To make math a daily part of your child’s life, teach him or her that math is used on a daily basis in real life. When you bake a cake, ask your child to help your measure the ingredients. When you are working on crafts projects, give him or her the measurements of the materials that you are using. This way, your child will think of his or her world through math.
By following these four simple tips with your child, you will help improve his or her math and critical thinking skills, and your child will no longer have math homework struggles.