If you’re a parent in Saskatoon struggling to
help your child with online math homework, you are not alone. Many parents find
it challenging to help their children with online math homework for a variety
of reasons. It could be that children are more distracted at home or less
receptive to parental involvement. It could also be that the methods of
teaching many math concepts has changed over the past several years and can be
different in each school district. Whatever the reason, helping your child with
online math homework can get easier using these tips. Here are our top 6 tips
to help with online math homework for families in Saskatoon:
1.
Talk to your child. Start an open dialogue on
what the assignment is about, what their teacher has asked them to complete and
what they need to do to get the work done. When you find the areas of
difficulty, have your child walk through their process to figure out what part
of the concept or assignment isn’t resonating. At this point, it is important
to remind them it’s okay not to know the answers. You want your child to feel
comfortable talking about their struggles and to reduce the embarrassment they
may feel in not knowing what to do
2.
Adopt a Growth Mindset. Help your child to
process that difficulties understanding are a part of learning and that you are
there to help them figure it out together. Show them how to keep calm and
overcome frustrations when they arise. Praise the efforts they make to solve
their own challenges but when they reach a frustration point, encourage them to
ask for help. Providing strategies to deal with failure will allow them to feel
empowered even when a situation is tough to get through
3.
Look for “self-directed” solutions. Prompt
your child with some questions to get them looking for solutions and guidance
on their own. Try some of these:
-Where should they
start?
-What notes could they
use?
-Have they done work
like this before?
-Could you look for
examples online?
4.
Make it FUN. Find ways to engage your child so
they actually want to tackle their homework. Sometimes when their confidence is
low, no amount of solution based direction will get them feeling motivated.
When you hit a roadblock like that, try using creativity and games to draw them
in. Talk about how math is used in daily life and try getting out of your
regular homework setting. If you’re working on fractions or measurement, do
some baking. If you’re working on measurement conversions, hit the grocery
store or try measuring your home. Anything that gets them thinking about math in
a real life way makes it more interesting and shows why math is such a critical
skill to learn.
5.
Ask guiding questions…. but don’t give the
answers. Resist the urge to provide the answers or the solution on how to get
to the answer. Ask questions that move them in the right direction and get them
thinking about how to apply the strategies they have already learned.
6.
Look for outside help. If you’ve spent some
time working with your child, have tried creative ways to engage them and they
are still not grasping the work, it may be time to seek outside online math
homework help from a tutor. A qualified local tutor can assess your child’s
learning style, diagnose knowledge gaps and determine which strategies will
help them best. Having a tutor to help get your child back on track is a great
option and it also provides the bonus of an ongoing homework support when
needed.
The most important thing you can do to help your
child with online math homework help is to maintain a positive attitude towards
seeking extra help and towards math in general. Model a growth mindset and a
desire to help them succeed. Building confidence can take time, but if you work
together, you will get there.
Mathnasium of Saskatoon was created with your
child’s best interests in mind, so if you do need to seek more help with online
homework, we are here for you. Check out our website for more information on
the unique ways that a Mathnasium of Saskatoon instructor can be your child's
best homework ally.
