For many students (and their parents) math presents an academic hurdle. Necessary for many career paths, some students have no choice but to take math as an academic subject. Regardless of your skills in math, there are ways in which you can provide your student with encouragement and help. The best thing to do is deal with your math mental blocks as soon as possible so that you and your student can excel.

Dealing with difficulties   Make sure you communicate with your student often and keep a keen eye on grades to ensure that your student isn’t experiencing difficulties. Each new academic math year builds on the lessons learned in previous years. If building blocks of knowledge are missing, then math will just become harder and harder. The best way to deal with math problems is to go back and find the missing foundation blocks and fill them in. If you can’t help your student with math, consider a tutor.

Don’t pass it on   If you have a bad relationship with math, try not to pass on your negative attitudes to your students. If your students are struggling, be sure to reassure then and help to build their confidence. Participate with their math mission by encouraging them and having faith in them.

Teaching tips   Have your students teach you math. This will help them to make sense of their math curriculum and helps to reinforce lessons learned. If you don’t have the time, ask your student’s teacher about tutoring activities. Most schools get older students to tutor younger ones. This is a great way to get your students to go over their foundation building blocks of math and reinforce these lessons. This will really help them understand the more complex math problems.

Incorporate math into your life   Help students to incorporate math into their everyday life. For example, if you are at a restaurant, get your students to work out the tip as a percentage of the bill. Ask them to add up the prices of items when you are shopping and work out what percentage discounts will amount to. Math is a difficult subject for most students to master. Success requires patience, perseverance and your support. Be sure to consider an in-home tutor if your student is struggling; the longer you leave it, the more difficult it will be for them to catch up.

This article was contributed by Steve Magat, Owner/Education Consultant of Tutor Doctor of Richmond West.   For parents who are interested in learning more about how to develop their students’ executive skill set, they can call Tutor Doctor, 804 912-1103 for a FREE consultation.