Tutoring Your Child in Math: Yes, You Can!
Q. What
can I do to help my son with math? He does very well in other subjects, and
occasionally does fine in math. But his test scores are inconsistent, even with
simple math facts he should have mastered years ago.
Fluency with math
facts is important. But you can't get it without drill and practice. If schools
are anti-drill and pro-calculator, you may have to tutor your child yourself,
or pay an outside tutor such as Kumon.
Rule out a reading
problem first. You'd be surprised how many school difficulties that appear to
be subject-centered, such as math, are actually a symptom of an underlying
problem with reading comprehension. You don't say how old he is, but if he is
in fourth grade or later, that might be the initial suspect.
Under No Child
Left Behind, your school should provide free tutoring in subjects in which your
child needs help, and that's a good option. So is mentoring or tutoring by an
older student. But especially for "tweens," who may be sensitive about needing
help, that can be a tough call. In that case, you're wise to go it alone, and
tutor your child yourself. Even if you didn't "get" algebra very well yourself,
there are self-help books and websites to help you; see the list in Homework,
below.
Here are some
tips:
·
To tutor, you can use a textbook,
flashcards, downloadable practice sheets, and a dry erase board or chalkboard.
Ten minutes a day is fine.
·
Start with four easy math facts. Write
them so the child sees them while you both say them out loud. Next
have him say the fact statements alone.
·
Then erase the answers and have
him say the same four facts, problems and answers. If the child has
difficulty with this step, stop here and practice until it's easy.
·
Next, erase the entire problem and
have the student say the four problems without any visual aid. Again, if
he has trouble, stop and practice 'til it comes easily.
·
Next, write the four problems (no
answers), switching their order, and have the child say the problems.
Don't move on until the child can say the answers with ease.
·
When the child is fluent, and it may
take several days, introduce 4 more facts and repeat the process. After child
can say the four new math facts when they are mixed up, add another step and
reorder all eight problems, first orally, then on a worksheet.
·
Keep going, adding four new facts,
then mixing them with the mastered ones.
·
Offer a
potent reinforcer: perhaps your son can earn points for each session in which
he works cooperatively and tries his hardest, and earn a trip to the skating
rink, arcade, movies or whatever "adds up" to a treat.
Homework: If you want to use a textbook, which
systematically presents the math skills, find out what your school is using,
and choose a different product line so that you don't duplicate and create
boredom and "school sour." Some people consider the Cadillac of math instruction to be Singapore Math; there are products
listed there for homeschoolers that might address your child's needs.
Also check Saxon Math,
which is highly effective and popular.
You don't have to be an education
major to be able to understand and use the excellent textbook, Direct Instruction Mathematics, by Jerry
Silbert, Douglas Carnine and Marcy Stein (Prentice Hall, 1990, 508 pp.).
A
good math-at-home workbook for children ages 2 through 8 is Dr. Wright's Kitchen Table Math.
Also
explore these websites:
www.KidzMath.com
www.MathForum.org
www.mathnerds.com