My 10 year old daughter is really struggling with math. She says she doesn't really understand most of what they are doing at school. How can I help her with it?
Tell the teacher that you are willing to hire a tutor. Ask her to give you copies of her math assignments that she failed.
Aldo ask the teacher if she works with students before or after school. If she does, she cannot charge you, but you need to regularly give her a Starbucks $10--and not just once! Tutoring is expensive.
Call or email her teacher and find out exactly what's going on. Her teacher will be able to give you advice specifically geared towards your daughter's needs. She will likely recommend websites, games, worksheets, etc. that she can use for practice and to strengthen skills. She may also qualify for extra help at school, ask if that's an option as well.
Have you discussed this with her teacher?
Can you help her yourself? It's ok if you can't help with math itself.. you can help by talking to the teacher about options and finding a tutor.
Talk to the school guidance counselor... they typically know teachers who tutor on the side and can match you up with a good tutor. I don't know your area but around here a good tutor is $50 an hour. You might look into a high school or college student to tutor for a reduced rate.
Some schools offer tutoring groups after school for no charge. Ask if your school has this option.
I'm cautious about responding because we've recently had some odd questions from Stanley NC.
The best thing you can do is talk with her teacher. If your daughter needs extra help It or instruction, the teacher or a resource person from your daughter's school can give her some extra attention. It is not uncommon for students to get pulled out for extra help with reading or math.
If she brings home an assignment and is struggling with it, ask her what she remembers from school that day. What did the teacher do in class? Did the teacher give them an example? If her class uses a textbook (My son is in 5th grade, and they do not. They just bring home workbook pages.), have her read that section to you and explain it to you. If she does that, she should be in a better position to handle the homework.
But definitely talk to her teacher.
What does her teacher say?
What does she turn in for homework? If you are helping her with homework, stop. I know that might seem counter-intuitive, but the only way for the teacher to know that your child is struggling is to tell her. Write on the top of the homework "Jane doesn't understand how to do this homework." and give it back to the teacher. Plus, if you aren't teaching her to use the same methods that the teacher is, then you might be confusing her even more.
Your first step is definitely to talk to the teacher.
Don't be shy -- contact her teacher (call her, email her).....let the teacher know of the situation....maybe she can get some extra help after school or during lunch/recess or a "free period"....the teacher may also have suggestions as to how you can help her out at home.
Good luck
Give her a lot of credit for opening up to you and being honest. I would encourage her to talk to her teacher. Let her know that there's nothing to be ashamed of if she isn't understanding the work. Math is challenging for a lot of people. Coach her or role play with her on how to start a conversation with the teacher and talk to her about the importance of choosing the right time to do so. Tell her to be open to whatever the teacher suggests would be most helpful to her. Also, let her know that she can come to you any time with questions about her homework and you will do your best to help her, but her teacher will be her best resource in help with understanding.
a talk with the teacher will do wonders in getting her the help she needs. i struggled with math, we talked to the teacher, he gave some insight and suggested i see the highschool math teacher for assistance since his teaching style was different that hers and she could show me a different way to learn it. but without talking to him first i would not of known to go to her.
You can't. Her teacher needs to address her school situation.
I have a lot of teacher friends. They all say they wish parents would stay out of kids school work. They ruin what the teacher taught and then have to spend the whole next day fixing what the parents did. Then the parents try to take over again and again and again. To the point that my friends won't even send homework home anymore. It's taking too much of their time.
So stop, call the teacher, send the teacher an email, go step into class and chat with her a moment. Let the teacher find ways to help your child. Your child needs to learn to talk to the teacher about school problems and stand for herself too. It will help her later in life.
Do not hire a tutor ...
... until after you speak with the teacher. A tutor might be a good idea, but you have to speak to the teacher first. You have to find out from her (or him) what is going on. Realize that many parents are struggling with "new math" and are not able to help their kids, because they don't understand it themselves. You don't want to make things more confusing for your daughter. Make sure that the teacher takes the lead on this one. If the teacher things hiring a tutor is a good idea, great. But make sure the teacher works with the tutor and makes sure the tutor knows what the teacher is teaching.
Talk to the teacher today, and do it before you do anything else.
Original post:
"My 10 year old daughter is really struggling with math. She says she doesn't really understand most of what they are doing at school. How can I help her with it?".
How is she doing on homework and quizzes?
Your first step is a parent teacher conference - and ask the teacher exactly what you asked here.
Continue parent teacher meetings - once per week if necessary.
It helps if you know your daughters learning style.
Flash cards might help - they are a pretty traditional method for working on math.
Practice worksheets (a few - don't over load on this), and fun math games might help too.
Your question is so general, it's hard to even guess. You don't say what she's doing or what she doesn't understand. I presume this is the first time she's had a problem with a subject which is why you are unsure of how to proceed. Here's a list of the usual choices:
1) Have you asked to set up a teacher conference to discuss your daughter's strengths and weaknesses in math? The teacher is your child's best advisor. Work with her/him.
2) Have you already asked for advice from the teacher on how to proceed? If not, why not? Perhaps your daughter needs to go back and learn some fundamentals. Is there an extra help session she could do after school a couple of times, or some time she could work with a teacher's aide, or a homework club? Sometimes having a different person explain things can help a kid over the obstacles.
3) Is it possible that she isn't paying attention during class? Is there a behavioral issue that needs to be addressed, or a focusing problem? Is she sitting next to someone who distracts her? Can she be evaluated?
4) Perhaps she has a vision or processing issue and can't see the board or interpret what she sees there. Can she be evaluated?
5) Does she need some short-term tutoring in this area to help her learn math concepts and focus on her weak area to build her strengths? Is this a confidence problem because she's heard someone say that "girls aren't good at math"??
6) I wouldn't recommend working with her yourself if you're already unsure of how to do math or what problems your daughter is having. If you're reluctant to talk to the teacher or didn't know that was an option, then you're not going to be the best person to explain class material to her. Also, sometimes parents can turn after school homework help into a punitive thing and the child just builds up more resistance.
I have dysgraphia, a form of dyslexia, math has always been a struggle. Have her tested.
Talk to the teacher and get her a tutor! Have her go to the tutor 2-3x a week. Keep up a conversation with the teacher about it.
