How to Teach Math to Kids: 6 Awe-Methods
reviewed by Jo-ann Caballes
Updated on June 21, 2024
When teaching a kid math, you should focus on the three pillars: practicality, patience, and support.
At school, some students feel like the next Carl Friedrich Gauss. The others freeze in horror when thinking about math. Still, all kids can master main math concepts — no magic required!
Keep reading if you want your child to stop saying “I’m bad at math”.
What is a quick and easy way to teach your child math?
You can quickly teach your child math by:
- Using math daily
- Playing math games
- Singing math songs
- Math illustrative content
- Reading math books for children
- Math and Cooking
Now let’s analyze these ways step by step — tick them off on your fingers!
Using math daily
Teaching children mathematics can be effortlessly woven into your daily routine. You will be surprised how seamlessly math is integrated into our lives.
Playing math games
Board games like Monopoly or Uno involve counting, adding, and recognizing patterns.
Singing math songs
Remember how you learned the ABC — math can be as easy as ABC, too! Check out catchy tunes for children that teach counting, addition, subtraction, and even fractions.
Math illustrative content
Although there are different ways to teach math, the list can’t be complete without visual materials. With visual aids like pictures, kids will grasp math concepts more easily.
Reading math books for children
Modern publishers suggest a huge number of math books for kids. Read a fairytale with a Number as the main character. It can be even more engaging and thrilling than a Cinderella story!
Math and cooking – we’ll take two!
If you want to diversify your everyday practice, try baking or cooking together. Measuring ingredients can assist your kid in understanding fractions. The whole recipe is like a math task: getting it right leads to the correct result.
Remember that learning is tough, and children are very sensitive. One put-down (e.g., “You know nothing” or “I’m disappointed”) can leave an adverse mark that will be difficult to erase. Support your child to keep a positive attitude for a long time. You can praise them for even the least success — for example, when a child remembers the count from 1 to 10. That will inspire kids not to give up and make them wide open for new discoveries.
And of course, practice, practice, practice. The more you play, the better you slay!
How to make my child understand math
The best ways to teach your child math concepts should combine such points as:
- Building the right attitude to math
- Making learning math fun and engaging
- Calming the math crisis with support
- Offering additional assistance
Let’s take a closer look at each point.
Build the right attitude to math
An article’s headline. Well, if 30% love math and 30% are neutral, we have 40% of people who loathe the subject
Hans Freudenthal, a mathematician and teacher, believed that school math turns the exciting world of mathematical discovery into the “fossilized remains” of reasoning processes.
So, teaching kids mathematics should start with the proper attitude. Math is not a boring, useless school subject l, invented to make kids suffer. It’s a trainer to prepare for adult life. Think about an inattentive market salesman or fraudster who tries to scam. You need it when counting items, comparing prices, cooking, or playing sports. Math is crucial for financial literacy, from budgeting and understanding interest rates to calculating taxes and making sound investments. Understanding the real role of math makes it relevant and appreciable.
Make learning math fun and engaging
The most efficient way of teaching children math concepts is by connecting them to their interests. Try personalized learning and different games.
For example, a kid who loves sports cars will have more interest in solving a math task on the topic:
- A car engine uses cylinders to create power. Powerful sports cars often have more cylinders. Let’s say a regular car has 4 cylinders. How many cylinders will your super speedy sports car have?
- Two cars, a Jaguar and a Ferrari, cover 400 kilometers. Jaguar’s speed is 62.1 mph; Ferrari’s speed is 96.5 kph. How much time does it take for both?
Traditional math lessons can leave students bored and frustrated. But “traditional” is not the only option. At Brighterly, tutors are experts at turning frustration into fascination. Our interactive lessons use games, activities, and real-world examples. That will help develop an in-depth understanding of math and love for learning.
Calm the math crisis with support
Stay cool if your child doesn’t understand a simple rule. In your school days, math was not any easier. You just forgot all the bitter tears and long hours with a math textbook.
No matter which ways to teach your child math concepts you choose, create a “safe zone” for your kid. It’s OK not to understand something and sometimes to get upset. Learning should be a comfortable process. Otherwise, in the word “studying” your child will see only the part without “stu”.
Explain new concepts in a clear, intuitive way and connect them to what they already know. If they learn to count, ask them to bring you three tomatoes and two bananas in a supermarket. If a kid is on the way to mastering fractions, ask to pour a third of a glass of milk and a quarter cup of flour when cooking.
Offer additional assistance
Remember that teachers are not foes. They are a great resource for specific strategies and recommendations. Like Brighterly’s tutors who make lessons interactive and personalized. They follow the intended curriculum and know how to bring math concepts to life. With joint efforts, you can boost your child’s progress.
Apart from the school curriculum, there are a variety of educational websites and apps. Find interactive math games and lessons. Try a few of them to find yours.
How to teach low-performing kids math
The efficient learning strategy for low-performing kids should let you:
- Focus on understanding
- Divide challenging topics into small pieces of information
- Use math games, bright flashcards, books or applications
- Praise your kid for each success they make
- Hold brief math lessons
- Repeat the covered before you start a new topic
A study (PLOS ONE, 2012) found that simply anticipating math triggered areas of the brain linked to threat and pain in people with high math anxiety. This may explain why 20-25% of kids experience moderate to high math anxiety.
Framing the problem’s boundaries is the initial step towards resolution. No one said that teaching kids about mathematics would be smooth. But we’re not afraid of challenges, are we?
Here are some tips for effective math teaching to low-performing kids.
Focus on understanding of math concepts
Jumping into complex issues can be a mistake. We suggest breaking down concepts into smaller, manageable steps. Ensure your kid grasps each stage before moving on.
You must pay attention to the logic behind the steps; the result of resolving should be a bonus.
If you clearly explain “Why”, your kid will gain a solid foundation for future learning.
Use supportive approach
Positive reinforcement is always “it”. Don’t be shy — say some pleasant words about your kid’s success in math. Maybe today is the day when your child remembers what the number 5 looks like. Or maybe today your child gets a clue about percentages.
Next, tailor math to your student’s hobbies or interests. Incorporating math games, puzzles, and online educational tools will make learning interactive. And children love interactives! Use them to teach your kids mathematics.
Address math gaps with the right learning style
Sometimes, difficulties stem from a weak basis. Thus, you need to review and solidify basic math facts and operations.
When teaching kids math, give preference to short, focused practice. Such brief sessions will make a bigger contribution to your kid’s math progress.
A win-win method is pairing your kid with a stronger peer for additional support and explanation. Friendly rivalry can foster a child’s growth and achievement.
How to teach children math? Let’s sum it up!
Math develops critical thinking skills and logical reasoning applicable to various aspects of life. Teaching math to kids should be an exciting, life-changing journey.
We provided just a few tips to start teaching your kids about math quickly. Keep in mind that learning math demands patience and a positive attitude. Celebrate your child’s progress, no matter how small it is.
Brighterly offers a fresh approach to learning. With an interactive platform and modern learning tips, your child will experience math in a whole new light.
Sign up today to reveal your kid’s math potential.
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