Maths doesn’t come naturally to everyone, but unfortunately, it’s a school subject that must be studied in the UK until the end of GCSE level. With that said, some children may require some extra support from parents when it comes to their numeracy skills. There are lots of things you can do when it comes to helping your child with maths as discussed below by a private prep school in London.
Boost Your Child’s Confidence
When it comes to maths, sometimes all a child needs in order to tackle an equation or complex sum is some confidence. Those who lack confidence are more likely to give up on their schoolwork before they’ve even truly begun. With this in mind, one way you can help support your child’s academic progress is to boost their confidence where possible. Praise them when you notice that they are trying their best and don’t be too hard on them if they don’t get the grades they were hoping for, as this will damage their self-esteem and pile on the pressure.
Practise Maths Everyday
Try and familiarise your child with maths as much as possible by seeking out opportunities for them to practise each and every day. For instance, if you go out for a meal, you could ask them to calculate what the bill will be and work out 10% of the bill so that you can leave an appropriate tip. You could also ask them for help in the kitchen, where they might need to calculate oven times and units of measurement. For younger children, there are lots of nursery rhymes you can sing together to help them get used to numbers and counting, such as “10 Green Bottles” or “1,2,3,4,5, Once I Caught a Fish Alive”. There are even lots of board games that will help your child practise simple sums, such as Monopoly, for example.
Talk to the Teachers
If possible, try and maintain regular contact with your child’s teachers as they will be able to give you certain advice on how you can help your child based on the curriculum. For instance, they might suggest some online mathematical games that your child could play, or some books and other learning resources you could invest in to encourage your child to practise.
If you have any tips you have used for helping your child with maths or even just getting them interested in learning more we’d love you to share them below
*Collaborative post