Help Your Child Leap to
the Head of the Class
10 Proven Strategies to Conquer Your
Biggest Math Concerns and Ensure Your
Child Reaches Their Potential
By Raj Shah, Ph.D.
Table of Contents
Imagine if... ................................................................................................................3
How can I keep my child challenged when they are bored at school? ......................4
How do I foster a love of math? .................................................................................6
How can I prevent my child from giving up on challenging problems? ....................7
How can I boost my childs confidence? ....................................................................9
How do I get my child into the habit of doing math regularly? ...............................11
Why wont my child let me help them? ...................................................................13
How can I make sure they dont struggle with math the way that I did? .................14
How do I help my child when they teach math totally different now? ....................15
How can I help with timed tests? .............................................................................16
How can I help my child overcome math anxiety? ..................................................17
Imagine if...
you could put an end to your childs math anxiety.
you could ensure your childs enjoyment of mathematics for the long-term.
you knew exactly how to boost your childs confidence in math.
Youd be able to say goodbye to stressful nights doing math homework. Youd be sure
that your child appreciated the beauty and power of mathematics. And, you could rest
assured that they would be able to reach their potential and leap to the head of the
class.
Over the last five years, Ive spoken to hundreds of parents who have asked me for
advice about their childs math education. Ive compiled the 10 biggest questions and
concerns and provide strategies to address each one. I hope that you will find at least a
few of these strategies helpful. The good news is every one of these strategies has
been tested and is proven to work.
In the following pages, you will learn my top strategies for building a childs
confidence, perseverance, and enjoyment of math. For the best results, I suggest you
pick one strategy to focus on and consistently apply it until you see results. Then move
one to another strategy if you like.
Please feel free to contact me with any questions you may have. Im here to help.
Raj Shah, Ph.D.
Founder
Math Plus Academy
[email protected]
How can I keep my child challenged
when they are bored at school?
I find that parents who have students that
Mathematicians pose questions and then
seem to naturally do well in math make
try to things as simply as possible. This
the mistake of trying to push them too
view of math allows for creativity, logic,
quickly through the curriculum. Math is
reason, intuition and inspiration. That is
as much about the journey as it is about
what makes math fun and engaging and
the destination.
its what we want kids to discover and
Sadly, because of how math is taught in
schools, most students and parents
believe that math is simply a collection of
skills, definitions, and procedures that
embrace. I implore you to think about
how to teach these important aspects of
math that make it an amazingly intriguing
and rich field.
can be memorized. If that is your goal,
Games, puzzles & brain teasers.
then the tools of choice tend to be
The best tools I know to teach
worksheets, flash cards, and repetitive
mathematical thinking skills are games,
computer games. These tools can be
puzzles and brain teasers. Parents can
useful if you are trying to supplement
show their kids the beauty of math by
math skill development. However, they
playing games and working to solve
are terrible if youre trying to challenge
puzzles and brain teasers together. A
your child because they are boring,
huge added benefit is that by doing
repetitive and no fun!
these things together you are
The truth is that math is about
investigating patterns dealing with
quantity, structure and space.
guaranteed to share aha moments with
your child that neither of you will ever
forget.
Recommended Books
Becoming a Problem Solving Genius by
Edward Zaccaro
Bonus Tip
When playing strategy games, talk
about your strategy out loud. Your
Creative Problem Solving by Dr. George
child will learn from you and will
Lenchner
develop their own strategic
Math Olympiad Contest Problems by Dr.
G. Lenchner
thinking much faster. Also, ask
them to explain their thinking from
time to time. These two things will
Recommended Websites
really help them refine their
Puzzles.com logic puzzles and much
mathematical thinking skills.
more. Try the Family Brainstorms.
krazydad.com Free printable puzzles
(Sudoku, KenKen, Kakuro, etc)
figurethis.org Math challenges (check
out the math index)
How do I foster a love of math?
One of the best ways I know to get kids
league or private lessons. The same is
thinking mathematically is through
true when they enjoy math and science.
games. The best games require creativity,
strategic thinking, spatial reasoning and
computation. These are all fundamental
skills needed to succeed in mathematics.
Search your community for opportunities
like Math Olympiads, Chess, Robotics
and Computer Programming. Often
these are offered at the local Science and
Start a Family Game Night
Industry Museum or as summer camps at
Family traditions are the glue that holds
the community center. If youre lucky,
families together. Choose one night a
they can be offered at school as well.
week to play games. Turn off the TV, the
phone and all other distractions and just
have fun! Many games build number
sense and mental math skills.
Heres a list of great games to get you
started:
1. Qwirkle
2. SET
3. Carcassonne
4. Hive
Of course, Math Plus Academy offers all
5. Blokus
of these programs all year long. We are
Enrichment Opportunities
on a mission to inspire kids to do great
things and what better way to do that
When your child shows an interest in
than through amazing, fun enrichment
sports or music, you sign them up for a
classes.
How can I prevent my child from giving
up on challenging problems?
The solution to this is based on the
given talents are fixed and cant really be
excellent book, Mindset, by respected
improved? In addition, people with fixed
psychologist Dr. Carol Dweck. Based on
mindsets avoid risks for fear of failure.
her extensive research, she has identified
Worse, they take constructive criticism as
two mindsets, the fixed mindset and the
judgment about their self-worth rather
growth mindset, that help explain why
than hearing the message and working
some people persevere and others dont.
to improve.
The Fixed Mindset
Many gifted students suffer from a
A person with a fixed mindset believes
fixed mindset which prevents them
that traits like intelligence or musical
from trying difficult problems.
talent are fixed and cannot be changed.
For example, it seems reasonable that
Tiger Woods was given a gift for golf
or that Michael Jordan had an innate
talent for basketball or that Einstein was
born a genius. Many of us tend to
believe this at least a little.
Unfortunately, there is an insidious side
to having a fixed mindset. If you believe
talents are fixed, you tend to not work as
hard to increase your own talent. Why
bother practicing or studying when your
A student with a fixed mindset who gets
a D on a math test thinks to himself, Im
just not good at math. They dont go
back to see which problems were missed
or reflect on how to study better.
The Growth Mindset
A person with a growth mindset believes
that abilities and talents can be
developed with hard work. They see
failures, not as a judgement on their
talent or self-worth, but as
opportunities to grow and improve.
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While they feel the sting of a failure, they
challenges get tougher and so they give
can move on to figure out how to do
up.
better the next time. And they accept
most criticism as constructive.
The good news is that anyone can
change their mindset. Research shows
A student with a growth mindset who
that just knowing these two mindsets
gets a D on a math test, goes back to the
exist can help move you toward the
teacher to find out what they
growth mindset framework. This is true
misunderstood. They develop better
even for children its never too early to
study habits and seeks extra help until
develop a growth mindset!
the topics are mastered.
What we should be praising is effort.
The Power of Praise
When your child comes home with an A
These days, it seems that most parents,
on a test, you can say, I can see how
educators and coaches often deliver
your studying paid off. Great work.
praise and rewards even for average
rather than Wow! Youre so smart!.
results. Studies show the idea that
everyone deserves a trophy or that we
should continually praise our children to
ensure they have self-worth are
questionable at best.
If your child didnt put in much effort, but
still got a good grade, try Looks like
that test was too easy for you. Maybe we
can work on some more challenging
problems together. This way youre
It turns out that if we praise children for
letting them know you value effort over
being smart or naturally talented, we
talent. You are teaching them to value
are feeding them the idea that talent is
the process of learning as much as or
innate and fixed. With a fixed mindset, a
even more than the grades and that its
student has no where to go when the
OK to struggle with challenging ideas
and problems.
How can I boost my childs confidence?
Self-confidence is the belief that you can
already know. Ask them to try and recall
rely on yourself. For many, even those
a tough problem that they were able to
who do well in math, it can be difficult to
solve and praise them for having the
develop confidence. The end goal is that
confidence and perseverance required
your child should be able to take on a
for that achievement. This will serve as a
relatively challenging problem knowing if
foundation for your child to fall back on
they keep working on it, they will get it.
when they run into the next challenging
3 Steps to Building Confidence
problem.
1. Focus on what they know first. Have
2. Attitude is EVERYTHING. Outlaw all
a conversation with your child and have
negativity. Catch your child when they
them tell you what concepts they think
say things like, this is too hard, Im
they have mastered. Write them down so
just not good at math, Im bad at
your child can see how much they
multiplication, I cant do it. Retrain
them to use phrases like, I presently
struggle with... or Im still learning how
to.... Make it a game to try and catch
each other saying negative things and
help each other rephrase them.
3. Identify one area for improvement
and practice. Math is a difficult subject
and there will be many hurdles to
overcome as the subject gets more
challenging each year. Have your child
identify just one area for improvement.
Decide how often they will practice that
one skill or concept. Have them tackle
Bonus Tip #2
that challenge for 10-15 minutes each
Build number sense by estimating.
day until it is mastered. The key is to do
Number sense is an intuitive feel
the math in short bursts because too
for numbers and the ability to use
much repetition can lead to boredom
them naturally in everyday life.
and overwhelm them which is counter-
Make a game out of it estimating
productive. Repeat as needed.
everyday quantities to see who can
get the closest to the real answer.
Bonus Tip #1
Ask your child to explain math
concepts to you from time to time.
Youll know theyve mastered a
topic when they can teach it to you.
By reversing roles, you will naturally
You can also help your child by
making educated guesses at values
that must be too high and too low.
Examples:
How much butter is needed to
make twice as many cookies?
build their confidence as they see
How much will cost to fill the car
themselves successfully being the
with gas? (Make them ask you
teacher instead of the student.
for relevant info like tank size, gas
price, etc.)
How many consecutive shots will
LeBron need to make to hit 50%
accuracy if hes made 3 of 9 shots
so far?
Which is a better deal? Store
brand item or popular brand item
with coupon.
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How do I get my child into the habit of
doing math regularly?
I spent weeks researching proven ways to
Of course, once you start to floss that
build daily habits like studying math.
one tooth, you may choose to do them
Heres a summary of what I learned
all, but you dont have to. Who cant floss
(primarily from BJ Fogg of Stanford
just one tooth every night?
University) and how you can apply it with
your kids. Ive tried it and it works!
2. Eliminate Excuses in Advance
Make a list of the most frequent excuses
1. Set the Bar Exceedingly Low
and defeat them in advance. For
This may sound counter-intuitive at first,
example, if youre trying to build a daily
but creating a very low bar makes it
workout habit, your excuses might
easier to get started each day because
include: Not having a gym membership,
the task wont seem too daunting. Heres
not having clean workout clothes, and
an example: Suppose you want to
lack of motivation to workout alone.
develop a daily flossing habit because
we know its good for dental health.
Make the goal to floss just one tooth
every night.
Now find a solution for each one. Get a
membership, get more workout gear and
put it in your car at all times, then find
someone to hold you accountable like a
friend or personal trainer. You can do the
same with a daily homework habit by
having a notebook, pencil and eraser
handy along with books and problems
that you want to work on.
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3. Tie the New Habit to a
Developed One
complete the task. Encourage them to
If possible, tie the timing of the new
possible. The longer the chain gets, the
habit to the timing of a daily habit that
more motivated theyll be to not break
you are already successful with. In this
the chain.
way, you make it much easier to
remember and much harder to avoid the
new habit. Find a daily activity that your
child does routinely after school like
reading or watching a show and tie the
math homework to that activity.
try and build a chain of Xs as long as
5. Use Rewards for Motivation
Turn the new habit development into a
friendly competition with your child.
Theyll have a lot more motivation to
keep going when their motivation wanes.
Create some small rewards for doing the
4. Track Their Progress (Dont
Break the Chain)
habit for 3, 5, 10 and 30 days in a row.
Print a calendar and have your child
simply mark an X every day that they
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Why wont my child let me help them?
Its frustrating when you know you can
When you help, try to ask questions that
help your child, but they arent receptive.
point them in the right direction, rather
The surprising reason kids resist your
than just showing them exactly what to
help is they dont want to disappoint
do. Your guidance should be tuned so
you!
that your child still feels like they did
Kids are extremely perceptive. They hear
most of the work.
every subtle tone in your voice -- your
Let Mistakes Be OK
exasperation when they dont get
Explain to your child that mistakes are a
something obvious, your sarcasm when
natural consequence of learning. In
they complain its too hard but you know
basketball, we dont expect you to make
they can do it, or your disappointment
every shot, the same is true in math.
when they get incorrect answers.
Then, teach them that its what they does
Toss Out Your Expectations
You must remove your expectations from
the equation. If you can be gentle,
accept mistakes, and remove the
pressure, youll see profound changes.
after making a mistake thats most
important. High achievers go back and
learn from mistakes and practice until
they get it right. Encourage your child to
do the same.
Wait Until Theyre Ready
Often, parents give advice before the
child is truly ready to listen which makes
the situation worse. Ask them to confirm
they really want your help before you
start assisting.
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How can I make sure they dont struggle
with math the way that I did?
I believe every child has unlimited and
Create a Positive Environment
untapped potential in math. Children are
There are three simple things you can do
natural mathematicians as they begin to
to foster a positive environment at home:
explore the world around them. But
1. Have a positive attitude. Your
boredom and frustration can quickly zap
enthusiasm for math will be contagious.
their interest and confidence.
2. Eliminate pressure by de-
Attitude is Everything
emphasizing mistakes. When mistakes
Research studies have repeatedly shown
occur, try saying something like, Im so
that children pick up on subtle cues from
glad that came up, because now we can
parents and teachers on their attitudes
look at it and learn from it. And always
toward math. Basically, adults who dont
acknowledge what your child did right
like math, have kids that dont like math.
before explaining what was wrong. Your
Your job is to make sure you have a
child will be more likely to put effort into
positive attitude about math. Make sure
math.
you dont say things, like I wasnt good
3. Allow your child to try and fail.
at math because your child may assume
Developing perseverance is critical to
that they wont be good at math either.
building true problem solving skills. Your
child cant develop perseverance if they
are never allowed to struggle. Dont be
too helpful and reassure them while they
are trying to solve problems on their
own. Try to be a guide without giving
away all the answers.
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How do I help my child when they teach
math totally different now?
Its true that math education has changed
If youre still confounded by the new
considerably in the last 25 years. As a
math, try reading Old Dogs, New
parent, it can be frustrating when the
Math: Homework Help for Puzzled
techniques and terminology have
Parents. Its co-authored by a professor
changed. Many parents fear that if they
of math education. Its an easy read, filled
teach their child math in a different way,
with examples and explanations to help
their child will be confused. For most
you better help your child.
students, this just isnt true!
The key is to celebrate the idea that
every problem can be solved in
multiple ways. This allows for flexibility
and creativity, its part of what makes
studying mathematics so much fun!
If you happen to teach them something
in a different way than their teacher, you
should acknowledge the difference
upfront. If they keep an open mind, your
child may find your alternative method to
be better, easier, or more meaningful. In
math, its always best to know more than
one way to solve a problem.
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How can I help with timed tests?
Is your child struggling to complete 100
are done, record the time and praise
multiplication problems in 3 minutes?
your child for their effort. After taking a
Many schools use timed tests to make
break, challenge them to repeat the
sure students develop quick recall of
worksheet while trying to improve their
"math facts. Unfortunately, for a large
initial time. This will provide two benefits.
percentage of students, these tests
First, your child will feel successful when
induce unnecessary fear and doubt.
they finish the worksheet. Second, they
It is a scientific fact that an anxious mind
cannot reach peak performance. Athletes
who are "in the zone" often report a lack
of anxiety and sense of calm. This is the
will begin to see that they can easily
increase their speed which will reduce
their anxiety and allow them to perform
better.
attitude we want to foster in math as
Track Progress Visually
well.
Make a chart to show how their
Identify Knowledge Gaps First
If your child just doesnt know some of
their facts, you must address that first.
Help them develop a understanding of
completion time is trending each day.
The visual feedback on their progress can
really help boost their confidence.
Repeat until the time goal is reached.
the underlying concepts and work on
strategies to compute facts quickly
when their memory fails them.
The Best Way to Practice
Start with a worksheet of problems
without a time constraint. When they
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How can I help my child overcome math
anxiety?
Usually, math anxiety stems from
bridge or flying a plane; no one is going
unpleasant experiences in class or on
to die if they make a mistake! In fact,
tests. Math can be unforgiving because,
mistakes are part of the learning process.
unlike in english class, every problem has
Just ask for help, figure out where you
a right answer. Students that over-
went off track and move on.
emphasize their mistakes can quickly
develop an unhealthy fear of
mathematics.
Focus On Understanding
Understanding trumps memorization
every time! Try memorizing this list of 5
Most of the time students have math
random words -- book, dog, basketball,
anxiety because they lack a deep
mustard and hair. Do you think youll
understanding. Their knowledge is
remember any of these a week from
superficial; its based on memorization of
now?
facts and procedures. Students that
rely on their memory alone struggle
when their memory fails them. Whereas a
student who understands the underlying
concept can still reason their way to a
solution even if theyve forgotten the
algorithm or formula.
Reassure Your Child
Let them know that it is perfectly OK to
make mistakes. They are not building a
What if the list was egg, milk, bread,
mayonnaise, and sour cream. What do
these words have in common? They are
foods that are white. A week from now,
you may forget them, but your chance of
recall is several times because you will
remember that the list contained foods
that are white.
The same holds true for math. You child
needs to be able to understand why
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math works the way it does and how one
concept is related to another. This will
Bonus Tip
help them greatly when their memory
Investigate how your child is being
fails them on a big test.
taught mathematics at school. Is it
mostly memorization of facts and
Encourage a Positive Attitude
algorithms? Are they getting
Change your childs vocabulary when it
stressed out by timed tests on
comes to math. No one really dislikes
math facts? If you answered, yes
math, they dislike the feeling of not
to either of these questions, then
being good at math.
its time to do some things at home
Make sure your child uses positive words
when describing math class, math
homework, etc. Even if they dont mean
it right now, its important to fake it,
until you make it..
to make math more fun and
relevant. Your child needs to see
how much fun math can be and
how it relates to the real world. See
the section titled, How do I
foster a love of math for great
Address Knowledge Gaps
ideas to make mathematical
Finally, if the root cause is a lack of
thinking more fun.
understanding of the concepts (not the
facts), then its time to seek help. Talk
to your childs teacher first and find out
exactly which concepts are challenging
for your child. Take that information to a
place like Math Plus Academy where they
can help address those issues teach your
child the fundamentals.
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