Homeschooling children can be fun and challenging. As a parent, I get more opportunities to bond with my children. On the other hand, I am faced with some of the challenges teachers experience on a face-to-face set up at school.
Children have different learning preferences and favorite subjects. Some may enjoy Science, English, or “Recess”. Only a few students, however, will say that they love Math.
Why Do Children Struggle With Math?
Children struggle with math for different reasons. There are several factors and scenarios to consider.
There are pre-existing conditions that make Math more challenging and less fun for children. One of which is visual processing disorder where a child lacks the visual-spatial processing skills needed to align numbers and perform geometric operations.
Dyslexia may give a child a hard time learning math due to difficulty in reading numbers and following word instructions.
ADD/ADHD disorder makes children struggle to focus and learn counting, basic equations, and problem-solving. They may skip steps or do an equation in the wrong order.
Some children have dyscalculia, which is simply defined as difficulty in learning math.
Others may have developed math anxiety due to falling behind or missing an important learning step. Since math is a cumulative subject, every learning step is a prerequisite to the next one.
Once they find themselves falling behind, they may lose their self-esteem and motivation to learn math. This leads to what we call math phobia.
Golden Rule To Help Your Children Overcome Math Phobia
The good news is there are ways to help a child overcome math phobia. This is so simple, many overlook it. The golden rule or solution is to make it fun.
What Can You Do To Make Math Fun For Your Kids?
- Give children access to math tools. Math tools such as rulers, yardsticks, and weighing scales can make practicing math fun for kids.
- Play with board games and card games. These activities help children develop problem-thinking abilities while enjoying. For instance, you can let your child be the banker in a monopoly board game.
- Use picture books. Picture books can help draw the attention of your kids. You can either make one or download free resources from the internet.
- Incorporate Singapore Math. Singapore math is a more interactive way of learning math. Instead of simply being presented with a worked problem followed by an unknown problem that is solved step by step, children are taught to think through concepts and apply them in new ways from the very start. This helps connect math with other subjects and makes it more engaging.
Math can be hard for many kids. But since math plays a huge part in their lives, it’s a smart step to make it fun to help them embrace and appreciate it.
