How Parents Can Support Math Learning at Home

Parental Involvement in their child’s learning is powerful. When parents take the time to do things at home to support their child, their child can build not only in their understanding of the topics learned at school, but in their confidence. 

According to Annie E. Casey Foundation, “Parental involvement is the active, ongoing participation of parent or primary caregiver in the education of a child. Parents can do this at home by:

• Create a home environment that encourages learning
• Communicate high, yet reasonable, expectations for achievement
• Stay involved in your child’s education at school”

The article went on to address the benefits to the students when parents get involved in their child’s learning: 

“Children whose families are engaged in their education are more likely to:

• Earn higher grades and score higher on tests
• Graduate from high school and college
• Develop self-confidence and motivation in the classroom
• Have better social skills and classroom behavior”

Children’s Corner Learning Center has 10 tips for Parents

“Parents are a child’s first teachers and the home is a child’s first classroom. As key resources for learning and growth, parents help to shape a child’s social, emotional and physical development so that he/she can thrive in school and beyond.

10 Tips for Parents

1. Set up a daily family routine, including healthy eating and sleeping habits
2. Provide a place and time at home for homework
3. Check on assignments, homework and projects
4. Talk each day with your child about his/her activities
5. Promote literacy by reading to your child and by reading yourself
6. Limit and monitor TV watching, gaming, social media and computer time
7. Express high expectations and standard for your child’s learning
8. Attend parent-teacher conferences, Open House and Back-To-School events
9. Participate in decisions that affect your child’s education

    10.)Tap into community resources with visits to a library, museum, zoo or theater and       encourage participation in after-school clubs, sports, and art activities”

I think we can all agree there are a lot of other ways we can get involved with our child’s learning, but these two authors have given great advice. Now, if we consider the ways that parents can get involved with their child’s math journey, it is probably going to look a lot like their reading journey. I feel the number one thing that you can do to support your child with their math is to spend time with them learning together! 

Here are some of my ideas about how I feel parents can help their child with the learning and how this will support their successful journey with math:

1. Read stories together! Yes, reading is a part of math! If your child learns how to read well, then they will be able to understand the complex vocabulary that is learned in math class. They will know how to read a mathematical expression because those are also read from left to right just like a sentence. 
2. Play games. Learning to play games helps your child learn vital skills for math. They learn to listen and follow directions and steps in a process. They learn to problem solve and make decisions. They learn that there are many ways to solve a problem. 
3. Learn math facts! If you have followed me anywhere, you know that it is important that your child knows their math facts. Be sure to look back at my blog article on that for tips and tricks to help your child. 
4. Cook and Bake! This is a great way to follow steps in a process and learn about measurement of solids and liquids. 
5. Measure things! Use rulers and tape measures so your child knows how to use them. 
6. When helping with homework, be patient and let your child know that there is more than one way to solve a math problem. If they cannot solve the problem the way the teacher expects, but you can show them a new way, then do it! It might be just right for your child!
7. Use educational websites that offer support with math skills that you do not know how to teach your child. I always recommend khanacademy.org because it hosts countless lessons and videos that your child can use to understand math concepts. They have built in math practice on those concepts. 
8. Use YouTube! Yes, look up keywords and find qualified educators to “show” you how to do math topics.
9. Stay positive! Don’t talk negatively about math. When you speak in a negative tone or get frustrated and angry, your child associates those feelings towards math. If you want them to be successful, you should be neutral or positive about math. Encourage them as much as you can, but if you are really stuck, get help! 
10. Have fun and keep learning right along with your child. 

Annie E Casey Foundation: https://www.aecf.org/blog/parental-involvement-vs-parental-engagement

Children’s Corner: https://www.childrenscornergroup.com/promote-childrens-learning-at-home/

For more information about Tutoring with Sheryl, be sure to visit: https://midwesttutor.com/home-2/ or https://linktr.ee/sheryluehling

For support with games to play with your child, be sure to visit Tutoring with Sheryl on YouTube.