Signs Your Child Needs Extra Help with Math

By: Dallan Hunt

As parents, we experience adversity and challenges on a daily basis. We don’t always have the skills or time to do everything ourselves. It doesn’t mean we are failures, but only that we are human. Often your child will experience their own adversity and challenges as well, and specifically with learning math. It is important, therefore, to understand your child’s learning, and how to tell if there is a problem.

Here are a few signs to look for to know whether your child may need extra help with math:

1. 1. Has a negative attitude.
      A negative attitude is often a clear sign of a problem. Your child may insist they don’t like math and have no patience for it. They may even try to convince themselves and others that they aren’t good at math, saying things like, “I’ll probably get it wrong,” or “I’m just not a math person.” Alternatively, your child may not take responsibility for their learning, always ready with excuses or blame for others as to why they didn’t do well. Talk to your child about math and you’ll get a sense of their attitude fairly quickly. If they have a poor attitude, that’s a sign they need extra help.
   2. Lacks willingness or focus.
      A negative attitude can lead your child to lack willingness or focus towards math, which is another problem. Depending on your child’s age, they should be able to work uninterrupted and consistently for an appropriate length of time. Or instead are they always distracting themselves with things like social media? Do they give up easily? Are they not willing to try first by themselves? There are many ways to avoid math, and if your child lacks willingness or focus, that’s a sign they need extra help.
   3. Struggles with homework.
      Another check is homework time, which is important because it is the opportunity to see how well your child can succeed independently. Do they take an unreasonably long amount of time to finish? Do they not finish at all? Is homework often handed in late? Does your child have anxiety towards math homework? Answers to these questions can come from discussions with your child and their teacher. If homework time is a struggle, that’s a sign they need extra help.
   4. Is missing foundational skills.
      If your child only minimally met expectations from previous grades, or even struggled with a few critical chapters, it could mean your child is missing important foundation skills. Since the material of each new grade level builds on prior grades, when your child struggles with basic skills, it’s difficult to expect them to master harder ones. If you want to check if your child is missing lower-level skills, try the following:

      -Look at their tests and see what kinds of errors they make. Are they reoccurring mistakes?
      -Ask their school teacher for feedback.
      -Try a lower level workbook.
      -Get a formal assessment done. Sylvan offers comprehensive assessments that help identify your child’s current academic standing and the exact skills they need support with.

It’s important to know if your child is missing important foundation skills. If they are, that’s a sign they need extra help.

1. Overall, getting extra help for your child is an important decision. As a parent, it isn’t always easy to tell if it’s the right time. The signs presented here are a good starting point to guide your decision for getting extra help. If you are considering it, have an open discussion with your child to see what they think. You are almost certain to get better results if your child is onboard.

If you are looking for a tutoring support that builds confidence through personalized learning and provides academic growth like no other, then reach out to your local Sylvan. We can be a great resource for your family!