Math Resources

National Council of Teachers of Mathematics

What Families Can Do: Ideas to Help Your Child Succeed in and Enjoy Mathematics

(PDF)

1. Be Positive!

If you have a negative attitude about mathematics, chances are your child will, too. Help your child have a "can do" attitude by praising your child's efforts as well as her accomplishments. Acknowledge the facts that mathematics can be challenging at times and that persistence and hard work are the keys to success. Relate mathematics learning to other endeavors that require hard work and persistence, such as playing a sport. Struggling at times in mathematics is normal and is actually necessary to, and valuable in, understanding mathematics.

2. Link Mathematics with Daily Life

Every day, people face situations that involve mathematics, such as deciding whether one has enough money to purchase a list of items at the store, reading a map to find out where one is, building a budget, deciding on the shortest route to a destination, developing a schedule, or determining the price of an item on sale. Help your child realize that mathematics is a significant part of everyday life. Suggestions for discussing mathematics with your elementary, middle, or high school child during everyday activities are listed at the end of this section.

3. Make Mathematics Fun

Play board games, solve puzzles, and ponder brain teasers with your child. Your child enjoys these kinds of activities while enhancing his mathematical thinking. Point out the mathematics involved, and have your child discuss the strategies he used.

4. Learn About Mathematics-Related Careers

Mathematics is foundational to a wide variety of interesting careers. Research different careers with your child, and find out what she should be doing now to prepare for these options. Help your child understand that the school courses she takes now and the grades she earns will affect her future. One source of information on the many career possibilities that involve mathematics is Career Ideas for Kids Who Like Math, by Diane Lindsey Reeves.

5. Have High Expectations

Traditionally, in North America the belief that only some students are capable of learning mathematics has prevailed. For example, tracking has consistently disadvantaged groups of students through classes that concentrate on remediation and do not offer significant mathematical substance. Many students, especially those who are poor, nonnative speakers of English, disabled, female, or members of racial-minority groups, have become victims of low expectations. Today we are guided by a vision of mathematics for all. You would not expect your child not to read; similarly, you should not expect your child not to do mathematics. Your attitude and expectations are crucial to influencing the future opportunities for your child. Communicate high expectations to your child and his teachers, counselors, and administrators. Make sure that your child is getting the same opportunities in mathematics as everyone else, and is taking challenging mathematics classes each year, all the way through high school.

6. Support Homework, Don't Do It!

Homework is an area that can cause trouble in most households. Relax, and remember whose homework it is. If you take over doing homework for your child, you encourage him to easily give up or seek help when working on a challenging problem. If you start to panic when you do not know how to do the mathematics, you may signal negative thoughts about mathematics to your child. Your child is not likely to be resourceful, persistent, or confident if you react in either of these ways.

Think of yourself as more of a guide rather than your child's teacher. Your role is not only to support her but also to help her take responsibility for herself. You can facilitate your child's homework by asking questions and listening to your child. The simple act of having your child explain something out loud can often help her figure out the problem. Encourage your child to also show all her calculations or a description of her thinking process on paper to support the solution to a problem. This recording gives the student something to look back on, either for review or to spot and fix a mistake. It can also furnish the teacher with useful information related to the student's reasoning and understanding.

 

From A Family's Guide: Fostering Your Child's Success in School Mathematics. Copyright © 2004 The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, Inc. www.nctm.org.  All rights reserved. This material may not be distributed electronically without written permission from NCTM.

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Working With Your Child's School

How can I work with the school to make sure my child gets the most out of math?

Just like your child, schools need your support—especially in the middle school years. Since choice made in middle school determine high school courses that either increase or limit future education and career opportunities, your participation is critical.

Two people you should get to know are your child's math teacher and the school counselor. Working with you and your child, they can help you decide the math your child will take in the future. Talk with them often. Let them know that you want to participate in making decisions.

How do you begin? Ask questions. After all, you have a right to know.

Find out if your child is getting the same opportunities in math as everyone else. Ask if a plan is already in place for your child's future math classes. If so, ask to see it. State that you have high expectations. Make it clear that you want your child to take challenging math classes each year through high school.

You'll find that teachers and counselors will be happy to answer your questions. After all, you're in this together.

Ask the Teacher About the Class

Ask the Teacher or Math Counselor About the Math Program

Ask the Teacher or Counselor About Tutoring, Support, and Enrichment for Math