6th Grade Math

Its Not About Knowing the Answers - Its About Asking the Right Questions

Kiddos get stuck - it happens all the time. A great supportive strategy is to model the kinds of thinking they can use to make the question or plan more clear. Here are some questions parents can ask to help shed light on important pieces of information.

What is the problem asking us to do?

Math word problems are written upside down. The main topic or question is usually at the end. Most students don’t actually read that far. Having them focus on the question will help them sort out the rest of the problem.

What are the facts we need to solve the problem?

If your kiddo gets stuck with this one, have them read line by line and make a list, or draw a picture of the known facts. Add some fun by scratching out anything that isn't needed. Getting rid of unnecessary facts usually boils a problem down to only a few key pieces.

Where have you seen something like this before?

At times homework problems are not identical to those discussed in class. These helps kiddos make connections or expand their problem solving, very important skills. Luckily, and most often, nightly homework problems look very similar to those from notes or class activities. Start looking over notes or other resources to find similar problems to use as guides.

Can you brainstorm 3 different ways to solve this problem?

Kids feel the need to automatically know the answer. If they did, they could skip middle school and head straight to college. Help them brainstorm a few options - accept a bunch of different strategies (even if some might be wrong) just get the juices flowing, then help narrow the list down to a logical plan.

Can you make a guess? How can you prove you are right?

Model this by offering a guess you know is way off! Kids love telling adults they are wrong, so give them a chance to tell you why your ridiculous guess isn’t correct. Then narrow it down together. This process has many benefits. It makes thinking and reasoning a part of the problem, creates a safe place to get answers wrong, and begins to teach a logical way of using guess and check.