Roadmap to Being Good at Math

A recent study found that while natural ability does help some students to grasp mathematic concepts faster, it only gets you through the first three grades. What that means is that everyone can be good at math. The good news is that, no matter how much you may struggle with math, if you are patient and determined, you can get great grades.

Imagine not dreading your math homework, imagine feeling confident about your upcoming exams. If you have always struggled to do well in math, then this is your guide to improving your math grades.

It’s all in the attitude

In a study by Patricia Linehan for Purdue University, she found that people have two attitudes to learning. One in which they believe that studying and effort will improve their abilities and one in which they believe that they either can or can’t do something and no amount of practice will help. This unfortunate attitude is called entity orientation.

When we have an entity orientation attitude towards math, we believe that we will never be good at math, no matter how much we practice or how hard we work. When you have this attitude towards math, you will find it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy as you aren’t motivated to try.

Studies have found that anyone who practices math with a positive attitude will see an improvement. Since natural talent plays such a small part when it comes to math, it means that a change in attitude is the first step to success.

Ask yourself what your attitude is and work at changing it. You can improve, and you will improve if you work hard and persevere.

How are your building blocks?

Math is a subject that requires strong foundations. If there are gaps in your knowledge from previous grades, you will find it increasingly difficult to grasp more developed concepts. You may need help with the building blocks of your knowledge.

The best thing to do here is to get a tutor. A math tutor will be able to examine your knowledge base and identify the gaps which are causing you to fall behind in class. Once you have filled in the gaps, you will be amazed at how much more sense new concepts make to you. You will find it easier to understand math and won’t have trouble keeping up with the class.

You only need a tutor to help build a solid foundation for you and get you up to speed so that you are at the same level as the rest of your class, then you should be able to keep up on your own.

Practice makes perfect

Once you have your building blocks in place, the key to math success is practice. You should set aside some time every day to work on your math problems. Try working for twenty minutes and then taking a five minute break. Studies show that twenty minutes is a small enough increment to not seem too daunting a task, but its long enough to work through a couple of sums.

Bad Grades? Here's what to Do

If your student is getting bad grades, you want to be supportive, but you also want to ensure that their academic performance improves. While it’s natural to get upset by bad grades, your student may lack the skills they require to do a better job. You can help them to take responsibility for their academic performance and provide them with the much-needed tools to get the job done.

What’s the problem?

Every student has a bad test from time to time, but if you notice a marked decline in a particular subject or in overall grades, it’s time to take action. First speak with your student to try to ascertain what the problem is. Don’t be discouraged if they can’t tell you; it may be that they just don’t know why they aren’t doing as well as their fellow students.

Speak with their teachers; your teachers are the best resource for finding the root of the problem. Problems may range from getting distracted in class, not being organized, lacking study skills or simply forgetting to complete assignments. You should also investigate the possibility of social issues like bullying.

Fixing the foundations

If your student has gaps in their knowledge, then the more their teachers build on these foundations, the less they will understand. If you suspect that this may be the issue, then get an in-home tutor to evaluate your student’s knowledge. They will be able to tell what kind of an understanding they have of the subject matter and help to fill in the gaps.

In-home tutors are able to work individually with your student so that they are able to catch up and show rapid improvement. They are also able to work in a situation where your student feels comfortable and confident. As they progress, they will feel more confident, and will be more likely to ask and answer more questions. They may be too intimidated or shy to ask questions in class.

Study skills

Teachers don’t always have the time to teach both the course material and study skills. Your student may need help with the way they study. Start by asking your tutor or teacher to ascertain what learning style suits your student best. Then show them how to convert their course materials into a format that is more accessible to them. For example, if your student is a visual learner, they can remember material by creating a mindmap, flashcards or an inforgraphic. Ensure that your student knows how to properly study, summarize and revise and how to estimate how much time they should leave for studying.

Get organized

Being organized isn’t something that comes naturally for most students. If your student often forgets about assignments and tests, loses items or doesn’t hand work in, they may need help with organizational skills. Find a calendar that works best for them. This can be a diary, a smartphone app, a whiteboard; anything that helps them to member important upcoming events.

Ensure that you check their calendar every day and help them to fill in the tests, exams and assignment’s they have coming up. Block out time between extramural activities when they are set to do their homework or study. Ensure that they have enough time to complete their schoolwork and help them to prioritize tasks.

Waiting Until Later To Procrastinate - Study Tips

With the midterms coming up, do you find yourself cleaning your room, organizing your closet and spending time with your younger siblings? You’re not going crazy, you’re just procrastinating. Procrastinating is the art of putting off studying at all costs. Finding a million things that absolutely have to be done is your way of delaying the tasks you find overwhelming or intimidating. You may feel like the mountain of work you need to get through is daunting, but delaying only causes more stress. Here are some ways to get going.

1. Make a schedule: Divide your study time into manageable chunks. Start slowly at first and then study for longer as you progress. Be realistic with your expectations. You know how much studying you can comfortably do in a day. Divide your time between all the tasks you have to do. Make sure that you leave enough time for each task so that you don’t fall behind. You can make a schedule on your computer, draw it out on paper or find a phone app to help.

2. Live in the now: When you sit down to study, don’t think about all the stuff you have to learn for exams, only think about the hour you have to study and the tasks you have to complete today. This will help you to feel less stressed about your workload. Completing your task for the day will make you feel successful. This will put you in a positive frame of mind about your studies. Dividing up the tasks will make your studies more manageable.

3. Minimize distractions: Tell your friends and family beforehand that you will be studying and that you cannot be disturbed. Be strong, even if your friends are out having fun. You need to stick to your study schedule or you will end up cramming the night before an exam, wishing you had started earlier.

4. Prioritize: Study the most difficult or intimidating work first. That way, you will know that the hard work is over first and will be more motivated to continue with your studies all the way up to the exam date. Keep your expectations realistic; the more times you fail to adhere to the study schedule, the less you are likely to try.

5. Reward yourself: When you successfully complete the tasks you have set yourself for the day, take some time out to relax. Meet up with friends, go shopping or spend some time outside. Rewarding yourself gives you time to unwind and relieves stress. You are far more likely to start studying if you know that there will be a reward at the end.

How Creating the perfect homework station can improve academic performance for Highlands Ranch Students

One way to avoid the daily struggle to get homework done and to help your student to improve their academic performance is to create a dedicated homework area. Here your student will be able to work in an atmosphere conducive to study and do their homework in a quiet, comfortable setting.

Elements of a good homework station

There are several factors that go into creating an environment conducive to study. The homework station should be quiet and out of the way of the general hustle and bustle of your home.

The homework area should have excellent lighting and an abundance of fresh air. If there is poor or stale air, fatigue and lack of concentration occur. Ensure that you clean out your HVAC filters every month to keep the air in your home fresh.

Reduce distractions by ensuring that there are no toys, pets, snacks and games nearby. The study station should only contain items pertaining to homework.

The homework area should be neat and organized with an abundance of stationary and everything your student needs for creativity.

Homework stations also have to be comfortable so ensure that your student has enough space and that the chair and table are at a comfortable height.

Tutor friendly homework spaces

If you have an in-home tutor, then the homework area should be big enough to accommodate your student and their one-on-one tutor. This reinforces the homework area as an academic space where positive, constructive work occurs.

The study station should be a quiet zone

The study station should be a dedicated area in your home where homework happens. When one of your students is in the study station, they are off limits to the rest of the family. Here they are not to be interrupted or distracted and should be left in peace.

Set homework times

Homework is best done when your students are refreshed and alert. The best time for this is usually after a short break when they have returned from school, but you and your students should work out a time that best suits your family schedule. Having a set homework time helps to establish a routine and reduces the incidence of incomplete homework.

Floral study friends

Studies show that indoor plants reduce stress, absorb sound and create fresh air. Placing a few pot plants around your student’s study area will help to create a positive atmosphere and provide a source of fresh air.

When planning and creating a study area, be sure to consult your student. Together you can create a space that best suits their study needs. Creating a space that is free from distractions and interruptions from siblings, phone calls and pets is a great way to encourage your students to complete homework tasks and study for exams.

5 Tips To Create The (Near) Perfect Homework Environment

The mind of a child is like a sponge. Children absorb what is around them. Sometimes this is good, and sometimes this is not so good. When children are learning and taking in everything around them, it is understandable that they need to have a near-perfect environment to have an optimal learning experience.

I use the phrase near-perfect environment because what may be the perfect environment for one child may not be the perfect environment for another child. We are all different people with different personalities and different learning styles. The following suggestions may be used in part or in whole. I’ve found these tips to be helpful in creating the near-perfect homework environment.

• Create the atmosphere – Having a child who is very easily distracted has made us realize the importance of having an optimal homework environment. Our daughter has her own special homework space. It is a simple, well-lit area with no distractions. When she puts her head down to work, she is more inclined to “get in the zone.” There is no noise, no toys and no activities around her, which often translates into no homework problems.

• Allow for space/breaks – When my daughter gets off the bus, she is DONE. She needs a break.  And why not? She has just completed a half-hour bus ride home and has had to stay focused all day at school. Our routine is to allow her to rest before she does anything. If she is rested, she is more inclined to stay focused and more likely to enjoy her homework. A rested brain means the brain is ready to work and is in “absorption” mode, not recovery-and-spent mode.

• Make sure the child is well fed – Food is something we all need. Having a child who is well fed will help the child work better. The human body simply cannot function properly without proper nutrition. Healthy meals and snacks help a child’s learning go a long way.

• Be organized – Being well organized is a sure way to have your child succeed in his or her studies. Have a homework caddy easily accessible so when the child is ready to start working, everything is ready to go, and there is no need to search for anything, which may cause a child to become distracted.

• Be available – Children may not want an adult right next to them while they are working, but it is important for them to know that you are available if they need you. Using phrases like, “It looks like you have worked really hard on that sentence” instead of empty praise such as, “You are the best at writing sentences” will help them realize their work is important.

These are just a few tips to help you create the near-perfect homework environment for your child. Start with these tips, and then observe doing his or her homework. You may also want to spark up a casual conversation with your child about what he or she does and doesn’t like about homework. Based on the answers, try to accommodate, and make homework something your child enjoys. How do you keep your child focused on doing homework?

- Jody A

Homework Help Tips for Parents

With school in session, I have more time. That trip to the gym is easier to squeeze in around my work schedule. The days are less stressful…and then the kids come home and that means I’m on homework help duty.

*insert ominous music here*

The house that was quiet, the laundry that was folded, the email that was half answered are all now a memory because there are things that have to be done … homework! To be quite honest, I was not always a big fan of homework. I saw it as busy work the kids were required to complete at the expense of play. I have changed my mind a bit and so has my approach to getting the work done.

• Homework is the time that I can see how my child is learning. Sitting down and working through a few problems with him shows me what he has grasped and what he hasn’t grasped.That is where my approach to homework help has changed.
• I have taken control over the areas that are still a struggle.At first, I was worried I wouldn’t teach it right or confuse the issue, but jumping in and doing it has made me realize that my kids need my help, even if it isn’t exactly how the teacher would do it.
• We spend the majority of our time on the struggle areas. When it comes to homework help, I tend to have them skip the stuff they seem to have mastered. When this happens, I will often just send a note to the teacher explaining why some things were left blank. In years of writing these notes, I have never had a teacher write back saying that it isn’t OK or penalize my child with a lower homework score for empty answer spaces.
• On most days, homework help really looks like my checking in for a moment on a particularly challenging subject. Once in a while, it looks like a mini class on the kitchen table.
• By checking in, I have also been able to determine when to bring in reinforcements. I have to admit, providing my kids with homework help isn’t always easy for me. On two occasions, the teaching was beyond what I had the skill or energy to do, so the kids went to tutoring to fill in the gap. The downside of this approach is that it takes time on my part. It isn’t always the easiest thing to fit into the family schedule!
• The other issue that I have had was that my children aren’t always thrilled to have mom’s intervention.Whining about extra work and arguing that they already “know how to do it” has been a regular part of my experience.

Holly is a  mom of three boys ages 7, 9 and 12. She has found out (the hard way) that one of the secrets to raising boys is keeping them tired, which is why she writes Kids Activities Blog, an online scrapbook of family activities, learning adventures and tips for maintaining parental sanity. Holly is such a believer in nap time that when her boys stopped taking them, she started.