If you’re a parent who doesn’t see yourself as mathematically adept, it can feel difficult to create a successful mathematical environment for your student. What if you could “flip the script” and learn alongside your student? Join us for a discussion about fostering your own mathematical success so you can model it for your students.

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Show Notes

Modeling that skill of lifelong learning has value—for both the student AND the parent! Learning HOW to learn is possibly more important than the actual material. It’s okay if you forgot it from when you were in school. You can learn again. 

Be okay with modeling the struggle. This is especially valuable for those parents who dislike math, dread teaching it, or feel ill-equipped to teach. You are probably the BEST teacher for your student. There is power in coming alongside your student to learn with them. If you dislike it, it’s probably because you also struggled and never gained confidence. Using Math-U-See, parents can learn alongside their students because the video lessons show the HOW and the Instructional Manual shows the WHY of mathematics. You need both to be successful.

We have the privilege of reframing mistakes for our students and ourselves! Mistakes are an opportunity for deeper understanding. We suggest not grading the student’s work during the learning time, but rather saving the grading for tests. Let the student find value in retracing their steps through a problem to discover where it went wrong and try to correct it themselves. The satisfaction of learning why you got it wrong builds confidence.

Having the ability to explain cohesively is a learned skill. Don’t discount the value of learning this process.

Mathematics stretches the brain by building evaluation abilities, critical-thinking skills, and logical processes. Don’t discount the value of using multisensory work whenever possible to develop all your student’s neural pathways.
I referenced a TED Talk today about the difference between bravery and perfection, and we believe that you would benefit from the message herein.

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