My student is telling me that the Math-U-See curriculum is too repetitive; I’m not sure what to do.

A key component to mastering any new skill or concept is sufficient amounts of practice. But often practice can feel dull and unexciting when there are all sorts of new things out there waiting to be learned. Fortunately, even small tweaks to a routine can help make math feel fresh and exciting again.

Here are three quick tips to keep math engaging.

1) Skip Lesson Practice Sheets

The goal of using Math-U-See is mastery not drudgery. If your student can demonstrate mastery of a new concept, you can adjust the number of problems you assign or skip any or even all of the Lesson Practice worksheets for that lesson. We do still highly recommend doing at least one Systematic Review sheet in order to apply new concepts in the context of previously learned material and to keep skills sharp.

2) Let an Older Sibling Tutor

In addition to this being a fun opportunity for sibling interaction, research suggests it can also be a great way for your students to sharpen their math skills! When students engage in peer tutoring they organize their knowledge improving their own understanding of the material. As a result, they recall it more accurately and apply it more effectively.

3) Supplement with Activities

Instead of doing a worksheet on a particular day, have your student help you bake a cake and have them double a recipe to sneak the math skills in.

Further Reading

How Do You Use Math-U-See? [Lesson Plan]