When entering into the world of homeschooling, naturally moms can be anxious about the uncharted waters. With so many families now homeschooling in some form or fashion, parents everywhere are looking for help. If you need help with how to teach homeschool math, you’re in the right place.
Virtual Schooling Is Not Homeschooling
If your children are currently engaged in virtual schooling and if they’re:
- struggling with assignments being sent home,
- and if they’re crying or
- acting out or melting down out of frustration…
There’s hope, Friend.
How To Teach Homeschool Math: Change Your Outlook
While 2020 has been insanity, if we’re able to shift our perspective, we can see the goodness in it. It can be the best situation that ever happened in your child’s educational journey. Now you can focus on what your child needs in order to progress educationally.
Take A Step Back
First, I want to encourage you to allow your child to take a step back…it’s not only OK to do this, but actually a necessary step. It is critical that a child have a solid foundation in basic math skills in order to succeed in math.Identify Your Starting Point
First, it is important to find out where your child stands in math. If you can get your child to take some sort of diagnostic test, then I recommend you find an online math assessment to get an idea of where your child is currently. Listen in to Episode 33 for more information on assessment tools. I also offer 11 Strategies To Help Struggling Math Students
Is your child struggling with basic math facts?
So if your child is stuck on multiplication facts, that’s where teaching homeschool math must begin. Because nine times out of ten, if those foundational math skills are not automatic yet, it makes school work that much more challenging; it makes it that much more difficult long term.
Check out Times Tales for a way and multisensory way to learn math facts quickly.
How To Teach Homeschool Math: One Step At A Time
Address only one concept at a time. You may decide:
“We will focus on multiplication facts this week. We will specifically target the 7s and the 8s time tables. Once we master those, we will move to the 4s and the 9s.” (Again, this is only an example.)
- Be specific,
- Intentional,
- Create a loose plan and follow it sequentially step by step.
Because when it comes to homeschool math, your child needs a solid foundation. Without that, your child will continue to struggle as the concepts continue to build.
How Do I Homeschool If My Child Has ADHD?
Many parents have been told that their child is a wiggly worm or off in his own world. Whether your child has been officially diagnosed with ADHD or not, know that this is likely one of your child’s greatest strengths. If you are feeling overwhelmed with how to best navigate your child’s ADHD brain, be encouraged.
Check out episode 25 with some of my favorite teaching tips to support your child’s ADHD genius.
RELATED POST: 19 Teaching Tips- Homeschooling ADHD Kids
Homeschool Math: Incorporate Movement
When working on memorizing math facts or learning anything, I cannot more highly recommend incorporating movement. This is especially beneficial if your child is one who “can’t sit still.” Friend, this “can’t sit still” is part of your child’s unique-wiring. Embrace this and use it to your child’s advantage.
Homeschool With Short Lessons
Using addition facts for the moment, grab a set of flash cards. Then take that deck of addition cards, go outside, set a timer for five minutes, and practice math facts. Next and most importantly, you want to reduce the pressure by indicating to your child that the addition practice will only take five minutes.
Supporting Kinesthetic Learners In Your Homeschool
Practical ways to incorporate movement and much needed input to prime the brain for learning include:
- Jumping Rope,
- Swinging on the swings,
- Jumping on the trampoline
Hold up the flashcards in front of your student while they are engaging in the movement activity. Start calling out the math facts and watch your wiggly student thrive.
Do what works best for your child. However, when you have a child who is struggling to memorize facts, increase the opportunity for the brain to receive and process the information by including movement.
Parents Are The Primary Teacher
Finally, remember that you are the primary teacher both now and quite frankly, you have always been. Your child is only to benefit from spending this season strengthening foundational skills and deepening relationship with you.
Ready to look at homeschool math curriculum? Check out How To Choose Homeschool Math Curriculum where I offer 5 things every mom needs to know before purchasing any curriculum. Save yourself money, stress and time and read that here.
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sick of the uphill battles every.single.day?
Check out homeschooling the distracted child and learn how to harness the power of your child’s ADHD genius- and end the stress for good!
