My Teen Is Struggling With Math - What Can I Do To Help?

Whether it’s working out budgets, checking interest rates, or even working out what bonus they are due from their job, Math matters to your teen. Unfortunately, they may not yet realize this and it’s pretty common for at least some kids to struggle with Math in high school. The good news is there are strategies you can use to help them boost their confidence and performance in this subject. Keep reading to find out what they are.

Offer help at home

First and foremost helping your teen with their maths work at home does not mean doing it for them! I know that it’s awful to see them struggle, and sometimes it just feels easier to get it done and out of the way. However, this approach is not only teaching them a bad example but is putting your teen at a disadvantage with the Math work. After all, by doing it for them you are robbing them of the chance to learn and succeed on their own.

Instead, the type of help you can offer from home includes encouragement, positive reinforcement, and sitting down with them to support them as they complete the task. Also seeking out additional resources (something that is discussed in more detail below) can be helpful. In particular, there are some fantastic videos on Youtube and other social media platforms that can help explain Math problems in another way, which can be great for teens that are struggling.

Make sure they have the best teacher/tutor

Math teachers come in all varieties and sometimes if a student and a teacher don’t ‘click’ it can make learning more difficult. With that in mind, finding them a teacher or tutor that they respond to well can make all the difference here.

For example, the Teach for America reviews suggests that TFA secondary math teachers are much more effective than other instructors at their schools. To that end, asking whether your child can be placed in the class of a TFA teacher could help resolve the problem.

Of course, there will be situations where this is not possible. In those cases, searching for a good online math tutor can help a lot here. Indeed, by doing Math outside of the school environment teens often get a very different experience which can help build both their skills and confidence and help them re-approach Math in school in a more enthusiastic way.

Invest in some fun resources

Last of all, if you want to help support your teen with Math, investing in some fun and specific resources can do them the world of good. By specific, we mean resources that are directed to a particular topic within Math such as Logi, Algebra, or Statistics. Then you can target the areas in which they are in most need of help.

Fun, of course, will be different for each individual but software that makes Math problems into games, or doodle notes for specific topics can reinvigorate even the most jaded learner.

Bring in More Light

If you install a mirror on the wall, consider placing it on the opposite side of the window. When its bright and sunny outside, the sun will shine right into the bedroom and reflect off the mirror. The additional brightness may eliminate some of the dark shadows that may appear in different parts of the bedroom while naturally making the room look a lot brighter. Not only does a mirror bring in more light, it’s great to have inside of your bedroom because you make want to check your hair, makeup, or overall look before you go out somewhere.