Math is a subject that many students dread and it’s natural to feel a bit of apprehension at tackling unfamiliar concepts or reviewing material you have not seen since middle school. HomeSchool parents often find themselves needing to provide extra guidance and support to help the student understand and excel in the subject.
In this article, we’ll provide 13 tips and strategies to help any homeschooler effectively review and improve their math skills.
1. Take Advantage of Online Resources for Reviewing Math Topics
As a homeschooler, taking advantage of available online resources can be especially beneficial when it comes to reviewing math topics. A student can quickly search videos, tutorials and practice worksheets to find explanations and examples that help them understand a concept or solve a problem.
Along with homeschool-specific websites and programs, there are also a number of other helpful resources available online, including Khan Academy and Udemy. Khan Academy, in particular, provides numerous math topics explained in easy-to-understand terms. In order to help the student work through more difficult topics, Udemy offers coursework and solutions to a variety of math problems.
2. Take it Step-by-Step
Reviewing math topics can often be daunting, so it’s important to take the process in small, manageable steps. Breaking the process down into individual steps, rather than attempting to tackle the entire topic all at once, can make the review process more manageable. Start by building a strong foundation in the basics and then focus on more advanced topics.
As the student progresses, they’ll gain an overall understanding of the material, which will only become easier as they practice and review the concepts multiple times.
3. Utilize Visuals
Utilizing visuals when reviewing math can be especially helpful, especially for students who are more visually oriented. Utilizing visuals such as diagrams, charts or graphs can help students connect the concepts and make them easier to comprehend.
For example, creating a graph to visualize how two equations intersect can help the student gain an understanding of how the concepts are related. Additionally, using visuals as a tool in problem solving can help the student work through a problem more quickly and accurately.
4. Watch Instructional Videos
Another helpful tool when reviewing a specific math topic is to watch instructional videos. This is particularly beneficial when the student is trying to understand a difficult concept, as the videos can provide them with further explanation and examples to help them form a better understanding of the material.
Online, there are plenty of tutorials and videos available to help the student work their way through a challenging concept, whether they’re seeking help with statistics or geometry.
5. Practice, Practice, Practice
Perhaps the most important aspect of reviewing a math topic or concept is to practice, practice, practice! The more practice a student gets, the more comfortable they’ll become with the material.
Allowing the students to work through an example problem and then demonstrate their understanding of the concept is an excellent way to review a specific topic. This is also an effective way to see how the student is progressing and which areas they may need additional assistance.
6. Utilize Games and Puzzles
Games and puzzles can be a great way to make math fun while helping the student review a specific topic. Use word problems, crosswords and Sudoku in order to engage the student while they’re reviewing a specific concept.
Additionally, by using flash cards and Jeopardy-style game boards, you can make the review process both educational and fun.
7. Try Hands-On Activities
Hands-on activities can be an effective way to review a math topic, especially when working with younger students. With hands-on activities, the student is able to gain a physical understanding of the concept, which can help with problem solving and grasping a difficult concept.
For example, having the student build a 3-D object to represent a fraction can be a great way for them to get a better understanding of the concept.
8. Use Mnemonic Devices
Mnemonic devices are a great tool to help the student remember facts and concepts. These can be helpful when reviewing topics such as multiplication, integers and fractions. For example, a student can create a story to remember the order of operations, or they can use word association to remember the Pythagorean theorem.
9. Ask Questions and Clarify
Asking questions can often be the best way for students to gain further understanding of a concept. Encourage the student to look for clarification on the points that are difficult to comprehend.
An excellent way to ensure the student has a complete understanding is for the parents or instructor to ask the student to explain the concept in their own words. This will solidify their understanding of a particular concept and allow them to demonstrate their knowledge.
10. Create a Study Guide/
Another effective tool when it comes to review is creating a study guide or outline. A study guide is a helpful resource that allows the student to go back and review specific topics at any time. Additionally, creating an outline of a particular math concept can help the student gain a better understanding of the material.
This can help when tackling more difficult concepts as it breaks down a problem into individual components, making it easier to solve.
11. Review Past Tests
When it comes time to review material, one of the best ways to prepare for a test is to look back at past tests and practice questions. Going through old tests and problems can help the student gain a better understanding of the material and figure out which topics may need further review.
By going through past tests, the student can identify patterns in their mistakes and narrow down their weaknesses.
12. Check for Understanding
When it comes to review, it’s important to periodically check for understanding throughout the process. This can involve having the student answer questions or going through a specific concept step-by-step, for example.
Additionally, having the student explain a concept in their own words will help ensure they have a complete understanding of the material.
13. Reward Systems
Finally, it can be helpful to implement a reward system in order to incentivize the student while they’re reviewing their material. This can involve implementing a point system or setting up a reward chart that will give the student a feeling of accomplishment as they progress through the review. Rewards can come in the form of extra free time, a short break, or a small incentive such as a treat, movie or game.
Conclusion
Math can be an intimidating subject for homeschoolers, but with the right strategies and practice, your student can excel and gain a better understanding of the material. The tips outlined in this article provide a great starting point when it comes to review and improvement of math skills.
Utilizing online resources, breaking the process down into small, manageable steps and taking advantage of games and puzzles can be helpful tools when trying to gain further understanding of a concept. With practice and hard work, any homeschooler can master the material.