Building Math Skills Article Archive

Practical advice about how to help your child improve her math skills. Fun math games, how to think mathematically, handling money, overcoming math anxiety. Find even more on building math skills at home.

• Handwritten Thank-You Notes Offer Many Ways To LearnParents can add humor—and math and history learning—to this task, which is one that most children initially resist.
• High School Math: How Parents Can Help Build SkillsSome simple strategies and encouragement will benefit students who are struggling in math.
• Simple Ideas To Help Overcome Math AnxietySome middle school children get so anxious about math, they dread going to class. Or they worry so excessively about a test, they make mistakes.
• Help Your Child Practice Interpreting GraphicsBy middle school, it is highly important that your child is comfortable with graphics.
• Shopping Trip Links Math Skills to Daily LifeOne of the best ways to encourage learning is to connect lessons to real life.
• Turn Boring Road Trips Into Fun Math LessonsAdults use math to plan trips all the time.
• Help Your Middle Schooler Practice PercentagesHave you ever overtipped a waiter to avoid figuring out a percent problem?
• Budgeting Builds Math SkillsA key middle school math concept is figuring out the mean (or average) of numbers.
• Games Can Help Your Child Master Math FactsMany kids make it to middle school and don’t know their basic math facts.
• Measuring Items Teaches Ratio, ProportionRatio and proportion tell us how large something is in comparison with something else.
• Counting Heartbeats an Opportunity To Practice EstimationFebruary is American Heart Month. Challenge your child to count her heartbeat and hone her estimation skills.
• Everyday Activities Build Middle School Math SkillsEducators say games and hands-on activities are the best way for middle schoolers to learn math.
• Practice Math at the Grocery StoreA trip to the grocery store is always a learning opportunity.
• Build Math Skills With Million Dollar EstimatesMany kids don’t have a sense of big numbers or large amounts of money.
• Investment Game Teaches Important SkillsNearly every middle schooler is interested in making money.
• Estimation Can Help With Solving Math ProblemsMath is a subject that typically depends on precise answers. But the first step to arriving at those answers is often to look the problem over and make an “educated guess” or estimation.
• Middle School Math MythbustersSchools and community groups have made a real effort to encourage more students to take math each year.
• Ways To Help Your Middle Schooler Succeed in MathEven if you can, it’s not a good idea to try to “reteach” your child what he doesn’t get in math class.
• Teach Your Teen How To Keep Up With Records, File TaxesIf your teen held a paying job during the year, she’ll need to file a tax return.
• Give Your Teen Advice to Plan Ahead for Final Math ExamsHow to get ready for that big math test.