You have completed your questionnaire. Based on your responses, we crafted a customized report for you.
Keep reading to find out our recommendations for your child for reaching their main math goal, their potential for improvement and the exact reasons why they are struggling with math.Your child math understanding seems strong. Their test scores are high and they finish most or all of their homework. But their test scores aren’t consistent enough for a straight A. Too often, they stumble upon a problem on a test, that they are unsure about or have no idea how to solve. It’s always a disappointment, and it really prevents them from reaching beyond 90% overall grade.
Your child needs help covering math thoroughly, bridging the gap between the homework and tests. They are strong in math, so the goal is to cover the top 10-20% of the problems, to reach thorough and comprehensive understanding – the level needed for a straight A. They need help expanding beyond homework, when homework doesn’t cover everything or doesn’t cover the specific problems your child needs help with.
Straight A is what your child needs for their GPA, as well as to be prepared and confident for future, higher-level math classes. Perhaps they are planning on taking (or are taking) AP or Honors classes which require additional effort and more in-depth understanding.
Does your child struggle to truly understand math? Do they say they understand concepts “for the most part” but frequently struggle with problems?
Most children do! During our meet-and-greet sessions, we frequently meet with A- and B-students at all math levels, including students taking Advanced and Honors classes. Even though they are getting decent grades and have a good understanding of the concepts, it doesn’t take more than several minutes to find problems they have no idea how to solve. It’s shocking!
To truly understand math, your child needs to expand beyond school’s surface-level fixation on homework and tests. They need to stop thinking that solving several examples and finishing homework is enough. It isn’t. They need to stop thinking in terms of grades. They need to start thinking in terms of solving. One of the most common issues with math is the difference between the homework scores and test scores. Many parents are shocked to find out that a good homework score doesn’t mean their child mastered the material. Not even close!
Your child needs to go beyond homework: focus on variations of problems, combinations of concepts, analysis of mistakes, step by step understanding and asking “why” questions. Variations of problems and combinations will allow your child to see concepts from different angles and perspectives. It will allow them to see how the elements of concepts connect and interact. That, along with in-depth analysis of their mistakes will promote step-by-step understanding. By using this learning style, they will understand math at much deeper level than they can ever reach in class.