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When I went to high school hrummph years ago, my favorite subjects were history and math. They still are. During college, I went thru calculus due to my major, but I cannot say that I remember the formulas let alone the terminology. My son is now 15 years old and has the same ease with math that I had at his age, but of course everybody needs help once in a while. But how do you help your child in math when you yourself do not know how or remember how to do the problems? Here is my solution.

Have your child teach you the problem when he asks you to help him.

This might sound a little off, but it works. Whenever my son has a problem, I need him to explain the latest theory the teacher is teaching (because they always change). I need him to remind me of why a certain formula will work and not another one. I need him to explain a formula. I, then, have him explain the problem itself.

If these items do not spur his mind, then they will spur my mind. Most of the time, when my son gets to talking about the problem he is having, a light bulb will go off over his head right in the middle of explaining to me the things I need to know to help him. If that doesn't happen, then I (having the concept by now) will be able to explain it in a slightly different way than he explained it to me or sometimes, I can explain a whole different way to solve the problem that is easier.

Because I help him this way, it seems to help him more than if I helped him with just that one problem. By doing this, he is able to apply what he learned not just for that one problem, but many problems afterwards.

Learn more about this author, BL Williams.
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