A few months ago, a parent told me she feared her daughter had a major learning problem.
The mother had spent many hours with the girl practicing fraction-related math facts. The girl seemed to master a skill, but then, the next time they sat down together, had forgotten all they had practiced so diligently before. The mother concluded that her daughter needed special education services — but when she had her tested, was told she didn’t qualify.
What was going on? What could be done?
It wasn’t hard to figure out that the girl simply did not understand fractions, in particular what the denominator (the bottom number) and the numerator (the top number) actually meant. That lack of knowledge blocked her ability to add and subtract fractions, make any sense of equivalent fractions, and so on.
The trick was, that the girl didn’t know she didn’t understand. She just assumed fractions were too hard for her, which made her feel miserable. That led her to avoid the math topic that had become so painful. When she started working with me, she neither asked questions nor could engage in anything related to fractions.
Only when we worked through this initial resistance, was she willing to turn her mind to the topic. Only then did she begin asking questions. Only then did she begin to discover that yes, she could learn fractions!
What had changed?
The lack of any genuine understanding of fractions had locked the girl into a single learning strategy: mechanical repetition of procedures. The problem here, is not imitation as such. Imitating procedures demonstrated by a teacher can have a place in math learning. But unless the imitation is accompanied by growth in genuine understanding (link to other blog post) the imitated procedures will not stick in memory, or establish a foundation for the next steps in mathematical learning.
Students differ in what helps math stick in their minds. Some can practice and understand math easily, yet may not be able to explain to others what they are able to do in practice. They see math patterns and understand the relevant symbols with minimal instruction, and the timing of the instructor’s explanation in the classroom is just right for them. For others, it’s absolutely crucial to have explicit instruction and a variety of models before math begins to make sense. Both types of students will benefit from a deeper understanding of math concepts if the first working explanation is followed up by supportive practice.
Understanding what your child is up against is an important step in supporting your child and becoming his/her advocate. Remember these key points.
1) Readiness for math.
Your child may have missed relevant math concepts and/or skills because he/she wasn’t ready when it was presented.
2) Your child isn’t lazy.
No one wants to tackle problems that seem impossible and make one feel incompetent.
3) Your child can learn math.
She might need more review or a larger framework for understanding. He might need an explanation of fundamental questions not addressed in class. Many modern math curricula require a pace that is too fast for students. Think back to all you had to learn in school. More is being asked of students in recent years than ever before, and the trend is toward acceleration.
Self-confidence grows as skills, understanding and success grows.
Building up confidence is a huge step in improving learning, and with it comes the final necessary ingredient: motivation — the desire to learn more, and be an active participant in learning.
Your child is the learner who has to own her learning, but you are her advocate and supporter.
Just remember that everyone can learn math!
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If you would like more information or help, please contact me at 503-334-7816 or by Email.
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