Are you able to help your kid with math homework?

[Anonymous]

My 5th grader is in advanced math (not FCPS). I'm able to spot calculation errors, but otherwise I'm completely at sea when it comes to math homework: I do not know how to do the problems, or sometimes I know but I'm not familiar with the method she's being asked to use.

Anybody else? What do you do when your kid needs help? I am not 100% convinced DD should be in advanced math - not because she can't do it, but because the class is moving fast and I want to make sure she gets the basics down really well at this level, which I apparently did not.

[Anonymous]

There are lots of videos online. If you are unfamiliar with the particular method (they seem to do lots of strange math now that I don't remember or didn't learn), you can find those. I also ask DS to teach me, walk me through. He sees some of his errors that way and also reviews the concepts/methods. Sometimes his walkthrough jobs my memory so that I can figure out what he's doing.

[Anonymous]

I’m very comfortable with advanced math but I’m not as great about teaching it to my kids. So we usually watch a video (YouTube of Khan Academy) first before diving into it.

[Anonymous]

I can do advanced math easily but cannot teach it to kids. So I can check their work but would not be able to tutor.

[Anonymous]

I’m better than most teachers my child has and tutored him up to precalculus and statistics he is taking now.

[Anonymous]

Knowing that I have MS in Mathematics, I think I will be able to help through all of high school unless they take differential equations then I think I can read their book and pick it up very fast.

[Anonymous]

DH and I are in STEM and had math instruction in different European countries. He's the mathematician, but he can't teach. I hate math but I can figure things out and explain. Videos online were helpful to my kids.

So I was able to help my kids until Calculus, DH helping vaguely by giving them the answer but being unable to explain it, and then I hired a tutor for my son's AP Calc BC class. If my second kid takes differential equations, I will be able to help, because for some reason that's easier for me than AP Calc BC, which is so blaeurgh.

We muddle through.

[Anonymous]

Your kid gets 40minutes a day in class; you don't. She's fine. Don't hold her back because you forgot math.

[Anonymous]

No. The last math class I took was pre-calc in 11th grade. I have not done any math beyond basic addition, division, etc in over 20 yrs. Luckily, my kids are great at math and so is their father

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
DH and I are in STEM and had math instruction in different European countries. He's the mathematician, but he can't teach. I hate math but I can figure things out and explain. Videos online were helpful to my kids.

So I was able to help my kids until Calculus, DH helping vaguely by giving them the answer but being unable to explain it, and then I hired a tutor for my son's AP Calc BC class. If my second kid takes differential equations, I will be able to help, because for some reason that's easier for me than AP Calc BC, which is so blaeurgh.

We muddle through.

how much did it cost to hire a Calc BC tutor? pretty much needed for entire academic year, and how often? Did the tutor follow the school textbook problems, or use a workbook or come up with custom lesson plan, and how did it align with school lesson plan? was it in-person or online?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My 5th grader is in advanced math (not FCPS). I'm able to spot calculation errors, but otherwise I'm completely at sea when it comes to math homework: I do not know how to do the problems, or sometimes I know but I'm not familiar with the method she's being asked to use.

Anybody else? What do you do when your kid needs help? I am not 100% convinced DD should be in advanced math - not because she can't do it, but because the class is moving fast and I want to make sure she gets the basics down really well at this level, which I apparently did not.

5th and 6th grade math is not rocket science

[Anonymous]

Pre-algebra, yes, but then some algebra and geometry no and definitely nothing in Algebra II. I would encourage you to get your kid to take advantage of resources like office hours or Khan academy. Don't feel bad about not being able to help. For a kid on the advanced math track that point will come soon enough for the vast majority of parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
DH and I are in STEM and had math instruction in different European countries. He's the mathematician, but he can't teach. I hate math but I can figure things out and explain. Videos online were helpful to my kids.

So I was able to help my kids until Calculus, DH helping vaguely by giving them the answer but being unable to explain it, and then I hired a tutor for my son's AP Calc BC class. If my second kid takes differential equations, I will be able to help, because for some reason that's easier for me than AP Calc BC, which is so blaeurgh.

We muddle through.

how much did it cost to hire a Calc BC tutor? pretty much needed for entire academic year, and how often? Did the tutor follow the school textbook problems, or use a workbook or come up with custom lesson plan, and how did it align with school lesson plan? was it in-person or online?

A lot, because we went with a very expensive tutoring outfit close to our house, Prep Matters. In-person once a week for several months. The tutor explained the concepts that DS was missing and prepared him for the AP exam. No textbook, just custom, I suppose, with a ton of practice AP exams.

[Anonymous]

Nope, but DH can.

I have a list of learning issues that makes math challenging for me. I understand the concepts and application but solving by hand is pretty much impossible. Give me a computer program and a data set and I am fine. So teaching math or helping with math is a no go.

DH is a chemical engineer who loves math and reviews DS homework with him. He mainly reminds DS to show his work neatly so he doesn’t lose track of inputs and end up with the wrong answer. Then they go over alternative solutions that are faster ways to solve the problems.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
DH and I are in STEM and had math instruction in different European countries. He's the mathematician, but he can't teach. I hate math but I can figure things out and explain. Videos online were helpful to my kids.

So I was able to help my kids until Calculus, DH helping vaguely by giving them the answer but being unable to explain it, and then I hired a tutor for my son's AP Calc BC class. If my second kid takes differential equations, I will be able to help, because for some reason that's easier for me than AP Calc BC, which is so blaeurgh.

We muddle through.

how much did it cost to hire a Calc BC tutor? pretty much needed for entire academic year, and how often? Did the tutor follow the school textbook problems, or use a workbook or come up with custom lesson plan, and how did it align with school lesson plan? was it in-person or online?

A lot, because we went with a very expensive tutoring outfit close to our house, Prep Matters. In-person once a week for several months. The tutor explained the concepts that DS was missing and prepared him for the AP exam. No textbook, just custom, I suppose, with a ton of practice AP exams.

$175/hr? I think we'll go buy Orville Redenbacher's Butter Popcorn - 12ct from Target for $4.99, and watch khan academy and youtube lesson videos.