In the United States, the statistics on youth and their math scores have become worrisome. USA ranked 31st in math literacy out of 79 countries in the 2019 PISA, an international exam given to teenagers. There are only a smaller-than-average share of top-performing math students in America, and scores have been flat for two decades. With these troublesome statistics, it’s more than apparent that students need an extra hand to improve their mathematical abilities. Through enrolling your child in a math help center, you’ll help them build the foundations he or she needs in strengthening their math skills, preventing them from becoming victims of declining US math standards.
Still not sure if a math help center is necessary for your child? Here are three telltale signs that your child needs to be in one:
1. You notice a pattern of frustration when they do their math homework.
When seeing your child do their math homework, you may see furrowed eyebrows, hear deep sighs and maybe a groan here and there – those all point to their frustration from not being able to understand the math at hand. With such frustration, math becomes much more difficult for them to enjoy and advance in.
Without help from a math learning center, that resentment and displeasure from math (a.k.a math anxiety) sticks to your child as they grow older. Such is reflected in current US K-12 institutions. Over 1.2 million students drop out of high school in the United States every year. That’s a student every 26 seconds – or 7,000 a day. In fact, the US dropout rate rose to 11.4 percent when students are required to take 6 math and science courses, compared with 8.6 percent for students who need less math and science courses in order to graduate. This is later shown in adulthood and educational fields, as only four percent of elementary teachers have a degree in math or math education.
These alarming statistics depict a lack of professionals with mathematical backgrounds, as many teachers may not possess the strongest knowledge in math. How do we expect students to have a solid mathematical understanding of concepts in return?
A math help center, as an educational aid, fills the gaps of your child’s education and strengthens their mathematical abilities. Your child’s frustration will gradually diminish, becoming more confident in math from receiving a more comprehensive and exceptional learning experience.
2. They complain about their math class.
Are you hearing your child complain about math a little too often? Their class environment and the way the teacher gives out lessons may be the cause.
If your child has lots of classmates, it indicates that there is less of a chance for them to gain their teacher’s attention to ask questions and provide clarification. They may not even find themselves learning as efficiently as the rest of the class, as each student goes through their own learning process. Although some might excel in class, other students may have trouble focusing on reviewing math problems on their own, as they may become easily distracted or fidgety.
When the class environment hinders their learning experience, it’s time for a change of scenery. A math help center can create a relaxed yet academic environment for your child to learn, stimulating their interest and capacity for math and its concepts.
3. They’re highly gifted in math.
“Highly gifted in math? They don’t need a math help center then!”
Here’s the problem: your child, in developing a concrete understanding of the lesson quicker than the rest of their classmates, can’t learn another topic until the teacher says so. When this occurs at every lesson, the math classes will start to bore them. With no challenges or opportunities to cultivate their intelligence, they lose interest in school as their motivation declines. This can lead to acting out in class, a decline in grades, or both. A study by Thomas B. Fordham Institute examined this behavior, finding that thirty to fifty percent of top students struggled to maintain their academic feats and performance over the course of K-12 schooling. Without morale or a determination to improve, the talents of high-achieving students will, unfortunately, go to waste.
Nurturing your child’s passion and talent for math requires external resources to challenge and enhance their skills. A math help center is the perfect place to do so, as it offers all the tools necessary to provide your child with an enticing and enriching math education – no matter the skill level.
Conclusion
There is one common outcome when comparing these three signs: they can all lead to your child ending up with a poor academic performance in math, whether through homework, tests, etc. Even the most gifted student, when bound to a strict math curriculum, can lose motivation to maintain their grades due to a lack of educational stimulation at their level.
This is why a math help center is needed for your child’s mathematical improvement in school and in life. Experts have stated that children if score below the 50th percentile on standardized tests, need supplemental educational guidance. With a math learning center, your child’s mind can continue to prosper in developing lasting mathematical skills.
If any of these signs apply to your child, we’re here to help them achieve math excellence. As schools shift to digital platforms due to COVID-19, we continue to be a math learning center dedicated to helping our students receive high-quality and meaningful education in math. Let us help your child not only grow in math abilities but also confidence in becoming an essential problem-solver for the future. Visit our website to find math tutoring in Katy, Richmond, Cypress, Sugar Land, Missouri City and/or Hillcroft, or call us at 1-844-628-4243 to book a free assessment today!
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Citations:
https://www.scholastic.com/parents/family-life/parent-child/guide-to-after-school-programs.html
https://www.prodigygame.com/blog/child-struggling-with-math/
https://www.dosomething.org/us/facts/11-facts-about-high-school-dropout-rates#fn1
https://www.theedadvocate.org/high-school-dropout-rates-up-are-math-and-science-the-cause/