What to do when you're worried about your child's maths
Safety in Numbers: For Parents of Children with Maths DifficultiesShow Notes
That niggling feeling - the one that doesn't quite go away, even when you can't put your finger on exactly what's wrong - is the starting point for this episode.
I look at why, in the early stages, it's difficult to tell a normal learning wobble apart from something more persistent, and what actually separates the two over time. I talk through the patterns worth watching for, why "everything's fine" from school isn't the final word, and why shifting from judgement to observation changes everything about how useful your worry can be.
We cover: Why a temporary gap in learning and a deeper difficulty can look almost identical at first, and what tells them apart over time Three patterns worth paying attention to: persistence, inconsistency and effort without expected progress Why a child working hard and still not making progress doesn't have a motivation problem Why "the teacher hasn't noticed anything" doesn't mean your concerns aren't valid The difference between asking "is my child bad at maths?" and asking "what am I actually seeing?" and why it is important to distinguish between those two questions Why a child's belief about themselves as a learner matters just as much as being able to do the maths itself Why asking questions at school isn't being a "pushy parent"
References: Dweck, C. S. (2006). Mindset: The New Psychology of Success. Random House. Boaler, J. (2016). Mathematical Mindsets: Unleashing Students' Potential through Creative Math, Inspiring Messages and Innovative Teaching. Jossey-Bass.
Next episode: Why does my child still use their fingers in maths? — why the advice to stop might be getting it exactly backwards.
Free companion guide Download the free companion guide for this episode, with practical ideas for developing your child’s understanding of number by building on their use of fingers at home: https://learn.aedds.co.uk/cgsu
Safety in Numbers is for parents of children who are struggling with maths – with or without a formal diagnosis. Each episode looks at a specific aspect of maths difficulty: what's going on, why it happens, what it means and what you can actually do. No jargon. No quick fixes. Just honest, research-informed information for parents who want to understand.
Website: www.aedds.co.uk/podcast Facebook group: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61551091072526
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Your child can do the method at home. They can explain it, work through it calmly, get the right answer. Then in class, or in a test, or the moment they're put on the spot, it disappears.
If your child still uses their fingers to work out maths, you may have wondered whether they should have grown out of it by now.