Homeschooling high school can be a daunting task, especially when it comes to teaching math. Many students experience math anxiety, which can make learning and practicing math even more difficult.
As a homeschool parent, it’s essential to help your child develop a positive relationship with math. Here are five ways to alleviate math anxiety when homeschooling high school.
Disclaimer: I was compensated for my time to write this article. All opinions are my own.
Emphasize Effort Over Results
Math anxiety often stems from a fear of failure. Encourage your child to focus on their effort and progress rather than simply their grades.
Celebrate small victories and acknowledge their hard work, even if they don’t get every answer right.
Having a growth mindset can make a huge difference in how students approach math.
The best way to cultivate a growth mindset in your kids is to demonstrate one yourself and put up positive messages that remind them that learning is a process!
Use Real-World Examples
Math can often feel abstract and disconnected from everyday life.
Using real-world examples, such as calculating the cost of a grocery bill or budgeting for a trip, can help make math feel more relevant and engaging.
When something becomes more concrete, and students can actually use it to solve problems, they become less anxious about it and see it as a tool.
Take Breaks When Working on Math
Sitting down for long periods of time to do math work can be exhausting and exacerbate math anxiety.
Encourage your child to take breaks and engage in physical activity or a different type of learning activity.
This can help them return to math work feeling refreshed and more focused.
A 15-minute focus time followed by a 5-minute break can work wonderfully for some kids.
Mine thrived when they knew they only had to concentrate on math for 15 minutes before taking a break!
Use Online Resources to Decrease Math Anxiety
The internet is full of resources that can help make learning math more engaging and less intimidating.
Online curriculums and programs like CTCMath can make learning high school math more fun.
We loved using CTCMath – especially with my oldest, who has dyslexia and dyscalculia (aka math dyslexia) because the video instruction was engaging but not overwhelming.
As a parent of kids with math anxiety, I appreciated the user-friendly platform that my kids could navigate without a lot of handholding or stress.
I also loved that there was a great deal of reporting and monitoring so I could quickly and easily see where my kids were struggling and where they were excelling. It made planning for math so much easier!
Other things that made CTCMath a great choice for alleviating their math anxiety included the following features.
- It’s a comprehensive, multi-grade platform. That meant that we could stick with the same program for multiple years. Why was that so important? Because kids with math anxiety get anxious about switching curriculums and navigating a new norm. Sticking with the same, familiar curriculum gave them that sense of security and alleviated the unknown.
- The program is adaptive, so it meets your kids where they are when they’re learning. A lot of math anxiety can come from the worry of not “being on the same level” as others their age or being presented with material that’s too hard for them. CTCMath takes away that anxiety by adapting the lessons to meet your child where they are right now.
- There are interactive questions to check for understanding. One of the things that gave my kids a lot of math anxiety in the past was having to watch a video and then not knowing if they understood the lesson. CTCMath gives students interactive questions after the videos to help them see if they understood what was going on in the lesson. It was a great way for my kids to self-check and self-monitor.
If you’re looking for an online high school math curriculum, I highly recommend the CTCMath Homeschool Membership. You can learn more about it HERE or sign up for the free trial by clicking the button below!
Provide a Supportive Learning Environment
Creating a supportive learning environment can go a long way in alleviating math anxiety.
Encourage your child to ask questions, provide positive reinforcement, and avoid negative talk about math.
Consider enrolling your child in a local math club or finding a tutor to provide more one-on-one support.
Stop Math Anxiety in Its Tracks
Remember, math anxiety is common, but it doesn’t have to be a roadblock to success. With the right support and resources, your child can develop a positive relationship with math and thrive in their homeschooling journey.
Homeschooling high school students can be an enriching experience if done correctly.
By taking the time to alleviate math anxiety, parents can facilitate a positive learning experience in their children.
Emphasizing effort over results, using real-world examples, taking breaks, using online resources like CTCMath, and providing a supportive learning environment are all great ways of achieving this.
By implementing these tips, parents can create a learning environment that is both fun and rewarding, allowing their child to overcome math anxiety and enjoy the beauty of math.