"Dyscalculia No More"

When it comes to the academic study of math that all students working their way through their elementary or secondary education must have, it is easy to start to wonder if there is a law somewhere that math lessons have to be boring and dry. While there really is no academic requirement for math to be a subject that kills the soul while educating the mind, in many public and even private school situations, math is one of the topics that becomes an ordeal for students to get through.

It doesn’t have to be this way. Much of how the students feel about math comes from the instructor. Any real math enthusiast would take extreme offense at the very idea that math is boring. If the teacher of the math class is not someone who is passionate about the subject, the teacher is going to be disinterested in the teaching of math and will treat it as though he or she was teaching on variations of the color grey. The instructors lack of interest will be passed to the student which could kill many young peoples love of math entirely.

It is important at the administration of the school to see math as a topic that needs to be taught as a fundamental life skill by an instructor who lives and breathes math ideas. If the instructor is passionate about the topic and considers math to be the most exciting area of study in the world, that passion will be passed to the students. While it may not convert every student into a math fanatic, it will make the kids enjoy their time in math class and the job of learning important math skills will be much easier than if math is tedious and painful to get through.

Parents and educators can work together to make sure math does not become something students come to dread. As parents, its good to look inward to find out if you have “math phobia” because your attitude toward the subject could be passed to your child. If you have a negative attitude about math that you may have picked up on when you were young, it’s a good idea to address that as an adult so your enthusiasm for math is not phony when you are trying to inspire your children on to better performance in this important area of their studies.

Along with giving the math students in your life plenty of encouragement and support, there are lots of ways to make math fun. Math games and puzzles and math based online adventures can take each math idea and turn it into an exciting exploration for each child. Parents can also work with the school administration to hold math fairs where many math based games and social events can change the perception of math and make it one of the “cool things” to do. That effort to make math interesting and valued to your kids will pay off in a big way throughout their academic career and on into their adult lives as well.

A lesson plan for teaching math to elementary school children must have two priorities that seem to be at cross purposes. The plan must enable the teacher to be totally prepared not only for each day’s curriculum but to look down the calendar for what will be needed by the students as the lessons build upon one another. In this way, the teacher can keep clearly delineated the lesson objectives that are important for that week’s work from the lesson priorities that are crucial to understanding the more complex math concepts that are coming in the weeks ahead.

At the same time the lesson plan must have built into it as much flexibility as possible for the instructor to adapt the plan and make changes on the fly as the class needs dictate. If the teacher perceives that the class is advanced and taking to the lessons extraordinarily well, he or she must be able to make adjustments to the lesson plans to take advantage of the aptitudes of the students. Similarly if there is remedial work that needs to be done, the lesson plans must allow for the teacher to slow down on certain key concepts and even allow more class sessions to those ideas so the material doesn’t race ahead of the elementary schools student’s ability to keep up.

As the school year approaches, many elementary school teachers become concerned if their math curriculum lessons plans will fit both of those objectives. The preparation time is nothing short of crucial because to stand in front of a classroom of elementary school youth with no roadmap to follow will result in a catastrophe. That moment of truth when you look up from your carefully developed lesson plan at that sea of 20-30 young faces that you need to both teach as well as inspire and motivate tolerant math is a time when you really get a feel for whether that lesson plan is grounded in reality.

Probably the best way to fine tune your math lesson plan is to work with seasoned teachers or even take a year before you take on math as part of the curriculum you teach and work in a classroom with an experienced teacher to get a good feel for the relationship between that lesson plan and how the teacher conducts the class. The lesson plan is a master strategy for teaching. But it is also a basic outline that you as teacher must be able to deviate from to meet the needs of the class to assure that the teaching objectives are met.

It will take time to develop lesson plans that are put together well enough to carry you for an entire semester of teaching math to elementary school students and achieve your learning objectives and still stay on track week to week. It will take time, wisdom and some thought to fine tune those lessons plans until they are guides that really will work. But once you have a set of working lesson plans for math and the other subjects you will teach at the elementary school level, they will be gold to you as you use them over and over each year.

Fourth grade is a big year for students in elementary school because it is the year that the curriculum for math that they have ahead of them includes learning multiplication and eventually division. While at the earlier grade levels, the students did begin to appreciate number relationships, that awareness of the depth and the scope of the diversity of the math universe expands tremendously when the students get an understanding of these two core math principles.

Stepping from third to fourth grade is more than just a one year jump. It is the beginning of the child’s really sophistication of their knowledge of math. Parents and teachers of fourth graders who have been hands on in helping the kids learn the very basic number principles should redouble those efforts in the fourth grade because many young people stall out trying to grasp the concepts of multiplication and division. And despite many new advances in learning multiplication, there still is no substitute for memorizing the multiplication tables to lay that groundwork for a lifetime of success in math.

Ways to Help Your Fourth Grader Understand Multiplication

There are a number of ways that parents can use to move the process of getting those math tables down for their fourth grader just learning multiplication. Posters can be hung in the child’s room that are colorful and that utilize the youngsters favorite television star or cartoon characters as they surround the various tables that need to be memorized. Since children love to be read to, you can find many age appropriate books where happy and comical characters work parts of the multiplication table into a story. These are good small steps forward that put off the dreaded drilling with flash cards that is so difficult and is often a tedious method for learning these skills.

It also helps to make the multiplication tables a fun part of family life by using them as a game in many situations. You can create songs of various tables to sing in the car on a long road trip. Or it can be a challenge game that calls on the youngster to “think fast” when dad suddenly surprises him or her with “think fast eight times nine”. The fun of turning those boring tables into a part of the fun of family life is often all it takes to eventually get all of the tables under control.

These are just a few simple methods that can be used to put off or avoid completely the specter of drilling using flash cards that everybody hates. Your child’s fourth grade teacher may have many more interesting games that can be used to incorporate the multiplication tables into a fun activity. And that only scratches the surface because, like everything else, the interent is overflowing with great online games that will do a great job of making the multiplication tables roll off your fourth graders tongue like he was saying his name. Its just a matter of looking for creative and fun alternatives that can make even something boring like learning the math tables a happy and memorable experience for parents and child alike.

When it comes to looking for ways to help the second grader who lives in your house do better in school, there are two concepts that you can count on being true and within those two concepts may lie the answer to your child’s math problems. Those concepts are (1) your second grader may hate math but (2) they love being on the internet and playing with the computer. In actual fact, your child doesn’t really hate math itself. But the academic teaching of math at a second grade level often puts children off simply because math concepts are new to them and the methods to teach them are sometimes dry and abstract.

That second basic principle is one you no doubt had a loud amen to share because you know your youngster loves to play on the home computer and be on the internet. The reason that rule can be stated so confidently is that virtually all young people love computers and the fun they can have using online games and other resources modern technology has made available to us all. As parents, we have to be wary so our kids are safe online and the amount the kids love to be online can be a real frustration. But that same love of computers can be a salvation of your second graders math success in school if we use the internet intelligently and guide the kids to the right kind of web sites.

There are ample web sites that take the basic math principles that second graders must deal with and integrates games, quizzes, puzzles and other fun activities to make the learning process far more enjoyable than the kids experience in the academic situation at school. Some of these sites still utilize standard math quizzes and teaching styles but they do so on a colorful and interactive screen. It really is amazing how much children at this age respond to even something as basic as an online quiz when they can give the right answer and see a visual celebration or hear a happy tune when they get it right.

Other math software products or online educational sites use more creative math games that create interactive story problems that a math principle must be utilized to solve the puzzle and win the game. The depth and quantity of games, puzzles and story problems that sites like this will provide to your young mathematician is just the thing to keep them coming back week after week.

In most cases there will be a menu of dozens of games and fun activities built around each basic math concept. Don’t be surprised if you leave your child to explore that math idea only to find that they played every game on the site and were eager to move on to next week’s lesson to have new toys to play with on their math gaming software or web sites. Also don’t be surprised that when your second grader gets that kind of excitement about math because he or she is enjoying these web sites that you see their math grades shoot to the top and their enjoyment and confidence in math become rock solid just like you always want it to be for them. That, to say the least, is an outstanding use of the internet.

Online Help for Math Homework  

Your son/daughter has been struggling with an understanding of mathematical concepts from elementary school. Now that he/she has a range of secondary, it is essential to get help with math homework. Why? According silentepidemic.org, a high school student drops out every 29 seconds. In many cases, the student has become frustrated with the constant struggle to learn difficult math concepts, among others. For many students, which reduces the choice to leave or get help for math homework. What will your child?

If your child is still in primary school and have difficulty understanding mathematics, why wait until he / she becomes totally frustrated and give up everything? Similarly, if the high school student is watching your career goals go down the drain because of poor results in mathematics, is not too late to get help with math homework, and give your son back the gift of a promising future. Before your child reaches the point of abandoning school because of poor performance in mathematics, can find excellent math tutoring online at a time that is convenient for you and your child. Just need to know what to look for when trying to get help with math homework. An excellent site that offers online help with math homework will provide:

• Qualified tutors and teachers
• Tutoring flexible plans
• Interactive Sessions
• Individualized Lesson Plans

When searching online for help with math homework, at least, need to ensure that these four ideals are available to you and your child.

Qualified Tutors and Teachers

Not all tutoring sites are created equal. In fact, many of them do not provide teachers with teaching credentials verified. Why risk it? Do you agree, by an unknown individual who believes he / she is good enough at math to make a quick buck online? Or would you prefer a real teacher dedicated to helping children learn difficult math concepts, including all children have a different style of learning, and uses proven teaching techniques to help your child reach their full potential? It’s your choice.

Flexible Plans Tutoring

Why pay for the lessons that do not meet the needs of your child and cost too much? For example, if your child only needs an occasional response to complete a homework assignment in math, then they should not have to pay regular classes. On the other hand, if your child is constantly trying to understand difficult concepts in math, a math assignment plan should be available for ongoing support throughout their school age. You should have several options to consider.

Interactive Sessions

To provide help with math homework, even from a distance, your child should have interactive sessions with the teacher in real time. Seeing the tutor modeling math concepts, and practice a series of equations, while the tutor is available for counseling, is essential. Even from thousands of miles away, voice over Internet and view a webcam of the slates is the closest thing to being there in person.

Individualized Lesson Plans

Finally, your child deserves individualized math lesson plans. The best help with math homework centers your child s strengths and preferred learning style. In addition, the textbook yourself child is familiar with should be used to prepare in advance of a lesson and to reinforce it later.

In short, do not wait until your child is about to leave school before getting help with math homework. Using the latest in Internet technology and the skills of teachers caring for your child can have personalized interactive lessons at a time that is convenient for you without decimating your budget. Keep your child in school and looking forward to a brighter future that includes the necessary math skills.

About the author:
Shalabh Agrawal is an ex- Navy officer and has been in the field of information technology and education for the past 14 years. He is the CEO of Synergy Education International Pvt Ltd and has contributed tremendously towards bringing affordable online tutoring to the parents through their venture http://www.1-1tutor.com in association with SSDEI Inc, NY, USA.

Does Your Child Struggle With Math Homework? Benefits Of Online Help With Math Homework   
by Robert Duval

Learners consider web based synchronous help with Math homework for several reasons. To begin, assistance from a parent frequently proves to be lacking for higher studies for the simple reason that help with Math homework at that class can be pretty complicated. Also, help with Math homework taken from personal tutors or tuition fees is often pretty exorbitant. As a result, web based synchronous help with Math homework is the solution that has worked wonders for several students.

Instructionally Superior Math Homework Help

From an instructional point of view, web based help with Math homework is better as compared to offline Math help or distance education. Consider this, good tutors are aware that interactivity is counted amongst the most significant factors that is responsible for successful learning and teaching. Interaction usually appears in three ways:

• the interaction of 1 student with another
• the interactions between a student and their tutor
• and then there is the interaction between a student and the content of the course

In case a student desires to take Math help online, then they are exposed to all methods of interactivity mentioned previously. A synchronous virtual classroom provides effective Math help and also allows a student to communicate with their fellow students and interact with their tutors. Advanced know-how and fat bandwidth also permit a student to interact with their course content in the form of clicks, question and answers sets, and assessments.

Interactivity Improves the Quality of Math Help Online

There are several benefits of introducing interaction in Math help online. It has been seen students of distance education often improve their attitudes and approaches to study if they have some form of interaction with fellow students and tutors. Learners will also complete their Math homework without much help and on time if they are able to communicate with peers and tutors in real-time. This results in an improvement of grades and test scores. A community feeling also encourages better retention rates which means, that Math help occurs at a higher, more effective level. Math help which is proffered online and synchronously then actually results in a deep and meaningful understanding of Math concepts.

Other Advantages of Online Synchronous Math Homework Help

Distance education students need help with Math homework and assistance continuously. Regardless of the fact that they learn online or offline, they demand continuous support and encouragement. This becomes viable after communicating with fellow students and tutors. Constantly being in touch with them and by sharing concerns or good scores improves morale and provides much-needed support and encouragement.

When students see that tutors and other students are also involved in the learning process and provide help with Math homework as and when required, then they themselves become more involved and more comfortable. Such a level of ease is critical for asking and getting effectual help with Math homework in a wed based setting. This level of involvement encourages students to remain steadfast to the web based Math homework help classes and it lessens attrition along with withdrawal rates.

The Drawbacks of Online Synchronous Math Homework Help

The solitary drawback of web based real-time help with Math homework is that both tutors and students are required to be online at the same time and also need access to fat bandwidth Net access along with a PC. drawback of web based real-time help with Math homework. Alas, both the tutors and students are required to be online at the same time. They also need access to fat bandwidth Net access along with a PC. It’s a known fact that web based Math help requires another instructional design. Apart from that, web based synchronous help with Math homework often proves to be a win-win for both tutors and students.

About the Author
Robert is the head MGT, a site the delivers math homework help online http://www.mygeekytutor.com/

Does your child need help with math homework? 

Your third-grader is spending more time on his/her math homework than all other subjects combined; your teenager is preparing to take the SAT; a middle-school-aged son/daughter has questions concerning math equations that you cannot answer. If any one of these scenarios sounds familiar to your family situation, then help with math homework is the best solution to your problem.

However, you are probably wondering how you are going to find the time and the finances to hire a tutor and work out a schedule for lessons, especially when it comes to reinforcing math concepts. Obviously, the sessions will need to be conducted in a timely manner, to coincide with the lessons being taught or the upcoming test date.

In truth, the answer is at your fingertips. If you have a computer with Internet access and a set of headphones that is all the equipment you will need to access a tutor/teacher that will be there for your son/daughter at the time most convenient for your family. Here is how it works:

The latest innovative technology  

In order to provide interactive math lessons, in real time, via the Internet, the latest innovative technology allows your child and the teacher to hear each other, even if they are thousand of mile apart geographically. With the headset, your child can hear and speak to the instructor using ‘voice over Internet’ programming.   In addition, a special program allows the student to see the teacher’s whiteboard as the math concept is being explained and modeled. Then, the tutor can watch the student work through a similar equation, using his/her whiteboard. Then, any questions about the math homework can be answered while the math concept is being taught.

A Qualified Instructor 

Unfortunately, all of the latest in technological advances will be worthless, if the tutor/teacher is not qualified to provide help with math homework. For example, a plethora of online sites profess to offer the best tutoring, especially when it comes to help with math homework. But, how do you know it is not simply an individual who has found a fast way to make a buck via the Internet?   As a parent, you want to make sure your child is being taught correctly, and in a format that compliments his/her style of learning. Therefore, you need a tutor that has at least a graduate or Masters Degree in mathematics, and can verify those credentials. As an adult in a competitive marketplace, your child will thank you for taking the time to find a qualified instructor.

Individualized Lesson Plans 

Finally, the best online provider, when it comes to help with math homework, will offer individualized lesson plans that are affordable and still meet your child’s specific needs. For example, your son/daughter may only need occasional help with a particular assignment; or, he/she may need mathematics support from grade school until high school graduation. You should only have to pay for the lessons your child needs to meet his/her full potential, when it comes to understanding difficult math concepts.

In addition, good help with math homework starts by using the same textbook your child is familiar with in the traditional classroom. The key to success in understanding difficulty math concepts is repetition and reinforcement. Using the same textbook allows your child to work the problems in advance of a test or particularly difficult lesson. Then, the math concepts can be reinforced, until your child feels comfortable with the math material being taught.

In short, you can find qualified help with math homework online. You simply need to make sure the right technology is available, and the teacher possesses the verifiable qualifications to provide individualized lesson plans, while using proven techniques to compliment you child’s style of learning. Then, as a parent, you can be confident that you have found the best online help with math homework available today.