4 Ways to Become The Math Expert Your Children Can Rely On

With exam season approaching, students and parents alike are feeling the pressure. Every parent knows the struggles of homework time, but it’s not just students who could use an extra hand as we head into the studying season. 

Math homework or exam prep can be especially daunting, and these fears have a way of following us into adulthood. According to a recent survey conducted by Photomath, the world’s most used math learning app, more than half (53%) of all parents in British Columbia have felt intimidated by their child’s math homework. 

As parents, it’s natural to want to help, but sometimes it is difficult to know how exactly to, or you’re short on time, or simply can’t find the right words to make math make sense. It can feel incredibly challenging to explain concepts from your child’s curriculum and at their level in an easy and approachable way. Bridging these gaps using educational resources and technology can enhance a student’s experience in the classroom, with their homework, and as they study for those all-too-important exams. 

These struggles can also impact our mental health, with the Photomath study further revealing that 61% of parents in BC notice their child struggles with anxiety when they are having difficulty with their homework. Final exams and end of term assignments can be the most challenging and stress-inducing time for students, so it’s important for parents to provide the right support for their children, and head into studying with a solid plan and plenty of resources. 

Help set up your child for success in Math with the following tips this exam season:  

• Change your mindset

Math is associated with all things pragmatic and logical, but there’s a huge emotional factor that comes into play. Once students feel discouraged in their ability to do math, they are locked into a set of beliefs that can define their performance. There’s actually a lot of research that students who receive corrective feedback after making mistakes learn better. So remember to embrace mistakes and be patient with yourself, so you can push through those tough moments! 

• Turn to tech

The days of “no calculator allowed” are gone, with many parents and students now turning to technology for support. Educational tech delivers a new and more accessible form of learning, and apps like Photomath can act like a digital math tutor at your fingertips. 75% of Canadian parents believe that educational tech can help fill learning gaps while giving students another method of learning.

• Lean on your learning style

Not everyone absorbs information the same way. Take the time to understand how you best learn, and seek out resources that can cater to your needs. For example, auditory learners should find resources that explain concepts out loud. For these needs, Photomath offers animated tutorials with voice, which are also helpful for visual learners, who understand and remember things by sight.

• Get involved!

The pandemic pushed many parents into taking on a larger role in supporting their child’s learning, highlighting how important it is for children to have support they can turn to at home. Being proactive in offering up help with math homework is one way parents can ensure their child feels supported and has a go-to resource for help when they need it.

Jennifer Lee is Chief Growth Officer at Photomath, the leading mobile app for math learning, where she is responsible for developing and managing the company’s growth strategy. Lee is also a Venture Advisor at Learn Capital, a Silicon-Valley based VC firm focusing exclusively on the global edtech sector and previously spent more than 14 years in the investing space.