My son (8) had a really challenging year with math and lost a lot of confidence. I don't know the best way to help him out over the summer without making him feel “dumb” for needing extra support. Can you help us?
Yesenia, Houston, TX
Hi, Yesenia!
Confidence building is a tricky thing in the elementary years, especially when your child hasn’t done as well as he would have liked to in a certain subject. Sometimes this can lead to low self-esteem and even foster a dislike of a certain subject altogether (I know at least one of our contributors here at VT thought she disliked math for most of her life for a very similar reason.) To avoid this, our best advice is to figure out what concepts he initially stumbled over so you can identify the gaps that exist in his foundational knowledge of math. Just like filling a pothole makes a road smooth again, filling in gaps in knowledge helps students finally “get it,” building their confidence and “paving the way” (if you’ll excuse the pun) for success. We recommend our Bridging the Gap classes, which are made to make reinforcement fun. After the gaps have been filled (or bridged,) we recommend using that confidence and momentum to get a jump on next year’s concepts so he can sustain that confidence well into next school year. With this two-step approach, your son should be able to rebuild his confidence and refine his skills so he’s ready for next year.
Resources We Love
Bridging the Gap to 3rd Grade (for reinforcement) and Jump Start to 3rd Grade Math (to dive into next year’s concepts).