Algebra ranks among the challenging concepts children encounter in elementary mathematics. Success in algebra depends on a child’s ability to understand and apply various algebraic concepts to determine the values of unknowns.
To ensure this, parents and teachers should chip in to help the child visualize various algebraic concepts through favorable learning methods. Read on for some practical tips that you should consider when offering your kid help with algebra homework.
1.     Repetitive practice
When addressing an algebraic problem, it is crucial to handle it a couple of times while varying the parameters. This helps ensure mastery of the concept in hand as opposed to cramming the answer for the problem.
To identify your child’s weakness, you should consult their assignment and school tests. This will help you realize the algebraic laws a child is unfamiliar with and help you set the course for revision.
When doing this, you should also train your child on the best approaches for algebraic problems. Many children tend to solve the question as they read it, thus ending up as victims of omitting critical points in solving the equation.
It would be best to train your child to read the whole question first while highlighting the information that helps calculate.
2.     Visual presentation of ideas
Since the dawn of education, educators have sought optimal approaches to present mathematical ideas to learners. The onset of technological advancements boosted these efforts, helping develop study material relevant for various age brackets.
When helping your child study algebra, you may resort to mobile apps or YouTube study videos. The algebra applications provide an interactive environment with all-rounded questions like those covered within the syllabus.
They also include minigames that help children to hone their abstract thinking skills. This helps them to master the algebraic laws and apply them in determining the unknown value.
Videos and apps also serve as resources for study as they provide answers to help you gauge how well your child has exhausted a problem.
3.     Online study platforms
When learning algebra from home, you may encounter a challenge owing to the limited number of resources at your disposal. This may limit the coverage of content and less material for practice.
To navigate this, consider enrolling on online study forums like the Khan Academy. These platforms will provide detailed coverage of algebraic concepts allowing your child to exhaustively cover the algebraic concepts that are relevant for their level of study.
When guiding your child’s study effort, review what they tackled in class and expose them to the concepts. This helps keep your child at per with the teacher if they have a challenge keeping up with the pace of classroom sessions.
You may also consider researching algebraic shortcuts and engage your child in putting them into practice. This will help them to quickly navigate algebraic problems, ensuring effective time management in exams.
4.     Be supportive
The major shortcoming for many parents is the compulsive need to manage their child’s study completely. This results in a parent covering the assignment by themselves, thus denying the child a chance to master the concepts at hand properly.
This approach may result in defiance and warrant a negative attitude toward the topic. Preferably, find a way to make your child enjoy dealing with algebra problems.
You can achieve this by relating algebraic concepts with games that involve counting, addition, and subtraction. This will help the child to apply basic mathematical operations when determining the unknown in an algebraic equation.
5.     Help the child to organize their work
In elementary school, exams are often presented in a multiple-choice format. This may tempt a child to resort to guessing when they encounter a challenging mathematical problem.
It is thus essential to organize your work neatly when helping your child with their algebra assignment. When your child presents you with neat workings, you can easily spot the challenges they face and address this, ensuring proper mastery of various algebraic laws.
Final Take
Mastery of math skills greatly relies on daily practice and guidance. This guide focuses on the strategies you may apply to help your child learn algebra fast. However, ensure to understand your child’s study method to develop an approach that fits them best.
