How parents can help their children get better grades in math.
by Dr. Kempton Smith
Teachers today aren't teaching Johnny his basic math facts. So Johnny can't multiply 6 times 7 without a calculator. By the time Johnny gets to high school, he's going to have big time trouble in math. Here's how parents can prevent this.
It pains me to work with a high school or middle school student who doesn't know basic arithmetic. I've worked with some who can't multiply 6 times 7 without using a calculator. Others don't realize that 100 divided by 10 is 10 without getting out their calculator. Even more painful is to watch middle school students adding 9 plus 4 by using their fingers. Many children today just can't do basic arithmetic in their heads.
By the time students get to the 6th grade, they should be able to add or subtract numbers up to 20 rapidly without using a calculator or their fingers. They should know their times tables up to 12 cold. These are fundamental math skills that all students should know -- the sooner the better.
Without these fundamental math skills, students are destined to struggle with math. When they get to high school they will get bogged down with simple arithmetic calculations while the rest of the class is working on solving quadratic equations in algebra. They will be unable to add fractions easily and will find it very difficult to factor equations. They will be left behind on the education platform while the math train pulls out of the station.
Our public education system today lets students get away with using calculators without teaching basic arithmetic skills. While calculators are useful for complex calculations, they don't help with finding factors of 34 or how to add 1/2 and 2/3. So it's up to parents or tutors to teach children the basic math skills of adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing. Teachers aren't taking on that responsibility any more.
Parents - make sure your children know their times tables by the end of the fifth grade. Better yet, by the end of the third grade. Buy decks of arithmetic flashcards and use them to help your children learn their basic math skills. They'll be glad you did by the time they get into high school because they'll be getting better grades in math.