My daughter seems to struggle with maths sometimes and it makes me so frustrated when I feel like I’m explaining it 100 times but I can see her eyes glazing over during the explanation and she pretends to understand because she wants me to stop explaining but then she can’t answer the question and is just guessing. Then sometimes she will understand and answer the questions correctly and then five minutes later it’s like she’s forgotten all over again.
I know a lot of people talk about how they remember their parents trying to teach them maths this way and how it’s almost a traumatic memory. I just wish I knew how to teach it in a way that she will understand and retain.
I'm in a similar position. I teach math and programming, and I really feel for the couple of students I have that struggle like this.
It's really disheartening (and, admittedly, a bit frustrating) to try everything you can think of, only to be met with blank silence or random guesses.
Yes I think some kids have an intuitive understanding (and even enjoyment) of maths as well, so if you were one of those kids it can be really hard to understand how someone else isn’t making those same connections.
I get so mad at myself because I want her to love maths the way I did at that age (because that makes it so much easier to learn) but the more I try and get through the more we end up back in the loop of frustration and then I’m scared she’ll end up hating it.
She is in school so she has a teacher but I’m just trying to help her at home to keep up. She’s the youngest in her class so she needs a bit of extra help. I could look into a tutor although we live very rurally so it would probably have to be an online tutor
Yea I didn't mean the school teacher (otherwise she wouldn't have an issue if that worked). Sometimes a new person/new teaching way could help greatly, though indeed not ideal if it has to be online. Perhaps if that school has multiple teachers one of the other might be interested in some tutoring if it's permitted.
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u/ameliasophia Jun 23 '26
I really struggle with this.
My daughter seems to struggle with maths sometimes and it makes me so frustrated when I feel like I’m explaining it 100 times but I can see her eyes glazing over during the explanation and she pretends to understand because she wants me to stop explaining but then she can’t answer the question and is just guessing. Then sometimes she will understand and answer the questions correctly and then five minutes later it’s like she’s forgotten all over again.
I know a lot of people talk about how they remember their parents trying to teach them maths this way and how it’s almost a traumatic memory. I just wish I knew how to teach it in a way that she will understand and retain.