Homework Help
Places to Seek Help with Math Homework
I receive many calls from parents each year, concerned that they cannot help their child with math homework. Reasons include: 1) I haven't used this stuff in years; I've forgotten much of it, 2) you teach it differently from the way I learned it and I don't want to confuse my child, 3) I was never very good at math myself so I can't help (please don't tell your child this, as it causes them to feel that they have an excuse to not try hard in math), and many others. These are all valid reasons, so I have provided you with several resources to help you better explain the homework to your child. Of course, the primary reason students need help is that they were not paying attention and doing the practice problems in class, but even the most attentive students need help from time to time. Know ahead of time that I do not accept, "My mom and dad didn't know how to do it," as an excuse for not having homework completed, since every lesson will be thoroughly explained and practiced in class. For most all daily assignments, we will complete most (if not all) of the even-numbered items from the assignment in class together to use as examples. Finally, I do receive phone calls from parents or students for assistance, but ...
Before calling, try.....
Macmillan McGraw-Hill Math Connects: From here, you have many options to help your child with math. Math vocabulary can be found in the multi-lingual glossary and the vocabulary review, The math tool chest and virtual manipulatives are a great way to practice virtual hands-on learning, Fact Dash can encourage automaticity with basic facts, but the "learn more" section contains a Personal Tutor for each skill needed in each lesson. To know which chapter and lesson we are working on, look at the Worksheets tab on my TeacherWeb; Homework Practice 14-2 is chapter 14 lesson 2. For some lessons, under activities, there is also a game to practice the skill in a fun way. Macmillan McGraw-Hill Math Connects
Study Island: You're probably thinking, "This is where my child does homework and plays games to practice math skills", however, the lessons in Study Island walk you step-by-step through the latest teaching strategies for learning today's math. You will need your child's log-in and password to access this page. Study Island
Khan Academy: Scroll down below video clips to "Browse our library.... Click on "Jump to Playlist: Math", then choose either Arithmetic or Developmental Math 1, to find video tutorials on how to do almost anything in elementary mathematics. This site can also be a wonderful reference for adults taking higher level college math classes. Khan Academy
This is a video that demonstrates adding fractions and simplifying the answers:
http://www.teachertube.com/viewVideo.php?video_id=256040&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+teachertube%2FBbIc+%28TeacherTube+Today%27s+Featured+Media%29
This is a great web-site to print practice worksheets for your child and the corresponding answer sheets. Use them to give your child extra practice in any skill he/she is struggling.
http://www.worksheetworks.com
Other Resources
* Your child should have brought home the pink Mathematics book distributed in class. I have asked the students to keep these at home to look up examples of types of work we are doing in class.
* Your child will learn to take notes in my class (or copy them from the board), and these will include both examples and step-by-step directions for solving math problems. See the Notebook Requirements tab on my TeacherWeb for a list of all the lessons with notes as we learn them.
If you find other helpful math web-sites, drop me an e-mail and I will look over it and add it to this list.
I receive many calls from parents each year, concerned that they cannot help their child with math homework. Reasons include: 1) I haven't used this stuff in years; I've forgotten much of it, 2) you teach it differently from the way I learned it and I don't want to confuse my child, 3) I was never very good at math myself so I can't help (please don't tell your child this, as it causes them to feel that they have an excuse to not try hard in math), and many others. These are all valid reasons, so I have provided you with several resources to help you better explain the homework to your child. Of course, the primary reason students need help is that they were not paying attention and doing the practice problems in class, but even the most attentive students need help from time to time. Know ahead of time that I do not accept, "My mom and dad didn't know how to do it," as an excuse for not having homework completed, since every lesson will be thoroughly explained and practiced in class. For most all daily assignments, we will complete most (if not all) of the even-numbered items from the assignment in class together to use as examples. Finally, I do receive phone calls from parents or students for assistance, but ...
Before calling, try.....
Macmillan McGraw-Hill Math Connects: From here, you have many options to help your child with math. Math vocabulary can be found in the multi-lingual glossary and the vocabulary review, The math tool chest and virtual manipulatives are a great way to practice virtual hands-on learning, Fact Dash can encourage automaticity with basic facts, but the "learn more" section contains a Personal Tutor for each skill needed in each lesson. To know which chapter and lesson we are working on, look at the Worksheets tab on my TeacherWeb; Homework Practice 14-2 is chapter 14 lesson 2. For some lessons, under activities, there is also a game to practice the skill in a fun way. Macmillan McGraw-Hill Math Connects
Study Island: You're probably thinking, "This is where my child does homework and plays games to practice math skills", however, the lessons in Study Island walk you step-by-step through the latest teaching strategies for learning today's math. You will need your child's log-in and password to access this page. Study Island
Khan Academy: Scroll down below video clips to "Browse our library.... Click on "Jump to Playlist: Math", then choose either Arithmetic or Developmental Math 1, to find video tutorials on how to do almost anything in elementary mathematics. This site can also be a wonderful reference for adults taking higher level college math classes. Khan Academy
This is a video that demonstrates adding fractions and simplifying the answers:
http://www.teachertube.com/viewVideo.php?video_id=256040&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+teachertube%2FBbIc+%28TeacherTube+Today%27s+Featured+Media%29
This is a great web-site to print practice worksheets for your child and the corresponding answer sheets. Use them to give your child extra practice in any skill he/she is struggling.
http://www.worksheetworks.com
Other Resources
* Your child should have brought home the pink Mathematics book distributed in class. I have asked the students to keep these at home to look up examples of types of work we are doing in class.
* Your child will learn to take notes in my class (or copy them from the board), and these will include both examples and step-by-step directions for solving math problems. See the Notebook Requirements tab on my TeacherWeb for a list of all the lessons with notes as we learn them.
If you find other helpful math web-sites, drop me an e-mail and I will look over it and add it to this list.