An elementary school child may find it difficult to understand concepts like addition and division if taught straight from a school text book. Parents and teachers should show children that math is everywhere in their lives so they can better visualize lessons. One way to do that is for children to count the amount of pencils in a pencil case or the amount of toys in a toy box. Alternatively, parents and teachers can help by taking an object away and asking the child how many remain, encouraging him to answer without recounting. Parents and teachers can adjust real life tasks depending on the level of the students.
Teachers and parents should communicate with each other to help students learn effectively. The parent, for example, should know how often her child is getting homework. The teacher should inform the parent of the problem areas with which the child struggles. Constant communication between school and home supports successful learning.
It is possible that children can solve math problems without being able to explain how they did so. True understanding of mathematical relationships and functions, however, should include the ability to solve problems step-by-step. Teachers and parents should encourage elementary school children to talk through the process of solving math questions and puzzles.
A child needs to understand a math task fully before attempting to complete it. Sometimes, students say they understand an assignment, even if this is not the case. Teachers can ask students to explain the goals of math assignments, and clarify if necessary. Parents, meanwhile, can ask children to specify math assignments before beginning them.