Have you had your child ask you for help with math homework recently, only to find that the problems required a drawing and a paragraph of explanation instead of just a simple computation? Math these days is taught a lot differently than it was when you were in school, so it can be frustrating or even downright confusing — not to mention embarrassing — to feel that you can’t help your child.

The internet is filled with complaints about Common Core math activities that involve drawing diagrams and answering complex word problems, but the idea behind some of these strange activities is ultimately meant to be helpful to your child. Today’s math teachers seek to explain not just “math facts,” such as multiplication tables, but the reasoning behind math concepts. To do this, they often break down the ideas in very different ways and ask kids to solve problems using a few different methods. Though it may seem silly, the idea is to give children several different ways of thinking about math so that at least one of them makes sense to them — which should ultimately lead more kids to success.

If you’re not certain you can help your child, an online tutor definitely can. Here’s how:

• Subject Area Expertise: If you’re not confident in your own math skills, facing your child’s homework can make you feel stressed. A trained math tutor knows all the ins and outs of math that you’ve forgotten after years out of the classroom.
• One-on-One Attention: Children who are struggling with math in the classroom may not be getting enough individual help. Online math tutoring gives children additional face time with an expert to get their questions answered right away.
• Teaching Skills: Even if you are a math whiz, not everyone knows how to break down complex topics to make them clear to a child. A great math tutor is trained to make problems and skills accessible to kids — and they can even make math fun!
• Extra Time: Sometimes, students just need additional time to practice a new skill to help solidify it in their minds. E-learning is a great way to add this extra layer of preparation in a way that fits into your schedule and lifestyle — no staying after school required.

To find out more about all the ways an online tutor will help your child grasp Common Core math lessons, reach out to Growing Stars today. Our trained tutors provide one-on-one assistance that helps children with their math homework — even when you can’t.