Need advise on how to help 6 year old with homework?

Question

I know it sounds crazy, I should be able to help my 6 year old. I don't think his teacher is teaching him anything at all. Every night helping him with homework is mortal h**l! He can't seem to do simple math. I don't know if he's not retaining anything in school or if I'm just an idiot who can't help her son with his first grade homework or if my son has some kind of learning disability? I just don't know & I'm at my wits end with it. I know I can't just give up, he's my son for cryin out loud. I just don't know what to do & I think the school system SUCKS!!! Any advise on what I should do or can do short of tutoring because I can't afford it??? Thanks

Answer 1

He has homework at 6 years old? Jesus, i was enrolled in kintergarden at 5, i didn't know you got homework at 6.

I wouldn't be worried about him not retaining simple math, he's barely the age where he will remember his actions when he's 20.

I wouldn't worry about it, just let him be a kid.

Answer 2

On my website I have a page of links for parents. It has two sections. One section is resources to help teach your child and one section is educational online games. These have really helped our family. I hope it can help yours.

http://www.yourfunfamily.com/links.html

Answer 3

OMG  I feel you with my 7 year olds homework!!!!  You would think it would be easy for us to help with and it is not.  I don't understand 1/2 of what my son brings home to do.  I believe it is poor communication between teachers and parents.  Here is how I handle it here with my son.

I have him explain to me what he did in school that day (which I never understand what he is explaining to me..LOL) and have him read the directions to me, I read his homework directions to myself and then to him.  I ask the question for the homework and have him tell/show me the answer.  Based on his answer I explain to him the correct answer and why if need be.

If I am in question about iof i helped him right, I write a note to his teacher explaining how we did the HW.  So far this has worked for us.

We learned the note to the teacher from my middle sons teacher during a conference, she recommended that when we brought up my 7 yr old (who had her my middle sons teacher last year).  She also said if need be, set up a conferece with the teacher to discuss HW and class objectives for each term.

Answer 4

I would go to the school and ask for an outline of what they are working on each week.

Reading skills, math skills etc.

Then go to a learning store and look at the workbooks for your child's grade. I am thinking he's in first grade.  The books have written instruction on how to assist your child. You can buy several different work books which are fun and fairly inexpensive.

Then rather than make homework out to be a big hassles, give him earned play time for equal time of homework.  I am sure there are other ways, but often if time and money are issues you don't have the time to drive him out of school district for a better school.  

Also kill the TV.  If he likes watching TV let him know that he can earn his TV time through completed homework and extra workbook sheets.

Answer 5

What kinds of things are you trying? Do you make it fun?

For math, you can use cheerios or m&M's for the counting, adding, subtracting. If he works hard and gets to the right answer, then he gets to eat the m&m's.

If you are frustrated with him, it will only make him feel more frustrated. Be calm and cool.

Talk with his teacher and see what his teaching style is in school. I'm sure his teacher is doing what he can to get the lessons across and would be delighted to have a parent that wants to be involved with the teaching process.

Answer 6

Do you have a friend/friend of a friend/relative/church member that is a teacher/teacher's aide or retired teacher/teacher's aide that could come over and help you out.

Be patient, kind and consistent.

What exactally are you having problems with?

Answer 7

Just show him patience and understanding, some children take a little longer to grasp things than others , he wil be grand i promise so dont worry

Answer 8

Talk with some of the other parents with kids in that class.  It could be a problem with the teacher not you son.  If their kids are not having problems then I would meet with the principal and see if you son can get some extra help.

My daughter was having trouble learning to read so was put into a special smaller reading group and that has made all the difference.

It could be a learning disability or could be as simple as you son needs a different teaching style than he is getting.  A tutor would help with that.

It is tough feeling like your are stuck between a rock and hard place but check what resourses are in you school system and in your town, and hang in there - you are a good mom.

Answer 9

show him lots of patience - some kids need more time for everything to click.  Dont just do the homework - pick one thing per week you think he needs help with - simple math problems, and work on this with him for 15-20 minutes a night.  Target sells great workbooks for 1st grade skill building - this would provide you with more worksheets to work with.  Confidence is what he needs - he's only 6 and this stuff is all new to him.  Keep reassuring him that he will get this and that it is hard...but to keep trying.  

also, speak with his teacher to see what feedback she can offer. Does the school provide and additional one-on-one focus groups for kids who are having a little bit harder of time learning?

Remember to give him very simple problems to start with - build from there.  good luck!

Answer 10

I think it is one of the hardest when it comes to teaching math and science to small children.   Kids are very smart and they can sense others frustraions and difficulties very quickly. I am assuming that your son may have already experienced some of your frustration in teaching him math. If it is true, then he may have already developed some fear for learning math.   My suggestion to you would be to make it a fun and relaxed teaching session for him. Try to make up some math games and play with him for an hour every day.  Don't make him play more than an 1 hour though. It can make him realize that it is another teaching trick and he can loose interest.  Do it in a way that he becomes interested in it and feels challenged. If you want you can buy him some math games from the store. There are ton of math learning games out there.

You can also get him to play some of the computer math learning games online.  

Just spend an hour with him to help playing these games online everyday.

Here are some good learning sites:

1.  http://www.funbrain.com    2. http://www.learningplanet.com

3.  http://www.mathplayground.com/games.html

4. http://www.primarygames.com/math/countth...

5. http://www.kidport.com/grade1/math/mathi...

6. Here is a time table learning video

http://www.mathplayground.com/howto_lear...

Good luck!

Answer 11

Have you met with the teacher to see how he is doing in class?  That'd be a great place to start.  She would be able to give some advice if she thinks that there is a disability of sorts at play.  

In the mean time,  try to make it fun.  Use a rewards system.  Make it motivating.  

Also,  when was his last vision test?  We found out this year that my son was extremely far sighted-he couldn't see anything close up!  I felt like a horrible parent.  His last eye exam had been within a year and the screening they do for back to school is a distance test.    It's just another idea.

Answer 12

Mathblaster (a computer game)  my son swears by it!

http://shop.knowledgeadventure.com/Depar...

Other people have really good links as well.

Answer 13

My son's in Kindergarten and I was shocked to find out how much they are pushing on young children these days.  With that said, I've found that making a daily routine for doing homework...same time, same location (at dinner table) helps establish the habit.  As far as the math work, we use jelly beans, grapes, M&M's....to work through the problems.  It's a way for him to visualize the problems.

Answer 14

Some kids are just not good at math which might be his case my daughter's school send some kids to a trailer outside for additional math help maybe they have something like that.  

My daughter is pretty good at math but I do always look for flash cards to help her.  I find a lot of them at the dollar store.  I got Barbie time flash card that showed both digital clocks and clocks with the 2 hands.  This helped her.  She is really stubborn and fought with me about the money though.  I was like do you think mommy or you knows better which is the quarter and which is the nickel.   Anyway with the money we used real coins and she thought that was fun.

Answer 15

He needs more individualized attention. If the classes are large than the school system is probaly poor. Get him a tudor, put an ad out looking for some extra help, no need to do anything formal for such a small kid.If I was near you Id help you out! Im sure you can get a local teen or p*****n to help your kid out for little

Answer 16

Try doing maths stuff outside of homework.   Try to "sneak it in", like in conversation over dinner ("how many days until Saturday", that kind of stuff).  

Some kids decide they can't do the exercise on a page and just get stuck.

I'm very active trying to teach my kids maths (sometimes by stealth, as it were).  Feel free to email and correspond on this.

Good luck!

Answer 17

You have to be nice to him.Help he with what everything they need .I know what you are going though because I have kids to.So help him with everything and will be great.Ok girl.