In this article, we will share the top ways to boost confidence with fractions through real-world experiences. For this blog, we will be focusing on the Fraction Decimal Percentage strand of the curriculum. We will show you how to connect the curriculum to real-world problems and boost your child’s growth mindset.
Not sure about a growth mindset? Head to this blog that explains the importance of building a growth mindset first!
Let’s get started.
In this parent’s guide to boosting confidence with fractions, you will learn:
- What you need to do to start boosting confidence with fractions
- How to boost confidence when your child is in a confidence rut
- How to boost confidence when there are knowledge gaps
- Thirteen ways to bring fractions to life
By the end of this article, you should have answers to all your questions about supporting your child’s confidence with fractions.
How to Start Boosting Confidence with Fractions?
For starters, it is imperative to note that confidence in maths, specifically fractions, often takes time.
The first place to start is to identify if your child lacks some of the foundational skills needed to advance to higher maths or if they are in a confidence rut.
A great way to start is to have them do some working out with you.
To accomplish this successfully, encourage them to help you with something maths related:
- budgeting for the family dinner
- splitting a bill at a restaurant (or for takeaway)
- figuring out how many place settings are needed to set the table
These tasks require a strong command of number bonds and the foundational manipulation of numbers.
Therefore, if they are struggling with their mental addition or can’t seem to grasp a specific operation, then this can be indicative of a knowledge gap.
On the other hand, if they are able to confidently approach ‘real world maths’ with ease, but the moment they sit down for homework they switch off, then they are likely in a confidence rut.
Boosting Confidence when Your Child is in a Confidence Rut
A confidence rut can come about because one of two reasons:
- They were never taught how to work through something they don’t understand
- They are normally good at maths but a certain topic just doesn’t ‘click’ the same as others.
To avoid a confidence rut that turns into a ‘switched off’ child who believes they are not good at maths, the best thing to do is to focus on building the growth mindset.
Reminder: A growth mindset approaches challenges with an open mind and an eagerness to learn. With a growth mindset, everything is figure out-able!
Many times, the confidence rut is a result of something that was once easy, now feels challenging.
Therefore, focusing on how to approach problems that feel challenging will not only boost their confidence in maths, it will also provide them with invaluable knowledge of how to thrive beyond the classroom.
Boosting Confidence when there are Knowledge Gaps
Once it’s clear what your child needs support in, boosting their confidence is simply a matter of exposing them to the concepts in a scaffolded manner. This will allow them to build their understanding at a staggered pace.
A great way to achieve this continual exposure is through real world examples.
In order to identify knowledge gaps, working with the classroom teacher, and or a tutor with a specialty in identifying gaps in learning, can be helpful.
Educational professionals have first hand knowledge of the expectations your child should be meeting and could provide great insight in the types of tasks would be suitable.
Bettering Youth tutors begin every learning plan with an informal assessment to ensure that we are addressing the main obstacles your child is facing before dragging them along to something outside of their current capabilities.
This is one of the many benefits of working with a private tutor.
Thirteen ways to Build Confidence with Fractions
This is the heart and soul of Bettering Youth’s success in supporting children re-engage with Fractions in a positive and inspiring manner.
Maths is all around us, and to say ‘I can’t do Maths’ is simply not true as you engage with it every day.
The truth is, a lot of students feel confident working with numbers when they understand the real world implications.
Therefore one of the ways to break down the resistance of doing Maths is to bring it to life!
How to Bring Fractions, Decimals, Percentages to Life!
Bettering Youth is currently runnning weekly virtual small group classes that support children with the KS2 curriculum by encouraging them with real world maths problems.
These groups highlight the ways we use the skills in every day life.
Ideas to Bring Fractions, Decimals, Percentages to Life
Fractions, Decimals and Percentages is a big strand that is introduced in lower KS2 and is carried through to A levels. Thus it is imperative that we spend some time ensuring that your child feels confident with these.
Boosting Confidence with Decimals Focus:
- When working with materials that you need to measure, practise converting measures between mm – cm – m – km
- Budgeting for family food works with decimals
- Purchasing gifts, this could work on multiplying decimals
- Finding how much change is required works with borrowing, and subtracting decimals
Be sure to show how Fractions, Decimals and Percentages are all ways to represent the same information.
Boosting Confidence with Fractions Focus:
- Baking and a cook off show for adding and subtracting fractions
- Practise building things to practise multiplying fractions
- A lemonade stand to learn about dividing fractions
- Using manipulatives to visually see fractions
Boosting Confidence with Percentages Focus:
- Discuss sports percentages and compare best players
- Look at finance budgets for the household
- Play shop keeper and put products on sale
- Talk about how cars depreciate over time
- Learn about interest for financial literacy
Conclusion
It does not matter if your child has knowledge gaps or if they are in a confidence rut.
If your child is showing signs of a fixed mindset or is talking about how fractions are just is not for them, then you need to boost their confidence in maths by building their growth mindset and connecting their learning to the real world.
We hope this article helped you understand why building a growth mindset is important and helped you get started on connecting curriculum topics to real world experiences.
You may also want to check out our Real World Maths Club. This is another way to connect your child with real-world uses of Maths, and expose them to other students who are just like them.
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About the Editorial Staff
Editorial Staff at Bettering Youth is a team of tutoring and emotional wellbeing coaching experts led by Sarahlynn Hodder. Trusted by over 1.3 thousand families worldwide.
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