Algebra: Is your child ready for it?

Algebra is the first step of your child into advanced mathematics. At first glance, you might feel that this transition will come naturally but not always it goes according to plan. Think about it. Your child has to make a direct leap into a world of constants, variables, linear equations from the world limited to the realms of arithmetic. You should make sure whether s/he is substantially prepared to go for algebra. You should not take the leap of faith especially when your child’s career is under question. There are several ways through which you can determine whether your child is capable enough of going through that transition successfully. Let’s go through them.

Implement a simple preliminary test

It’s the easiest way to check whether your child is prepared for algebra or not. You can take it on a piece of paper, or you can implement some apps as well. This type of test should not depend on many technicalities because you must remember that your child has no idea of all the technicalities involved in algebra. A simple test of basic concepts should do. We will provide you with an easy example. You may give your child various objects and ask him/her to sort them accordingly. Say you have given him five red balls, six green balls, and 8 black balls in a random order. Your child has to sort them separately according to the color of the balls. This is an important algebraic concept in linear equations where students need to sort the constants and variables separately to get the result. Similarly, there are many other tests available on the internet. Certain apps can also be pretty beneficial for this test like the Dragon Box algebra apps tailor-made for pre-algebraic level children. You can also opt for professional math tuitions in this matter that can do this job for you on your behalf.

Take the opinion of your child

This point is pretty important. You must remember that your child is going to face the challenge on his/her own. You are just the guide, but the ultimate test has to be faced by your child. Hence, his/her opinion on algebra is crucial. You must try to look into this new challenge from your child’s perspective. The best way to do that is to talk to your child. Ask him/her whether s/he is feeling confident with this new challenge or not. If your child is not confident enough, do not force him to go with the flow. Go back to the basics again by repeating a different version of that preliminary test we highlighted above. Give him the encouragement by stating that you have full confidence in him/her that s/he will be able to do it. If it’s not today, there’s a tomorrow. Remember, confidence is the key to success. The same rule is applicable in this case.

Introduce a little algebraic prep work

After you have confirmed the fact that your child’s prepared for the subject, you should keep a tab on the performance of your kid. A little algebraic prep work can do wonders. Encourage him to solve algebraic sums at home so that you can personally keep a tab on his/her performance. Ask your child to go through step-by-step algebraic tutorials on the YouTube and try to accompany him/her at the same time. That makes the experience more gratifying.

Ask for a syllabus

A syllabus contains a number of valuable information on a specific curriculum including the course objectives, course timeline, and various other testing policies. It’ll be pretty beneficial for you to keep yourself updated to your child’s current curriculum. That’ll also give you a basic idea of the course topics included in your child’s curriculum.

Consult his/her math teacher

Your child’s teacher should have the best idea of your child’s performance in mathematics. If your child’s struggling with algebra, his/her teacher must be aware of the fact. Hence, we reckon that you should consult with his/her teacher to know about his/her performance. If your child’s not ready for algebra, you would most likely hear that fact from the teacher. A little consultation can go a long way.

Getting your child ready for algebra is not a huge deal. It can be done easily if you follow a systematic pattern. If your child’s struggling with algebra, you must not question his ability to perform. You should remember that every child’s different. They might take their own time to learn specific concepts, but eventually, they’ll surely be able to complete it at some point. So have patience and wait. You’ll see that success will surely come your child’s way.