As a home educator, you might have experienced the challenge of engaging a reluctant learner—especially when it comes to maths. My daughter, like many children, despises maths. She struggles with mental arithmetic and would rather avoid the subject altogether. Yet, as we all know, maths is essential for everyday life, and avoiding it isn’t an option. Through trial and error, I’ve discovered that by shifting our focus from traditional rote learning to real-life applications and hands-on manipulative tasks, maths has become not only more accessible but also more enjoyable for her.
This post is for all the home educators out there whose children, especially those over 10, would rather do anything but maths!
Why Some Children Struggle with Maths
Maths, for many children, feels abstract and disconnected from their world. My daughter used to ask, "When will I ever use this in real life?" This is a common sentiment among reluctant learners. If maths feels irrelevant or too difficult, it’s natural for a child to disengage.
In my experience, mental arithmetic is one of the key areas where my daughter struggles. The pressure to quickly work out sums in her head feels overwhelming and intimidating. Rather than pushing through with worksheets or mental drills, I knew we had to change our approach. Enter: life maths and hands-on learning.
Life Maths: Bringing Numbers into Everyday Life
For children who don’t take well to traditional methods, making maths part of everyday life is a game changer. Here’s what has worked well for us:
Grocery Shopping
A simple trip to the supermarket becomes a maths lesson. We use it to practice addition, subtraction, estimation, and percentages. For example, I might ask my daughter to help work out the cost of two items and whether we have enough money to cover the purchase. When we're at the checkout, we estimate the total cost and compare it to the actual amount. I’ve found that this takes the pressure off of "getting it right" and makes her realise that maths is about problem-solving, not perfection.Cooking and Baking
Cooking offers countless opportunities for real-life maths. We use measuring cups and scales, and I ask my daughter to adjust recipes based on different serving sizes. This brings in multiplication, division, and fractions in a way that feels purposeful. For example, if a recipe calls for 200g of flour, but we only have enough ingredients to make half the amount, how much flour will we need? These real-world applications make the concepts come alive, and she enjoys the process—particularly if it results in something tasty!Budgeting Pocket Money
As my daughter is growing older, managing her pocket money has become a valuable exercise in maths. We talk about saving, spending, and setting goals. If she wants to buy something, we calculate how long it will take her to save up for it. We discuss discounts, sales, and how much something will cost after a certain percentage is taken off. These exercises not only sharpen her maths skills but also teach financial literacy, a crucial life skill.
Hands-On Manipulatives: Making Maths Tangible
For children who struggle with abstract concepts, hands-on learning can be incredibly helpful. When my daughter was younger, she loved building things with LEGO bricks, so we’ve continued using them in our maths lessons. Here are a few examples of how we’ve used manipulatives in practical ways:
LEGO for Fractions and Ratios
Fractions can be a tricky concept to grasp, but using something as simple as LEGO bricks helps make it visual. We use different-sized bricks to represent fractions. For instance, if a large block represents one whole, smaller blocks can represent halves, quarters, and so on. By physically manipulating the pieces, my daughter can see how fractions fit together and understand concepts like equivalence and ratios.Coins and Change for Arithmetic
Using real money helps with both arithmetic and understanding the value of currency. We set up a mock shop at home where my daughter buys and sells items, calculates change, and uses basic addition and subtraction. I give her a set amount of “money” to spend, and she has to work out how much she can buy within her budget. This is a practical, hands-on way to make mental arithmetic less daunting.Number Lines and Cuisenaire Rods
Number lines are brilliant for visual learners, especially when working with negative numbers or understanding place value. Cuisenaire rods, with their different lengths and colours, are also great for adding and subtracting numbers, finding common multiples, and comparing values. Manipulating physical objects helps make these abstract ideas concrete.
Letting Go of the ‘Traditional’ Approach
One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned through home educating is that the traditional methods don’t work for everyone—and that’s okay. My daughter doesn’t need to master every mathematical concept through mental arithmetic. What’s more important is that she gains confidence and an understanding of how numbers work in the real world.
If your child is anything like mine, try to let go of the pressure to stick to conventional methods. Work at your child’s pace, explore alternative ways to teach concepts, and most importantly, keep it fun. By focusing on life maths and using manipulatives, maths no longer feels like an enemy in our house—it’s a useful tool, one that she’s learning to wield in her own way.
Encouraging Progress Over Perfection
For reluctant learners, success often looks different. My daughter may never feel entirely comfortable with rapid-fire mental arithmetic, but that’s okay. What matters most is that she’s learning maths in a way that makes sense to her. She’s becoming more confident with numbers in real-world situations, and that is a win.
To other parents out there, if your child is struggling, take heart. Maths doesn’t have to be a battleground. With patience, creativity, and real-world applications, you can help your child see maths as the useful, manageable skill it truly is.
0 comments