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Explore the problem – What to talk to the teacher about
Some of the key areas to explore with the teacher should be:
- Does the teacher believe your child has issues with mathematics?
- What is your child’s approach/attitude to maths in class: e.g., do they ask for help? Do they answer questions?
- What are the specific areas of mathematics your child is struggling with?
- Is it possible to see assessment pieces as evidence of this?
- Would my child benefit from outside assistance (e.g., tutor, maths computer program. etc.)?
These open and honest discussions should allow a plan to be developed to tackle the issues identified.
You, the teacher and your child need to collaboratively develop the plan. The plan may involve extra support at school in the form of intervention sessions or extra practice sent home to help your child better grasp concepts.
At this point it is also a good idea to ask the teacher if they think outside assistance such as tutoring would be beneficial. This may also become part of the plan.
Once the plan is agreed upon it is important to keep in regular contact with your child’s teacher so as to closely monitor your child’s progress.
If you do not think the teacher is taking you and your child’s concerns seriously, as a parent you need to move to the next stage by making your concerns known at a higher level within the school. This is a last resort that you should only take up after trying to work with the teacher over an extended period.
