Don't Be Scared of Teaching Homeschool Math With these 5 Tips

Math is the #1 subject home educators say they feel unqualified to teach. Teaching homeschool mathematics to kids is intimidating for many parents. We often feel like we don’t have a good grasp of it ourselves. Or that we need to outsource it to someone else. I get it. Math was my least favorite subject in school. Guess what? It’s now one of my favorite parts of homeschooling. Join me in saying, “Math is fun!”

The Top 5 Reasons to Not Be Scared of Teaching Math

#1- Homeschool Math is not like it was in school.

Know what I remember from math in school? Standing in front of a blackboard being asked to solve an equation in front of the entire class. After talking with thousands of homeschool parents, this is a top memory for many of them too. I think this is one of the main reasons we’re scared to teach mathematics. When kids are on the spot, feel embarrassed, or singled out, it can be detrimental. While I don’t have any hard and fast data on this, I believe it to be true.  

When I was a kid I could solve problems on my own. The minute the teacher put me up there in front of the class I froze. I bet lots of you did too. If we can identify this as a negative feeling and experience, it can help us move forward with teaching.

The second thing that stands out to me when I was in school: worksheets. So. Many. Worksheets. And so many total busywork worksheets. How many millions of pages are printed on busywork sheets in schools every year? By choosing to teach at home, we can teach competency and closure. No busywork or repetitive worksheets required.

Teaching homeschool math looks 100% different than the standard school model. (There will be consistency between ShillerLearning and the Montessori method, I’m mainly comparing to public schools here.) It can be relaxed, it can be engaging, and *gasp* it can be fun!

#2- You can custom-tailor for each kid.

There is no pressure to move a kid along to keep up with the class. No pressure to stick to what a specific grade level says your child needs to learn. You have the freedom to repeat lessons as many times as needed, or as your child desires. If they’re struggling with a concept, you can leave it to come back to later. If there is a lesson they love, you can repeat it to their heart’s content. Plus, you can incorporate lessons and activities based on each child’s unique interests. Have a budding entrepreneur? You can start teaching business math. Have a kid who is always on the move? Use the ShillerLearning ball and our kinesthetic activities to keep them engaged and give them the movement they need!

#3-  Math games for kids.

Teaching through games not only can build math skills. Games teach social skills, visual/spatial awareness, reading, and more. We are so fortunate to be home educators at this time. There’s a vast availability of games to help teach skills and that math is fun. They don’t even have to be “math games.” Classic children’s games help reinforce concepts without the kids even realizing they’re learning. Starting a family game night once a week is not only fun but educational!

#4- There is math everywhere

Growing up, I knew I needed to learn math to function in the world. I didn’t understand how the worksheets were going to correlate to my real life though. By teaching our children at home we can involve them in the day-to-day uses. They can count out money for us at the store. We can have them measure ingredients when we’re cooking supper. They can help us watch our speed on the road. Once we start looking, we can find ways to incorporate it into our children’s lives without them even noticing.

#5- We script everything for you

When using ShillerLearning’s materials, everything is scripted. You won’t have to study up to review concepts. There’s no need to learn “new math.” Heck, you don’t even have to know the answers! All you need to be able to do is read the scripts to your child. It is the easiest homeschool math curriculum on the market. If you come across something you’re not familiar with, you can learn alongside your student. Kids love it when their parents show a love of learning too! When you encounter a lesson that’s a new, or difficult for you, it gives you the chance to learn. Our materials are open and go, need no prep work, and no study on your part. We’ve done this to help take the fear out of teaching for you.