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Every guide in the Math Prizes resource hub, newest first. Page 2 of 16.
What to Do When Your Kid Reads the Directions Wrong Every Time
Your kid knows the math but keeps getting it wrong because they read the directions wrong. Here is why it happens and how to actually fix it.
Math Anxiety in Elementary Kids: Spotting It Early and Calming It Down
The signs of math anxiety show up long before the tears do. Here is what to watch for in an elementary kid, and how to bring the fear back down.
How We Built a Math Game That Rewards Mastery, Not Grinding
Most math apps reward volume because volume is easy to count. Here is why we threw that out and what a mastery-based reward system actually looks like.
Screen Time Contracts for Elementary Kids: A Template That Isn't Cheesy
Most screen time contracts read like a legal document a seven-year-old will never follow. Here is a short one that actually works.
Adding and Subtracting Decimals: Line Up That Point
The single most common decimal mistake is lining numbers up on the right instead of on the point. Here is how to fix it for good.
How I Know a Child Has Truly Mastered a Times Table (My Checklist)
A kid can ace the Friday quiz and still not own the sixes. Here is the checklist I use to tell when a times table is really learned.
Effort or Talent: What 16 Years of Teaching Taught Me About Who's Good at Math
The kids who ended up genuinely good at math were almost never the ones who looked gifted in September. Here's what actually separated them.
Printable Math vs Digital Math: A Skill-by-Skill Breakdown
Paper isn't old-fashioned and screens aren't cheating. Here's which one actually helps for each math skill, based on how each medium really works.
A Travel Day Math Kit That Lives on One Phone
You already have the only device you need. Here's how to turn one phone into a travel math kit without downloading a pile of apps.
The Kindergarten-to-First-Grade Math Shift: From Counting to Adding
Why counting on your fingers stops working in first grade, and the small mental shift that makes adding click for kids who feel stuck.
Setting a Realistic Weekly Math Practice Plan for the Whole Family
One plan, three kids at three grade levels, a tired parent, and a real calendar. Here is how to build a weekly math practice plan that survives an actual week.
How to Read a Homework Sheet's Directions With Your Kid
Half the wrong answers on a math sheet come from misread directions, not missing skills. Here is how to help kids follow homework directions before they start.
The Problem With Speed: Why Timed Math Tests Demotivate Some Kids
The kid who freezes on a timed drill often understands the math fine. Here is why timed math tests demotivate some kids and what actually builds fluency.
How to Turn Any Board Game You Already Own Into Math Practice
The games stacked in your closet already teach counting, addition, and probability. Here is how to turn board games into math practice without anyone noticing.
The Quiet Cost of Background TV for Kids Who Are Trying to Learn
The TV nobody's really watching still pulls at a kid trying to do math. Here is what background noise costs their focus, and a few easy fixes.
Multiplying and Dividing Fractions: The Rules That Finally Make Sense
Kids memorize flip and multiply and then forget which fraction to flip. Here is what the rules actually mean, so they stick for real.
Fact Families: One Card, Four Facts, Way Less Memorizing
Instead of drilling four separate facts, you can teach one relationship that covers all four. Here is how fact families cut the memorizing without cutting the learning.
A Family Math Talk Makeover: 30 Days of Better Words Around Numbers
The way we talk about numbers at the dinner table teaches kids more than any worksheet. Here is a month of small phrase swaps that quietly rebuild math confidence.
How to Set Up a Kid's Device So a Math App Can't Wander Off
The built-in feature that keeps a kid inside one app until you say otherwise, so math time stays math time and doesn't drift to video.
Back to School Tech Setup: Getting the Family Devices Homework Ready
The hour you spend setting up the family tablet in August saves you a dozen arguments in October. Here's the setup that actually holds.
How Much Should a Second Grader Know About Money and Time?
A plain rundown of what a second grader should be able to do with coins and clocks, and how to practice it without a worksheet in sight.
How to Make Math Practice Feel Like a Win Instead of a Chore
Small shifts in how you set up math time at home can turn a nightly battle into something your kid is actually a little proud of.
How to Spot When Homework Struggles Are Really a Learning Gap
Some hard homework nights are just hard nights. Others are a warning sign. Here's how a teacher tells a normal struggle from a real learning gap.
The Quiet Power of Letting Your Kid Teach You Math
The fastest way to find out what your kid actually understands is to hand them the marker and ask them to teach you. Here's why it works so well.