My seventh-grader is not doing well in math this year because the teacher won't answer all her questions. The teacher feels she is asking way too many questions in class. If my daughter's grades do not improve, she will not be able to take algebra in eighth grade. What can be done to help my child? -- Too Many Questions
Answer: The bottom line is that your daughter is having problems with math. More is probably needed than for her teacher to answer all her questions. Begin by finding out exactly where your daughter is having problems. Looking over tests and homework should give you some idea of the problem. However, you will need to meet with or talk to the teacher for definitive answers.
The next step is to formulate a plan to help your daughter do better in math. If she has significant gaps in her grasp of math, serious help is needed now. Find out what help can be provided by the school, how you can help, and if a tutor is needed.
You must realize that school in general and especially math is becoming harder at this level. Students have to be willing to put more time into their studies. Good study techniques can also make a difference. Is your daughter paying close attention to the teacher's explanations in class? Is she too inclined to ask questions before spending any time puzzling over a problem? Is she taking notes in class? Is she then reviewing her notes and redoing sample exercises in the math textbook before asking for help? And believe it or not, your child should do more math problems. For example, if only the even problems are assigned, she needs to do the odds, too. This really works!
The teacher and your child need to meet with each other and come to an understanding about asking and answering questions in class. Your child needs to express why she has so many questions, and the teacher needs to talk about how many and what kind of questions he or she will answer.