Seek Fraction Tutoring Early
Fractions are a way of thinking that train the mind for everything else that follows.
I recently viewed a Twitter post by Lane Walker to @MathConceptions stating, “All the way through High School if students don’t get basic fractions, they typically crash & burn in Algebra 2 with rational functions.” This may seem strange to us that students could make it to Algebra 2 without a strong grasp of basic fractions because simple fractions are introduced in 4th grade and repeated each year with more depth.
However, it is very common for educational gaps to occur and happens for a myriad of reasons; moving, changing schools/classes/teachers mid-year, delayed maturation, learning challenges, major life events, absences, etc.
Students can struggle through school for six years (give or take a year) until Algebra 2 as they encounter fractions, at growing difficulty, because these are learning gaps they cannot fix on their own. I find this evident in my teaching experiences. It stands to reason that a student’s struggle in Algebra traces back several years, just as I have found similarly in other subjects.
Coretta Thomas in her LSU master’s research paper entitled, Fraction Competency and Algebra Success, 2010 states,
“Within the last twenty years, mathematicians have hypothesized that students who are not fraction-proficient will struggle in algebra because the thought processes needed to do algebra have roots in the understanding of fractions. Fractions, though considered arithmetic, are the first entry into abstract thought.
Fractions, unlike whole numbers, are not computed with “finger and toe” manipulation. This makes dealing with them very different from the arithmetic that students perform in the early elementary years. Because fractions are the beginning of abstract thought, fraction competency is critical to success in algebra.”
Pre-Algebra, Algebra 1, Algebra 2, Pre-Calculus, Calculus, Statistics, and every science class that requires math in high school rely on abstract thought inherent in fraction competency.
What can parents do to help children be successful in algebra if they’re struggling? Seek tutoring in fractions early. It’s a way of thinking that trains the mind for everything else that follows. And if your high schooler is challenged with math, it’s very likely because of fractions. Seek tutoring; it’s never too late.
When students come for tutoring at Brighthouse Learning Center, we do an assessment to find out exactly where to focus. In a very short time, we find out what is already known and what needs to be taught. One of my favorite things is to see a student light up when they experience a break-through where they were formerly lost.
Brighthouse is a Great Place for Your Child!
Contact Michele at 985-705-8722 or email brighthouselearning18@gmail.com. Visit our website at wwwbrighthouselearning.com for more information.