Helping Your Child with Eureka Math: A Maryland Therapist’s Point of View

We originally wrote this post about “common core” math homework in 2014. The national common core standards were new at the time. And parents were panicking.

If we’d known then what we know now… that adjusting and adapting and figuring new things out would be the defining feature of parenting in the 2020s… we’d probably still have struggled. This is NOT how we were taught to do math.

If you’re my age, your parents probably told you about learning “new math” in the 1960’s. Is this the next new math? And is newer better?

What is Eureka math, anyway?

Eureka math is a curriculum. Here in Montgomery County, Maryland it replaced the math portion of “curriculum 2.0” in 2019-2020.

A curriculum is basically a recipe. It is a series of steps teachers take students through. Those workbooks the school sent home? Math cookbooks. In which your child will make every recipe by the end of the year.

Doing Eureka math with ADHD

This curriculum seems to move incredibly fast. There is a new concept every day. This is true, and is the main criticism we hear from parents about it. Along with “why is it is so slow?”

How could parents think it’s both too fast and too slow? Well, the parents we are hearing from are parents of kids with ADHD. There are reasons the speed of Eureka math seems problematic to these parents. ADHD brains don’t like repetition. And Eureka math is repetitive by design.

Every day there are practice problems, “exit tickets,” and homework. And they all cover the exact same thing. Once a child understands the concept, it’s easy for them to get bored doing the repetition. They’re ready to move on already! So it feels too slow.

Here’s what happens next. Kids with ADHD can’t engage their cognitive skills when they find something to be boring. And so they don’t finish the work. The missing or late assignments pile up. Three of them every day.

Suddenly there’s not enough time to get it all done. And it feels like it’s moving too fast. Talk to your child’s school about allowing reduced workload on his 504 plan or IEP. So some of these already mastered tasks can be skipped.

Helping your anxious or struggling child

Maybe missing assignments aren’t the problem your child is having. Maybe today’s new concept is confusing. They didn’t quite get it. And you don’t know how to help.

So how do you help without knowing the answers?   You help them figure it out. After all, Eureka math is about learning different ways to problem solve.

First, you might need to check on your emotions. Was math a struggle for you? Does this new approach stress you out? You’re not alone! You might be feeling overwhelmed, and your child might too.

Try our Big Job Mountain exercise to handle the overwhelm before you get started. Then follow the strategy below.

Tips from a Therapist for Anxious Kids and Teens

1. Ask, don’t answer.   Asking questions engages your child in solving the problem himself. 

   Try these:

   • Have you seen a problem like this before?

   • What strategies did your teacher use during math time today?

   • What strategies could you use to find the answer?

   • Are there any hints in the directions?

   • Who could help you remember what to do?

2. Count on the teacher.   Is your child getting the wrong answers? Forgetting which strategies to use?

   Let her ask the teacher tomorrow. Put a post-it on the homework. Or have them email the teacher a question right now, before they forget.

   If your child isn’t ready to ask on her own, work with her to write the teacher a note.   Just to say that your child might need some more help with yesterday’s math work. Trust the teacher to take it from there.

3. Address the emotions.  This is a chance to teach your child emotional regulation. Combine these strategies for best results.

   • Be open about how you handle your own overwhelm.   Show your child that you’re taking deep breaths. And talking kindly to yourself.

   • Offer ideas for productive breaks.

     1. Do you think some exercise would help?   (Shooting hoops, jumping rope, swinging, and climbing can help the body to regulate. And bring an overwhelmed or tired brain back online).

     2. Let’s listen to some fun music. Or draw a picture.

   • Eliminate negative self talk.   Make a list of the “mean” things your child is saying to herself when she’s frustrated. Help her rip up the list, throw it away, or yell “that’s not true!” at the page.

   • Practice a growth mindset.   Replace the negative self talk. Write what it will really take to solve the problem. Try “I’ll be able to do this after a few more lessons from the teacher.” Or “This is going to take some work, but I think I can figure it out.”

My child is still anxious and stressed.

If homework time still causes major meltdowns at home, seek the help of a therapist.  We’re here to help you understand your child’s specific needs and make a plan to decrease the stress!