Helping students make sense of math, find joy, improve, and accelerate through our 1:1 lessons, classes, and curriculum.
“Oh—wait. That’s where I went wrong.”
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She finished the problem and said confidently, “Done!” “Oh—wait. That’s where I went wrong.” Just like that, she found her own mistake. That’s the power of talking math out loud. It slows thinking down, reveals gaps, and helps students turn confusion into clarity. Why It Works When students explain their reasoning, they organize their thoughts, connect vocabulary, and strengthen their understanding. Students see how their thinking fits together when they explain math out loud. And when they can describe what they’re doing, they’re not just following steps—they’re showing that they understand why those steps work. Here’s How You Can Try This at Home Teach it back. After a problem, ask, “Can you explain this to me like I’ve never seen it before?” One keyword. Encourage them to use a precise math term—like factor, quotient, or perimeter—in a complete sentence. Step check. Ask, “What was your first step? Why that one?” Multiple ways. Ask, “Could you solve it another way?” This reinforces flexible thinking and helps students to find ways to check their answers. Even a quick, two-minute math chat can make a difference. The goal isn’t perfection—it’s getting students comfortable thinking and talking through their ideas. Over time, that confidence shows up in class discussions, tests, and real-life problem-solving. Want to know more about how language deepens understanding? When students can say the math, they can own the math, and that’s where real confidence begins. — Your Coach, Ingrid P.S. We’re enrolling now for fall, with group and 1:1 options that help students build confidence, reasoning, and clear communication in math. Reach out if you’d like help finding the right fit! |
Ingrid | Tampa Bay Test Prep
Helping students make sense of math, find joy, improve, and accelerate through our 1:1 lessons, classes, and curriculum.
Hi there, As the first half of the school year winds down, I keep hearing the same thing from parents: I can tell my child needs support in math, but I’m just not sure what the right next step is. December is busy. Kids are taking finals. Families are traveling. College decisions are on the horizon. Some students are slipping behind quietly, while others are ready to leap ahead but don’t have the right support. So this year, I wanted our Black Friday specials to give families clarity,...
She frowned at her paper. Everything looked right, but the answer was off. She started to erase it right away. But I asked her to wait. “Instead of erasing it right away, can you spot where things started to go wrong?” A few seconds later, her eyes lit up. “Oh! I added instead of subtracting.” That moment—when a student finds their own mistake—is when real learning happens. But as parents/teachers, it’s hard to watch this process. When your child keeps missing problems they should know, it’s...
Pencil in hand, she stared at the paper. She wanted to use a calculator, but this was a non-calculator problem. So she started counting on her fingers. It took her a moment to remember what 12 + 3 equaled. It wasn’t that she couldn’t get the answer. She could. But every problem took so long. That’s when I introduced her to a few mental math shortcuts. 12 is 10+2 right? What does 2+3 equal? Now, we add 10. Yep, the answer is 15. These weren’t tricks, but ways of breaking numbers apart so the...