How to Build Math Confidence for the New School Year
- Erin O'Halloran
- 4 hours ago
- 5 min read
A new school year brings new teachers, new routines, new classmates—and new math.
For some children, that feels exciting. For others, it can bring questions or worries: Will I be good at this? What if I don't know the answer? What if everyone else understands it before I do?
As children enter into a new school year, there's something important we can do to help: talk about what it means to learn math.
Math isn't something you either know or don't know. Sometimes you'll understand something right away. Sometimes you'll need to think about it for a while. Sometimes you'll make a mistake. Sometimes you'll need to try a completely different approach.
All of those experiences are part of learning math.When children know that from the beginning that making mistakes, struggling, and trying new approaches are part of learning something new, they're better positioned to approach new mathematical ideas with curiosity instead of fear.
Build Math Confidence by Talking About What It Means to Learn
One of the most important things we can do to build math confidence is help children understand that learning math doesn't mean knowing everything right away. Before the school year begins, talk with your child about what it might be like to learn something new.
You might say:
"This year you're going to learn some math you already know, and you're going to learn some math you've never seen before."
And then normalize what that might feel like:
"Sometimes you'll know how to do something right away. Sometimes you'll need some time to figure it out. Sometimes you'll be confused at first and that might feel uncomfortable or even frustrating. That's all part of learning."
This is an important message because children can easily interpret "I don't know how to do this" as "I'm not good at math." It’s helpful to separate those two ideas.
Not knowing something yet isn't evidence that your child can't learn it. It's simply where they are at that moment.
It can be really helpful to share an example from your own life (if you can, make it more specific to an actual experience that you’ve head):
"I remember learning things that were really confusing to me at first. I didn't know how to do them right away, but I kept working on them and eventually understood them."
Keep in mind that you’re not trying to convince your child that math will never be difficult. Rather, the goal is to help them understand that difficulty is a normal part of learning.
Talk About Mistakes Before They Happen
You don't have to wait for your child to make a mistake on a math problem before talking about mistakes. In fact, having this conversation proactively can help children see mistakes differently when they inevitably happen.
Before the school year starts, try asking:
"What do you think happens when you make a mistake in math?"
You might hear answers like "You get it wrong" or "You have to fix it."
Use that opportunity to introduce another way of thinking:
"Mistakes can actually help us learn. Sometimes a mistake shows us something we understand, and sometimes it helps us figure out what we need to think about next."
You can even talk about a time when you made a mistake while learning something. It can be really helpful to normalize making mistakes throughout the school year. You can help do this by asking questions such as:
"What did your mistake help you notice?"
"What could you try differently?"
"What do you understand now that you didn't understand before?"
Talk About Understanding, Not Speed
Another conversation worth having before school starts is about how we know someone understands math or is “good at math.”
Children may encounter timed activities, quick-response questions, or classmates who seem to know an answer immediately. It's easy for them to conclude that being good at math means being fast. However, this isn’t true! Speed isn't the same thing as understanding.
You might tell your child:
"Sometimes you'll know an answer quickly, and sometimes you'll need time to think. Both are okay. What's important is understanding your thinking."
You can reinforce this by showing interest in how your child thinks rather than simply whether they got the answer.
Try questions like:
"How did you figure that out?"
"What made you choose that strategy?"
"Can you explain your thinking?"
"Is there another way you could solve it?"
It is helpful to remind your child that being fast isn’t more important than taking the time to think, draw a picture, think about a pattern, or try a different strategy. This is exactly what mathematicians do, think deeply!
Remind Kids That Math Is More Than Worksheets
When we talk about "math," children often picture worksheets, homework, and pages of problems. Before school starts, it can be helpful to remind them that math doesn't only happen in the classroom.
Ask your child:
"Where do you think we use math outside of school?"
You might be surprised by what they notice. Math is part of cooking, shopping, building, playing games, sports, art, music, nature, and so many ordinary parts of our day.
You can even start pointing it out together:
"We need to figure out how much of each ingredient we need."
"Which package do you think has more?"
"How could we share these equally?"
"I wonder how long that will take."
It is valuable to highlight for children that mathematics is something they use to make sense of the world, not simply something that happens on a worksheet at school. Our Math Thinking Moments series also has lots of open questions to help you get started!
Be Thoughtful About Calling Math "Easy"
There's another message about math that's worth discussing before the school year starts: "easy" isn't always as helpful as we think.
If your child solves a problem quickly, you might naturally say:
"That was easy for you!"
We know this comes from a good place of wanting to provide your child with praise and support. However, it's worth thinking about the message children can hear when we consistently describe math as easy.
If one child hears, "That was easy!" while another child is struggling with the same mathematics, the second child might wonder:
"Why isn't it easy for me? Maybe I'm just not good at math."
Instead, we can celebrate what the child did without making ease the measure of success.
Try:
"You figured that out!"
"I noticed how you used what you already knew."
"Tell me about how you solved it."
Keep in mind this is an important message for all children: sometimes something will feel easy, sometimes it will feel hard, and neither tells us whether we're a "math person."
Start the School Year With a Healthy View of Math
As your child embarks on a new school year, you don't need to give them a math review packet or quiz them on what they remember from last year.Instead, try having a conversation about what it means to learn math.
You might say:
"This year, you'll learn some math you already know and some math that's brand new. Sometimes you'll know what to do, and sometimes you won't. Sometimes you'll make mistakes. Sometimes you'll need more time to think. Sometimes something will feel easy, and sometimes it will feel really hard. All of that is okay."
Then add:
"You don't have to know everything right away. Learning means figuring things out. And if something is challenging, we can be curious about it and keep working on it."
That's a very different kind of back-to-school preparation! You're not trying to make sure your child already knows the math content. You're helping them understand what it means to learn it, which is one of the most valuable things you can give them as they head into a new school year.
Learn More With Us!
We have lots more resources so that you can support your child in becoming excited, confident, capable doers of mathematics. Follow us on Instagram and YouTube to stay up to date! @MathHappinessProject. You can also Browse our full collection of printable math games and resources at the Math Happiness Project.
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