One of the greatest dimensions of young people is their ability to improve suddenly and almost mysteriously - to have one of those 'A-hah!!!' moments.

The fact remains, however, that good study habits, a sound foundation to build on, and a pattern of maturity and responsibility are developed more easily in years from the fourth grade through seventh than at any other time in the child's life. Not only are these good habits built easily during this time, habits developed during this period tend to become permanent.
 
These are the choice-and-all-too-few-years of life when curiosity is so consuming that it has to be curbed, and energy for learning and self improvement so abundant as to need only direction into the proper channels.

Perhaps the subject of math, more than anything else in elementary school, introduces your child gradually and consistently to the habit of thinking. At the same time, math is the subject which requires more individual attention than any other subject if a foundation of precision, thoroughness, and speed is to be built.

The beginning of precision, which will be of continued importance, can be stressed in three simple areas. These require little more than suggestions and observation by the parent. They are:

(1) writing numbers correctly
(2) copying problems correctly, and the correct problems (that is, the problems assigned)
(3) demanding exactness for the relative positions of numbers in problems. The correct form of the number in math is the beginning of neatness and a sense of exactness which all later maths will require.

Numbers should be closed, angles clear, and stems straight. Try to discourage exaggerated slants, and artistic-railed endings. Accuracy in copying problems is an important exercise and can be stressed at home. Few things hurt a teacher more than having to pass back failing papers to bright eighth and ninth graders who fail because they copy the wrong problems and work them correctly, or copy the right problems incorrectly. This also puts a damper on the students' enthusiasm.

Home practice in precision can also deal successfully in the (occasionally tragically unnoticed) position of numbers in relationship to each other. Parents can build all kinds of exciting arithmetic problems around cows seen on Sunday afternoon drives.

There are 7 cows in the field. 2 are lying down. How many footprints will the others make as they walk across the field?

There are 9 cows. How many cow ears are there, altogether?

There are 11 cows. If each cow gives 3 gallons of milk per day, how much milk does the farmer get each day?

There are nine cows and they all have single calves except two, and those two have twins. How many calves and cows are there in the field?

Here are some exercises for studying the multiplication tables, learning the simple facts, mechanizing operations with a view to accuracy and speed, and developing an awareness of key words in verbal problems. If cows are rare, there are plenty of light poles, trees in rows, houses to be sold or rented, and stoplights which change 20 times in 60 minutes and in 3 colors. For practice in fundamentals the field is unlimited, and some parents have gone so far as to ask, "What did I do with my children before?"  when they started to make use of these opportunities.

Of the many recent investigations and studies in the whole field of grade school math, one seems particularly applicable for giving the child help at home. Out of thousands of math papers, from fourth to approximately tenth grade level, the most commonly made mistakes in addition and subtraction have been compiled. The investigation also revealed that these same procedures generally cause a longer pause on the part of the student. They might be profitably used as material for review at home.

The most mistakes in addition seem to occur in the following operations: 9 + 7, 6 + 8, 8 + 7, 6 + 9, 8+5, 9+5, 5 + 9, 6 + 7 , and 5 + 6

In subtraction, the following operations cause the longest pauses for execution and present difficulty for the greatest number of students: 15-9, 15-8, 11-9, 9-9, 15-6, 13-5, 16-7, 1-0, and 6-0

As you can see, these are very elemental math problems that cause students a great deal of trouble. Taking the time to bond with your child by teaching him or her to know these basics without needing to think about the answer can provide great benefits both in your relationship and your child's education.