Creating Your Own Math Problems and Worksheets

The only way to truly master a principle of mathematics is to practice it. Even the best students need to review a new concept from time to time. While homework is a great way to get a bit of practice outside of the classroom, it is not enough for some students. Additional practice sheets may be in order. While math books, teachers, and homework help sites can often provide additional problems and worksheets, you can certainly make a few on your own.

Creating Math Worksheets

When you create your own practice worksheets, you review your child's material. This allows you to not only become familiar with the curriculum, but helps you refresh your own math skills. As the years go by, we often forget once simple lessons. Mastering them again means you can be of better help to your child should he or she need a hand. Besides, what better way to participate in your child's education than becoming a teacher to him or her?

In order for math problem worksheets to be effective, they must be prepared with care. Here are some tips for doing just that:

• Use your student's assignments as a guide. This not only ensures that you are structuring your problems in a way your child will understand, but ensures that you are testing him or her on the appropriate material.
• Be sure you have fully reviewed your child's lessons. By generating a worksheet containing problems that have either been long mastered or not introduced at all, your child can become easily bored or frustrated.
• Make sure that you understand the lesson. You won't be able to judge your child's accuracy if you don't remember how to solve the problems yourself. The only way your child can verify his or her work is by reviewing accurate solutions.
• When creating an answer key, consider showing the whole solution rather than just the answer. If your child can see how you solved the problem, they can identify where they went wrong should they miss one. Encourage your child to show all their work as well. This will make identifying problems in their thought process much easier.
• Strike a balance. Remember, developing children can become easily bored, which is when the learning process ends. Be sure you include enough problems so that your child is challenged, but not so many that he or she feels overwhelmed
• Variety is key. Unless you're creating a timed quiz, such as those testing multiplication tables, include different types of problems that require the same method. If you're child is learning addition, for instance, create word problems in addition to basic equations. This will challenge your child in new ways and help him or her learn to apply the same methods to a plethora of circumstances.