08/29/2026
WHY DOES MY CHILD KNOW THE STEPS BUT STILL STRUGGLE WITH MATH?
Reason #2: Memorizing Instead of Understanding
Have you ever seen your child successfully complete a page of math problems — but then become completely confused when the question is presented differently?
This often happens when students have learned what to do without understanding why they're doing it.
They memorize: “Move this number here. Add a zero. Flip the fraction. Use this formula.”
That can work when a question looks exactly like the example. But change the problem slightly and suddenly the student doesn't know what to do.
Our goal shouldn't simply be: “Can you get the right answer?”
It should also be: “Can you explain why your answer makes sense?”
