How to Help Your Child Study for a Math Test
“I don't know how to study for math.”
As a math teacher, this is a statement I hear from students all the time.
And honestly, I understand why.
Studying for math is different from studying for many other subjects. You can't always just reread your notes or memorize a list of facts and expect to be ready for a test.
Learning how to study for math is a skill, and it is one that students have to practice.
Recently, I wrote a blog post for teachers about how I have changed the way I use class time to review for math tests. After years of trying different review strategies, I realized that one important piece was missing:
Students needed to be taught how to study.
So I created a simple one-page guide to help my students figure out what to do when they need to prepare for a math test or quiz.
As I worked on it, I realized something else.
This isn't just a tool for the classroom.
It can be just as helpful for parents who are trying to support their child at home.
“Go Study” Isn't Always Helpful
If your child comes home and says they have a math test tomorrow, you might naturally say:
“Okay, go study!”
But what happens next?
They might open their notebook and stare at it.
They might reread the same page three times.
They might work through a few homework problems.
Or they might decide they understand everything because the examples in their notes look familiar.
The problem isn't necessarily that they don't want to study.
They may simply not know what effective math studying looks like.
That's where you can help.
Instead of asking, “Did you study?” try asking:
“What are you going to do to study?”
That small change can encourage your child to think about the process rather than simply spending time looking at their math materials.
Start With What They Already Have
Before your child starts studying, have them gather the resources they already have.
Depending on the class, these might include:
Class notes
Homework assignments
Previous quizzes
Corrected work
A test review
Practice problems
A study guide
Class examples
Instructional videos
Vocabulary or formula sheets
You don't necessarily need to find more resources.
In many cases, the best place to start is with the work your child has already completed in class.
Ask:
“What resources did your teacher give you?”
Then help your child figure out which ones might be most useful.
Don't Just Look at the Grade
One of the most helpful things your child can do is look at their previous work and figure out what they actually need to practice.
For example, imagine your child completed a test review and missed several problems involving solving equations.
Instead of studying every topic on the test equally, they now have some information about where to focus.
They can ask:
What did I miss?
Why did I miss it?
Do I understand how to fix it?
Can I solve another problem like this?
What should I practice next?
This is much more useful than simply counting how many problems they got right.
A wrong answer can actually be useful information if your child takes the time to understand it.
What Does Studying Math Actually Look Like?
This is probably the biggest question students, and parents, have.
Studying math should involve doing something with the math.
That might mean:
Review notes
Have your child look through their notes and identify important formulas, rules, vocabulary, and examples.
But don't stop there.
Ask them to close their notebook and explain what they remember.
Redo missed problems
Have your child go back to problems they missed on homework, quizzes, or review assignments.
Instead of simply looking at the correct answer, have them try the problem again.
Then ask:
“What did you do differently this time?”
Write out the steps
If your child struggles with a particular type of problem, have them write out the steps for solving it.
For example:
First I…
Next I…
Then I…
My final step is…
Writing the process down can help students see where they are getting stuck.
Explain the problem
Ask your child to teach you how to solve a problem.
You don't have to know the math yourself!
You can simply say:
“Pretend I'm your student. Teach me how to do this.”
If your child can explain the process clearly, that's a good sign that they understand it.
If they get stuck while explaining, you've probably found something they need to review.
Practice without the notes
Once your child feels comfortable with a topic, have them put their notes away and try a few problems independently.
This is important because recognizing an example in their notes is not the same thing as being able to solve a problem independently.
Help Your Child Identify What They Don't Know
One of the most important study skills students can develop is the ability to recognize:
“I don't understand this yet.”
That can be difficult.
Students sometimes avoid challenging problems because they are frustrating. Or they may assume that because they understood the teacher's example, they can solve the problem on their own.
Encourage your child to notice the problems that make them stop and think.
Those are often the problems worth spending time on.
You might ask:
“Which type of problem feels the hardest right now?”
Then focus your study time there.
What If My Child Doesn't Know Where to Start?
This is exactly why I created my How to Study for a Math Test one-page guide.
I wanted students to have something they could actually use when preparing for a test or quiz instead of simply being told to “study.”
The guide walks students through three important questions:
1. What resources do I have?
Students identify the notes, assignments, videos, examples, and other resources they can use.
2. What questions should I ask myself?
Students reflect on what they understand, what they don't understand, and which skills need more practice.
3. What can I actually do to study?
Students choose practical strategies such as reviewing notes, correcting mistakes, practicing problems, writing steps, explaining their thinking, learning vocabulary, or teaching someone else.
The goal isn't for students to check every box every time.
The goal is to help them learn how to choose the strategies that will actually help them.
Turn Studying Into a Conversation
You don't have to become your child's math teacher to support them.
In fact, sometimes the best thing you can do is ask questions instead of trying to explain the math yourself.
Try asking:
“What topic are you working on?”
“What kind of problem is giving you trouble?”
“What mistake did you make?”
“Can you show me how you would solve this?”
“What resource could help you figure this out?”
“What are you going to practice next?”
These questions encourage your child to take ownership of their learning.
And if they genuinely don't understand something, that's a good time to reach out to their teacher or find another explanation.
The Goal Isn't Just the Next Test
Of course, we want our children to do well on their math tests.
But there is a bigger goal.
We want students to eventually be able to sit down before a test and think:
“I know how to figure out what I need to study.”
That's a skill they can use throughout middle school, high school, college, and beyond.
The hope is that eventually they won't need someone standing next to them saying, “Go study.”
They will know what to do.
A Simple Tool to Get Started
If your child struggles with knowing where to begin when studying for math, my How to Study for a Math Test | Study Skills for Middle & High School guide can give them a simple place to start.
It can be printed and kept in a binder or page protector, or used digitally. Students can return to it each time they prepare for a test or quiz and check off the strategies they use.
How to Study for a Math Test | Study Skills for Middle & High School
My hope is that it becomes more than a checklist.
I want students to develop a study process they can eventually use on their own.
Because knowing how to solve a math problem is important.
But knowing how to figure out what you don't understand and what to do about it is an even more valuable skill.