I need help teaching someone basic math
 

So yeah I'm taking college Algebra and my boyfriend is way bad at Math. He does not have the brain for it. He is still in Basic math. The college I go to stopped offering that class so he can no longer graduate because of general Ed. Both he and I want him to graduate and succeed, I decided that I would teach him and bring him up to level. I know it will be hard because he has been trying his whole life but I really want him to succeed and become great at math! I know he can do it because he is smarter than me and I was able to catch up in math when I was years behind. Are there any workbooks/textbooks I should buy to help teach him? I don't know how to help teach someone in basic math because it's been many many years since I learned it myself (I'm 22). Please don't make derogatory statements about him he does try and I just really want him to succeed (as I said before).

If you yourself don't have good knowledge then you shouldn't be teaching him anything. You could always find a math teacher or someone who knows math and that's good at it. It's better for him to learn it from someone who has a higher knowledge in math. Hope my advice helps and good luck.

It might not be the most helpful advice, but games. There are a lot of video games that are built around teaching different studies. There was a game I used back in high school to study for my math exams, it was '5th grade adventures'. I tell ya what, they must think very highly of 5th graders half the time with that game... Even in 11th grade I had a hard time finishing half of it XD

But yeah, that was what I was trying to recommend my boyfriend when he was pushing towards his GED (he was home schooled), but he insisted on doing without it.

I found the game helpful but that's also because I hate reading math things. Speaking of, I wonder if they make games like that for accounting... I'm pretty sure I would be doing much better in class if they did XD

Way to assume I don't know anything about basic math. I want advice on HOW to teach it! I have never taught anyone anything like this before and have no idea on where, how, and what to start on. I want advice for good starter books and how long I should do each session; to name a couple. Another thing, he is not going to go to some special class anywhere outside of school because a) we don't have money for special classes and b) he is sensitive about his troubles with math and will feel worse with having to take an outside class other than at school. It was hard enough to get him to let me even try to teach him! Sorry, but your advice is not helpful.

---------- Post added 11-22-2012 at 01:33 AM ----------

Thanks I will look into it.

How basic of math do you need to teach him? I was a tutor for a few years I might be able to help

Oh my goodness thank you! Well I know he has trouble with long devision and he knows some basic pre-algebra. I got a book called pacemaker Pre-Algebra... He appears to have trouble with exponents as well.. Not to much but enough to where it needs to be gone through... I also started him on two digit multiplication.

I think you should get him to try out Khanacademy. I'm doing university level maths and i've found it extremely helpful. I'm not too sure about how it'll be in relation to basic maths though. But the guy making these videos is an amazing, amazing tutor, and explains everything well. Also, all the topics are separated really nicely, so it should be easy to find anything you need.

So he has a wide variety of math problems. The simplest way to teach is him that he would understand it and make him repeat each step on his own. For basic math I give a couple of rules. You put this here, you put this there and you take it one step at a time. Just give him one simple rule so that he does not get confused and repeat over and over again for stuff long division. The rules of math are different depending what he was taught but he needs to understand that when you do one thing specifically you should be fine. Also don't work on math alot in one day, or if you do only work for 15 minutes and then take a 5 minute break. You don't want to stress him out.

Try a few math problems a day. Do one and see if he did it correct. If he did it correct then tell him to do the next one and have him do 5 of similar type problems. If he didn't do it correct explain what he did wrong. I wouldn't worry about algebra until he gets the easier stuff. Too much at once will confuse him.

Oh wow this is great advice! [squee] Thanks a lot!!!

No problem, if you want anymore help I can help. I had to go through tutor training once upon a time, so everything seems a bit hazy since that was 4 years ago, but I am always willing to help. I like math :)