How to help a 6th grader with math
Unlock your student’s inner math superstar with seven great strategies.
Published:
Jan 2025
Key takeaways
- It all adds up – To tackle sixth-grade math, you and your student will need a solid grip on all the math that came before.
- Things get a little abstract. Sixth–grade math challenges students to think in brand-new ways, so patience and determination are a must.
- You’re not alone – Math isn’t known for how lovable and easy it is, so there are tons of resources and tutors available to help you overcome every obstacle.
Sixth grade is a big deal for many, many reasons. Your student is growing up right before your eyes, and the expectations for their performance in school are growing, too. Once they hit this point in their math studies, teachers expect students to not only master all the math skills they have learned so far but also apply them to new challenges that expand how they think.
These challenging lessons can be intimidating, but with the right preparation and the strategies we’ve covered in this guide, you and your student will rise to the occasion.
Table of contents
Understanding sixth-grade math
Math gets trickier in the sixth grade, so you need to know exactly what you are getting into to best serve your student as they embark on this exciting new journey.
Key Topics Covered
Sixth graders learn that math is more flexible and complex than what they may have seen previously. In addition to applying all the arithmetic skills for their earlier math classes, sixth-grade kids learn the beginnings of algebra. This means variables in the form of letters like a, b, x, and y join the math party. Using letters to represent unknown numbers taps into vital critical thinking skills and abstract thought, but this will likely be the first time your student has had to engage with math this way.
Math concepts typically covered in 6th grade include:
- Addition and subtraction:
- Adding and subtracting decimals, integers and rational numbers
- Multiplication and division:
- Division standard algorithm
- The Distributive Property with Variables
- Division Standard Algorithm: Decimals
- Expressions and equations:
- Order of operations fluency with exponents
- Analyzing variables
- Rewriting expressions
- Geometry:
- Advanced angle relationships
- Coordinate grids: location & measurement; plotting points; lines of symmetry with graphs, tables & lines
- Solve for the area of shapes
- Match 3D solids to 2D nets
- Solve for the volume and surface area of rectangular prisms
- Ratios and proportions:
- Calculating percentages
- Ratios in context: measurement
- Ratios and multiplication/division
DreamBox’s 6th grade curriculum is rigorously designed to match US state math standards, Common Core and several Canadian standards. Learn more about how DreamBox can make your sixth grader more confident with these key math concepts.
With a heavy emphasis on critical thinking and multi-step math, sixth grade presents a real challenge for new students. Fortunately, you can help every step of the way with a few key strategies.
1. Implement active learning techniques
Sixth-grade math demands critical thinking, so active learning is a must. Active learning creates a more hands-on approach to learning than traditional alternatives, like simply memorizing terms or following basic steps without understanding the logic behind those steps.
Rather than assigning a slew of math problems for your student and simply checking the answers, make the process of completing those problems the real goal. Sit down with your student and discuss the process. Talk about “why” the steps of each problem are the way they are.
2. Use of visual aids and manipulatives
Since sixth-grade math can get a little abstract at times, visual aids and manipulatives can bring those challenging ideas back down to Earth. Pegboards and rubber bands can help students understand shapes and measurements on a tactile level for geometry concepts. Drawing out number lines or using peg boards to represent decimal places can help students visualize how numbers change. Get your student to use their hands, and their mind will follow.
3. Remind them to practice, practice, practice
Math is very much skills-based, and just like learning the guitar or performing a gymnastics routine, these skills need practice and a strong foundation. Establish a regular practice schedule where you and your student can spend uninterrupted time reviewing notes from school or completing additional practice. Regular practice will help make math feel more like a part of normal life, which can help your student retain those skills and good study habits. You can also ask your child’s math teacher for some extra work.
4. Build confidence to overcome math anxiety
The fear of failure is perfectly natural, but you cannot let anxiety prevent your sixth-grade student from growing. The first thing to do is discuss that struggling with new concepts is normal. All students face challenges at some point. Getting a few questions wrong does not mean failure, but giving up does.
Familiarity and practice also help with math anxiety. The more accustomed your student is to failure, the more receptive they are to learning new things, thanks to their newfound confidence and experience.
5. Encourage critical thinking
Math is an excellent way to develop critical thinking skills. Understanding the “why” behind the math will reveal the logic and thought your student needs to think critically. Avoid instructing your student to follow the steps of a problem blindly. Ask them to explain why they are doing each part of a problem. Ask them to teach what they learned right back to you. This will ensure they properly understand how their mind needs to work to succeed.
6. Make math fun
This all sounds like a lot of work, right? Well, it is, but that work doesn’t have to be a slog. Make math fun by incorporating manipulatives or using funny examples and names in word problems. Make games out of practice that get your student out of their seat to toss balls at answer choices and find the values of variables through scavenger hunts. You can also offer incentives like treats or screen time to create positive associations with completing math practice.
7. Use online resources and tools
The internet is overflowing with resources and tools to help make learning as engaging as possible. Our very own DreamBox is an excellent choice for personalized practice that adapts to your student’s needs. You can also find plenty of free online practice games and worksheets complete with answer keys covering a wide range of topics. A few minutes of searching can net you hours of high-quality practice right in your internet browser.
FAQs about 6th grade math help
You can help your sixth-graders with math by learning alongside them. Practice together and discuss each step of the process. You can also use the countless tools available online to provide additional guidance and practice.
Sixth graders need to know all of the previous arithmetic skills from earlier grades, as well as more advanced geometry skills and pre-algebra concepts.
You can make sixth-grade math easier in a few different ways. You can start by breaking up larger assignments or problems into individual tasks. Focus on one thing at a time to make the work more manageable. You can also make the math easier by becoming more familiar and comfortable with the content. Do extra practice, review notes, and watch educational videos to help fill in any gaps.
Sixth-grade math can be challenging because it introduces new concepts that young learners may be unaccustomed to. Fortunately, with meaningful practice and a devoted parent by their side, any student can find success.
There are many similarities between pre-algebra and sixth-grade math, but they are not necessarily the same. Sixth-grade math may introduce some pre-algebra topics depending on the exact curriculum, while other courses may lean more heavily into algebra concepts. Either way, sixth grade bridges basic arithmetic and more complex math.
