Teaching Math for Homeschoolers:

How Smile Zemi Can Help

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As a homeschooling parent, you want the best for your child. You want to ensure they receive a robust, balanced education that will carry them far beyond their school years. However, providing this for them can be challenging on your own.

Many homeschooling parents feel like they struggle finding the right curriculum for their child, especially for math. As math becomes an increasingly important part of the future job market, there is evidence to suggest that homeschoolers are falling behind. What can you, as a parent, do to make sure your child remains competitive and confident in math?

The Problem with Teaching Math

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If you’re concerned your homeschooled child might be lagging in math, you’re not alone. Research on homeschoolers over the last 30 years has shown that while test scores are higher across the board in verbal subjects like grammar or reading, they are actually lower in math.

This is no accident; many homeschooling parents feel like if they themselves are not confident in math, teaching it becomes an impossibility. But, math does not need to be the limiting factor in your homeschool education. Here are some common challenges homeschool parents face when teaching math and how to solve them

Lack of concentration

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Learning math requires patience and dedication. When children are presented with a large number of formulas and problems at once, they can often feel overwhelmed and lose focus. The more abstract and difficult the problems are, the harder it is for them to make the connection between math and the real world, also affecting their interest level.

The key is to give them a small amount of math to do each day. Instead of presenting them with a new concept all at once, slowly introducing them to a new idea will allow them to process what they’re learning fully before moving on to the next step.

Making the connection between math and the real world is also important. Using real-world objects or situations can engage your children and reduce the tedium that comes from looking exclusively at numbers.

Creating space for review

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Most math curriculums put children on a linear educational path, adding one concept after another cumulatively. While some learners can see a concept a single time and have it stick, most need to go back and review these concepts multiple times for true comprehension.

Making time for review is vital to ensuring your child’s math fluency. Once they’ve completed a lesson, make sure to occasionally give them problems that will challenge them to keep them sharp. The more they review, the more they can be confident in their ability to solve any problem they come across.

Dealing with frustration

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There’s no two ways around it: math is difficult. No matter how good your curriculum is, there will be times when your child will get frustrated with their inability to solve a problem. This can lead to a lack of confidence that compounds on itself and reduces your child’s willingness to engage with math.

When this happens, support as a parent is crucial. Something as simple as a little note with words of encouragement can motivate your child to keep pushing through a tough problem.

Additionally, you can give your child a goal to work towards. Promising a reward at the end of a difficult lesson attaches positive emotions to what would otherwise be a negative experience. The joy your child will feel in finally getting what they wanted after working hard reinforces their ability to persevere through adversity. A valuable skill to have in both learning and life.

Remaining consistent

Consistency is important for learning any subject, but even more so for math. Homeschooling parents often have incredibly busy schedules, juggling your own responsibilities as a parent with your responsibilities as a teacher. Since math is cumulative, time gaps in between lessons can cause your child to forget what they previously learned and be unable to progress through their curriculum.

Encouraging independent learning and giving your child the tools to be able to review on their own will help prevent learning loss. The more your child is able and motivated to learn things on their own, the more free time you’ll have in the day for the things that matter to you. Their capacity for self-learning will be an incredible asset later in life.

Looking for help

An important thing to keep in mind for homeschooling parents is that you’re not in this alone. If your child is struggling with math and you’re finding it hard to help them, seek out educational support. With rising costs, tutors and learning centers may not be a financial possibility. Moreover, quality can vary wildly between each one and the last thing you want to do is gamble on your child’s education. So, what else can you turn to for supporting your homeschool curriculum?

Fortunately, a cost-effective and proven learning tool that can help eliminate the homeschool math gap exists - Smile Zemi.

What Is Smile Zemi?

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Smile Zemi is a cutting-edge educational platform designed to make learning math and English Language Arts (ELA) both fun and effective for children. It leverages interactive technology and personalized lesson plans to cater to each child's unique learning style and pace. Through an engaging combination of digital lessons and hands-on activities, Smile Zemi transforms traditional education into a dynamic, interactive experience.

The service includes a specialized tablet and digitizer pen, which allow children to explore and interact with the curriculum in an intuitive way. Additionally, Smile Zemi provides parents with a comprehensive portal to monitor their child's progress, strengths, and areas needing improvement. This ensures that education is not just a one-way process but a collaborative journey between the child, the platform, and the parents.

In essence, Smile Zemi is more than just a learning tool; it's a pathway to inspiring a lifelong love of learning in children, preparing them for future success in any educational setting.

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How Smile Zemi Helps Overcome
Homeschooling Hurdles

A Robust Math Curriculum that Covers All Gaps

The first step in overcoming the homeschool math gap is making sure you have a math curriculum that covers all bases. Smile Zemi’s math curriculum is handcrafted by a team of educational experts that understand how children learn. Learning math through Smile Zemi allows your child to master all the concepts that they will encounter as they progress through their education and prepares them for advanced math later in life.

An important part of teaching math is making sure that your child can see the bigger picture. They may ask, “Why is math so important?” Smile Zemi’s math curriculum relates math to real-world problems and situations to bridge the gap between abstract concepts and practical application. This kind of holistic approach to math learning will give your child confidence that will last a lifetime.

Smile Zemi’s math education also matches your child’s age and provides review for what they already know. Since math is a cumulative subject, it is important that your child receives lessons consistent with a curriculum. With hundreds of lessons, Smile Zemi helps build your child’s math confidence one step at a time.

Proven Results in increasing Math and ELA Scores

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Research conducted from January to March 2023 showed a whopping 29 percentage point increase in math scores for children who used Smile Zemi. Looking deeper at the data, children were able to improve an outstanding 50 percentage points in subtraction.

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This isn’t limited to math either. ELA scores also improved by 21 percentage points, with a notable 35 percentage point increase in grammar skills. Smile Zemi is not just affordable, it’s proven.

Keep children engaged with Distraction-Free Learning

If your homeschool child is feeling overwhelmed with math and finds it difficult to focus, Smile Zemi creates a daily curriculum for them that keeps them engaged. Through the Today’s Tasks system, children are presented with a digestible amount of lessons that keep them progressively learning every day. Smile Zemi learns from how your child is doing on their Today’s Tasks and adjusts the lessons according to where they’re strong and where they might be struggling.

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As the world becomes filled with more and more distractions, you might be worried that your child may become a victim to the addictive apps found online. Those worries are legitimate, so Smile Zemi provides a closed system that keeps your child safe and focused on learning. With no access to games, web browsers, or online apps, you can be confident that when your child is using Smile Zemi, they are in learning mode.

Fostering a Desire To Learn That Will Last a Lifetime

One of the biggest challenges when teaching math is keeping your child from getting frustrated with all the difficult concepts they encounter. Once they associate those negative emotions with math, it can be hard to change their mind later. Smile Zemi works to prevent that negative association in the first place by providing fun Rewards for completing lessons. Those Rewards provide positive reinforcement for your child’s hard work and make learning math much less of a chore. This is the first step in convincing your child that learning can be fun.

Your children can also access a wide range of seasonal events, interactive lessons, and challenges that reinforce what they’re learning. Review is absolutely vital for math learning. The more your child is able to review, the higher chance they will retain what they learned later on. Smile Zemi provides that review in an engaging way that doesn’t involve piles upon piles of dull worksheets. Once your child begins wanting to review on their own, there’s no limit to the amount of things they can learn.

We love the digital/learn anywhere option!

Prior to Smile Zemi, we spent a few years with a learning center. We had good results with learning overall but the constant packet organization and homework reminders (not to mention driving/scheduling) grew old quickly. As parents, we love the digital/learn anywhere option!

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Parent of a 3rd grader

Supplemental source for school work!

My girls love the tools and incentives. We're able to select specific course materials from Smile Zemi. She's motivated by her sister using it. We're preparing to full-time homeschool next year, and plan on utilizing Smile Zemi as part of our curriculum.

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Parent of 1st and 3rd grader

She loves it and gets so excited.

She loves it and gets so excited to play on the tablet. It’s been so helpful to help her reading skills and comprehension.
I absolutely love this tablet. It’s easy to use and it allows my daughter to engage and she’s not bored using it.

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Parent of a 1st grader

It’s a tablet full of school compatible content!

I have recommended this to several family members and even to her teachers. It’s a wonderful tablet to have. It’s a tablet full of school compatible content.

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Parent of a 2nd grader

Supports your learning in class too!

The events that change to keep her wanting to log on and earn rewards really help. It's also helpful that I can go in to assign certain topics and skills in case she needs extra practice on something they are working on in class.

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Parent of a 4th grader

The math section is awesome!

The math section is awesome. It has several levels and content that helps her memorize the steps she needs to accomplish every problem.

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Parent of a 2nd grader

Educational Support That Matches Your Schedule

As a homeschooling parent, you have responsibilities as both a parent and an educator. For your child to be able to consistently practice math, you need an educational service that works on your time.

Smile Zemi allows your child to learn anytime, anywhere. The specialized tablet can be used with or without an Internet connection to ensure that your child continues practicing even when you’re on-the-go. This prevents learning loss even when you and your child are busy with extracurriculars or other activities. The less time you have to spend stressing about coordinating your schedule, the more time you will have to do the things that mean the most to you.

You can also directly monitor what your child is learning for the day and how they’re doing in their lessons. Smile Zemi’s Parent Portal allows you to fulfill your role as their teacher by giving comprehensive data on how your child is progressing, accessible entirely through your smartphone or computer. Crafting the perfect homeschool curriculum becomes simpler when you can see exactly how they are approaching new concepts.

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Smile Zemi:
Committed to the cultivation of independent learners

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There are times when your child may hit a wall in their math learning. They may not understand how to solve a problem or have lost interest in what they are learning. During these times, it is ok to seek out educational help.

While tutors and learning centers can provide learning opportunities for your homeschool child, forcing them through the problems they’re encountering can deprive them of independent learning later in life. The primary goal of Smile Zemi is to make sure your child never loses that ability. Every part of Smile Zemi, from the curriculum, to the Rewards, to the tablet itself is designed to help foster a love for learning that will keep your child wanting to learn, even when they are not forced to.

Smile Zemi’s structure gives your child an opportunity to work through problems on their own and gives support when they need some help. As your child begins getting used to learning on their own, their capacity for independent learning will improve. As they go through their life, their status as an independent learner will keep them competitive and confident. Whether it’s math or any other subject, Smile Zemi helps your child find their own potential.

Invest in your child’s future without breaking the bank

Considering
a Learning Center or a Tutor?

Smile Zemi: $79.99, Learning Center: Average $394.69, Tutor: Average $253.06

*Above chart is based on a survey we asked 291 parents of children Grades 1 to 5 living in New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles about the average monthly payment for Learning Centers and tutors.

*The Smile Zemi cost shows a monthly fee for a 12-month contract.

With all the extracurricular activities and learning supplies, homeschooling can be expensive. Getting educational support for your child on top of those already high costs seems impractical and undesirable. Smile Zemi provides solutions to homeschooling hurdles at a fraction of the cost.

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Smile Zemi:Supporting Homeschool Success

Ready to give your child the educational support you’re looking for? Try Smile Zemi today!

Don’t miss out on affordable and personalized learning that keeps your child safe and engaged.

Sign up now and watch your child find their potential with Smile Zemi.

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Learn MoreSmile Zemi

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