6 Problems

What is 6 Problems?

6 Problems is a way to get more math into your kid's day in a quick, low-stakes environment. It can help them build fluency and confidence in basic mathematical processes.

Why is it useful?

We know that deliberate practice is the best way to get better at something. When it comes to kids (and, let's be real, adults as well!), staring down a worksheet of 20–30 problems of the same sort can feel intimidating and boring. But looking at six problems, which could be accomplished in 2–5 minutes, feels manageable and even — occasionally! — fun.

Your kid may not be interested in sitting down and doing 30 of the same type of math problem, but they may be willing to do 6 problems each day after school for a week, which gets them the same number of practice reps — with the added benefit that spacing out the repetition makes it more likely to stick.

How to use it?

1. If it's a concept your child isn't comfortable with yet, write out an example at the top, color coded if appropriate.
2. Consider where your child is in the learning process when writing questions, and sequence problems to assist with learning. For instance, a child learning to convert mixed numbers to improper fractions may benefit from converting 1 into 8ths in the first problem, and then 1 1/8 into 8ths immediately after.
3. Keep the problems simple. Multistep problems are fine, but problems that chain multiple multistep processes together aren't good candidates.
4. …but don't make the problems memory problems. It can be tempting to use this time to practice times tables or fact memorization, but that work is likely better done in longer chunks of time.
5. Don't be afraid to write 6 similar problems. Becoming familiar with patterns is an incredibly important part of learning math.
6. Keep in mind that you want to build confidence and fluency. It's okay if the problems many days feel repetitive or even "easy."
7. Know Your Kid: If you give them 6 hard problems each day, are they going to view it as a challenge, or are they going to start dreading it? Try to keep the problems balanced, with easier and more challenging ones on each page.

When in the day should I fit 6 Problems in?

Any time where your kid is alert and engaged, and can expect it every day, is a good time. For instance:

• In the car or bus home from school
• In the car or bus on the way to school
• At breakfast
• After an afternoon snack

What skills can be practiced this way?

Below are examples of things that work well in 6 Problems: