Home schooling can be stressful enough without parents having to cast their minds back to their classroom days.
Work set by teachers has left many digging out their calculators and trying to remember how to do algebra and equations.
But even work being set by primary schools is proving to be tricky, with families turning to social media and forums for help.
One mum had her friends and family scratching their heads trying to work out a maths problem that was set for her eight-year-old son.
She said: "I was trying to work it out all day and wondered whether it was me just being thick. I thought it was really hard for an eight-year-old.
![](https://i2-prod.dailypost.co.uk/incoming/article18758727.ece/ALTERNATES/s615b/1_Education-report.jpg)
"At the risk of being shamed on Facebook, I asked others online and found out I wasn't the only one who struggled with it.
"Obviously, I'm not a teacher, so once I found out the answer, I found it really hard to explain how to work it out as I still couldn't work it out myself.
"I'm sure there are plenty of others out there in the same boat. I was never very good at maths in school so it's hard when you can't even help your children."
Can you work it out?
The question
The aquarium has 198 guppies, angelfish and catfish altogether.
There are 4 times as many guppies as angelfish.
There are 6 more angelfish than catfish.
How many catfish are there?
The answer
28
How to work it out
Sharon Hughes from Penymynydd in Flintshire, owner of Tutors on Location, maths teacher and mum-of-two explains how to work the sum out.
The 51-year-old explains: I’m going to refer to the guppies as “g”, the angelfish as “a” and the catfish as “c”.
We know there are 198 altogether.
g + a + c = 198
There are 4 times as many guppies as angelfish, so 4 lots of angelfish is the same as the number of guppies
4a = g
And also, we know that there are 6 more angelfish than catfish, so catfish is angelfish minus 6
a – 6 = c
If we substitute the g and c into the first equation, we get
4a + a + a – 6 = 198
Tidying this up gives us 6a = 204 (we’ve added 6 to both sides of the equation )
So a = 34 (angelfish)
We know that catfish is angelfish minus 6, so catfish = 28
We also there are 4 times as many guppies as angelfish, so guppies = 136
Just to check we need g + a + c = 198
34 + 28 + 136 does equal 198.
So the answer is 28.
![](https://i2-prod.dailypost.co.uk/incoming/article19674283.ece/ALTERNATES/s615b/1_Brief-Description-of-Job.jpg)
Home schooling tips
Sharon shared her top 10 home schooling tips with North Wales Live.
She said: "There is no doubt that many homes are experiencing a great deal of stress at the moment and now having to educate at home is only adding to it.
"As a mum-of-two, I know only too well how difficult it can be to supervise homework, let alone home educate full-time.
"My biggest piece of advice would be for parents not to believe what they see on social media. Everyone is struggling and none of these perfect images we see are realistic for the vast majority.
"I have lots of tips and ideas for taking learning outside into the fresh air too. Lockdown learning doesn't have to mean sitting in front of the PC or TV."
![](https://i2-prod.dailypost.co.uk/incoming/article19674438.ece/ALTERNATES/s615b/0_Brief-Description-of-Job.jpg)
Sharon says:
1. Don't stress
This is a tough time for everyone, despite the image that some might portray on social media. You can only influence things you have control over so don’t beat yourself up about the things you can’t control.
Everyone can only do their best and that IS enough.
2. It’s the education that’s important, not school
There are educational opportunities everywhere.
When you’re filling the kettle, ask your child to fill up to the 750ml mark, or when cooking, ask them to weigh out the 150g of pasta that you need.
Go outside when you can, measure the garden or go for a walk and ask children to use great adjectives to describe the view.
Maybe even build a snowman and then calculate the volume of snow that you’ve used (you might need to look up the formula).
I heard of a mum at the park who had her children running around the perimeter and after each lap was asking them a times table or spelling question while she was sitting with a coffee.
3. Focus on maths, English and reading
Children obviously cover much more than this in school but, if you can try to complete some work in these core areas, the other subjects are easier to catch up later.
These core subjects are more linear in their nature so being able to progress relies on specific earlier knowledge, whereas subjects like geography or history are taught as independent, self-contained topics.
Don’t forget to make time for the subjects that your child most enjoys whether that’s art and craft, PE or science.
4. A suitable workspace
This doesn't necessarily mean having their own desk but it does mean having a clear, well-lit working space.
It might be sitting at the kitchen table so that you can keep a close eye on progress, or older children may prefer to be in their bedroom.
Whichever space is best for your child, please ensure it is free from distractions such as quabbling siblings, Facebook, computer games etc.
Once concentration has been lost, it is very difficult for many children to refocus.
5. Create a routine
Having a routine will reduce some of your stress and generally children like routine too.
This doesn’t mean a strict timetable necessarily, just an understanding that “school” starts at 9am for example and being at their work station by then will start the day off well.
6. Equipment
Keep a complete set of equipment available, to be used only for schoolwork, and then check they have the right tools to complete each task before they start.
For example, check children have pens, pencil, ruler, rubber – but possibly coloured pens/pencils, a compass and calculator too.
If these simple bits and pieces are kept together, their time can be spent doing their work rather than searching around for the correct piece of equipment.
7. Motivation
Motivate your child by recording and praising small achievements. This will result in your child approaching their work with a positive attitude and the process will be less stressful for everybody.
Please don't be too critical: highlighting all errors in a piece of work will have a negative effect and will quickly demotivate your child.
Keep spirits high by focusing on one area at a time, maybe spelling one day and punctuation the next.
8. Take regular breaks
Concentration levels waver the longer you work, and it's the same for your child - 20-30 minute chunks will work best
Also ensure that your child drinks lots of water – keeping well hydrated will help concentration levels too.
9. Resist the temptation to do it for them
If you fall into the trap of doing the work for your child, you aren’t helping at all.
It’s very tempting and certainly less stressful to resort to taking over some tasks.
Before stepping in, please remember, any work you complete on their behalf will reduce their learning.
10. Don’t be afraid to seek help
It is likely that the methods you were taught in school are not the same as your child is learning.
It can cause more confusion if you try to demonstrate an alternative method, so always check first.
Schools can provide textbooks which will explain current approaches, so it is worth asking.
This is a tough time so please ask for help from school or from parent groups on social media.
Sign up to the North Wales Live newsletter
![The iconic lonely tree at Llyn Padarn, Llanberis, looking towards Snowdonia](https://i2-prod.dailypost.co.uk/incoming/article20592511.ece/ALTERNATES/s615/0_The-iconic-lonely-tree-at-Llyn-Padarn-Llanberis-looking-towards-Snowdonia-Wales-continues-in-lockd.jpg)
Did you know we offer a free email newsletter service?
Each North Wales Live bulletin delivers the latest breaking news, what's on events and the hottest talking points straight to your inbox.
For more information about how to subscribe click here.
Useful sites which offer FREE resources:
https://whiterosemaths.com/
https://www.thenational.academy/
https://www.twinkl.co.uk/
https://www.chesterzoo.org/schools/resources/
https://nrich.maths.org/
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize
For more information, click here.
Have your say on this story in the comments section.