Parents can do more to support their children's mathematical development

Once schools fully implement the Common Core State Standards (CCSS), a grasp on mathematical concepts will be more important than ever. After all, the subject is one of the CCSS' main focus areas, along with English language arts. Unfortunately, the responses to a recent PBS KIDS survey reveal that many parents are not doing enough to support the development of students' mathematical skills.

According to a press release, PBS KIDS arrived at this conclusion after surveying more than 1,000 parents with children between the ages of 2 and 12. Part of the problem is that many parents simply do not feel comfortable teaching their children how to work with mathematical concepts.

Of the survey respondents, nearly 30 percent reported that they felt anxiety when teaching their children about mathematics. This was especially true among mothers and parents who had only earned a high school diploma or less.

"The early years of life are most critical for learning both literacy and math; in fact, many children do not realize their full potential in mathematics because they are not getting consistent support from a young age," said Lesli Rotenberg, PBS' general manager of children's programming.