Time-to-task is key. I have been doing a lot of research on the subject and believe we have made great strides in this area. The biggest thing I have learned is that to be good at math your child needs to spend a lot of time doing math without interuptions or competing distractions. My son (11) hated math and would always put it off and then rush through it and beg for help. It is important to plan a lot of time for doing math. Why? you ask. Chew on this. Students in Singapore will work on a difficult math problem for approximately 20 minutes before asking for help whereas US kids average 30 seconds to 4 minutes before asking for help or skipping the problem. The goal is to not make mistakes because if they take the time, and show all their work, they should be able to check each step. So the partial credit arguement is OK, but ultimately, they need a process they use to keep mistakes to a minimum.

In the end, schedule enough time to outlast the anxiety they create about it. They may sulk, cry, stall etc. but can't sustain that level very long. They must resign themselves to the fact that math takes practice and a ton of time, just like music or sports...If they have bad skills, naturally they want to avoid math. The better they get, the better they'll get. A mistake is a mistake, and good mechanics are just as important as conceptual understanding. They need to sit still, work through each step, write neatly, stop talking, not skip steps or rush.

For example, on a Saturday afternoon, give your kid their math homework at 1:00 after a nice lunch and tell them they have all afternoon, and the evening if needed, no distractions, to do their math. Set them up in a common area and sit nearby and read a book, or start dinner. No TV, no activities, no play dates, no cell phone or friends..etc. A clear afternoon to "get it" right. I suggest they will freak out and then relax and start concentrating stop looking for stimulation and distractions with more time-to-task. They need to stay still and work the problem until they are done. A light snack is fine. Don't step in too soon and they will get better in a few weeks. If you need to, model how to do one or two problems, but don't do their homework for them. Make sure they can't get out of it. What you may learn as I did, is that your child may have difficulty concentrating. This is a skill they must learn which will help the math. They can learn to concentrate and get better with practice.