Many students struggle with regrouping (borrowing), which requires understanding place value and managing multiple steps mentally. Others find word problems confusing because they need to recognize when subtraction is the right operation to use. Some students also rush through subtraction facts, leading to careless errors. Personalized tutoring helps identify exactly where a student's understanding breaks down so instruction can target those specific gaps.

During an initial session, a tutor will assess your student's current understanding of subtraction—from basic facts to multi-digit problems and word problems. They'll identify specific areas where your student feels confident and where confusion exists. This diagnostic approach helps create a personalized learning plan that builds on strengths and addresses weaknesses efficiently.

Many students show noticeable progress within 3-4 weeks of consistent, focused tutoring sessions. However, the timeline depends on how far behind a student is and how frequently they practice between sessions. Regular practice combined with personalized instruction accelerates progress—students who engage with homework and apply what they learn in tutoring sessions typically see faster gains.

Look for tutors who have experience teaching elementary math and understand different learning styles and strategies for teaching subtraction. Ideally, they should be able to explain concepts in multiple ways and use manipulatives or visual models to make abstract ideas concrete. Varsity Tutors connects you with tutors who have proven experience helping students master foundational math skills like subtraction.

Effective practice includes using fact fluency drills, real-world applications (like making change or comparing quantities), and visual strategies like number lines or base-ten blocks. Short, focused practice sessions (10-15 minutes daily) are more effective than longer, sporadic sessions. Tutors often recommend specific practice activities tailored to your student's learning style so practice reinforces what they're learning in sessions.

Word problems require students to read carefully, identify the relevant information, decide which operation to use, and then execute the math correctly. Many students can compute subtraction facts but get confused when those facts are embedded in a story context. Tutors help students develop a systematic approach to word problems—like identifying keywords, drawing pictures, and checking whether their answer makes sense in the context of the problem.

Regrouping is one of the trickiest subtraction concepts because it requires understanding place value deeply. Tutors use concrete manipulatives, visual models, and step-by-step strategies to make regrouping less abstract and more intuitive. Once a student understands *why* regrouping works—not just the mechanical steps—they gain confidence and can apply it to larger numbers and more complex problems.