Do you struggle to help your children with math? You’re not alone.

Even Missoula County Public Schools Superintendent Rob Watson struggles to help his eighth-grade daughter with math. Watson explained during a forum on the “State of Education” Monday that it’s all because of the change in teaching students critical thinking, instead of just equations.

But during the panel discussion, the audience learned it’s an important shift in study for both students, and newly graduated teachers, to cope with the future.

The teachers continually emphasized on Monday that communication as key. So if you want to know how to help your students, or you see them struggling, they advise you to reach out to their school.