First grade math? Teachers? Moms?

[castleview]

My DD started First Grady two weeks ago. Right now they are reviewing numbers. I was looking through her math book and it looks like the hardest thing they'll be doing this year is addition. There was a little subtraction toward the end of the book. For some reason, I expected more...measuring, money, time, basic word problems. The book just seemed very basic to me. I'm not knocking the program or the teacher (heaven knows I don't have the energy or patience for twenty first graders ). I'm just wondering if I should be doing some more challenging things at home in addition to the regular math assignments. If any teachers or moms can give some advice or flame me for being overambitious (without being too mean, of course ) please do. Thanks.

 

[famofsix]

maybe the book you have is just a supplement to the curriculum? It could be that your school has an integrated approach where they do many math concepts along with science and social studies to cover the areas you see missing in the math book.
I would ask the teacher or inquire at the first open house. In my kids school ,they have a curriculum night and you find out what on tap for the year. I do have one child in homeschool this year and we did first grade together last year...we did a lot more than addition and subtraction. HTH

 

[Tigger&Belle]

Have you had back to school night yet where the teacher goes over the curriculum? Hopefully they will do more than is in the math book.

My son also started 1st grade a couple weeks ago. At the end of kindergarten they test all the kids and at that time he'd completed all of the first grade math. I was told that they retest at the beginning of first grade and if he again tests well he will go to second grade for math. But so far they haven't retested them (according to my son). Back to school night for the parents is Wednesday, so I will find out details at that time.

The math he is bringing home is single digit addition, which he is bored to tears with. This summer he learned to tell time to the minute, can count money, count simple change, etc, and was starting to do fractions. Last year he was starting to do multiplication. Hopefully they'll test the kids soon so he'll be in the proper class.

 

[castleview]

Actually, back to school night is where I looked at the book. Maybe I'll get the chance to see it again. Over the summer, we did the things I thought I would see in the book. I don't mind working with her at home on certain things, but I'm afraid to right now since she's new to full day and is exhausted when she gets home.

Those of you that have curriculum night, that's terrific!

 

[hlbtimes2]

My daughter is in 3rd. In first they spent most of the year learning how to show their work, not actually doing math. They had to show 3 methods of how they added two simple numbers together. So, say it was 3 +4 they would draw two hands, one with 3 fingers, one with 4, then they would draw shapes 3 of one, 4 of another, and they would use touch dots, or counting blocks or etc, etc. It about drove me crazy. DD was so past that. She could tell you without using her fingers that the answer was 7.

2nd grade was a little better, but still not what I expected. She is capable of doing multiplication and division, but they still havent learned it. This year it is in the book, so they should be learning it soon.

 

[janette]

You might ask the teachers about it. When my older DD was in 1st grade the elementary school she was in allowed the kids that were accelerated in math to go to the next grade level for math. She had done most of the 1st grade math in Kindergarten and went to 2nd grade for math within a couple of weeks. Really a good program and helped with a subject that she was able to excel at. Downside was when we moved between her 3rd and 4th grade year and they didn't have a similar program so she had to repeat 4th grade math. Once she got into middle school they have offered accelerated programs so it was only for a couple of years she was not really challenged in math.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

Linda, I know exactly what you mean. Jake, my 1st grader, doesn't want to show a person how to add (or multiply)--he just wants to give the answer. It's in his brain. My nephew was the same way when he was little and is now getting his masters in physics.

 

[cakesnkids]

My DD completed first last year, did addition, subtraction, money, clocks and lots and lots of problem solving, like math sentences ect. Maybe they have two books, I know that my son is in 1st this year, and they will run through the reading book in about 2 more weeks and go on to another one.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Linda, I know exactly what you mean. Jake, my 1st grader, doesn't want to show a person how to add (or multiply)--he just wants to give the answer. It's in his brain. My nephew was the same way when he was little and is now getting his masters in physics.

This is why I despised geometry. Why prove something someone already proved. The darn angles are the same--take the protractor and measure and voila!! LOL!

I loved math---and despised showing my work as well as a kid. I just knew the answer.

OP--not sure on the answer to your question--I don't remember 1st grade math.

We are still finishing up our primer math for Math U See with DD--if you had to give it a level it would correspond with Kindergarten. And your math book sounds a lot like her book with the exception that she has some units on time. It does finish up with substraction. We shall order first grade in a few weeks. Just checked on it and it is single digit math as well. That may just drive me nuts!!!!! Oh well!

Maybe that is just what first grade math is. I would just check with the teacher. Maybe she has other items to supplement the curriculum.

 

[DisneyFan06]

I volunteer in a first grade classroom and flipped through the book on several occassions, they do more than just Addition and Subtraction. Perhaps, there is another book?

But, I do live in Florida and they set the standards pretty high so maybe the stuff their teaching the first graders in Florida is not the same as where you live.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

Lisa, I think it's the kids who love math who hate showing their work. They are the ones who "get it" in their head and it's frustrating to have to show it. Well, the kids who cheat also don't like to show their work...

 

[CEDmom]

Chances are the teacher will be supplementing the book with other things. DD was in 1st grade last year. She learned addition, subtraction, simple multiplication, simple division, word problems and currancy.

It's definitely something to discuss at back to school night.

 

[diznygirl]

In our first grade there are several books - I think six in all - for math. They just finished the first and have started the second. There are more than one book for each of the subjects this year.

Maybe the book you saw is just the first.

 

[GraysMom]

I'm a former First Grade teacher (currently a SAHM). I think there are different difficulty levels in all subjects, and it depends on what your DD's school district wants to utilize. For example, the district I taught in was highly sought after by home buyers in the area, due to it's reputation as being very proactive with higher academic guidelines. The new math series we started about 3 years ago, included simplified division (6 pencils, 3 students, how many pencils does each student get), multiplication (3 groups of 4 bananas, how many bananas all together), two digit addition, measurement (liquids, metric, US), telling time (regular and digital) and fractions. I have a friend who teaches First Grade in the district I graduated from, where the district is content to keep using the old basic math curriculm to save money, and the parents don't push for anything more. Unfortunately, many kids end up paying later when they go on to college or move to a different district. As a parent, I would see about having my child tested to see if they qualify for Second Grade math. I know our district was very strict with the testing (I think they had to score 95% or better on the end of Second Grade test) and I only had 2 students who ever qualified for it. The testing was also done over the summer in our district, so the teachers involved knew they had to coordinate math times (which affected special subjects, lunch, etc) before the year even started. It is possible it may be too late to test for this year, but it couldn't hurt to ask. If accelerated math is not possible, I would check online to find lessons and activities to supplement and extend the school lessons. I would try to stick with the same subject your DD is currently learning in school (money activities when she's doing the chapter on money in school). Another possibility that you might want to check on, is whether the teacher has more advanced math worksheets available that your DD could work on at home. It was not uncommon for me to send home packets of worksheets (many that involved using real life objects) to parents who had requested them for their children. It gave them a place to start from when they were trying to come up with supplemental work. Good luck to you and your DD!

GraysMom

 

[ClassicPooh2]

As a second grade teacher I don't believe that is all that will be learned in math in first grade. If it is a public school, they have guidelines that they need to follow. There are national math standards, I believe that all states have their own standards that all students need to meet. With the big push coming from Washington about 'No Child Left Behind' these standards are what school districts use to see that all children are receiving that quality education. These standards are how state assessments are written.

If you are concerned I would suggest you go in and visit with the teacher and ask her what the curriculum is for the year. If addition is all that they plan to do, I would visit with the administration or school board of your school/school district and see if something could be changed.

As a teacher, it is nice to see parents who are concerned about what their children are learning and working to help them be the best they can be.

Keep it up Dis Parents!!

 

[golfgal]

I know our kids didn't even have a book for math in 1st grade. Most of their math was worksheets. I would suspect the book is supplemental.

DS14 does not like to show his work either. His math teacher told me last year that he couldn't possibly be doing the work in his head, um, yes he could. She was basically suggesting that I was giving him the answers . I still add with my fingers, I don't think so (ok, not quite that bad in math, but close). Dh does calculus in his head. Some people just get math.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

DS14 does not like to show his work either. His math teacher told me last year that he couldn't possibly be doing the work in his head, um, yes he could. She was basically suggesting that I was giving him the answers . I still add with my fingers, I don't think so (ok, not quite that bad in math, but close).

My 6yo would laugh at me because he could come up with the answers to addition, subtraction, and sometimes multiplication faster than me.


Here's the K-3 curriculum for our county. http://www.mcps.k12.md.us/curriculum/math/FinalMath-Prek-3-03.pdf Perhaps look online at your county's website and you'll find the same information.

 

[*Fantasia*]

My daughter was in 1st grade last year. Besides addition and subtraction, they learned how to count money, story problems, fractions, number sequence, and the basic simple knowledge of the time/clock. I don't know if it makes any difference if the school is private or public.

 

[Wishing on a star]

If you have seen the book, perhaps you could tell what exact math program it is. (Houghten Mifflen, Saxon, ???) PS: Okay you guys, don't laugh at me if didn't spell those correctly!! I have not seen these, just names that come to mind...

I'll bet somebody here is familiar with what your child is going to be using.

 

[castleview]

I don't know if it makes any difference if the school is private or public.

That depends on how good either the public or private school is in that area. The town I taught high school in had a Catholic K-8 school. Many came to the public school for high school. The English teachers were very impressed with the Catholic school students while the Math teachers cringed. That's just in that particular town/school though.