OMG Second grade math homework

[Magpie]

Yes, I helped him, but not how I was supposed to (with the bars). Like I said, I helped teach this last year, so I was no stranger to it, but I couldn't remember how the teaching manual said to do it. I found it much easier to think of it as M= S+40, B=S+15, S=S and then we went from there.

He did understand it my way, but I hope I didn't cause any problems showing him the way I did (and I didn't do it for him, he did all the calculations and tried to figure out what steps to take, though he did miss one and I had to help him). Like I said, he's a pretty bright boy, so if the teacher corrects his procedures, I think he'd catch on right away (that is if he's not being too stubborn to listen to her - that's another post )

I think you did great! You just took it a step higher, into something a little more abstract. And your son understood! So you actually challenged him appropriately, and gave him useful tools for later on. If the teacher's using the same word problem book I used, she shouldn't correct his procedure, as she's not supposed to be teaching just one approach.

And if your son hadn't understood, I'm sure you would have found a way to make it more concrete. There really isn't a wrong way to teach math, as long as the student understands.

I wasn't so good at explaining things to my own son, BTW. My teaching style is heavily verbal. My poor boy, however, not only has auditory comprehension issues, he also had a physical hearing problem back then. So I would say, "This is how you do this problem." And he would look at me and go, "huh?" And then I'd grab some paper or blocks and say, "Look, this is how you do this problem." And then the lightbulb would come on over his head and he'd get it, no problem! And then we'd move to the next subject and I'd say, "This is how you do it." And we'd have to go through the whole routine again. I just could NOT help myself!

I told myself the constant repetition had to be good for him, somehow.

 

[U2_rocks!]

My kids have issues understanding the abstract nature of math sometimes, so I do draw pictures on paper and I get to imagine the word problem scenarios in their head i.e. pretend they were right there in that situation. It makes much more sense to them if you can make it as "real life" as possible.

 

[Diznygrl]

Oh my stars! I definitely don't remember doing ALGEBRA in second grade, and I went to a private school! Granted this was around 1987, but still. Of course, I am the worst math student you will ever meet in your entire life. I struggled with it throughout my entire school career. I was in a program in high school for the mathematically challenged where Algebra 1 was broken up into TWO years, and I still got C grades. I'm more of an English and Literature type of person...

To see that second graders are doing nearly the same level of math that I was doing in high school is quite humbling, to say the least.

 

[pampam]

Are you smarter than a second grader?

 

[okeydokey]

These sound like the kind of problems my kids had at that age in their Math Superstars program. They pulled I think 2 kids from each class once a week to do this program. I remember being happily surprised at the level of the work they were being exposed to. Math is way more then just computation.

 

[Liberty Belle]

These sound like the kind of problems my kids had at that age in their Math Superstars program. They pulled I think 2 kids from each class once a week to do this program. I remember being happily surprised at the level of the work they were being exposed to. Math is way more then just computation.

I agree.

I do really like the program. The problem is, it really does, as others have said, need to be started in kindergarten. You should have seen the fifth graders who were first introduced to it. I mean...a lot of the teachers couldn't even figure it out.

 

[rchristiansen]

One of my biggest pet peeves is when parents complain about their elementary age children math education. I think the comments throughout this whole thread just demonstrates how behind the United States is in math education.

Algebra SHOULD be taught much earlier than middle school. The reason for this is so that our children can then learn the real math of calculus, linear algebra and statistical analysis when they get to college. A PP commented on how imaginary numbers and algebra is not used in real life. WRONG! How do you think you are able to use on a computer, drive a car, make bank transactions, interact with social networking, and on and on? Someone designed, engineered and developed all of these aspects of day to day living using math that is much more advanced than basic algebra.

 

[Liberty Belle]

One of my biggest pet peeves is when parents complain about their elementary age children math education. I think the comments throughout this whole thread just demonstrates how behind the United States is in math education.

Algebra SHOULD be taught much earlier than middle school. The reason for this is so that our children can then learn the real math of calculus, linear algebra and statistical analysis when they get to college. A PP commented on how imaginary numbers and algebra is not used in real life. WRONG! How do you think you are able to use on a computer, drive a car, make bank transactions, interact with social networking, and on and on? Someone designed, engineered and developed all of these aspects of day to day living using math that is much more advanced than basic algebra.

I hope you don't think that's what I'm doing.

 

[Magpie]

I agree.

I do really like the program. The problem is, it really does, as others have said, need to be started in kindergarten. You should have seen the fifth graders who were first introduced to it. I mean...a lot of the teachers couldn't even figure it out.

Oh, yikes! I would have phased it in, if I was introducing Singapore Math to a school. It's just cruel to drop kids and teachers into the middle of it, without any of the background prep.

I hope you don't think that's what I'm doing.

I'm pretty sure she was referring to another poster in this thread.

And I think she's absolute right, BTW! It's shocking how poorly math is taught in many schools these days. I mean... people are ashamed to admit that they can't read. But to say you're "not good with numbers"? People practically brag about it!

The boy I tutor dropped out of school in grade 7, after a screaming match with his math teacher that involved some math books going flying across the room. When I got him, he was completely shut down and resistant to learning anything to do with math. I tested him and discovered that he was struggling with basic addition and subtraction. He had NO sense of estimation (in the sense of being able to see whether your answer is close or wildly off). And he was using a calculator!

First I had his mum "lose" his calculator. Then we began playing card games. Eventually we worked up to memorizing his multiplication facts. And then finally, we were able to get back to learning some real math, with confidence.

He's in Grade 8 and he's studying pre-Algebra now. And best of all, he's finally confident with numbers!

Too many kids struggle, when they really don't have to. They're not dumb. They're just missing the basic building blocks. It's like asking someone to read a whole novel, without teaching them how to decode words first. Or worse - giving them a computerized "reader" and letting them rely on that instead of developing the necessary literacy skills!

*/rant*

 

[rchristiansen]

I'm pretty sure she was referring to another poster in this thread.


*/rant*

Yuppers! You're correct. And also a bunch of non-internet people too.

 

[ccgirl]

I don't know why I'm surprised because I actually helped teach this last year, but, man...this is tough!

He brought home six pages and here's one of the problems:

Mr. Denver builds three toy houses for his children.
Melvin's house is 15 centimeters taller than Betty's house.
Betty's house is 25 centimeter's taller than Serene's house.
The total height of the three houses is 125 cm.
What is the height of Serene's house?

Here's another:

For every 5 meters that Ben swims up a river, he drifts 3 meters back down the river. Ben travels 12 meters up the river. How many meters does Ben swim?

I mean, yeah, they're doable, but second grade!

Yup...sounds just like my DD's second grade homework every night. I have no idea what "kind" of math they teach but there is only one class per grade. After working all day and getting home at 6pm my head is spinning and I have trouble focusing myself. If she asks for help with her math, I am usually say, "go ask your dad." Good thing he's a math whiz! She even ends up teaching me sometimes. She tries to get most of her homework done as soon as she gets home from school but my mom can't really help her with the math. She tries, God love her! Now, if she asked me about predicates and things like that I would right on top of that!

 

[Liberty Belle]

Oh, yikes! I would have phased it in, if I was introducing Singapore Math to a school. It's just cruel to drop kids and teachers into the middle of it, without any of the background prep.



I'm pretty sure she was referring to another poster in this thread.

And I think she's absolute right, BTW! It's shocking how poorly math is taught in many schools these days. I mean... people are ashamed to admit that they can't read. But to say you're "not good with numbers"? People practically brag about it!

The boy I tutor dropped out of school in grade 7, after a screaming match with his math teacher that involved some math books going flying across the room. When I got him, he was completely shut down and resistant to learning anything to do with math. I tested him and discovered that he was struggling with basic addition and subtraction. He had NO sense of estimation (in the sense of being able to see whether your answer is close or wildly off). And he was using a calculator!

First I had his mum "lose" his calculator. Then we began playing card games. Eventually we worked up to memorizing his multiplication facts. And then finally, we were able to get back to learning some real math, with confidence.

He's in Grade 8 and he's studying pre-Algebra now. And best of all, he's finally confident with numbers!

Too many kids struggle, when they really don't have to. They're not dumb. They're just missing the basic building blocks. It's like asking someone to read a whole novel, without teaching them how to decode words first. Or worse - giving them a computerized "reader" and letting them rely on that instead of developing the necessary literacy skills!

*/rant*

So true! You know, I'm not working this year, but when I was, I received quite a bit of training on teaching reading. Not so with math. I had to teach it, but even only sometimes was I given the teacher's manual! Often, I was just having to fly by the seat of my pants. And, frankly, and I really don't mean to sound conceited (because I'm certainly not the brightest person I've ever met), but learning comes easily to me and I'm more intelligent than most of the other paras I worked with. So if it was difficult for me, I can imagine how they were handling it. Plus, all the misinformation I heard them give out (in math, and all subjects) was astounding!

And it just doesn't come naturally to me. Partly because of a bad experience in third grade with math, but also because my brain is just not built that way.

There are so many programs for struggling readers, but the struggling math students are just kind of ignored. You're right, it's way more acceptable to be "bad at math" than "bad at reading." I think it's because of the way children are taught and given up on.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

Algebra SHOULD be taught much earlier than middle school. The reason for this is so that our children can then learn the real math of calculus, linear algebra and statistical analysis when they get to college.

Which is really only necessary if you are going to go into a line of work that requires that skillset.

I'm just glad I took calculus at the same time I took physics. At least then I understood what the point was.

 

[skater]

I think those problems are on target for 2nd grade math. However, I do homeschool and have a higher standard than the public school. I use a Singapore program and love it!

I homeschool too and I have to say that those kind of problems were not in my 2nd grade math program . Maybe we're the dumb cousins of homeschooling . I do know that Singapore is a great program and is highly recommended.