OT: DD6 going backwards in math

[Tinkermommy]

I am hoping someone can give me some advice to help my DD6 with math. Until 1st grade, she has always been tops in math and now the simplest problems are giving her trouble. She loves science and is a great reader and until this year she did love math.

Our school system just started a new math curriculum and it stinks! She has slipped way behind on math and now says she doesn't like it. We have been giving her extra math homework and more "fun" assignments on our own as it seems the school gives her page after page of brainless worksheets and not much else.

Anyone have any suggestions? My DH and I really want to reignite her love and proficiency in math.

 

[PiperPizzaz]

I had problems with math when I was in first/second grade and as a result I got dropped back to a lower class in math. Turns out I am really good at math but, my whole life until college thought I was bad at it so I never tried.
This was my problem. They were trying to make it 'fun' so for example on greater than less than problems they would say which cookie does the alligator want to eat. It was very confusing to me, lol. Well, after all the blabbing I do have a suggestion. How about a computer program. They have lots of fabulous math ones available. Maybe someone on here could give you a recommendation on one.

GL!

 

[kldmom2000]

Oh this is the story of our life right now too...

My 7 yr old DD (2nd grade) is struggling with math. She is one of the youngest in her class (July 29bday and cut-off in our area of MA is Aug. 31) She struggled in Kindergarten (1/2 day) with reading and math.... but by 1st grade, the reading clicked and she excelled at it-she was one of the best readers in her 1st grade (and now her 2nd grade) class.....

But Math... ugh.

MA does the "new" way to learn Math... Everyday Math. It stinks because I try to help her, but it's not they way that WE learned how to do addition/subtraction.... She has almost a "wall" up when it comes to Math.... her 1st grade teacher wanted her tested for an IEP. She passed the IEP test so she didn't qualify for extra assistance with math. I looked into Sylvan-WHOA! Expensive! We work w/ her as much as we can but she has a mindset that she HATES math, so it's so hard to get her to concentrate....

2nd grade teacher is concerned too. She wants to have her re-tested for an IEP for Math though it's a long process.... for now though, she offered to tutor her one morning a week before school for the same fee that the other teachers charge ($25 per hr) for tutoring. We started that last week.

I'm beginning to hate math

No suggestions really.... just ((((HUGS)))) I hope you can find some answers to help your DD understand it and like it

 

[dreamer17555]

Hooked on Phonics has a math program that I just Love My dd6 (in Kindergarten) can do adding and subtraction up to 20 without aids. It maybe not be the way they are teaching your child (At her school the kids are rolling dice and counting up the numbers ) but a good solid program will help give her a foundation. I taught DD to read with HOP and it is not the same way her school is teaching it but she finds a way to bridge the ideas- her school does five methods and DD stick to two find a chunk and strech out the words (Sound out) but which work with HOP.

Hope that helps.

-Becca-

 

[dreamer17555]

Oh and while Sylvian is expensive Mathnasium which are popping up all over isn't nearly as pricey. I would check into that.

-Becca-

 

[StephMK]

Is it trouble like she can't do them or is just getting wrong answers? Both of my DD (14 & 7) starting in 1st grade started missing basic addition & subtractions but can do them, just miss them. I thought DD (now 14) was not good in math but she can do the harder stuff, I think she just didn't pay close attention to the "easy" things. She is in honors math now & a grade ahead.

DD7 is following in her footsteps. She finished early but makes just dumb mistakes that makes it look like she doesn't know what she's doing. She says it's too easy.

I agree that it's hard to help them w/math when it's taught so differently than I was taught. The computer programs or a Leapster game for math are good ideas to help find the fun again.

One more question - how is her teacher? One year, DD had a teacher that was awful at giving directions. She would give assignments but not explain the concept until after they did their homework. This was 5th grade & extremely frustrating because she'd been doing well until they switched teachers among the math groups.

 

[Tinkermommy]

My DD sounds a lot like yours. She is one of the youngest in her class as well. She misses the easy stuff but gets the harder stuff right. It seems that the adding and subracting simple numbers is what she gets wrong. She just guesses.

It's hard to say about her teacher since this is the first year of a new math curriculum and she is a "by the book" kind of person. Her teacher in Kindergarten gave her extra (more advanced) work and she did great.

I am hoping that if we keep her interested and excited in math, this will all even out. But I don't want to her get labelled as a slow math person or have her end up disliking math.

 

[PollyannaMom]

It could just be a case of learning so much new stuff, it pushes out the old stuff for a while. I know DS had trouble for a bit when they started mixing addition and subtraction problems together. He was concentrating so hard on figuring out which to do, that he was making "rushing" mistakes by the time he actually did the computation.

I second the computer suggestion, as well. funbrain and aplusmath (both spelled just like that dot com) have good math games.

Remember, kids learn with ALL their senses. - If they are struggling with something, try to "See it, Hear it, Touch it, Move to it" - like doing math with M&M's, or spreading out numbers on the floor, and jumping on the right answers, that sort of thing.

And don't be afraid to teach them cool math facts and tricks, so it seems like a "fun" topic outside of school. (Like a "googel" is 1 followed by a hundred zeros.)