Summer supplement ideas for 1st grading struggling with Everday Math?

[Guest kmansen]

I just registered today looking for advice. This summer I'd like to try to bolster up my dd's math skills and confidence after struggling with Everyday Math in first grade. She has been labeled as LD in math and I'd like to find a gentle program that could play catch up and prepare her for what she's going to face in second grade Everyday Math. Any ideas?

 

Thanks,

 

Karyn

[Guest kmansen]

Maybe I was too hasty in starting a new thread...looks like others have recently asked similar questions. I'm not familiar with Right Start, but it sounds like warrants some investigation. Any other ideas/advice would still be greatly appreciated, but I didn't mean to start a seemingly redundant thread...newbie here, eager to get advice and should've started reading first:blush5:.

 

Thanks,

 

Karyn

[purplecow7]

What I would do - I would first get on ebay and buy the Everyday math book for both first and second grade. So I would have the information at hand on what she did and what she is going to do. (if you all ready have the workbook then you may not need to get the first grade book).

 

Then I guess I would review the first grade book looking for trouble areas and then start working on the second grade book this summer so she would have all ready seen the information once before class starts. Some may say this might make her bored, but I think it might help with her confidence in math. But that is just my humble opinion. I just bought the 5th grade book so we can look at what my ds will be doing next year - we wont teach from the book, but more look at subject areas. Also since he tends to forget things - we find it helpful to have a copy on hand during the school year. Having the book at home will also allow you to teach more at home during the school year to build her confidence. EM teaches in a different way then I learned so sometimes I find it hard and I was very glad I had the book last year.

 

I would also drill math facts. Mostly because in our school district the ability for children to do addition and subtraction fast is "important" they do what is called math minutes. How many problems a child can do in a minute. - I hate this, but it is what it is.

[Shay]

Karyn,

I think this thread is not redundant at all, as you stated a specific request with a specific problem. I also commend you in wanting to help your dc out. :001_smile:

 

First, I think 1st grade EM math assumes a really solid math foundation from the beginning. I had already done a 1st grade program with my ds before he started 1st EM and time and time again I found myself thankful for that because EM 1st was so challenging.

 

It would really help us to gear you in the way to go if we knew what your dc's specific problem area(s) is/are. The EM spiral is so very wide (I can't think of another way to describe it!). I actually heard a 1st grade teacher saying that the kids spiral around to that topic again in 2nd grade . She had assumed they'd spiral back around in 1st. They do, though, have review problems all year.

 

My ds brought home partly used 2nd grade workbooks from EM (he's finished with it) just today. If it would help, I could send those to you so you can peek at what is to come. Just send me a private message.

 

Also, a wonderful group I am involved with , afterschoolers.com, has lots of advice in dealing with Everyday Math . There is a forum you can read up and post. We are a small group and would love new members. Several of us have kiddos in EM and we sometimes love it, and sometimes hate it (although I don't think it's nearly the beast you'll sometimes read about here), LOL!

 

All in all, I think you can do a lot to help your dc. As I said above, it would be helpful to know more of what your dc's specific needs are.

 

BTW, one of my LEAST favorite (okay, I hated it) parts of EM1 is the little circles with P, N, D on them to designate penny, nickel, and dime. I just thought that was too abstract for little 1st graders, KWIM???

Shay

[Guest kmansen]

Thanks Purplecow7 and Shay!

 

Shay, as for specific problems...counting money, making change, and problem solving in general. Fortunately, she does have a good visual memory so we have had success with rote learning/flash cards, and does seem to understand simple addition (which I taught her with Touch Math). I haven't really pushed subtraction much yet at home, but hope to progress with that over the summer.

 

I'm overwhelmed because she's overwhelmed with the worksheets she's brought home lately which are WAY over her head. She's resorted to either writing down a wrong answer she pulls out of the air or copying off a "smart" kid next to her :( NOT a pattern I want to encourage, but I can't say I blame her since at this point she is not capable of doing the problems independently--and doesn't even really get it when I try to help her. She does get pulled out for extra help with math, but I can't say I'm seeing much success--when she brings home her worksheets she has no idea how to go about attacking the problems.

 

Yesterday's worksheet had items at the top of page with price tags:

 

"You buy a [toy car] and [gum]. How much will you pay in all? ________. You pay with $1. How much change will you get?______

 

A [fruit bar] costs how much more than a [pencil]?_____

 

You buy a [ring]. You pay with QQQ. How much change will you get?______

 

It also had a number-grid puzzle where the numbers increase by one left to right and by tens from top to bottom.

 

She was clueless even with my help :( I hate for her to feel so lost and helpless this early on in elementary school, knowing that it's only going to pile up from here...

 

Last summer I had her do the Horizon K book 1 successfully... so yesterday, wanting her to feel successful with math again, I pulled out the (unused) K book 2 and she joyfully whipped through a few pages :) Before I start pushing her to tougher material I think I'll let her enjoy some more success with that. I just hate the thought of her checking out of math at school so young though.

 

Thanks,

 

Karyn

[Guest kmansen]

Ummm...how do I edit a subject line? I meant "1st grader," not "1st grading!" When I try to edit, I can only edit the body, not the title :( English really is my native (and only!) language!

 

Thanks,

Karyn

[Guest kmansen]

I just spent some time with a friend who home schools her first grade twins and am relieved that they couldn't do the Everyday Math either. They are mastering the basics with Rod & Staff which seems to make a lot more sense than the higher level problem solving stuff my dd's been bringing home. I also like the methodical process they're doing vs. geometry one day, making change the next...and adding temperatures on a thermometer the next. I'm not sure my dd is getting anything out her school math, but I think she could handle the R & S curriculum.

 

It's my first child so we're new to Everyday Math and I just figured everybody else was getting it but my kid. I'm still going to work with her this summer, but feeling a little relieved that her math abilities aren't as dire as I feared. It's very comforting to know that other kids (without a LD) find Everyday Math over their head, too :tongue_smilie:.

 

Karyn

[Capt_Uhura]

One thing I would suggest...for EM homework such as that, be sure to give her the real coins to work with. That can make a huge difference for some kids. I too hated the DNQ and it took me time to translate that in my head to the coins. Seeing the coins, and better yet, touching the coins makes it soooo much easier. Once she gets that down, she'll have an easier time w/ the DNQ notation.

 

I think Purplecow's suggestion is a very good one and would be what I would do. To practice math facts and mental math, the Rightstart game set is a great choice for ASing or supplementing any math curriculum.

[Shay]

Karyn,

I just have a minute,but did want to reply and let you know that I agree from what you said I believe your dd 's math isn't as dire as you feared (I like how you put it). The problems you listed are the same problems LOTS of the kids have. I can't tell you how many 1st grade mothers I've heard complain about those exact issues. One of my friends teaches 1st grade EM and she was also complaining about those exact problems you listed. She said she was teaching "making change" to a lot of blank little stares :confused:, and then she finally said "this is crazy, we'll just go on."

 

I think you are so very wise to help her feel confident with Horizons. I'd just add math facts and call it done. For us, it helped to get the addition facts to 10 down (and down pat) before we did the subtraction ones. Once my ds saw the relationship between them, he was doing the subtraction easily.

 

Also, one thing you can do is have dd "pay" for lunch , drinks, and snacks each day this summer (with play or real coins). Assign lunch items with prices and have her give you coins to pay (keep it simple at first). Maybe you can gradually have her move from the concrete coins to drawn representaions of them (the dreaded PDQ designations :tongue_smilie:).

 

As an added encouragement, one of my best friends' dd struggled mightily with her first year of EM and the next year she did much, much better. I'd also be pro-active about your dd's teacher for next year....I would think she needs to get with a teacher who teaches math well (and is not new to EM).

 

Shay

[Susan in IL]

Now, this is just MNSHO ---

 

I hate it and my kids hated it. Years ago, I talked to ds2's 2nd grade teacher for quite a while about it and also a friend who is a 1st grade teacher that uses it. Both said that unless the teacher is really good and spends the time learning the program, it is not good for the kids. Ds2's 6th grade teacher even said the first time she was in the classroom, she had to learn math as the kids were learning it since she couldn't do anymore than add, subtract, multiply and divide. Many of the teachers have trouble teaching math because they don't understand it and can't help kids who struggle. (I think EM introduces things like powers in about 3rd grade).

 

With the first child, who still couldn't do math facts at the end of 6th grade is when I started homeschooling him.

 

With ds2, I actually ended up blowing off what he did in math and didn't care what "grade" he got. I started doing stuff at home and then telling him which way he HAD to do the problem (not whatever of 3 choices they teach). Once I did that, he got it the first time. I started with workbooks that taught the basics that did the drill and more drill. The Keys to books are great for that kind of thing too and also have good explainations. To me and my kids, EM got worse as they progressed through the grades.

 

So, what I am saying is get to the bookstore and look at workbooks and teach the basics at home and get them down pat. Counting, number sense, change, addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, etc. When other topics come up in EM, don't worry about them or if your child does not get it.

 

And, again, all of this is just my opinion, YMMV, and I hope something here helps someone.

[BabyBre]

If no one else has said it yet, RightStart has a great forum on their website where you can ask questions about the curriculum or specific lessons, etc. Someone from the company typically posts a reply very quickly, within a couple days.

 

www.alabacus.com

[happycc]

Ok for first grade who is struggling with math..I went through a lot of with my oldest at that age..

 

Professor B is awesome for math facts.

 

Another special needs math program is Semple Math. Just do a google and you'll find these.

 

Now that I have 2 kids going into first grade I am going to have fun and do the Noble Knights of Knowledge. It is so cute.

[NHMom]

kmansen, my ds has used EM for 2 years, 1st and 2nd grade. He encounters some problems in certain areas but excels in others. The teachers at his PS HATE EM. They wish the district had never used that Math program, and this isn't just 1st/2nd grade teachers that hate it, all the teachers up through HS don't like the program either.

 

What I did last summer, and plan to do this summer with him, is find the areas where he had the most issues and work on them without using the EM model. Since he didn't understand it using their model, I'm not going to push him to try to understand it again with that model. Instead I went onto free Math sites and pulled off worksheets or made my own for him to work on. I also used many manipulative's to help him understand a concept. I found last summer, and I'm sure I'll find this summer as well, is that he understands the concept fine but can't do it with the way it is explained in the model. Sometimes the way it is worded is what confused him or it just wasn't explained in a logical manner. There were times I would struggle with his Math homework and Math was always my very best subject. :001_huh::lol:

 

I will be starting homeschooling with him in Sept, when he would've been going into 3rd grade, and I have no intention of using the EM program.

 

My other ds just finished kindergarten and the only area he struggled with was the coins. He does fine with regular coins or play board coins, but the way they have them used in the EM model is really confusing to him. He may not homeschool come the fall as he is really pushing to go to PS for 1st grade. I of course am dreading the EM problems I think he'll encounter but at least I've already gone through it recently with my other child and have some handy sheets prepared to assist me if he is confused with the program.