Another question :D

[Scuff]

I just typed up a big long post and then the server was too busy and it's gone :( Grrr. So, the short version.

 

You all were so helpful in my reading thread. Here's a similar question for DS. The gist of it: Math is his strength, but he's a little behind where he could be potentially, because I've switched him so many times. Last year, for 2nd, we did R&S, which moved too slow. But I was reluctant to change, since I already had so many times. So we stuck it out the whole year. Now we're switching to MUS with Singapore CWP/IP as desired. The past 3 weeks he's been moving through Beta (since it goes so much more in depth than R&S, I didn't want to just skip it). He watches the video and does the test. He understands the concepts, but has been getting about half the big problems wrong. I can tell he understands, because he does the problem correctly, he just gets computation errors which then make the whole problem wrong. (BTW, this is big add/sub problems. 4 thousand #s together)

 

So, my question is, how much of this has to actually be *right* before we consider him as having mastery? Can he just have mastery now, even though he's getting half of them wrong? How much should he have right before he's practiced enough? My first inclination is to just let him move on to Gamma next week and then print up a few problems for review every once in awhile. He's enjoying math again for the first time since we started R&S, so I don't want to ruin that. But he does need ot take care in his work, too. He's just too much in a hurry to finish the test and watch the next video that he's making a lot of mistakes. Also, is a 3 week stint in Beta enough to cement it, or should he have more practice?

 

ETA: Also, He doesn't want to show his work, especially with story problems. I understand. I *hated* showing my work when i was young. Seemed like a waste of time and a waste of writing effort. Another thread in the K-8 board said that this was important (which I do understand for higher maths). Do you all make them write out their work for every problem? Would it be ok to require it for a few, just so he can do it, but let him skip it on the rest?

Edited September 26, 2008 by Scuff

[Scuff]

Well, I asked this question, and then yesterday he did 6 more tests with only 2 problems wrong. Crazy children, always keeping me guessing. :001_rolleyes: So, he just needs to do the last unit test and the book test and then we'll start Gamma.

[EKS]

Unfortunately, at the Beta level, it is all about computation. The concept is really trivial in the scheme of it all. There is more to doing multidigit addition/subtraction problems than simply understanding the concept of addition/subtraction and regrouping. You need to know the addition/subtraction facts well and you also need to be able to hold it together long enough to get through all those columns of numbers accurately.

 

There are more skills involved in mastering these types of problems than just intellectual conceptual understanding. Assuming that the child is doing the problems on paper, he needs automatic fact recall, he needs to legibly and accurately show regrouping so that he can use it properly, and he needs to have the ability to pay attention long enough to make it through the entire problem. Finally, if he has truly mastered the material, he should be able to easily do the same type of problem months or years later, with little practice in between. I think it is ok to move on with the realization that it may actually take months or years to achieve true mastery of the material.

 

If you're having him do the review worksheets in MUS, that would help develop mastery while still moving though the material at a comfortable speed.

[Storm Bay]

I whole year. Now we're switching to MUS with Singapore CWP/IP as desired. The past 3 weeks he's been moving through Beta (since it goes so much more in depth than R&S, I didn't want to just skip it). He watches the video and does the test. He understands the concepts, but has been getting about half the big problems wrong. I can tell he understands, because he does the problem correctly, he just gets computation errors which then make the whole problem wrong. (BTW, this is big add/sub problems. 4 thousand #s together)

 

So, my question is, how much of this has to actually be *right* before we consider him as having mastery? Can he just have mastery now, even though he's getting half of them wrong? How much should he have right before he's practiced enough? ETA: Also, He doesn't want to show his work, especially with story problems. I understand. I *hated* showing my work when i was young. Seemed like a waste of time and a waste of writing effort. Another thread in the K-8 board said that this was important (which I do understand for higher maths). Do you all make them write out their work for every problem? Would it be ok to require it for a few, just so he can do it, but let him skip it on the rest?

 

If you're not sure, have him take the placement test at MUS website. I never let my dc move on when they get only half right. When they're young, I sit with them and ensure they're working the problems correctly; when they're older they go back and rework a problem until they get it done correctly.

 

I have one who hates to show her work, as I did. But there will come a time when it's important later on. Are you still doing Singapore? We do both MUS & Singapore. One of the biggest problems with not showing work at a 50 percent success rate is that they cannot go back and see where they made a mistake. I wouldn't move any of my dc on with only a 50 percent rate. I'd have them do the pages in the student book, not just the tests. My dc can only race ahead if they know what they're doing.

[Scuff]

Yeah, actually we're just starting Singapore also. We just did R&S last year. We're just doing CWP and a little IP. I have the text books too. I figured it'd be good review, since MUS doesn't cover everything in a year, and would keep him sharp. And mix things up a bit so they don't get bored with the MUS. Plus, Singapore looks fun :) He just finished taking the last unit review test and the book test, so we'll see how he did on that. He was excited to start Gamma, so has already done that first page and watched a few lessons. I've also got him doing the online drill to get those facts down--something he really needs to work on.

Edited September 29, 2008 by Scuff