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Math isn't working


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My DD13 is in 8th grade. We did SM through 6B and I felt like she did pretty well with it. She finished it in the spring and we started MM7. It is going terribly. We've only made it through 2 chapters so far and we worked a little through the summer. After the first chapter I printed off some of the extra worksheets and we reviewed. After the second chapter we did the rest and the chapter 1&2 review and she had forgotten a lot. I printed extra review sheets today and she missed most of them. Simplifying expression, exponents, integers, even basic division with decimals - she can't do any of it. I'm not sure what to do at this point. Should I start at the beginning and reteach it all? Is this curriculum just not great at explaining things? I go over everything with her and help her make corrections but it's not sticking. Also, she hates school in general and math in particular and being 13 seems to to bring crazy amounts of drama that I don't understand. Math difficulties are not helping with any of that. Suggestions?

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Why switch if SM works? I am sitting with Singapore Dimentions Math right now (grade 7) and it looks absolutely wonderful. Why go to MM?

I guess I just hadn't heard much about it and the little I heard was confusing. It seemed that most people moved on to something else (usually AOPS) after SM 5 or 6. There are a couple of SM options after 6B - maybe, but maybe one was discontinued? It was harder or set up differently than the elementary books, didn't follow a typical sequence...maybe I should look into it anyway.

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Or spend time solidifying basic elementary level math. I have seen Lial's Basic College Math recommended for a single source for complete elementary math skill review.

I have considered doing something like this too. Maybe in a few months her brain will be ready to take in new information and we'd be better off just reviewing for now.

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I guess I just hadn't heard much about it and the little I heard was confusing. It seemed that most people moved on to something else (usually AOPS) after SM 5 or 6. There are a couple of SM options after 6B - maybe, but maybe one was discontinued? It was harder or set up differently than the elementary books, didn't follow a typical sequence...maybe I should look into it anyway.

 

I'm using Singapore's Discovering Mathematics with my 7th grader -- I think this is the one that has been discontinued, I used them with an older child and can't seem to get rid of anything (hoarder?) so had all the books still.  It does not follow a typical US math sequence (instead of Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2, it blends the topics of all three together -- I think I saw a chart that spelled it all out somewhere).  I used the program with my oldest, through a few years of highschool, and on his transcript labelled it "Integrated Math 1, Integrated Math 2," etc.  I personally did not notice any trouble with college applications, or standardized tests, but that may be something to consider (he's in his second year of college).

 

My 7th grader really likes the program so far.  We had switched last year to something other than Singapore and it was a complete dud for her, so I'm happy we've found something that is less painful ;)  She's big on the "why do I have to learn this?" "I can't see how I would ever use this in life" sort of thing, so it's good that DM has a lot of "real-world" problems so she can see practical uses.  That's something that I found appealing about Singapore math programs in general.

Edited by Kate in Arabia
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 I used the program with my oldest, through a few years of highschool, and on his transcript labelled it "Integrated Math 1, Integrated Math 2," etc.  I personally did not notice any trouble with college applications, or standardized tests, but that may be something to consider (he's in his second year of college).

 

I wouldn't think you would have any issues, some public schools teach "Integrated Math" as well, so that concept would be very familiar to colleges.

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Thanks everyone! I decided to show my DD a couple of options and see what she thought. I was expecting it to be an unproductive conversation along the lines of "It doesn't matter because I hate school" but it wasn't. (What a nice surprise!) DD wants to go back to SM. She said she liked that - especially the word problems because she was good at them. So SM Dimensions is on it's way here. :-)

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