DD gifted in math claims she hates it, other loves it

[TravelingChris]

Okay here is my dilemma. My youngest is gifted in math. No, not in memorizing math facts but rather in very quickly learning concepts and figuring out problems with no prior instruction. SHe scores 99% in conceptual math and she is currently starting to work through an ACT prep book in the math section and getting problem after problem right without having had the material. So why does she say she hates math?

 

Then I have my middle child who is okay in math but much more average. She considers math her favorite subject although it is quite clear that her gifts lie in writing. Huh?

 

Any ideas?

[Jen500]

Maybe she's just not being challenged enough to enjoy math? Or maybe she is a perfectionist, and worries that if she is challenged enough to struggle a bit and make mistakes, it would mean she is not good enough in math and therefor says she doesn't like math. Or maybe there are other family members who are very into math and she just wants to be different.

Just tossing out some ideas.

[Cera]

Or maybe she simply doesn't like math.

 

I scored a 730 on the verbal section of the SAT when I took it for CTY in 7th grade (on the old 800 scale). I hated all language arts work and loved math (in which I only scored a 580). I chose a math intensive major in college and took only the 3 required english courses.

 

I try to keep this in mind with my own kids because their strengths aren't necessarily their preferences.

[Rebecca VA]

Well, you've got to admit that arithmetic isn't always thrilling, and it doesn't exactly "talk to" most students the way stories do.

 

I have a child who is really, really good at piano but hates it. In fact, she doesn't really like music at all -- she gets no particular enjoyment out of listening to it. Weird but true.

 

P. S. Oh, I apologize! I was thinking your youngest was 6, not 12! If she's in LOF Decimals, maybe you should accelerate her...radically.

Edited November 10, 2009 by Rebecca VA

[Blessedfamily]

Well, you've got to admit that arithmetic isn't always thrilling, and it doesn't exactly "talk to" most students the way stories do.

 

I have a child who is really, really good at piano but hates it. In fact, she doesn't really like music at all -- she gets no particular enjoyment out of listening to it. Weird but true.

 

.....

 

:iagree: I was always top in math in my school and hated it. But in my case, it wasn't being taught well, lots of drill.

 

I'm certain that isn't the case with your dd, but maybe math isn't the sort of thing she thinks of as thrilling. Or maybe she loves another subject so well, math pales in comparison? Maybe she needs some acceleration to re-engage her mind to it?

Edited November 11, 2009 by Blessedfamily
spelling

[StephanieZ]

How about exploring an Art of Problem Solving online course? I am about to take the plunge with my dd12 on a AoPS Counting & Probability course in March (after she finishes her current Int Alg Thinkwell course) and probably also with ds10 in February (Algebra). . . I decided it is worth the $$ investment to have a community of peers who are similarly talented in math and who are ENTHUSED about it. I can't report how it goes yet, but that is what I am planning on doing after much consideration. (I am not expecting to have them both in AoPS courses year round. . .but perhaps one or two courses a year each with other things in between.)

 

I also have to ask why she is doing LoF Decimals if she is an advanced math student and 12 years old! I could see doing it for fun if it WERE fun to her, but is it a challenge OR even fun?? Being bored is boring!!! She needs a challenge. . . and not necc. acceleration either. . . which is where AoPS comes in!

 

http://www.artofproblemsolving.com/Resources/AoPS_R_A_Calculus.php

 

HTH!!

[zaichiki]

I agree with those who said that maybe she just doesn't enjoy it... we can be good at doing things, but not enjoy doing them.

 

I was always good at math in school, but I didn't like it. It wasn't nearly as interesting or exciting as reading, writing, and history. Ha! (Like a pp, I disliked math even though my math SAT scores were significantly higher than my verbal. And I wanted to be a writer! Double ha!)

[Storm Bay]

Arithmetic is just boring, I suspect, but that's based on my eldest who is gifted in math (she was grades ahead at one point, but hated it so much she's now doing what the local honours kids are doing because she dragged herself through it after a while; not because it was too hard for her, but I have three kids and can't sit and hold her hand, although she wouldn't like that anyway most of the time.) She absolutely hated math until Algebra, when she didn't hate it as much (she even liked some of it). She likes Geometry better. But mostly, she says she loves math when it's not assigned for school work and she is very good at the conceptual & theoretical aspects of math. However, if I don't assign any, there's no certainty that she'll cover it all and I certainly can't grade her for high school, which is where she is now.

 

In short, a child can be gifted in math and hate it.

[Renai]

 

Then I have my middle child who is okay in math but much more average. She considers math her favorite subject although it is quite clear that her gifts lie in writing. Huh?

 

Any ideas?

 

I was your middle child. I loved math, but wasn't all that great in it. I am gifted in language/writing (loved reading volumes), but English was boring and I hated it all the way through college. I tested out of it :).

 

You can like something you're not good at but motivated to learn, and be good at something but not necessarily like it. Maybe it's the presentation? Or learning style?

[TravelingChris]

Why is she doing LOF Decimals? Because she is a very perfectionistic type of child and wanted to do the books in order. As it is, she had a lot of fun today doing the Goldbach Conjecture. SHe does two lessons a day and will be in Algebra by December. I do think that all she really dislikes is arithmetic which she finds boring. Part of that ones perfectionistic tendencies spill over to everything else- not only should she be perfect but so should everything else. She also is my laziest one. But once she starts doing something, she works well to get it finished.

[Storm Bay]

She also is my laziest one. But once she starts doing something, she works well to get it finished.

 

 

My eldest can be like this. Takes forever to get going, but then won't quit her math until she has it right.