MM users, 1st grade question

[tranquilmama]

I know it's been said around here (and quite often at that) that you can pick and choose how much math your dc does or skips. That in mind, I have questions...

 

My ds6 has been breezing through the addition pages in the beginning of 1-A. He's telling me he really wants to get to subtraction and why 3 minus 2 equals negative 1 (thanks, dh). When we do addition flashcards, sometimes his answers are automatic, sometimes he has to think about them, and sometimes he uses his fingers. I'm afraid to skip what he does easily because I know that even if it comes easy, reinforcement is key.

 

So when do you really know that you can assign half of the problems vs. having dc do them all?

[PenKase]

FWIW I assign my dd6 1 page per day and have her do all the problems, whether she knows the material or not. Sometimes, if there is a lot of writing involved, I have her do the lesson on her beloved white board...it makes it easier on her little hands!

[robsiew]

We do most all of the problems too. If I know it is REALLY easy for them I do have them skip 1/2 the problems... but for the most part we do all the lesson. I'd rather have them practice more now and really have it down than have to go back later and redo because we didn't do enough practice.

 

I do have one child who has a very LOW tolerance for review. With him, if I sense he's getting frustrated with too many problems (and getting them all right) I let him skip some. Then the silly child usually wants to do them anyway, even if I cross them off! Go figure....:001_huh: And, with him, I use the whiteboard as well. (he's 6)

[Tam101]

I do have one child who has a very LOW tolerance for review. With him, if I sense he's getting frustrated with too many problems (and getting them all right) I let him skip some. Then the silly child usually wants to do them anyway, even if I cross them off! Go figure....:001_huh: And, with him, I use the whiteboard as well. (he's 6)

 

 

That is my son! But lately I've noticed he doesn't want to go back and do the ones I've crossed out. I really need to get a white board! Think I'll add that to my back to school list.

 

 

To answer the OP, I have him do every other problem on pages that he 1) understands how to and can do the problems. 2) The pages that have LOTS of practice on them. Right now he is working on multiplication and division, he needs the practice so I have him do all the problems.

Edited July 22, 2010 by Tam101

[tranquilmama]

I might sound silly asking but do you transfer the problems to the white board, or do you have your dc do it?

[sleepymommy]

Another thing you could do is just let him go ahead and start the subtraction and then come back to the addition later as a review. I think I even remember reading somewhere in the introduction that you could always just do use the last part of the addition section as review for later.

 

I think that's why Maria Miller didn't put numbers on the lessons, you could mix it up to work for you and your child. For example, I'm skipping ahead to the time section with ds1 because he is really interested in telling time right now and then I'll go back to where we left off.

 

I can understand wanting to get the addition down pat prior to moving onto subtraction, but I think just doing a little of the subtraction to satisfy his interest in it would be a good thing.

[tranquilmama]

Well, now he wants to do negative numbers and multiplication. And he loves saying ALGEBRA. Go figure.

[PenKase]

I might sound silly asking but do you transfer the problems to the white board, or do you have your dc do it?

 

My dd6 just transfers the problems herself. She loves, loves, the white board so is more than happy to do it all. Once we finish the worktext page, I use a red pen, put a check mark on the right hand corner and the date to indicate the work has been done and when it was completed.

[walkermamaof4]

my dd7 often wants to do lots at one time. so this summer he did about 5 pp a day in MM1 and completed it. Many days he told me the answers and I did all of the writing. He loved it and loves finishing things. I gave him a small present after every chapter. Now he is doing MM2 and has slowed way, way down. The clocks are hard! Yesterday it asked him to find the clock which showed the time that is 30 minutes after quarter till 2. Holy smokes!

[athena1277]

my dd7 often wants to do lots at one time. so this summer he did about 5 pp a day in MM1 and completed it. Many days he told me the answers and I did all of the writing. He loved it and loves finishing things. I gave him a small present after every chapter. Now he is doing MM2 and has slowed way, way down. The clocks are hard! Yesterday it asked him to find the clock which showed the time that is 30 minutes after quarter till 2. Holy smokes!

 

We recently got bogged down in the 2nd grade time section too!! I was soooo glad when that chapter was done!

 

To the OP, I wouldn't skip problems in MM. Skip a section and come back to it later, yes, but not skip problems. There really are not too many in MM. I tell my dd that if it is very easy then she can do an extra page and get to whatever new thing she "can't wait for" sooner.

[walkermamaof4]

:iagree: Don't skip problems. if any, there are too few. My dd7 is very strong in math. there are just enough for him. maybe not even quite enough. i don't think my dd's could have handled this clock section from mm2 with the amount of review there is before they add in a new concept to consider. they fly through it, adding in new facets extremely quickly!

[Food4Thought]

Since I just printed out the entire year and filed it, I think it's important not to skip too much. Math Mammoth spends the addition section helping to solidify the number relationships needed to subtract easily. My DS is a mathhead too, and does some multiplication easily in his head, but I'm still making him go through the easy stuff. He goes fast, since it's easy for him, but once in a while I'll see him "get it" in a new way. I love MM for that reason - it's very solid.

[lollie010]

I recently printed MM1 out for ds 6. It does look like a lot of math. LOL. But, I guess we will try not to skip problems. It looks pretty solid to me, too. I also printed out mep year 1, and have mus alpha. I don't know what we will end up bonding with. But, I know there is no way to do it all.