Math frustration

[guateangel]

We are on lesson 27 in Rightstart B and dd STILL cannot do addition in her head....even simple addition (1+2, 1+3, 2+4,....) This is so frustrating. She is able to get the answer when using the abacus, tiles, dots and other manipulatives, just not in her head. Her spelling, grammar, memorizaton and reading abilities are great. Math is just not clicking. Do I switch programs or give it time?

[Crimson Wife]

Are you playing the games? I strongly recommend them to cement the facts.

[JayneJ]

One idea that has worked with my son to transition him from adding with objects to adding on paper is "circle math". Simply put if the problem is 1+3 then by the 1 the child draws 1 circle and by the 3 the child draws 3 circles and then adds the circles up. It may require scrap paper if the workbook/sheet doesn't have a lot of room. I did this with my son and daughter for problems up to 30. Just a thought.

[Hedgehog]

I'm sure my eldest dd was still adding up on her fingers at that age. If you're ok with it, I wouldn't worry. I think they get it when they're ready. :001_smile:

[guateangel]

Are you playing the games? I strongly recommend them to cement the facts.

 

Yes, everyday.

 

One idea that has worked with my son to transition him from adding with objects to adding on paper is "circle math". Simply put if the problem is 1+3 then by the 1 the child draws 1 circle and by the 3 the child draws 3 circles and then adds the circles up. It may require scrap paper if the workbook/sheet doesn't have a lot of room. I did this with my son and daughter for problems up to 30. Just a thought.

 

She makes dots, flowers, hearts, etc. and can easily add this way.

[Entropymama]

This isn't very popular, but I drill my kids. As in, recite the 1 addition facts. They say "one plus one is two, one plus two is three..."

 

And on and on and on.

 

It's good for in the car, they don't like it much but I reward with candy and that helps.

 

Alternately, try getting them to use their imaginations, as in "close your eyes and imagine a lollipop. Now I'm giving you two more lollipops. Do you see them? How many do you have now?"

 

And story problems. Those have helped make things more concrete for my dc.

 

Good luck!

[Snowfall]

My dd really hates the RS card games we've learned so far in B.:001_huh: We play Sum Swamp more often. That will help with addition up to 6+6 or subtraction up to 6-6 (since the highest the dice go is 6). The only problem then is learning to add the numbers over 6. At least it's a start. :) It's one of DD's favorite games, even when you include the totally non-educational ones, and I consider it one of our best purchases ever.

[Haiku]

I would shelve RS for a while and spend some time working on basic math facts. I would think that a 7 1/2 year old would be able to add 1+2. Maybe she has become so dependent on manipulatives that she just thinks she can't do it and needs to be shown that she can.

 

Tara

[siloam]

We are on lesson 27 in Rightstart B and dd STILL cannot do addition in her head....even simple addition (1+2, 1+3, 2+4,....) This is so frustrating. She is able to get the answer when using the abacus, tiles, dots and other manipulatives, just not in her head. Her spelling, grammar, memorizaton and reading abilities are great. Math is just not clicking. Do I switch programs or give it time?

Michelle,

 

With my younger two I had to camp out for a month or more playing the memory games before they started to see quantities in their mind. From there I started playing war daily, starting with just the number cards 0, 1, 2, 3 then adding higher numbers and dropping the 0 eventually. It actually took a whole year with DS to build up to 9's. Though I didn't stop the program, I continued to allow him to do the lessons, he just used the abacus a lot for a while. Now he doesn't need it as much.

 

The visualization that RS uses is actually a little vague, some will need more help. On Cloud Nine is a program that develops that ability for kids who don't naturally have it. I am using the sister program, Seeing Stars, with my 9yo who doesn't naturally see words in her mind. I only needed the teacher's manual, not the whole program. I just add the visualization exercises to her spelling.

 

RS is the only program I have seen that tries to make sure this component is there. Switching math programs won't help her develop it. If you are fine with her using the abacus, move on and continue to encourage her to see the beads in her mind, and the numbers as well.

 

Heather

[guateangel]

With my younger two I had to camp out for a month or more playing the memory games before they started to see quantities in their mind. From there I started playing war daily, starting with just the number cards 0, 1, 2, 3 then adding higher numbers and dropping the 0 eventually. It actually took a whole year with DS to build up to 9's. Though I didn't stop the program, I continued to allow him to do the lessons, he just used the abacus a lot for a while. Now he doesn't need it as much.

 

Is your ds an auditory learner by chance? I'm wondering if this is part of the underlying issue with my dd.

 

Also, are you recommending the Cloud Nine Teacher Manual or the entire kit? It looks interesting.

 

I can't 'drill' her because she will memorize the problems instead of fully grasping the concept. She's done this with 2+2, 4+4 and 5+5. She 'knows' these but doesn't visualize them in her head and cannot tell me how she came up with the answer. If that makes any sense?

[siloam]

Is your ds an auditory learner by chance? I'm wondering if this is part of the underlying issue with my dd.

 

Also, are you recommending the Cloud Nine Teacher Manual or the entire kit? It looks interesting.

 

I can't 'drill' her because she will memorize the problems instead of fully grasping the concept. She's done this with 2+2, 4+4 and 5+5. She 'knows' these but doesn't visualize them in her head and cannot tell me how she came up with the answer. If that makes any sense?

 

 

DS? He is a quandary. He ran a ton of ear infections as a child, so was severely delayed in speech from just missing so many milestones. But when our pediatrician gave him a hearing test it was the best results he had ever seen. My guess is he has sensitive hearing, has a hard time blocking out all the sounds around him, and maybe auditory processing issues to go with it all.

 

You should be able to get away with only the manual, that is all I have of the sister program, Seeing Stars and it plainly states you can use the whole kit or just apply it to other phonics/spelling programs. I don't see why the math version would be any different.

 

Yep, I totally get what you are describing. My oldest is dysgraphic (math version of dyslexia). She can do complex problems in her head and can't for the life of you tell you how she got the answer. In fact I can do it too, I just don't trust myself, so I always pull out paper and make sure. Is there any chance she does get it and some sort of processing problem is preventing her from explaining it? She could also just be parroting the answers from memorization without understanding.

 

Heather

 

[prairie rose]

We play Sum Swamp more often. That will help with addition up to 6+6 or subtraction up to 6-6 (since the highest the dice go is 6). The only problem then is learning to add the numbers over 6. At least it's a start.

 

We just replaced the numbered game dice with 10 sided dice.

[guateangel]

. Is there any chance she does get it and some sort of processing problem is preventing her from explaining it?

 

What kind of processing problem? It wouldn't surprise me if she had a visual processing problem. But I would think her reading would be affected by this and she's a great reader. So confusing. Wish I could figure out the problem and fix it. I hate this helpless feeling.

[blessedmom3]

Is your ds an auditory learner by chance? I'm wondering if this is part of the underlying issue with my dd.

 

Also, are you recommending the Cloud Nine Teacher Manual or the entire kit? It looks interesting.

 

I can't 'drill' her because she will memorize the problems instead of fully grasping the concept. She's done this with 2+2, 4+4 and 5+5. She 'knows' these but doesn't visualize them in her head and cannot tell me how she came up with the answer. If that makes any sense?

 

 

So what is wrong with memorization ?

Let her memorize if that's how she learns.

Anyway, math is at least 10% memorization , even Ms Cotter agrees .

There are kids that don't need or cannot visualize numbers in their heads and that's ok. They can still become very proficient in math .

I bet flashcards will do wonders for this child.

[prairie rose]

I can't 'drill' her because she will memorize the problems instead of fully grasping the concept. She's done this with 2+2, 4+4 and 5+5. She 'knows' these but doesn't visualize them in her head and cannot tell me how she came up with the answer. If that makes any sense?

 

It seems to me if she can figure out the answer with manipulatives, she understands the concept. Now she just needs to memorize the facts for quick recall. I don't picture quantities in my head every time I add but I can rattle off addition facts any time I need to and I understand the concept those facts represent. Maybe I'm missing something but it seems to be she's ready to memorize the facts.