trying my best Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 I never in a million years would thought i would say those words during DS's Math class.... "9 + 7 ... Landon, I don't want you to COUNT!!!!" lol I am trying to break his habit for "counting on" and trying make him understand that bringing a number to a 10 would be much easier and faster. Yet he LOVES counting on. He can easily add +/- 9 or even +/-12 very fast in his head. I think he visualize dots that represents numbers, arranges them in his head like you would see on a Domino game and counts them. He has no mistakes doing it but that's not what i want him to do. So a lot of time during Math class i remind him not to count! lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freerange Posted February 5, 2011 Share Posted February 5, 2011 :D Can you show him with manipulatives or diagrams what you're asking him to do, so that he has something to visualise in place of counting on? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cindyz Posted February 5, 2011 Share Posted February 5, 2011 (edited) This is how I learned math. I still count on fingers or sometimes make dots on the page to add. Isn't that terrible? My son started with Singapore so he never got in that habit. We are in Singapore 1B and today we did problems like 35 + 8 and 35 - 8 and he did it completely in his head with regrouping and here I was still counting in my head to see if his answers were correct. I remember before Christmas, a cashier asked my son what grade he was in and he told her he was in kindergarten. She then asked if he knew how many more days until Christmas and he asked, "What day is today?" and she said it was the 13th and he said, "So, 25 minus 13 (he knew Christmas was on the 25th from building the calendar that month) ..... is ..... 12...12 more days until Christmas". Her jaw was on the counter. :D I don't think she was expecting him to turn it into a math problem, but that's how his brain thinks. Singapore is a wonderful thing. I can't imagine not using this method for math. Keep up the good work with him! It will definitely pay off. :D Edited February 5, 2011 by Cindyz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cindyz Posted February 5, 2011 Share Posted February 5, 2011 :D Can you show him with manipulatives or diagrams what you're asking him to do, so that he has something to visualise in place of counting on? Oh and I agree with this 100%. I think I remember that you do not have the HIG for Singapore? If you get it, it walks you through showing them how to work the problems with manipulatives and number bonds. Our 10 links get a lot of use around here for teaching. He won't use them himself (he doesn't need them once he sees what to do), but I use them a lot to teach a concept. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jennynd Posted February 5, 2011 Share Posted February 5, 2011 I have weird opinion on math, so discard it if u think i am nuts. I grow up loving math, because I have teachers not to tell me everything, rather, they show m the light and I found the path. I have strong believ that the joy of math is from discovering it rather than be told. I throw a fit when my son's teacher taught them the strategy of adding. i found those stratgy myself and that was the aha moment made me love math. To me, math is magical and I hope my son can find the magic like i did. so, my suggestion is let him be. he will find the breaking the number make it 10 is easier when he did it enough, and when that happen... he see the magic of numbers.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cindyz Posted February 5, 2011 Share Posted February 5, 2011 I have weird opinion on math, so discard it if u think i am nuts.I grow up loving math, because I have teachers not to tell me everything, rather, they show m the light and I found the path. I have strong believ that the joy of math is from discovering it rather than be told. I throw a fit when my son's teacher taught them the strategy of adding. i found those stratgy myself and that was the aha moment made me love math. To me, math is magical and I hope my son can find the magic like i did. so, my suggestion is let him be. he will find the breaking the number make it 10 is easier when he did it enough, and when that happen... he see the magic of numbers.. If you prefer this method, Miquon would be a good fit. I really loved the idea of Miquon and wish that I could have kept going with it. I have a lot of excuses why it didn't work for us (mostly because I personally am not mathy enough to implement it), but I do think it's a wonderful program for those who feel like the poster above. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jennynd Posted February 5, 2011 Share Posted February 5, 2011 I actually using singapore. I am Chinese and I found singapore are like how i grow up. I did skip few subject like, mental math ( i ask him orally, like I expected, it did not need to be taugh, he can do it) he still count up and not make 10. but oh well, he will one day, and I can't wait to see the sparkle in his eyes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cindyz Posted February 5, 2011 Share Posted February 5, 2011 I actually using singapore. I am Chinese and I found singapore are like how i grow up. I did skip few subject like, mental math ( i ask him orally, like I expected, it did not need to be taugh, he can do it) he still count up and not make 10. but oh well, he will one day, and I can't wait to see the sparkle in his eyes. What about kids like me who never made that connection? I'm a grown adult and still counting up. Miquon leads children to make these discoveries just like you describe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jennynd Posted February 5, 2011 Share Posted February 5, 2011 good point....i never look at Miguon because Singapore just easier and familiar for me to teach my boy. but u are rite. Everybody is different. I just offer I point of view that I think math is magical and so much to be discovered What about kids like me who never made that connection? I'm a grown adult and still counting up. Miquon leads children to make these discoveries just like you describe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trying my best Posted February 5, 2011 Author Share Posted February 5, 2011 I do have some sticks that are 10 cubes together and then seperate ones... He loves using it and it really helped him to see +10 or -10 :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cindyz Posted February 5, 2011 Share Posted February 5, 2011 good point....i never look at Miguon because Singapore just easier and familiar for me to teach my boy. but u are rite. Everybody is different. I just offer I point of view that I think math is magical and so much to be discovered That's one reason we use Singapore too. I just think someone like you would LOVE love LOVE Miquon for your child. Many use Singapore and Miquon together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jennynd Posted February 5, 2011 Share Posted February 5, 2011 :) .. always good knowledge chatting with gals here... Another thought is ... is this really that important, I recalled that I dated a Math genius when I was in graduate school. He was Math PhD student in a highly respected university (take hint from my user name :) ) He proved some never solved math problem at his freshman year in college, and jumped few grades. And he was amazed how quickly I can do mental math... My point is, I am good at math, but I am not good as him.. obviously,.. And he can't do basic math as good as me. So, the fact is, a simple math or how quick you can do addition/substraction really can't define you how successful you can be in math respect... hope it make sense. And I may be just full of crap :):auto: That's one reason we use Singapore too. I just think someone like you would LOVE love LOVE Miquon for your child. Many use Singapore and Miquon together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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