TN Mama Posted April 4, 2011 Share Posted April 4, 2011 (edited) We just can't seem to find the right fit. I don't want to do a bunch of jumping around (and haven't with my oldest dd), but I'm tired of crying and/or two hour math lessons. In first grade we used CLE. Dd1 has used and enjoyed this program since we started hsing, so this was my first choice. Tears. Lots of tears. This year for second grade we have used Abeka. Ugh. No. Even though the lessons are only 2 pages and colorful. Dd takes FOREVER to do the work. She CAN do it quickly, but chooses not to. And she isn't retaining. Must find something we can stick with. I am not mathy and unfortunately I'm not the best at explaining concepts, even ones I completely understand, so I probably need a program with a good TM. Please... please... HELP ME! :) ETA: It does not need to be a Christian program. One more edit: If I sit next to her and prompt her, work gets done. But that isn't always easy to do. Edited April 4, 2011 by TN Mama Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrs.m Posted April 4, 2011 Share Posted April 4, 2011 How about Teaching Textbooks? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Five More Minutes Posted April 4, 2011 Share Posted April 4, 2011 Math Mammoth? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aludlam Posted April 4, 2011 Share Posted April 4, 2011 Does she have her math facts memorized? Our whole math experience changed after my dd memorized them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crimson Wife Posted April 4, 2011 Share Posted April 4, 2011 Even though the lessons are only 2 pages and colorful. Dd takes FOREVER to do the work. She CAN do it quickly, but chooses not to. And she isn't retaining. Trying to say this gently, but this sounds like a habit-training issue to me rather than an actual problem with your math curriculum. I feel your pain, because my oldest resists math. LA comes so easily to her that she doesn't like to have to work at a subject. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TN Mama Posted April 4, 2011 Author Share Posted April 4, 2011 Trying to say this gently, but this sounds like a habit-training issue to me rather than an actual problem with your math curriculum. I feel your pain, because my oldest resists math. LA comes so easily to her that she doesn't like to have to work at a subject. Taking this as you intended. No problem. What do you DO with your child who resists math? Of course it must get done. So? She's hasn't mastered all of her math facts, but does okay with them. We definitely will not be doing Abeka next year. *I* am not a fan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aludlam Posted April 4, 2011 Share Posted April 4, 2011 Have you looked into Math-U-See? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TN Mama Posted April 4, 2011 Author Share Posted April 4, 2011 Added to my original post, but thought I'd put this here for those who have responded. If I sit next to her and prompt her, work gets done. But that isn't always easy to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom2boys030507 Posted April 4, 2011 Share Posted April 4, 2011 Dd takes FOREVER to do the work. She CAN do it quickly, but chooses not to. And she isn't retaining. This is what my son does. He is very capable of doing the work but chooses not to. We have started having natural consequences. He gets 30 min to work on math - or whatever I feel is more than enough time to get the assignment done. After that, we move on to the next assignment. He is then required to come back and finish math at the end of his school day. If it is not done before lunch, then he finishes it after quiet time. Basically, he is not free to go play until it is all done. I, also, explain to him why he is doing it later. Some days, he gets that it is his time to use or to waste other days there are a lot of tears. Overall, he is slowly getting that what mom assigns will get done and the faster he gets done the more free time he has. I also know I am not assigning to much because many days he gets it done in the allowed time. I really think this is an age thing. Kids have to learn to use their time responsibly. This is one small way, we can teach them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holly Posted April 4, 2011 Share Posted April 4, 2011 Added to my original post, but thought I'd put this here for those who have responded. If I sit next to her and prompt her, work gets done. But that isn't always easy to do. I have to do this with my 3rd grader...sometimes we talk through problems, sometimes she just needs them read aloud to her or directions explained more. I've decided to make what we have work...no more jumping around for us! I may supplement a bit, but we're using Singapore as our main curriculum. Someone mentioned jumping around in the book...when they get stuck on subtraction, move to multiplication and go back later. I've been doing that with great success! SM has a few long reviews throughout the book and I've been adding a page of review to her normal lesson...that way we don't spend 2-3 days on review. I think there's quite a bit you can change in a math program without actually changing programs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicholas82 Posted April 4, 2011 Share Posted April 4, 2011 I used Math U See last year for 1st grade, and then this year for 2nd grade I switched him to MCP (modern curriculum press) It was an easy transition, and has a great tm. Best Luck! Rachel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mandy in TN Posted April 4, 2011 Share Posted April 4, 2011 One more edit: If I sit next to her and prompt her, work gets done. But that isn't always easy to do. I don't think that this is terribly uncommon in a second grader particularly one that doesn't like math. My second grader loves math and I don't often just walk out of the room and leave him with his math. Now he can work independently for 30 minutes through some problems, but he is only 8yo after all. Sometimes no matter what the subject, something else looks more interesting and he forgets what he was supposed to be doing. My extra student is is 5th grade, just turned 11yo, and using Saxon65. I oversee evey. single. one. of the few practice problems. I don't want her to do all of them the same incorrect way and have that incorrect method associated with that type of problem. I figure that in a math classroom these are the problems that the teacher would go through in class, so that is what I do. Then, I have her sit very near me while she works through her problem set. I may walk back and forth to do other things, but I don't just send her away and expect her to fly through the set. It may be that with this particular child you are just going to need to teach lesson and then remain fairly close while she completes the work. Some kids are like that. But, fwiw I don't react much to whiny and crying. I just keep calmly going through the material. Any reaction in this situation just delays the goal of finishing. All kids do complain from time to time. I have things that I say over and over. My extra student says they are Mandy-isms. Depending on the complaint some of my typical responses are: I also don't like washing dishes, but I like eating off clean plates. I also don't like washing clothes, but I don't like wearing them dirty. Make corrections. Almost only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades. You are wasting your time. HTH- Mandy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meena Posted April 4, 2011 Share Posted April 4, 2011 We just can't seem to find the right fit. I don't want to do a bunch of jumping around (and haven't with my oldest dd), but I'm tired of crying and/or two hour math lessons. In first grade we used CLE. Dd1 has used and enjoyed this program since we started hsing, so this was my first choice. Tears. Lots of tears. This year for second grade we have used Abeka. Ugh. No. Even though the lessons are only 2 pages and colorful. Dd takes FOREVER to do the work. She CAN do it quickly, but chooses not to. And she isn't retaining. Must find something we can stick with. I am not mathy and unfortunately I'm not the best at explaining concepts, even ones I completely understand, so I probably need a program with a good TM. Please... please... HELP ME! :) ETA: It does not need to be a Christian program. One more edit: If I sit next to her and prompt her, work gets done. But that isn't always easy to do. This sounds like my DD before we switched from MUS to Singapore. She hated math, would cry and whine when she had to do the practice pages, and took a long time to finish. She could sit at the table for an hour and still not be finished. What worked for us: *Switching curriculum. DD is very visual, so the MUS practice pages were very boring/bland to her. SM has pictures, lots of color, and more variety. SM is broken into short chunks, with less practice problems which helped us with the next item: *Limiting our time spent doing math. It is easier for DD to sit and do a lesson when she knows it's not going to drag on and on. She also does better knowing that she's not going to have to do pages of similar exercises just to show that she 'gets' an idea. DD also knows that if she doesn't finish a lesson in a timely manner, she'll have to use her computer time later to finish it. *Do math first. On days that we switch up our schedule and do math later in the day, I've found that DD/DS are less focused and tend to take longer to do their practice exercises. *Work on basic facts outside of the main lesson in fun or different ways. We alternate doing flashcards and timed quizzes as warm-ups before our main lesson. This is short (5 minutes or less). During free time we play games (war is a good one), do computer activities (Fun 4 the Brain is one of my DCs favorites), and read living math books. *Take a step back. Since we were transitioning to SM, I actually had DD start with a lower level than where she was at with MUS. Not only did the help her become familiar with how SM works, it also allowed her to become confident in her skills and helped build up her skills that were lacking because of her difficulties with MUS. *Stay with DD as she does her practice exercises. I don't hover, but I stay at the table with DD/DS as they do their exercises. They can ask for help or get an answer double-checked right away. If I see they are taking a long time on a question, I can jump in and help them figure it out. Crying and reluctance can sometimes be a discipline issue, but coupled with a lack of retention would indicate (to me at least) that it's more than discipline and that a curriculum change and/or a reworking of teaching style is in order. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SnowWhite Posted April 4, 2011 Share Posted April 4, 2011 You have tried two spiral programs. Likely this dd needs to concentrate on one topic for a longer period. Try BJU Math (our favorite), or Math Mammoth, or Singapore, Math U See, Rod and Staff or Modern Curriculum Press. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cornerstone Classical Posted April 5, 2011 Share Posted April 5, 2011 Saxon has scripted lessons for you to teach, so that would help with giving you the confidence of teaching each concept thoroughly. Throw in the manipulative box that's available for fun hands on. I have a 8 and 9 year old, and I sit with them, and a lot of times have to help them along, even if it's so we can finish in a timely manner. Then sometimes they get tired of me sitting with them, and if they are confident in what they are doing that actually say, "Mom, I got this...you can go.";) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oraetstudia Posted April 5, 2011 Share Posted April 5, 2011 I switched from MUS to Teaching Textbooks for my daughter who is in 3rd this year and was having a lot of difficulties. She's still not mathy, but she's grasping a lot more and actually likes math. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RootAnn Posted April 5, 2011 Share Posted April 5, 2011 You have tried two spiral programs. Likely this dd needs to concentrate on one topic for a longer period. Try BJU Math (our favorite), or Math Mammoth, or Singapore, Math U See, Rod and Staff or Modern Curriculum Press. :iagree: Try a mastery program at a level below where she is. And set a timer for math-time. Tell her as long as she works hard for that period of time, she's done with math for the day. If she whines or wastes time, she has to finish the lesson/pages/whatever-you-assigned on her own time later before she gets to play (or before she gets a snack or whatever is a treat to her). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
parias1126 Posted April 5, 2011 Share Posted April 5, 2011 I just started MUS from Alpha with my 8 year old and I'm amazed what she has retained this time around at the age of 8 then she did at the age of 6 with the same curriculum. We just started Alpha 5 weeks ago and will complete it this week with a huge understanding of our math facts. We will probably spend 10 weeks or so on Beta completing 3 lessons per week working on weekends too. This has been the most wonderful thing I could have ever done for remedial math and it sounds like that may be what your DC needs as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shannon in TN Posted April 5, 2011 Share Posted April 5, 2011 Sounds like you're getting some great responses! :grouphug: friend :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrsMe Posted April 5, 2011 Share Posted April 5, 2011 Perhaps you need more mastery and shorter lessons. MUS? Sounds like spiral programs are frustrating and it's jumping before your child has a grasp. BJU's concepts go by chapter, but it's extremely colorful and can be confusing. MUS is mastery and Steve Demme the CD guy teaches it, although it's for the parent, your child can watch as well. It's quick! a few minutes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TN Mama Posted April 6, 2011 Author Share Posted April 6, 2011 Thanks for all the suggestions! Surely we can get this figured out. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kristin in NE Posted April 6, 2011 Share Posted April 6, 2011 "I really think this is an age thing. Kids have to learn to use their time responsibly. This is one small way, we can teach them." :iagree: My 8 yod was terrible 2 years ago but is slowly getting better. I sure sympathize with you though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravin Posted April 6, 2011 Share Posted April 6, 2011 After it took 5 hours to get DD to do the 10 math problems assigned to her yesterday, I think I may implement some of the tips here! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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