Timed Math Drills

[MsAlimar]

Are they really necessary?

 

We are using Saxon which we really like but my daughter seems to have a melt down at the timed drills. She likes doing the sheets it's just the timer that she hates. I can see her stressing at just the thought of being timed. She is a perfectionist and cries when she makes a mistake or can't finish as much as she would like in the allotted time.

 

Will I do her a disservice if I eliminate the timer from her drill sheets?

[5LittleMonkeys]

Maybe try a different method. Try out x-tra math. It's really painless and quick.

[matilda]

Give her something that she can be great at, like 0's and 1's and then move to harder things very slowly. That way, she gets used to the timer on problems that are extremely easy.

[diaperjoys]

One of my boys (our 7yo) is the perfectionist type. He, too, was melting down when timed. He knew the material, and was fully capable of finishing within the allotted time (one minute), but froze & panicked when I started the timer.

 

So, one day I told him I'd give him two minutes instead of one. He perked up, flew through the test, and was finished in about 48 seconds. Now he knows he can do it, and is no longer afraid of the timer. I think it has been good for him to meet the challenge, and succeed. Also, the mere fact of the timer running compels him to try his hardest & work very quickly. It's a win-win scenario for us!

[kpnick in nc]

I also do 2 minutes for my first grade DS in Saxon 2. The first few weeks, I skipped the timer altogether because I thought it would stress him. it turns out that it keeps him from dawdling and he competes with himself. The first few timed drills, I let him skip around the page, but he was skipping the same ones regularly, so now we go in order. :001_smile:

[veggiegal]

My view is that timed drill is unnecessary--though knowing your math facts is quite important, especially as you move along to more complex topics in math. A child learning how to add fractions needs to be concentrating on that--not on what 6x7 is. :D A different approach is to try online math games or apps, as has been suggested. Or even board or card games--I am sure I know lots of 'tricky' addition facts from the hours of cribbage I played with my Mom.

 

Or try the "race track" method. Draw a 'race track' (like a simple game board with 'squares') and put in various math facts you want practiced. Have your child pick a figure (little animal figurine, a toy car, whatever) and 'race' down the track saying the answers aloud. You can do this in several ways:

 

Option 1, simply go from start to finish

Option 2, go back to start each time a wrong answer is given.

Option 3, do option 2, but track either number of 'attempts' it takes to get to the finish, or total time. The timer counting up (not down to zero) is a lot less stressful for perfectionist-type kids IME.

 

Obviously, you can make the questions easier or harder on the next race track you draw, as needed. You can even put in more complicated things like 2+4+5=? or 3+x=12. What is x?

 

I have used this technique with kids from ages 5-13 (I used to both tutor and teach math in school), and while not every kid liked it, the vast majority did. Worth a shot.

[JoyinIndo]

Maybe try a different method. Try out x-tra math. It's really painless and quick.

 

:iagree: This has changed things around for us as far as timed drills. The kids love it and it is painless!!

 

Blessings,

Joy

[Spy Car]

 

Will I do her a disservice if I eliminate the timer from her drill sheets?

 

The insistence on timed math drill in Saxon math is an on-going and constant cause of math anxiety in far too many children.

 

There is a classic pattern. A child become anxious about the timed test. The anxiety undermines performance. Confidence is shattered. Child believes they are stupid and that they are bad at math. Child hates math.

 

It makes my blood boil.

 

Listen to your inner-intelligence.

 

Bill

[tkdkidsmom]

There is a classic pattern. A child become anxious about the timed test. The anxiety undermines performance. Confidence is shattered. Child believes they are stupid and that they are bad at math. Child hates math.

 

It makes my blood boil.

 

Listen to your inner-intelligence.

 

Bill

:iagree:

Timed tests caused my 7yo soooo much anxiety we skipped school on days his ps teacher gave timed math drills. Now he is at home. No more timed drills :D

[Hope in God]

I remember the "Mad Minute" from when I was in school and I think it destroyed my math life. I, too, tend to be perfectionistic and I just couldn't take it. I believe that schools use timed math drills because there is no other easy way to test the entire class at once but because you homeschool you are more closely aquainted with what your child knows and what he does not know so timed drills are really not necessary.

[AudreyTN]

I think they are very important. I've noticed a VAST improvement in my math-challenged dd since we've been doing Saxon and implementing the speed drills.

[5LittleMonkeys]

I just wanted to add that I believe some dc can do timed drills and some can't. My dd8 uses the xtra math that I linked with no problem but dd12 starts panicking just thinking about it. Dd12 went to ps until 4th and had timed drills almost daily...it greatly contributed to her math phobia that I'm still trying to remedy 3 years later.

 

I would try the xtra math because it introduces an element of fun (you might also try timez attack for multiplication) but if your dc still cries then don't push it. You can get to the same place using non-timed methods, it will just take longer.

[LaughingCat]

I've seen a suggestion I liked (haven't tried it though lol) - to reverse the timer, so that it is counting up rather than down. Later they can try to beat their previous time.

 

LL

[SnMomof7]

We don't use Saxon, but my daughter also totally melted down with any kind of timed math practice options I gave her.

 

Freak. Out.

 

We tried a few different things but finally found something that worked, it's a downloadable piece of software called Math Rider. There is a 7-day free trial if you want to give it a spin:

 

http://mathrider.com/partner/idevaffiliate.php?id=291_2

 

We had tried a LOT of different things for math facts, but this is the ONLY thing my daughter will do willingly :).

[QuirkyKapers]

I would be more concerned that my kids got the right answers than hurry to something timed and get half of them wrong. So, I would feel free to ditch timing it if it isn't working :)

[Crafty Mathy Mom]

I quit having timed drills with my oldest because she would melt down, but my son does them. He has a competitive streak. My timer has a count up feature. I time how long it takes to complete the drill and then next time we try to beat it. It may take him 10 minutes to finish what the curriculum says should be a 2 minute drill, but if he finishes it the next time in 9 minutes 45 second, we celebrate. It's his favorite part of the math lesson.

[jennynd]

I hate drill.

[jennynd]

I would be more concerned that my kids got the right answers than hurry to something timed and get half of them wrong. So, I would feel free to ditch timing it if it isn't working :)

:iagree::iagree:

 

Much rather kids checking answer than does it fast.