Madhouse mama Posted November 30, 2011 Share Posted November 30, 2011 Just wondering if this is normal/ok or if i'm doing something wrong etc. My eldest is 6.5 and we started doing miquon orange book about 5mths ago - no formal maths previously. (We have thrown some MEP in too but i found so boring and slow and ds didnt seem fussed so we are just using miquon for now) We are half way through the addition/subtraction sheets (E). He still needs lots of promting through nearly every sum or problem. Straightforward addition he can do ok with the rods on the whole, but anything with more than two numbers to add or where you have only one half of the sum and the answer and need to find the other half - i have to prompt every step even though he's done similar problems numerous times now. He also needs promting through the subtractions. Me: 'So if we have 10 and we take 3 away what are we left with' - he couldnt/wont? just look at the sum and do it himself. So my thoughts are... 1. He is resistant to everything in life that isnt exactly what he wants to do right that moment, very dramatic about things, so i wonder if some of it is his personality - he just really cant be bothered to try and maybe i am helping him too much. 2. This is just normal and if we keep plodding on it will click for him in the end. 3. If 2. is correct then have people found that miquon gives enough practice at the concepts for thier child or did they have to supplement/ make lots more practice sheets? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FO4UR Posted November 30, 2011 Share Posted November 30, 2011 When I am asking if we have 10 and take away three, I'm putting down the orange rod and then the light green, pointing to the "missing" piece. The child finds the rod that fits and gives the answer. It's OK to make up stories to go with the problems too. I have a box of 10 cookies. Daddy ate 3. How many are left? (Still use the rods as a visual cue.) I would do a few of these orally, and then give him a few to do on his own (with you sitting at the elbow). At 6.5yo, it's OK to do most of your math orally and with the manips. If you need to stick on a topic, make up some of your own lab sheets, or get Singapore Challenging Word Problems/Intensive Practice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madhouse mama Posted December 4, 2011 Author Share Posted December 4, 2011 Thanks for your advice - i think i will have to make up some of my own maths sheets. I can see that although he can do the problems in the end with the prompting that he is not really truly 'getting' the concepts so i'm guessing this is normal for a 6.5 yr old and that more practice will remedy this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amy Jo Posted December 4, 2011 Share Posted December 4, 2011 Is it the concepts or just the written format of math? (Big difference!) Can you add some more real life math, cooking, setting the table, perhaps even adding up how many Christmas cards to send? Make up word problems. Change any word problems you are reading to him to have his name in them (and perhaps a sibling / pet / toy's name). You might try some oral drill too, or let him drill you! My 5yo loves to ask me: what's 2+2 (4), whats 4+4 (8), whats 8+8 (16) ... until we hit 32+32, at which point he went back to lower numbers! Once in a while I say that I don't know (on easier ones) or else I'll hold up my fingers and let him add them up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siloam Posted December 4, 2011 Share Posted December 4, 2011 (edited) Just wondering if this is normal/ok or if i'm doing something wrong etc. My eldest is 6.5 and we started doing miquon orange book about 5mths ago - no formal maths previously. (We have thrown some MEP in too but i found so boring and slow and ds didnt seem fussed so we are just using miquon for now) We are half way through the addition/subtraction sheets (E). He still needs lots of promting through nearly every sum or problem. Straightforward addition he can do ok with the rods on the whole, but anything with more than two numbers to add or where you have only one half of the sum and the answer and need to find the other half - i have to prompt every step even though he's done similar problems numerous times now. He also needs promting through the subtractions. Me: 'So if we have 10 and we take 3 away what are we left with' - he couldnt/wont? just look at the sum and do it himself. So my thoughts are... 1. He is resistant to everything in life that isnt exactly what he wants to do right that moment, very dramatic about things, so i wonder if some of it is his personality - he just really cant be bothered to try and maybe i am helping him too much. 2. This is just normal and if we keep plodding on it will click for him in the end. 3. If 2. is correct then have people found that miquon gives enough practice at the concepts for thier child or did they have to supplement/ make lots more practice sheets? There could be several things going on here. Part of it could be lack of practice, it could be that it is just pushing him developmentally, or it could be that the Miquon discovery approach isn't his learning style. I used Miquon with my oldest two, and both of them hated it. Hated the discovery approach. I finally changed simply because I was tired of hearing about it, but as time has gone on I realize now that they have concrete personalities. They want to know exactly what is expected of them and how to do it. The discovery approach was too abstract for them. They just were never sure if they were doing it right and that uncertainty made them hate it. There isn't any wrong answer here. You can keep going, you can switch, or you can supplement. It really is up to you and what you feel is best for yourself and your child. Heather Edited December 5, 2011 by siloam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErinE Posted December 4, 2011 Share Posted December 4, 2011 I give my dd a few seconds to come up with an answer then I guide her. I don't think prompting hurts. Since I'm using Miquon as a supplement to SM, I've found I don't need additional worksheets. However, if I was using Miquon alone, I would add in additional practice. You can generate free worksheets with the following website: http://www.homeschoolmath.net/worksheets/basic-operations-worksheets.php Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay3fer Posted December 4, 2011 Share Posted December 4, 2011 Me: 'So if we have 10 and we take 3 away what are we left with' - he couldnt/wont? just look at the sum and do it himself. You're probably doing this mostly right, but the example sounds very abstract to me, and I like the idea a pp had of making it into stories. I kind of try to vary it - straight numbers alongside "if I gave you 10 cookies and took back 3" type problems. My 6.5yo will use the rods if I make her do it, but she prefers to sit and stump it through in her head. Which is actually slower than with the rods - she could find the "7" rod in an instant, so I'm trying to get her more comfortable with them so it becomes more intuitive. I don't think you need to buy anything else, but perhaps try working the addition and subtraction into everyday things. Lay out seven pencils and move them around - "subtract" 4 to show there are 3 left, then put those back and "subtract" 3 to show there are 4 left, etc. I also like letting him create or write his own problems out of pencils or other manipulatives, too - like have him make up problems for you to solve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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