mystika1 Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 Hi, I am trying to understand what needs to come next. My 9 year old has gone between MM and SM for a while because she gets very frustrated. We have tried traditional textbooks but I would really prefer that we use material that promotes understanding. Maybe I am a bad teacher... Anyway, she is a visual learner and is having a very difficult time doing math "in her head." She can fly through the math problems if she is allowed to write out the process on paper(the singapore way..I don't promote the traditional way of lining up the problem and carrying etc...)but when I try to stretch her by having her look at the problem on paper and try to figure it out in her head, she crashes. It turns into tears. Does it all need to be done in her head? This is my impression..I mean it is called mental math for a reason. I hope this doesn't sound like a stupid question. I just want to know if I am overdoing it or not doing this correctly. We are going over the mental math in the back of the 2b hig and she has to figure most of it out on paper or she explodes. Advice please, Penny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lorisuewho Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 Sounds very frustrating for both you. Maybe she could use more practice constructing and deconstructing numbers so she can "see" it in her mind more. I'm not familiar with MM so I don't know what types of models and manipulatives it uses. My son became very good with mental math after being introduced to the abacus through Rightstart. I think he now has a mental abacus in his head now that he can manipulate numbers any which way he wants to now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kristinannie Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 I really think that she could benefit from either Miquon (with c-rods) or the Right Start Abacus activities. Both are a great way to learn math for visual learners! I don't think she has to be able to do things in her head, but it is helpful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mystika1 Posted March 16, 2012 Author Share Posted March 16, 2012 Well I have Miquon planned for my youngest. I suppose I could have them do it together. She just can't visualize the numbers in her head. On paper...quick as can be. Example: 386 - 91 = / \ (286+100) - 91 100-91=9 so 286 + 9 = 295 This is basicly how she works the problem on paper. When she is looking at 386 - 91 and not allowed to write it she shuts down and says, "OMG, I hate this math. It is just too hard." I try to ease her into it and help her but it is like she has a big bowl of numbers in her head and can't sort it all out. Thanks, Penny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 (edited) Well I have Miquon planned for my youngest. I suppose I could have them do it together. She just can't visualize the numbers in her head. On paper...quick as can be. Example: 386 - 91 = / \ (286+100) - 91 100-91=9 so 286 + 9 = 295 This is basicly how she works the problem on paper. When she is looking at 386 - 91 and not allowed to write it she shuts down and says, "OMG, I hate this math. It is just too hard." I try to ease her into it and help her but it is like she has a big bowl of numbers in her head and can't sort it all out. Thanks, Penny Have her try the "bump-up" strategy (our nick-name) as it is easier for mental math problems like this one. 91 is "bumped up" by 9 to be 100, so 386 gets bumped-up by 9 as well, to be 395. Then she has 395-100. See how that goes over. Bill Edited March 16, 2012 by Spy Car Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mystika1 Posted March 16, 2012 Author Share Posted March 16, 2012 Have her try the "bump-up" strategy (our nick-name) as it is easier for mental math problems like this one. Bill My hero....:D Within ten minutes it all came together. I almost started this thread last week. I wish I would have. It would have saved our sanity. Live long and prosper..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 My hero....:DWithin ten minutes it all came together. I almost started this thread last week. I wish I would have. It would have saved our sanity. Live long and prosper..... :001_smile: Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Targhee Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 I really think that she could benefit from either Miquon (with c-rods) or the Right Start Abacus activities. Both are a great way to learn math for visual learners! I don't think she has to be able to do things in her head, but it is helpful. :iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommy5 Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 I became very frustrated last year as the year progressed with Singapore ... I felt it went too fast ... and I don't think I knew how to teach it comfortably (I was following the guide -- but I hadn't learned that way -- so I was confused, I guess). My son did ok with it ... we finished the books ... we switched to CLE and he is doing really well -- but I feel very comfortable with it. I'm just throwing that out there -- because I didn't realize how different 2 programs could be, if that makes sense. If others are reading this, that are also frustrated with the style or approach. I'm sure we will use asian math again -- I think Singapore is a great program. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
agst1967 Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 Have her try the "bump-up" strategy (our nick-name) as it is easier for mental math problems like this one. 91 is "bumped up" by 9 to be 100, so 381 gets bumped-up by 9 as well, to be 395. Then she has 395-100. See how that goes over. Bill I have been trying to figure this out in my head for 10 minutes...where does the 381 come from and how does that become 395 if bumped-up by 9? THIS is why we switched to CLE (which also has a whole section on mental math strategies within 10 and 100 at the Level 200 series) In the time it has taken me to try and figure this out...I could have worked 5 problems on paper!! I guess, it just different strokes for different folks!! We tried SM for a whole year, now we are backtracking to CLE...and it is working SO MUCH better!! He is still adding and subtracting without borrowing and carrying...but he is using CLE methods not SM, but they just frustrated us so much!! He could figure things out, just not the way SM wanted him to, our lives are SO MUCH better off with CLE!! At the end of second grade, he is still where he would have been with SM (comparing scope and sequence) but just happier!! I admire all you SM mathies out there...but we are not one of them!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FairProspects Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 (edited) Have her try the "bump-up" strategy (our nick-name) as it is easier for mental math problems like this one. 91 is "bumped up" by 9 to be 100, so 386 gets bumped-up by 9 as well, to be 395. Then she has 395-100. See how that goes over. Bill Can any MM users tell me where this strategy is located in MM? Is it 2B Ch. 8? I'd like my ds to get some more practice with it before moving into BA. Edited March 16, 2012 by FairProspects Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boscopup Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 I have been trying to figure this out in my head for 10 minutes...where does the 381 come from and how does that become 395 if bumped-up by 9? Where did you get 381 from? :lol: It's 386-91. If you add 9 to 386, you get 395. Now if you add 9 to both numbers, the difference is still the same -> 386-91=395-100 That second one, you can easily see is 295. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mystika1 Posted March 16, 2012 Author Share Posted March 16, 2012 I have been trying to figure this out in my head for 10 minutes...where does the 381 come from and how does that become 395 if bumped-up by 9? THIS is why we switched to CLE (which also has a whole section on mental math strategies within 10 and 100 at the Level 200 series) In the time it has taken me to try and figure this out...I could have worked 5 problems on paper!! I guess, it just different strokes for different folks!! We tried SM for a whole year, now we are backtracking to CLE...and it is working SO MUCH better!! He is still adding and subtracting without borrowing and carrying...but he is using CLE methods not SM, but they just frustrated us so much!! He could figure things out, just not the way SM wanted him to, our lives are SO MUCH better off with CLE!! At the end of second grade, he is still where he would have been with SM (comparing scope and sequence) but just happier!! I admire all you SM mathies out there...but we are not one of them!! It is 386 +9=395 and the 91 gets bumped up to 100 Both numbers in the original problem are bumped up by 9 leaving the 395 - 100 which gives you the same answer but much easier to get to mentally. In the past we used CLE. I am not being snarky but from what I recall, All of the workbook problems were borrowing and carrying(and the TM's called it borrowing and carrying). Now I only used the 100's and part of the 200 level so that might be why I don't remember anything else. It's been a while since we used it also, so I may be mistaken. I did like how it covered such a wide range of topics and the spiral. Penny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 I have been trying to figure this out in my head for 10 minutes...where does the 381 come from and how does that become 395 if bumped-up by 9? THIS is why we switched to CLE (which also has a whole section on mental math strategies within 10 and 100 at the Level 200 series) In the time it has taken me to try and figure this out...I could have worked 5 problems on paper!! I guess, it just different strokes for different folks!! We tried SM for a whole year, now we are backtracking to CLE...and it is working SO MUCH better!! He is still adding and subtracting without borrowing and carrying...but he is using CLE methods not SM, but they just frustrated us so much!! He could figure things out, just not the way SM wanted him to, our lives are SO MUCH better off with CLE!! At the end of second grade, he is still where he would have been with SM (comparing scope and sequence) but just happier!! I admire all you SM mathies out there...but we are not one of them!! Sorry I had a typo using iPad that I did not notice. The original minuend was 386 (not 381). Sorry to cause confusion! Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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