kmehill Posted May 2, 2012 Share Posted May 2, 2012 My first grader is a smart boy. Doing all second grade work in everything except math. He absolutely cannot learn math facts and gets so frustrated with it. We have done MUS for the last two years - just finished alpha - and have just been reviewing math facts for the last couple of weeks. It is like it doesn't click. I have searched on here for math fact learning ideas and have done some of the suggested games as well as online fact sites. It just isn't sinking in. Thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scuff Posted May 2, 2012 Share Posted May 2, 2012 If he understands to concept, move on, Continuing toworking on facts each day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lara in Colo Posted May 2, 2012 Share Posted May 2, 2012 Have you tried Professor Pigs stuff? This was fun and we learned our addition facts without much pain. Magic numbers poems were great fun and my children still know them. http://www.ellenjmchenry.com/homeschool-freedownloads/math-games/professorpigmath.php Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justasque Posted May 2, 2012 Share Posted May 2, 2012 If he understands to concept, move on, Continuing toworking on facts each day. Yup, just keep plugging along. ...If it is just a matter of not mastering the facts, but you think he understands the concepts I wouldn't worry so much. That will come with continual practice. ... Agreed. If he gets the concepts, teach him a few ways to figure out the answers - draw some dots on the page, use manipulatives, use his fingers. These coping methods will help him be able to work on more problems, and the more he *uses* the facts in various ways, the more he will remember them. Some of us are good at memorizing, and some of us are not. You can absolutely be a math whiz without being good at memorization. You just have to 1) have ways to compensate (the dots, etc.) and 2) put in the work (which you can do once you have the ways to compensate). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted May 2, 2012 Share Posted May 2, 2012 If it is just a matter of not mastering the facts, but you think he understands the concepts I wouldn't worry so much. That will come with continual practice. If he is just totally clueless you might consider backing up and possibly trying something else. :iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wapiti Posted May 2, 2012 Share Posted May 2, 2012 :iagree::iagree: with the PPs. Keep working on math fact games on the side, and move forward on concepts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denise in Florida Posted May 2, 2012 Share Posted May 2, 2012 He is very young. He may simply not be ready. Are you certain he is ready for abstract math? I used manipulatives with my girls past 4th grade. Ruth Beechick has some wonderful advice on natural approaches to learning math from 1 to 3 grade. Her books are very inexpensive, very short and easy to read and were a total life saver for me. :001_smile: http://www.amazon.com/Easy-Start-Arithmetic-Grades-K-3/dp/0940319012/ref=sr_1_25?ie=UTF8&qid=1335995970&sr=8-25 I would slow down on the math and focus on other skills Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomatHWTK Posted May 2, 2012 Share Posted May 2, 2012 Bear in mind that a smart child isn't necessarily going to excel in every subject area. Work at his pace, be gentle, and make sure your expectations don't exceed his reach. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElizabethB Posted May 2, 2012 Share Posted May 2, 2012 I switched from MUS to Singapore with good results, it is easier to learn math facts when you understand more of the why and have several different ways of approaching math. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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