Help With Math Issue for 12 year old DD

[CathyCDK]

Since we began homeschooling my daughter from the beginning, who is currently 12, we have used Math U See. She is currently in the middle of Zeta. For review, we have followed up with Singapore Math. She just completed 4B. I use the last review exercise in each book like a final test. Book 4B has two reviews at the end. My daughter got about 50% correct. We redid every problem she got wrong together and reviewed concepts. I had her complete the placement assessment for book 4B as a retest. She got about 20% correct!

 

I am stumped about how to handle this. She wants to just move on to Book 5A and forget about 4B. We've done the Singapore levels enough behind Math U See that it's really truly review, with no new material that she hasn't already learned in Math U See. Her 4B workbook assignments were mostly correct. We haven't encountered this type of difficulty before.

 

Do I:

1. Go back and redo Workbook 4B with her?

2. Use another Singapore review book? I already own Intensive Practice, which seems more difficult, or I could buy the regular review book.

3. Let it go and move on, since she could do it in Math U See and the workbook?

4. Drop Singapore totally, since I was already considering it when we move to Algebra?

5. Another suggestion?

 

 

Thanks for hearing me out, and enouraging me with suggestions!

 

Cathy

[yvonne]

Singapore would be a hard math program to do on the side or to use as review for another program bec. it would be difficult to tease out whether the difficulty is with the basic concept or with the multi-step thinking Singapore requires much of the time.

 

If she's getting 20% correct on the 4B exit test, moving on to the IP text (which is more difficult than the corresponding Sing. Text & Wkbk.) or moving on to the next grade level in Singapore will only be frustrating and confidence-busting.

 

Since MUS is your primary math program, if you're looking for review and practice of what she's learning in MUS, I'd use a more standard math workbook, preferably one that focuses like a laser on the problem areas.

 

4B is mostly decimals & decimal operations, along with a bit of measurement & geometry. If her errors were mostly with decimals, you might look at the Math Mammoth set of fractions & decimals books or at the Key to Decimals books. The MM site has a placement test that will tell you with which concepts her difficulties lie so you can just focus on those areas rather than redoing a lot of stuff she may already have down.

 

I'd start w/ MM. It'll help you pinpoint the issue and determine if she needs more review & practice with decimals or if she's just having trouble understanding how/what the Singapore wkbk. is asking her to do.

Edited August 14, 2012 by yvonne