HSmom25andRN Posted August 5, 2008 Share Posted August 5, 2008 She did fantastically in pretty much everthing else. I was planning on starting Jacobs Algebra but I don't want to start until I'm pretty sure she's got the basics down. She has always used Saxon and finished 8/7 this year. What could I use to boost her math computation skills. Angela Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GraceinMD Posted August 5, 2008 Share Posted August 5, 2008 No real advice, but I was surprised to find that you are allowed (not required) to use a calculator on the Iowa test --- so are your daughter's skills actually bad, or are they just slow? (I'm assuming that she didn't use a calculator.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abbeyej Posted August 5, 2008 Share Posted August 5, 2008 No real advice, but I was surprised to find that you are allowed (not required) to use a calculator on the Iowa test --- so are your daughter's skills actually bad, or are they just slow? (I'm assuming that she didn't use a calculator.) Calculators are not allowed for the computation section or the estimation section (which also requires some speed, though not as much as the computation). I believe the scoring is also handled differently if schools allow calculator usage when administering the test. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GraceinMD Posted August 5, 2008 Share Posted August 5, 2008 Calculators are not allowed for the computation section I am almost positive that ds's center (this time, not the first two times he took it in previous yrs) allowed calcs throughout.... I will definitely have to check this out, because it does seem as though it would cause a huge skew. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abbeyej Posted August 5, 2008 Share Posted August 5, 2008 She did fantastically in pretty much everthing else. I was planning on starting Jacobs Algebra but I don't want to start until I'm pretty sure she's got the basics down. She has always used Saxon and finished 8/7 this year. What could I use to boost her math computation skills. Angela Well, in terms of moving forward, my first question would be how many did she attempt and how many did she get right? So did she score low because of wrong answers, or because she simply didn't work fast enough and only answered a few questions? If she did well on all the other math sections, I wouldn't stop her from moving forward. What I *would* do is add some brief *daily* drill to her work. Do it separately from other math. Start *much* simpler than she needs, and add difficulty bit by bit. So for instance, you could start with 50 addition problems using numbers 1-5. (There are various programs that will let you set parameters like that and generate worksheets to print -- my favorite program that I use is no longer available for free, but I know there are a number of others.) Sure, it won't be challenging for her. The goal is to work with problems that are *easy* and do them quickly and accurately, then add challenge slowly so she retains complete mastery at each level. With a seventh grader, I would expect her to do a page like that in under a minute, but there's no need to time her (unless she would like to be). Simply note that she should do it as quickly and accurately as she can, and it will only take a minute of her day. It's a "vitamin" -- not particularly tasty, but not particularly unpleasant either. It's not a replacement for her "wholesome diet" of math study, but it's helping fill in some gaps. After a week of just doing 50 1-5 addition problems each day, add in a page of 50 subtraction problems (still 1-5). It should still take her less than two minutes a day. Assuming she's still completing both sheets as quickly as she can physically write (no pauses for thought), go ahead and make the addition page use numbers 1-9, but keep the subtraction page to 1-5 for another week. Then do a week (or even just a few days, if everything continues to be super easy) with addition *and* subtraction 1-9. Then make the addition 1-15... Then subtraction. Then addition 1-20. Then subtraction... At that point, you could jump to 1-50... You don't necessarily have to get much harder than that for daily drill work, though you *could* skip to three digit numbers, if you like. Once she's doing the 1-50s easily in addition and subtraction... Basically working as quickly as she can write -- you never want this to be work where she has to stop and think -- and if you find she must stop to calculate, go back to the previous level for another week or so before moving forward... Anyway, once she's doing the 1-50s easily in addition and subtraction, you can add a multiplication page. Start easy again. Then add little by little. Eventually add in division. Yes, at that point, she'll be doing 200 problems a day, but it should *still* only take 3-5 minutes a day. (If multiplication is a problem, you may have her fill in a blank multiplication table each day as well...) When she's easily doing all this, you may want to reduce back to a single page of mixed problems (some of each of the four operations), but with larger numbers. But don't give up the daily practice. She's still getting the more thoughtful, conceptual stuff during her daily math lessons. This is just about speed and accuracy... And it should take less than five minutes a day. And the extra benefit is that it may well *reduce* the time she's spending on her other math, because her thought is all about the *problems* and not the arithmetic within the problems... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abbeyej Posted August 5, 2008 Share Posted August 5, 2008 I am almost positive that ds's center (this time, not the first two times he took it in previous yrs) allowed calcs throughout.... I will definitely have to check this out, because it does seem as though it would cause a huge skew. If they did, it was a mistake. They are expressly forbidden in certain sections. (That sounded snippy -- I didn't mean it to be snippy!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicole M Posted August 5, 2008 Share Posted August 5, 2008 My oldest bombed a section of math on his 9th grade IOWAs - I don't remember if it was the comp section, but I'm guessing yes (or it might have been called something else, but same idea). He had just finished Saxon Algebra II. He did a stellar job in every other area of the test, so it was almost humorous, how poorly he did on that one section. I signed him up for online math at http://www.aleks.com. They give you the first month free and after that it's about $20 / month. I started him, no kidding, at the 3rd grade level, and let him work his way all the way up, for massive review. It only took a few months and has helped. If you're more interested in reviewing only computation facts, I'm sure someone will pipe up with some help. I liked the drill sheets that came with the Rod & Staff grade 4 book - I think they call them blackline masters and they're inexpensive. I made drill books for my younger son with those. Let us know what works! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicole M Posted August 5, 2008 Share Posted August 5, 2008 ah, well. abbeyej's answer is better than mine. do that! :D though, the blackline masters I mentioned would fit the bill for what she is describing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abbeyej Posted August 5, 2008 Share Posted August 5, 2008 though, the blackline masters I mentioned would fit the bill for what she is describing. You know, my concern about blackline masters (as opposed to software that generates a new sheet based on certain parameters for each use) is based on the way my own warped brain works... ;) When I was a kid, and my mom made me do drill sheets every day, I memorized the order of the answers. I wouldn't even look at the problems after a while -- I just knew what the answers were for each row. I recognize that most kids won't do that, lol, but it makes me leery of using photocopied sheets that are the same over and over... sigh. I probably *knew* it was more work my way -- but that way I *won* (by not learning my math facts)... lol... Shaking my head... Next time my kids annoy me, I should just be grateful I'm not stuck teaching a small "Abbey", huh? ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicole M Posted August 5, 2008 Share Posted August 5, 2008 You know, my concern about blackline masters (as opposed to software that generates a new sheet based on certain parameters for each use) is based on the way my own warped brain works... ;) When I was a kid, and my mom made me do drill sheets every day, I memorized the order of the answers. I wouldn't even look at the problems after a while -- I just knew what the answers were for each row. I recognize that most kids won't do that, lol, but it makes me leery of using photocopied sheets that are the same over and over... sigh. I probably *knew* it was more work my way -- but that way I *won* (by not learning my math facts)... lol... Shaking my head... Next time my kids annoy me, I should just be grateful I'm not stuck teaching a small "Abbey", huh? ;) You are funny. What I like about the R&S sheets is that they progress incrementally - so there would be a minimum of shenanigans like little Abbey's :D. My problem with worksheets generated using software is that I'm too ding-dang old to figure that stuff out! Oh! And just as an aside, I've been meaning to tell you that my 11 year old son has taken to sneaking up on me with his portable CD player and playing the EG CD. You have no idea what it's like hearing Ian's deep voice, when there are no men in the house, bellow, "ALPHA... AH... AH... ALPHA". Scares the living daylights out of me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GraceinMD Posted August 5, 2008 Share Posted August 5, 2008 If they did, it was a mistake. They are expressly forbidden in certain sections. (That sounded snippy -- I didn't mean it to be snippy!) Well, I imagine that you are correct! (and not snippy) - This is a place that's been doing testing for years, so I'm sure I must have misunderstood ds! (The same ds, who told me 2 yrs ago, "No, mom, there were no fractions on the Iowa test," and, indeed, there were no fractions on HIS test because he never even GOT to that section (you know: "problems: 9, attempted: 0" argh!). And we had spent four *months* on fractions that year!) Anyway, everyone listen to abbeyej! I just answered because the post was getting lost, not because I actually knew anything :) Mea culpa! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HSmom25andRN Posted August 5, 2008 Author Share Posted August 5, 2008 She did poorly on adding and subtracting decimals and multiplying and dividing whole numbers. What's bewildering is she did fantastically (100 %) on multipying and dividing decimals. How can this be? Do you think she may have just accidentally filled in the wrong answer? Or does she just need basic math fact practice again? I don't really know what to make of it. ps. You are only allowed to use calculators on one small part of the Iowa and it is not the computation section. I just administered this last month so I know for sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abbeyej Posted August 5, 2008 Share Posted August 5, 2008 (The same ds, who told me 2 yrs ago, "No, mom, there were no fractions on the Iowa test," and, indeed, there were no fractions on HIS test because he never even GOT to that section (you know: "problems: 9, attempted: 0" argh!). And we had spent four *months* on fractions that year!) Roflol! ... I think I have that kid too... (Okay, so he doesn't miss sections on tests, but he couldn't figure out how to get into the neighbors' house today to feed their guinea pig, 'cause it didn't occur to him to try to turn the key the other way!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GraceinMD Posted August 5, 2008 Share Posted August 5, 2008 'cause it didn't occur to him to try to turn the key the other way!) ...but I would think that was CUTE in YOUR kid! :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8filltheheart Posted August 5, 2008 Share Posted August 5, 2008 Personally, I would try giving her your own test and see how she does. Maybe she got off bubble and that made it appear like she didn't know the answers. I wouldn't rely solely on a single test for my upcoming yr. I would test, evaluate, review, and retest and see what happens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myra Posted August 5, 2008 Share Posted August 5, 2008 I found the first quarter of Jacob's Algebra basically a review of basic math concepts so if you feel your child is ready but just a bit slow time-wise ...I'd continue on with Jacob's but start each day with a short timed quiz of basic facts. That would only take a minute to do each day while moving forward. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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