How to Get 7 Year Old Boy to Do His Math Work Without Dying?!?

[Lady Lulu]

Sorry. Wasn't sure what to title this post.

 

I would LOVE some suggestions about how to help my son to focus and do his math work.

 

Here's the scoop: he is naturally gifted at math. He used to enjoy it. Perhaps it's just because we're toward the end of the year, summer is here, and he's ready for a break. Or, perhaps it's because the math problems have gotten a little harder lately and he's not able to just fly through them like he did before. But, lately, I can not get him to focus to save my life. It's almost as if he is experiencing A.D.D. for the first time. However, I don't believe his ability to focus is the issue. It's more likely that it's just not his DESIRE to focus. He is able to focus when we do our phonics lesson, but I believe that is because it is more interactive and quick paced. With math, there are several workbook pages that he has to sit down and complete. It could take him all day if I didn't set a timer and give incentives to finishing.

 

We use Singapore math curriculum. We only have 9ish lessons to go until we're finished with the 1st grade books.

 

I'd love any advice, books or blog posts to read, anything! I know I must be missing something as the teacher if I can not help him enjoy math. Math was never my favorite subject, but I just enjoy learning in general and hate to see my son detest doing his work.

 

Thanks in advance for any and all help!

[Incognito]

Well, if I were you I'd play math games that cover the same content. Ditch the worksheets. Or write them on a whiteboard if that resonates. But I have not been particularly structured with math and my still youngish children.

 

Zeus on the Loose is a sums to 100 game that we are currently enjoying.

 

HTH

[LucyStoner]

Since he is 7 and mathy, I'd make sure he's not bored. Games, word problems, videos on the subject from Khan academy. Mix it up for him.

[IrishMum]

I'm only pushing math now, with my 8 year old. He is not a fan! My son does it a lot easier if I get involved. Maybe I'll do one, you do one type thing. Or see if you can do this as fast as me....I let him win more than he loses. He likes the compitition. Also doing math first thing helps, followed by a favourite activity.

[freerange]

Doing maths second, after another subject to warm up her brain, but not later in the day, helps my DD. We also offer the incentive of letting her burn her workbook on the campfire when it's complete. For some reason that particularly appeals to her. :huh:

[Five More Minutes]

If he's 7, mathy, and at the end of Singapore 1B, then he may well be bored to tears. I'd start accelerating. Use the HIG and text to discuss a topic, and then ask him to do 2-5 of the hardest problems. If he can, move to the next topic. Do the same when you start 2A, and keep accelerating until you hit a topic where he has to think.

[texasmama]

I often write out the answers for my son or let him do it with number tiles. My 7 year olds objection is purely about the physical act of writing.

This is my 7 year old, as well. I will be her scribe, and this takes care of 50% or more of our issues.

 

 

[Mom2TheTeam]

Well, you basically described my son. My son is 7.5, very "mathy", and at the end of 1B and doesn't focus well enough to do his math pages independently....never has....I sit next to him or at least stay in the room. And, I've basically started doing what the above pp's have suggested.

 

So, when I really started to discover that I was going way too slow and that I had yet to teach him ANYTHING that he didn't already pick up on his own, I asked here how to accelerate him and get him through. Since then, I skip whole workbook pages, do some very quickly orally, only have him do one side of the page, whatever. We also do several lessons at a time. We did multiplication in 3 days (could have been 1 if I didn't have 5 other kids younger than him. We don't have as much time to dedicate on math as I'd like per day), skipped the review and did division in 1 day. We started fractions orally and I was surprised to find out that he already knows that too. LOL. But, we haven't gone through the text on that (or the WB) because we got sick and have been for a couple weeks now and also have a busy week with some traveling and such. But, when we start back up next week, we intend to fly through and finish the book in 2wks or so. All said, we will have worked on 1B for about 6wks total. I'm just trying to get him through it fast. I would suggest you do the same.

 

The only other thing I can say is....he is a 7 year old boy....I think it's normal for them to lose focus, especially this time of year. I'd stay with him while he does it.

 

Good luck!

[RoundAbout]

We do math scavenger hunts. I write problems on bright pieces of paper and hide them around the house. I give him a hint for the next one after he solves a problem and brings it back to me. He has a blast and at the end we have a treat. It really helps him to see only one problem at a time and running around the house to find them keeps him focused. I really hate prodding my son to finish worksheets, its pure torture for both of us.

[unfrumpable.]

I often write out the answers for my son or let him do it with number tiles. My 7 year olds objection is purely about the physical act of writing.

This is my 7 year old, as well. I will be her scribe, and this takes care of 50% or more of our issues.

 

Good idea, I am going to try this! We do some other stuff orally, but I've been having him write his math.

[Lady Lulu]

I can not thank you all enough for your replies. It is so helpful to me to hear that I don't have to do every page of the workbooks. Sometimes, I know in my heart that part of the book is unnecessary for my son, but my type A brain has a very hard time if we don't complete every page. I feel like I'm cheating in some way. I'm also concerned that without the worksheets he won't get enough practice or repetition/exposure to the concepts. I think I'm going to go through the textbook and see exactly what topics are remaining, then just find games that cover those topics. I'll definitely get the Zeus on the Loose game and probably a few others. I found this game online which I really like. I think I'll redo it a bit so that it becomes more about adding and subtracting within 100.

 

Thanks again for all your ideas! I love the chalk idea and the scavenger hunt idea. My son would love those ideas.

[Tracy]

For most kids that age, worksheets are tremendously dull. He is probably burned out on them. Skip the rest of the pages and have him work the same things through games. Or maybe even just have him do it orally, and you write for him.

[scootiepie]

Oh wow, this sounds just like my son and just like me! He does so much better if he can just tell me the answer rather than writing it. Less stress for both of us! He seems to focus better if he knows I'm waiting for answer. Sometimes I do it this way, but other times, I think he needs the practice writing his numbers and I make him - but it is a struggle and I have to be write there with him or else his mind goes other places. I have to admit, I feel like I'm cheating a little bit when I'm writing for him though.

[boscopup]

Scribe for a bit, accelerate as needed, and remember that Singapore repeats all this stuff next year. ;)

 

A mathy 7 year old is going to be bored in 1B. He may not need as much practice as you think either. Both of my older two had a very brief impromptu lesson on adding and subtracting with negative numbers at age 5. We did zero worksheets. Both still remembered this concept a year later. They didn't need to practice it for pages and pages in order to do 2-5=-3.

 

Later, in the 4th and 5th grade topics, some things needed to be practiced a bit more ( like multi-digit multiplication, long division, etc.). But 1st and 2nd grade topics? Most of those he had figured out by age 5 on his own, and we just needed to briefly review to make sure he was solid and hasn't missed any major details. We even skipped an entire semester book at the 2nd grade level. I gave him the end of book test, and he aced it.

 

FWIW, my son who needed me to sit at elbow and sometimes alternate doing the writing in 1st and 2nd grade had no problem doing Singapore 5 workbooks independently in 3rd grade. Maturity made a huge difference, as did meeting him where he is.

[Monica_in_Switzerland]

I have very minimal advice, except that I think of whining and complaining as a discipline problem, and not a school problem, so that is how I deal with it.

 

Also, I LOL'd at your title. :-)

[trulycrabby]

I lol'd at your thread title too.

 

DS9 whines sometimes and I handle it as a discipline issue, but he also sometimes just loses focus and fidgets, so I have been scribing occasionally if I feel he needs to do a few more problems to fully grasp a concept. It's nice to know scribing is an acceptable practice and I can stop feeling guilty about it.

[kiwik]

1b is awfully behind for a mathy 7 year old. Have you looked at the verbal math lesson on kindle? He may like not having to write and have more interaction with you. You could just do a selection of the problems as there are a lot.

[pixeldog]

Life of Fred and Beast Academy! Solved our issues; he wants to "do Fred" even on off-school days!

[petepie2]

Looks like many people have given you ideas to try, but I would say at least 80% of your problem is you have a 7 year old boy!! I have one, too! ;)