PreAlgebra Question: What are we doing wrong?

[watertribe]

My ds13 has been using Lial's preAlgebra this past year. While he is not a math lover (far from it), he seems to get it pretty well. At least he does before a test, but testing is another matter. His grades (I grade the chapter tests) have gone down steadily this year. He started out doing about 90% on chapters, and now at the end of the book, he's down to 70%. I don't think that is good enough to continue on to Algebra. He mostly does the chapter reading and problems on his own, but I jump in when help is needed (I have a math background too). I don't really know how to help him anymore. He gets very down about doing poorly, he always thinks he has done well, so it's very disheartening for him when he finds he's made several mistakes.  Most of his mistakes are from not thoroughly reading directions, or not checking his work, it isn't due to his lack of understanding. We also do Kahn academy and watch AoPs videos to supplement. What else can we do? Should I do another year of prealgebra? Does he just need more practice? I tell him to check his work twice and reread all instructions, but short of sitting next to him while he's testing, what can I do ? He has a tendency to rush through things and math is no different, but I can't seem to make him slow down. I'm not really sure what he needs, so I'm looking for suggestions.

[regentrude]

Are you checking every single on of his daily problems? And you are saying he does all of them correctly, but can not seem to reproduce this on the test? And his mistakes on tests are all of a careless nature?

 

Both my kids went through phases when they made many careless mistakes, mostly signs. What helped us was:

writing out math neatly. He must write out his entire problem. One equation per line. Equation signs aligned underneath each other.

Use graph paper. Use color for signs. This will slow him down and may help catch mistakes.

The cure for this is practice and perseverance. Part of the issue is maturity.

 

Now, if he has conceptual issues, these must be approached differently. Are you absolutely sure his conceptual problem is rock solid? Students are often tripped up in fractions, and whatever time you need to spend on mastery there, you should, because a student without a solid mastery of fractions will not succeed in algebra. You should have him narrate his solutions to you, so that you can make sure he does not have any misconceptions - getting the correct answer is not a guarantee for conceptual understanding.

 

[PeterPan]

So he was in 7th grade last year doing pre-algebra by himself with a college text and when it doesn't go well he's down in the dumps? Just get another pre-algebra text and buzz through it.  (Dolciani, whatever)  Of course he did well at the beginning; all that material was review.  Might be the whole approach isn't really a worker for him.  So change things up, repeat with a new text (in which case it should go quickly) and move on.  

 

None of that is to disagree with Regentrude's sage comments, btw.  It's just another way to interpret it.  :)

[watertribe]

Yes, I check all of his daily problems and he doesn't get them all correct (ever), and they are usually the same types of careless mistakes; but he seems to get more wrong on the test. I suspect part of that is due to him being able to look in the text during the chapter problems, but not during a test.  I do tell him to write them all out and write neatly, etc. but he doesn't always do this (very frustrating for me!). Even on the most recent test, he had done some problems in his head even though I've told him they all need to be written out, no matter how simple they seem (and one of those was wrong). On his most recent test, I would say 6 out of 8 errors were careless mistakes (multiplying, adding,signs, not copying correctly). I would not say that his conceptual understanding is rock solid. Maybe I should do more problems with him - having him show me how he solves them step by step. I know I am not comfortable sending him on to algebra with the way this math year went.

Thanks for the ideas.

[regentrude]

 

Yes, I check all of his daily problems and he doesn't get them all correct (ever), and they are usually the same types of careless mistakes; but he seems to get more wrong on the test. I suspect part of that is due to him being able to look in the text during the chapter problems, but not during a test. 

 

Do not let him use the text during the chapter problems. Allowing the book masks situations where he looks at examples in the book and tries to mimic a procedure without full understanding.

 

 

I do tell him to write them all out and write neatly, etc. but he doesn't always do this (very frustrating for me!). Even on the most recent test, he had done some problems in his head even though I've told him they all need to be written out, no matter how simple they seem (and one of those was wrong).

 

Tough love here. If he does not write them, make him do them again. Every.single.time. It is something you simply have to insist on and make him do.

 

 

On his most recent test, I would say 6 out of 8 errors were careless mistakes (multiplying, adding,signs, not copying correctly).

 

Slow him down. Make him use color for the different signs of operation. This will force him to pay more attention to something he glosses over.

 

 

I would not say that his conceptual understanding is rock solid. Maybe I should do more problems with him - having him show me how he solves them step by step.

 

If you can not sit with him while he works, talk to him about math every day. Pick a problem and have him talk you through. A student at that age usually can not work completely independently without feedback.

 

 

I know I am not comfortable sending him on to algebra with the way this math year went.

 

And you really should not. Students who struggle in algebra often do so because they have not mastered prealgebra. Since algebra is the most important high school math course, you should make sure your student is well prepared. Math is not a race. There is nothing gained in forging ahead with insufficient grounding.

Good luck!

[Mom22ns]

 I would say 6 out of 8 errors were careless mistakes (multiplying, adding,signs, not copying correctly). I would not say that his conceptual understanding is rock solid. Maybe I should do more problems with him - having him show me how he solves them step by step. I know I am not comfortable sending him on to algebra with the way this math year went.

Thanks for the ideas.

 

Since you don't think his conceptual understanding is good. I would repeat pre-algebra. I agree, go with a different text. He'll probably fly through, get solid and feel more confident going into Algebra.

 

You might also try to incorporate some of Regentrude's ideas to help him with accuracy.

[watertribe]

Thanks Regentrude. Tough love is right. I think I've been worn down with the constant battle we seem to face with math, I have to remember who the parent is here! Back to the battle stations for me, I'm not doing him any favors by going easy on him. And I will look at other preAlgebra texts (I have MM 7th grade worksheets - that might get us started). I also like your idea of different colors for the signs!

[Sebastian (a lady)]

My ds13 has been using Lial's preAlgebra this past year. While he is not a math lover (far from it), he seems to get it pretty well. At least he does before a test, but testing is another matter. His grades (I grade the chapter tests) have gone down steadily this year. He started out doing about 90% on chapters, and now at the end of the book, he's down to 70%. I don't think that is good enough to continue on to Algebra. He mostly does the chapter reading and problems on his own, but I jump in when help is needed (I have a math background too). I don't really know how to help him anymore. He gets very down about doing poorly, he always thinks he has done well, so it's very disheartening for him when he finds he's made several mistakes.  Most of his mistakes are from not thoroughly reading directions, or not checking his work, it isn't due to his lack of understanding. We also do Kahn academy and watch AoPs videos to supplement. What else can we do? Should I do another year of prealgebra? Does he just need more practice? I tell him to check his work twice and reread all instructions, but short of sitting next to him while he's testing, what can I do ? He has a tendency to rush through things and math is no different, but I can't seem to make him slow down. I'm not really sure what he needs, so I'm looking for suggestions.

 

There were two main things I did with my older kids when they were rushing through math and making careless errors.

 

1.  I gave them a little 3x5 card that outlined what I expected them to go over to "check their work."  Just as they had a different vision of what cleaning their room than I did, they didn't really know what "check your work" should include.  Items that were on this card included: Problem copied correctly, did the right operation (they often would add when they needed to subtract or multiply), negatives marked (this was especially an issue when they were multiplying polynomials with parentheses), did you answer the question (maybe they solved for x, but what the question wanted was the length represented by 5x+2) and does the answer make sense (is it in the right order of magnitude).  It might be possible to work the problem backwards, but not all problems lend themselves to this type of checking.  The card would give them a little routine to go through.  I let them have the card when working homework and on tests, since it didn't tell them how to do the problems, but the steps to follow to check for mistakes.

 

2.  I made it hurt a little to get things wrong.  I'm not in favor of punishing a kid for not understanding.  But if they are rushing and being careless, then I would give them 5 additional problems of that type to practice careful work on.  It only took a couple tests of having 20-30 additional homework problems as review in order to give them an incentive to be more careful about details.

[mothergooseof4]

I know you said he does not get every problem correct on his daily work. Are you having him correct them? Here, all missed problems are reworked with me so that I can see where they went wrong and make sure they understand the correct way.

 

And, I LOVE the idea of signs written in different colors. This is my oldest's primary mistake. I will be implementing this immediately.

 

ETA: Just so you don't feel alone, my ds is doing through MUS PA after using a different program last year because it just didn't stick. Hopefully, he will move quickly, though.

[watertribe]

Sebastian - I also like your idea #1. His last test was polynomials (+,-,x)  and he does tend to miss those signs.  Maybe if he uses a note card/check list he will eventually, automatically do those checks (one can hope!).

As far as #2 - I do usually give him more to do, but it hasn't made much difference yet other than making him a little more resentful.

 

mothergooseofthree - I do have him correct his errors (sometimes I have him re-do the problem usually with me, sometimes without). If he gets them wrong a second time (yes, that happens), we do it together. When I'm watching, he always seems to find his error!

 

 

[Sebastian (a lady)]

Sebastian - I also like your idea #1. His last test was polynomials (+,-,x)  and he does tend to miss those signs.  Maybe if he uses a note card/check list he will eventually, automatically do those checks (one can hope!).

As far as #2 - I do usually give him more to do, but it hasn't made much difference yet other than making him a little more resentful.

 

mothergooseofthree - I do have him correct his errors (sometimes I have him re-do the problem usually with me, sometimes without). If he gets them wrong a second time (yes, that happens), we do it together. When I'm watching, he always seems to find his error!

 

One thing I did was set the standard well before the test that incorrect answers would result in extra practice.  Being forewarned and consistent helped it be something I was imposing out of frustration rather than a natural consequence.

 

Regentrude also mentioned in a thread on the high school board that she has her kids check their homework the day it is done and rework any problems done incorrectly.