mamamindy Posted April 8, 2014 Share Posted April 8, 2014 It's not like this EVERY day, but sometimes, when my DD stumbles over a problem having multiple steps (usually a word problem) she will just shut down. I will try to talk her through it, but it's just frustrating for both of us - because she's confused, and I'm not sure on the best wording to use to help her understand. I don't want to do the work for her…but sometimes it seems like I'm talking her through a lot of word problems. (To clarify, I am always available to help - I just want to know what she does understand.) And sometimes I feel like I'm dealing with a discipline issue…. And I have dealt with that… But it does seem like it most often happens in math. This is a chid who most things come easily and naturally for her, but not really math concepts. Here was our problem today in SM 2a: Mr. Chen bought 18 pears. How much did he pay? (There's a picture of the pears with a sign saying 3 for $1.) Help! I'm tired of the tears! She mostly loves school. She loves math - she's said so before - but now just finds it "hard". I know it will only get more challenging… Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Critterfixer Posted April 8, 2014 Share Posted April 8, 2014 My boys are 10. Multiple step word problems still get them up in knots sometimes. I find that it helps to work through the problems together, and a lot of times I have to make it visual by using the whiteboard. It used to bother me that they didn't seem to get it, but I've had the chance to see them develop over this year, and they are slowly getting better at recognizing when they are going to have to do some calculation to get enough information to solve the problem. That seems to be about half the problem, just seeing when you are going to have to do a little work to get what you need to work the problem. Once it quit jumping out of the closet at them, they seem to have a little bit more courage in tackling it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alef Posted April 8, 2014 Share Posted April 8, 2014 Maybe skip the problem and come back to it at the beginning of next day's math session, sometimes brains just get tired. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ali in OR Posted April 9, 2014 Share Posted April 9, 2014 We use Singapore math with Challenging Word Problems at grade level (so we used CWP 2 in second grade). Our usual course of action was me working through the problems with the child unless she chose to do it on her own. When you get to the challenging problems in the second half of each topic, I think it's safe to say we almost always did those together. This has not hampered my kids problem solving abilities at all. My older dd is in 8th grade now doing Singapore DM 3A, and I would say solving application problems is a relative strength for her (and math is not her favorite subject at all). I taught high school math to hundreds of kids and I can honestly tell her that she can solve problems that would stump many high school students. We do a lot of picture drawing in the elementary years. For the problem you mention, I would probably start drawing a box with 3 apples in it and ask dd how much it costs. Then draw a second box--how much does it cost? How many apples have you drawn? How many boxes? How much is your total? Draw another box. Then ask if she knows how many boxes it is going to take for all 18 apples. If not, keep drawing. As you work it out with her she's coming up with the answers, but you are very much guiding the process. I think she can learn a lot this way and it keeps math from being stressful. Then if she comes across word problems on a standardized test (or for us, in the Horizons book which we supplement with), she'll be surprised by how easy they are in comparison to Singapore and she'll probably be able to do them on her own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MotherGoose Posted April 9, 2014 Share Posted April 9, 2014 Try manipulatives to help her see what she's doing. That helps my dd, and sort of makes it more fun too. Get out 18 counters and have her figure it out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragonflyer Posted April 9, 2014 Share Posted April 9, 2014 I would also try to teach her the dealing with stress aspect of a problem. When I am really stumped, I go for a run, do dishes, crochet, or read a book. As I am lightly focused on another activity I can sort through a big problem. I am teaching my boys to color, read, do some physical activity, recite something they enjoy, grab their blanket, we are trying lots of different activities to see what helps them become calm. Once you have dealt with the emotion and frustration it becomes easier to deal with the problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamamindy Posted April 9, 2014 Author Share Posted April 9, 2014 Thanks to you all. I think today we were a bit maxed out at that point - it was the last problem, and the last thing in our day - and we both just needed a break. I could no longer think of another way to explain, she was impatient with my drawings. We use c-rods…but those weren't really helping to show 18 individual apples, etc. I really, really appreciate the specific suggestions. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamamindy Posted April 9, 2014 Author Share Posted April 9, 2014 I would also try to teach her the dealing with stress aspect of a problem. When I am really stumped, I go for a run, do dishes, crochet, or read a book. As I am lightly focused on another activity I can sort through a big problem. I am teaching my boys to color, read, do some physical activity, recite something they enjoy, grab their blanket, we are trying lots of different activities to see what helps them become calm. Once you have dealt with the emotion and frustration it becomes easier to deal with the problem. This is very helpful. Good idea for me to do as well. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Critterfixer Posted April 9, 2014 Share Posted April 9, 2014 In a pinch, marshmallows make great apples. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mliss Posted April 9, 2014 Share Posted April 9, 2014 We don't have marshmallows, but my children like it when chocolate chips become part of math. Chocolate chips are fun to count and are a great way to teach subtraction (yum) :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
City Mouse Posted April 9, 2014 Share Posted April 9, 2014 Have you taught her a specific problem solving strategy to use with word problems? Some kids really need that list of steps to follow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kipling Posted April 9, 2014 Share Posted April 9, 2014 My oldest breaks down in tears over math periodically. We have found that when we do math early in the school day, we have fewer meltdowns. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamamindy Posted April 9, 2014 Author Share Posted April 9, 2014 Thanks again! All of these suggestions are great! Have you taught her a specific problem solving strategy to use with word problems? Some kids really need that list of steps to follow. Ya know…I haven't. I've used the helps given me in the HIG. But it doesn't really seem like there are "steps" to follow…. I first have her read the problem out loud (this sometimes solves the problem entirely) and then I ask her questions like, "Do we have the whole amount? Are we trying to find out the whole amount? Do we know the number of equal groups?" Stuff like that. We don't always have tears… She just doesn't like to puzzle through math. She wants to just get it. Most everything else comes so easy for her. I know part of this challenge is her personality. ETA: She loves to draw - and we used to draw so much during our math lessons - I think we'll start doing more of that during the word problems. That way she'll at least be able to do something she likes during the challenge of math. And chocolate! We'll bing out the chocolate chips again! Thanks everyone! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blondeviolin Posted April 9, 2014 Share Posted April 9, 2014 My older has issue with this. A lot of the time she is frustrated because she's trying to solve the entire thing in her head. And her math is getting to the point where she's not gonna instantaneously have the answer. Beast Academy has been beautiful for this as the little monsters learn that it's okay to start writin things down and TRYING if you're stumped. They also teach that you're not challenged adequately if you get everything right. This year I have seen LARGE growth in her. That doesn't mean we don't have times where math takes forever or she's staring off and I'm bringing her back to her book and saying, "TRY something!" All in all, be patient (which is difficult). Also, if there's anyway you can try the Beast Academy guides over the summer or something, I'd highly recommend doing so. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trilliums Posted April 9, 2014 Share Posted April 9, 2014 I'd help her find the area in the book where it shows how to solve that kind of problem and help her apply the same steps to her particular question. If there isn't an example of the same kind of problem, I'd make up a very similar problem and show her how to solve it. For example, Cost of 12 pears if they are 2 for $1. Make the problem more similar if needed, for example, cost of 9 pears if they are 3 for $1. Show her the steps and help her apply those steps to the problem on her own. I second manipulatives. Coins, buttons, beads, etc. I'd actually spend some non-text book time just with manipulatives working on the kinds of problems she finds difficult. Get a bunch of beads and set up a tea party with stuffed animals, for example, and just talk about all kinds of different scenarios of sorting the beads into different groups. GL! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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