Need help in figuring out what to do with DS9

[Forgiven]

Okay, I'm not even sure where to begin. DS9 has always been a challenge, since the day he was born. He's not a bad or disobedient child, but he's...different. He went to a private school for Kindergarten, and it was then that I realized he's not like the other kids his age. He's brilliant in some ways, but then behind in others, and it's so hard to guage how he'll deal with certain things.

 

Anyway, I started homeschooling him with 1st grade (he's finishing 3rd grade right now). Things went smoothly, but we were doing the curriculum that his private school had used, and he was used to it. I didn't like it. So in second grade we switched things up. The one area I'm really concerned with is math.

 

Last year we used Math Mammoth. He freaked out about how many problems were on a page, that it was a struggle every single day. He took the Stanford 10 last year for 2nd grade and got proficient scores in math.

 

This year, I thought I'd keep him on Math Mammoth, but supplement with Beast Academy. We started out that way, but he loathed MM, and loved BA. He begged me to only use Math Mammoth. He said it was harder, but he enjoyed doing it more. We rarely fight about math anymore, and he gets it. He sits and does his work. He can even do most of the single starred problems on his own, and a few of the double starred problems, though he does ask for help at times with them.

 

He has been doing so well with BA, and has gone back to do a few pages of MM, but always laughs at MM and says it's too easy.

 

I thought we were doing great. He started enjoying math, he's getting it, doing it well, on his own, without complaints.

 

He took the Stanford 10 again this year for the 3rd grade, and BAM! He's dropped to a basic score in math.

 

I just don't get it. He actually has four areas of math that are below average: Geometry and measurement, Comm. and Representation, Estimation, and Number Facts.

 

The estimation I can get as he hasn't gotten to that part of BA yet. But the others--especially Geometry--bother me. He did fantastic in the Geometry section of BA. He loved it. He says that Geometry was his favorite thing this year in math. I have no idea what Comm. and Representation are for, and for Number Facts, I'm just confused because he knows his times facts and his addition/subtraction facts.

 

I had wondered if there was a lot of division on the test as he also hadn't learned that before taking the test, but he said there was only one division problem on the test. he told me that it was 15/5. He said he put the answer as 5, which is incorrect, but I figure that is only one problem. So it's not division, which I was hoping it was.

 

I guess I'm just questioning everything we've done. Questioning what is right for this kid. He can be brilliant at times in his thinking. I remember when he was in pre-school, being amazed at the things he knew or could do compared to my DD, who rocks her Stanford 10 each year. I know I shouldn't compare them, but there is a difference in their thinking. His mind works amazingly compared to hers, yet she gets the great test results and he doesn't. I guess I just see his potential inside him, it just doesn't come out of him, and it's frustrating. LOL

 

I am open for any suggestions on what to do, or how to help my DS out. I want to give him everything he needs to thrive, and I feel as if I'm failing. :(

[Chris in VA]

It could be as simple as the wording of the test. Did you give him the test or did he take it somewhere else? That can factor in, too--maybe just an off day or something distracting happened (which he may not even really remember or be able to tell you about).

 

You may want to compare the scope and sequence of BA and the test, also.

 

Further, next time you might want to let him do some test prep specific to the test you are giving--it's not exactly teaching TO the test, it's more like giving a head's up on wording and style of questions.

 

Don't beat yourself up. Testing is only one piece of the puzzle, and results shouldn't be the sole determiner of choices in curricula, imo.

[Five More Minutes]

Okay, I'm not even sure where to begin. DS9 has always been a challenge, since the day he was born. He's not a bad or disobedient child, but he's...different. He went to a private school for Kindergarten, and it was then that I realized he's not like the other kids his age. He's brilliant in some ways, but then behind in others, and it's so hard to guage how he'll deal with certain things.

...

I guess I'm just questioning everything we've done. Questioning what is right for this kid. He can be brilliant at times in his thinking. ... I guess I just see his potential inside him, it just doesn't come out of him, and it's frustrating. LOL

 

I am open for any suggestions on what to do, or how to help my DS out. I want to give him everything he needs to thrive, and I feel as if I'm failing. :(

 

Based on this description of your student, you may also find some helpful advice from the people who hang out on the Accelerated Learner boards. There are many parents with experience in helping students like yours thrive (and with experience in feeling like a failure! I think it comes with the territory!).

[ElizabethB]

You could give him a placement test for Singapore Math or the ADAM K7 to see exactly what if anything he needs additional help or review. Without watching the test, the information is generally not too helpful.

 

http://www.letsgolearn.com/lglsite/ADAM_math/parents/

[Forgiven]

You could give him a placement test for Singapore Math or the ADAM K7 to see exactly what if anything he needs additional help or review. Without watching the test, the information is generally not too helpful.

 

http://www.letsgolearn.com/lglsite/ADAM_math/parents/

 

 

ElizabethB. I think I'll try that. I was actually looking to give him another test that I could administer at home, but giving a Math placement test would work out better, I think. Thanks for the idea! Oh, and I agree about the results info not being helpful without being able to see the test. I wish I could see the actual test and his answers.

 

Based on this description of your student, you may also find some helpful advice from the people who hang out on the Accelerated Learner boards. There are many parents with experience in helping students like yours thrive (and with experience in feeling like a failure! I think it comes with the territory!).

 

I never even thought of looking on that board. I think I'll go take a peek. ;)

 

 

It could be as simple as the wording of the test. Did you give him the test or did he take it somewhere else? That can factor in, too--maybe just an off day or something distracting happened (which he may not even really remember or be able to tell you about).

 

You may want to compare the scope and sequence of BA and the test, also.

 

Further, next time you might want to let him do some test prep specific to the test you are giving--it's not exactly teaching TO the test, it's more like giving a head's up on wording and style of questions.

 

Don't beat yourself up. Testing is only one piece of the puzzle, and results shouldn't be the sole determiner of choices in curricula, imo.

 

You're right. I guess I just need to cool down. He took the test somewhere else. Last year he did so poorly in the Listening section, and when I asked him, he said that the person giving the test had a wierd accent and he couldn't understand them. He did well at Listening this year. His problems could've been any number of things this year. If only I could see the test. I think that I'll be doing at-home tests that I can look at afterward in the years to come. It's frustrating not being able to see the actual test. :(

 

Thank you for helping me cool down. ;)

[Farrar]

Beast has a pretty different focus than other programs.  I know it's supposed to be CC aligned, but I could see that it wouldn't be the best test prep out there.  On the other hand, it's great thinking and higher math prep.  So...  more of a long term sort of goal.

 

I have my Beast boy doing a dopey grade level test review book.  It *is* way too easy for him.  But at the same time, he needs the practice with basic algorithms and things that just require memorization like shape names and unit conversions.  It's a nice way for him to get diverted when he hits something hard in Beast.  He also loathed MM and I wouldn't use that with him.  It breaks everything down too far in a way that he finds actually confusing.  What he really needs is to just see basic problems and practice them.