momacacia Posted March 17, 2015 Share Posted March 17, 2015 10yo is in BA4. Seems to be going well, enjoy sit well enough also. I am wondering if what I'm doing with the challenge problems is okay. (I'm a math delinquent. ;)) I think we're okay because DH is an engineer-type and sometimes has to really think on the BA stuff, but I want to be sure. This morning we were doing one of the challenge star problems with the exponents. I looked at the answer, sort of walked her through the approach (yes, leading questions), corrected a concept she was getting wrong as we went along and then all of a sudden at the end she did the final part of the problem herself. It was a mental leap for me that I still don't quite understand, but she did it even though we kind of hobbled up to this point. Is this okay? Is this normal with Beast (the amount of hand-holding on some problems)? (It kind of sounds like it is.) Sorry, I just have such math paranoia and don't want to mess my kids up. :lol: :confused1: TIA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idnib Posted March 17, 2015 Share Posted March 17, 2015 It sounds like you didn't give her time to struggle with the problem before you stepped in. If that's the case, and you started the problem with her, I would let her work for awhile before stepping in, and only step in if requested. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kirstenhill Posted March 17, 2015 Share Posted March 17, 2015 Sometimes I end up asking a lot of "leading questions" or giving extra hints to my DS (turns 8 next week, we're in book 3D right now). It just depends on the problem. In my case, since my guy is pretty young, I figure he has more time to work up to the level of struggling longer with the problems. For him, if he has to struggle very long on his own without someone to help him stay on task, he is apt to lose his thought process and run off to join his younger brothers playing legos. ;-) I find if i lead him through the process once, he will often do much better on same/similar problems on his own later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momacacia Posted March 17, 2015 Author Share Posted March 17, 2015 It sounds like you didn't give her time to struggle with the problem before you stepped in. If that's the case, and you started the problem with her, I would let her work for awhile before stepping in, and only step in if requested.I think this is very possible, especially this morning. She had to finish the page in order to get to go to Grandma's later in the day and I wanted to keep her moving along. I do think she gets a little lazy sometimes, though. And, maybe I'm feeding that by not leaving her with it more. I kist hate when math drags on and on because she is twiddling with her pencil and watching birds out the window. That's an entirely different problem, though. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErinE Posted March 17, 2015 Share Posted March 17, 2015 It's hard to tell from one anecdote. Are you helping with the same concept over and over? In that case, I'd think the idea needs to be reinforced or retaught. If I help with a tough problem and the child shows understanding later on, I don't consider helping an issue, but this only applies to challenge problems. For simple problems, I don't give help, I reteach the lesson. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idnib Posted March 17, 2015 Share Posted March 17, 2015 I think this is very possible, especially this morning. She had to finish the page in order to get to go to Grandma's later in the day and I wanted to keep her moving along. I do think she gets a little lazy sometimes, though. And, maybe I'm feeding that by not leaving her with it more. I kist hate when math drags on and on because she is twiddling with her pencil and watching birds out the window. That's an entirely different problem, though. ;) My DS is also a dreamer who stares out the window watching birds. I commiserate! My Beast Academy steps, YMMV: 1) Have DS read the chapter. 2) Have DS work problems, spending at least 10 minutes (not that I'm using a timer or anything) struggling with a problem. 3) Have him skip anything he's stuck on and keep going. Sometimes he figures out the approach because he's "back-burnered" it, other times he finds a problem further in the book which gives him a clue of how to solve the earlier one. 4) If he's done all the problems and still has some he's stuck on, I have him re-read the relevant section in the book. 5) If he's still stuck, I give him the hint but don't help him. 6) If he's still stuck, I read the answer and guide him through. I feel so mean typing this out! Watch this presentation. Richard Rusczyk is the founder of Art of Problem Solving. The talk contains excellent insight about letting kids struggle in math and also why math problems cannot be solved in a given amount of time. ETA: Corrected video link. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momacacia Posted March 17, 2015 Author Share Posted March 17, 2015 It's hard to tell from one anecdote. Are you helping with the same concept over and over? In that case, I'd think the idea needs to be reinforced or retaught. If I help with a tough problem and the child shows understanding later on, I don't consider helping an issue, but this only applies to challenge problems. For simple problems, I don't give help, I reteach the lesson.No. It's usually the challenge problems that are the most uh, challenging. I think it's mostly my problem. Tired brain and while I love the idea of math and BA, stopping and mentally engaging is not always what I want to do. ;) DH handles a lot of the math and just gets giddy over BA but he always "gets" it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momacacia Posted March 17, 2015 Author Share Posted March 17, 2015 That's really good, Idnib. Thank you. DH and I will both get value from your post. I do think we need to let her struggle more as that sounds like a valued skill later on in AoPS (as well as life, huh?). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idnib Posted March 17, 2015 Share Posted March 17, 2015 That's really good, Idnib. Thank you. DH and I will both get value from your post. I do think we need to let her struggle more as that sounds like a valued skill later on in AoPS (as well as life, huh?). Yes, the struggling part is important, as is the idea that real math problems, anything beyond math basics and facts, are not always solved right away and that's okay. Some take weeks, months, or years. Some have never been solved. Try setting an amount of time instead of a certain amount of work. If she's stuck, assure her that's normal and she can keep mulling over the problem in the car, in the bath, etc. Tell her sometimes people figure out a solution while sleeping or doing something completely unrelated. If math is dragging on and she's staring out the window, set a time limit for 30 minutes and sit with her (while doing something else) to keep her on task. You can still make it to grandma's on time if you set a time limit and keep her on task during the session. :) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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