Math - it really is the bane of my existence

[Misha]

DD (age 12) is having math issues again. We have used CLE for the past few years with much better success than past maths (MM, Singapore, MUS). 

We've taken a break from CLE for the past six months for LoF because DD1 is having truly horrible math anxieties. She freezes and can't complete a lesson in less than two and a half - three hours (when we first switched to CLE, I started her at a lower level to help her review as well as build confidence) and she's currently in the 400 levels. She doesn't like that the concepts aren't laid out more clearly in CLE (she likes to work independently and doesn't want to get me involved by asking about concepts). She does have some developmental delays and likes things in school work to be just so and "right" with no deviating from her schedule. She's asked me to find something - a curriculum that engages her, that she understands, and that she won't freeze up while doing.

 

Now, though, with Fred they're about midway through fractions and she feels that concepts are explained better as well as  in a way she quickly grasps. But... I want something beyond Fred to use as a main curriculum - for us I believe that Fred is a wonderful supplement but I feel that more is needed. 

 

She's right brained all the way - give her something crafty or a cooking project and she's in her element but math drains her self-confidence and leaves her crying on a daily basis. 

 

 

Can anyone suggest a curriculum that fully explains concepts in an easy to relate to way and is better for children with crippling math anxiety. 

 

 

Edited March 21, 2017 by Misha

[EKS]

A couple of issues...

 

First, I hate to break it to you, but the Fred fractions book has *no* conceptual explanations of fractions between its covers.  This is not an exaggeration.  It is *entirely* procedural.  She probably feels like she is able to grasp the "concepts" because it literally just says "Do this."

 

Unfortunately, when a student is having this much difficulty, the last thing they should be doing is learning independently.  She needs a teacher who can not only present concepts but regularly probe to see if she truly understands them.  This will be an uncomfortable process at first until she gets used to it.  

 

Is she visual?  Does she like a big picture approach?  If so, she may do well with MUS (though I only recommend through Zeta).  I would not just put her in front of the videos though.  The author intended as one piece of the process that the student teach the material back to the teacher.  When she can do this for a lesson, then she is ready to move on.

[Lang Syne Boardie]

I was going to say the same thing as Kai - there is no way she should be teaching herself. I'm sorry.

 

As the two of you are adjusting to you being her teacher, I suggest working one problem at a time, standing at the chalkboard or whiteboard. Three benefits to this:

 

1. The wall of too many problems on the page - gone.

2. It's easier and more comfortable to look at it together and discuss it, when it's one problem on the board.

3. Children who have bad feelings associated with sitting over math alone for hours, sometimes feel more energetic and positive when they are on their feet.

[Misha]

A couple of issues...

 

First, I hate to break it to you, but the Fred fractions book has *no* conceptual explanations of fractions between its covers.  This is not an exaggeration.  It is *entirely* procedural.  She probably feels like she is able to grasp the "concepts" because it literally just says "Do this."

 

Unfortunately, when a student is having this much difficulty, the last thing they should be doing is learning independently.  She needs a teacher who can not only present concepts but regularly probe to see if she truly understands them.  This will be an uncomfortable process at first until she gets used to it.  

 

Is she visual?  Does she like a big picture approach?  If so, she may do well with MUS (though I only recommend through Zeta).  I would not just put her in front of the videos though.  The author intended as one piece of the process that the student teach the material back to the teacher.  When she can do this for a lesson, then she is ready to move on.

She's a visual learner who loves to work alone. She'll often take off, away from her sister, to a quiet part of the house to do her school work. She likes feedback after the fact, but no direction during. We'll have to change this. MUS didn't work for us in the past - perhaps it would work better now that she's a bit older. 

 

 

[almondbutterandjelly]

You might look at Key to Fractions.  Highlight everything, though.  Like literally everything.  The black and white is not good, but the teaching is good.

 

I also used this quite a bit with my visual learner:  Building Fractions Activity Center.

http://www.lakeshorelearning.com/product/productDet.jsp?productItemID=1%2C689%2C949%2C371%2C925%2C904&ASSORTMENT%3C%3East_id=1408474395181113&bmUID=1490125658642

 

[matrips]

https://mrdmath.com

 

This guy is good. She can watch the videos as often as she wants. He explains things well on the videos. And there are twice a week live help sessions if needed, plus email response. The kids are welcome to email hinwith questions or problems. We just do the canned program- access to the videos, class and tests etc but not live at a set time. My kids can work at their convenience.

[MotherGoose]

Saxon with dive Cd? If you can place her correctly and she is really willing to read the instructions it could help.

[MotherGoose]

Saxon with dive Cd? If you can place her correctly and she is really willing to read the instructions it could help.

[MistyMountain]

https://mrdmath.com

 

This guy is good. She can watch the videos as often as she wants. He explains things well on the videos. And there are twice a week live help sessions if needed, plus email response. The kids are welcome to email hinwith questions or problems. We just do the canned program- access to the videos, class and tests etc but not live at a set time. My kids can work at their convenience.

This looks cool but the lowest level is pre algebra and she is working through a 4th grade curriculum and struggling. I would like something like that for lower levels.

[MistyMountain]

I agree that it sounds like she cannot just be left with a curriculum. I have one that is having a hard time in math. It has not worked to have her work independently so I know I need to work one on one in math at least to work in concepts and practice before she does. It sounds like she could maybe benefit from Ronit Bird.

[Berta]

She's a visual learner who loves to work alone. She'll often take off, away from her sister, to a quiet part of the house to do her school work. She likes feedback after the fact, but no direction during. We'll have to change this. MUS didn't work for us in the past - perhaps it would work better now that she's a bit older. 

 

 

This is my daughter too. I could have written your post. We've been through MUS, CLE, TT and have hit a brick wall with all of them. She loves to take her work and go do it alone. She absolutely hates sitting with me (or anyone) for lessons. I'm clueless on what to do for 7th grade. 

[Misha]

This is my daughter too. I could have written your post. We've been through MUS, CLE, TT and have hit a brick wall with all of them. She loves to take her work and go do it alone. She absolutely hates sitting with me (or anyone) for lessons. I'm clueless on what to do for 7th grade. 

Berta, I really hope you're able to find something that works well! If you do and it's convenient, please let me know so I can keep it in mind for the future. Since we're having such a difficult time now, I'm at a total loss when I think about the pre-alegebra and beyond years. 

[scoutingmom]

Maybe Saxon Math through Virtual Homeschool Group? You do need to buy the book, but they have video lessons, and they enter the answers on the computer and it lets them know immediately so they get instant feedback. The practice problems can be done more than once (they give a random similar question) but the tests are one try only.

 

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[Soror]

After trying numerous math programs with dd1 and too many tears I finally (very reluctantly) tried dd on Saxon Math this year and it has been a great fit to my surprise. It is very incremental and spiral with lots of review, so although there is some teaching to go over together each lesson there is a lot of review that they can work on their own. My daughter likes to be independent too, even when she doesn't need to be and this has been great. She will work whatever review she can on her own and then we do the new work together. I have my daughter just write in her book instead of writing out all the problems, which worked fine for 5/4. I think MUS could potentially be a good fit too since it works so long on one concept, there are review pages each week as well so she would have some days she could probably mostly work on her own, to make it a bit more palatable. The DVD instruction would maybe make it feel more independent too.

Edited April 16, 2017 by soror

[FriedClams]

The Art Reed DVDs with Saxon are excellent. I'm not sure what grade he starts in, though.

 

I agree 100% with other posters that there is NO way she should be "teaching" herself. I'd stop that immediately.

[CAtoVA]

This year my extremely math phobic and  anxious 7th grade DS is finally gaining confidence and some measure of independence with Saxon math! I resisted it as I am a Singapore, Beast Academy, etc., lover but, hey, the incremental, spiral review is what my DS desperately needed to build his confidence and lower his resistance to doing math at all. He has been doing Saxon Algebra 1/2 this year and next year likely will do CLE Algebra I (mostly because it looks better than Saxon Algebra I to me, the teacher). It's still spiral and thorough so I am not anticipating significant anxiety issues.

 

Saxon is like CLE though, so if CLE was anxiety-inducing I"m not sure if Saxon would be much better, but you might give it a shot.

[Mom27kidz]

This may seem dumb but does she use a calculator? My son had HUGE math anxiety until I decided to just give him a calculator and teach him the "short cuts". Now he actually likes math. We use Saxon and after explaining the lesson to him I only assign a few questions and to a maximum of 30 min. That means no matter what after 30 min.he is done. I also decided we're not tied to "finishing " the book. Its okay to be a few lessons behind. His anxiety has all but disappeared.