2nd/3rd grade math

[Janeway]

My daughter is completely burned out from her charter school. Everything was done through copy work there. She is not behind at all academically, so I am not concerned there. She does seem to enjoy reading. Her spelling is good enough that I could easily put her in SWO D if I were going that route.  I am unsure where to place her for math. She used to love math, now she hates it. She has become convinced she is bad at everything. They did a horrible job teaching the math at the charter school. They used Math In Focus, but then would make up their own tests and the tests would have content that was never taught in the curriculum. It would also have inaccurate wording. I have Beast Academy, but it is a bit puzzley for her right now, but I have not ruled it out.  I have Singapore Math, US edition. I have the workbook for 2B and the textbooks all the way through. I could just pick up there as she pretty much finished MIF 2A. I tried to give her the placement exam and she won't even consider trying. Then finally, I had her and her brother race (she likes competing) and put up a portion of the problems on the board and she did fine. She could redo 2A, but would not need to. 

 

I am wondering if it is awful to just do a hodge podge of things she enjoys for a while and then start curriculum after that? Maybe some math computer games, workbooks, maybe work on math facts, and cook some Christmas cookies and such where we measure things. And then try again next month or so? She seems so burned out. And she used to love school. She used to always want to play school too. Now, she is just teary and burned out. The tears are finally subsiding, but it is clear she was put through the ringer. And when I do reconsider curriculum, should I just not think about it now? Should I just try what I already have when the time comes? Or should I try MM or BJU or something? CLE?

Edited December 10, 2019 by Janeway

[Sarah0000]

We do hodge podge math as you describe for levels 1-3 without a problem. Also play board games, Prodigy, living math books, maybe some math kits with booklets like for geoboards, c rods, and tangrams.

We use Right Start.  I like it for the presentation and the fact that the early levels have a minimal amount of written work.  They have a great math games book that is divided up by topic so it can be used to supplement other curriculum.  That book and a set of basic number cards and corners cards and multiplication cards would be perfect for second to third grade to go along with Singapore math.  I concur not to start anything until after the holidays.

[Guest]

Most schools take at least a 2 week break over Christmas. Just call it winter break, have fun, enjoy yourself, and start in the new year-and I'd suggest at least a week after the other schools go back. You can easily give her a month break and not hurt anything. 

[sweet2ndchance]

I would take this month off from anything that looks or smells like math curriculum to her at the very least! She's still little! She can and will make it to high school and college math without any trouble related to taking a month off of math right now! After taking a break, do some sneaky math like the competition you set up with her and her brother. Read some of the Danica McKellar books about math for girls with her. Play games. Observe consumer math that is used every day (Don't make her do it! Just point out and talk about the math as it is used everyday). I wouldn't even try to push curriculum on her until she is feeling a little more confident in her math abilities.

I had typed a bunch more but I realized it was a bit of a long winded diatribe. Long story short, you absolutely can do a "hodge-podge" as you call it and just have fun with numbers all the way through middleschool in my opinion. None of my adult kids were math geniuses, but one was great at math and she went on to take honors math courses in high school even though she had nothing but "hodge podge" math all the way through middle school! They all have, at minimum, the math skills needed to be a competent adult.

 

[acresoft]

Yes computer games, workbooks, etc. that she finds enjoyable for math, is a good idea.

Since she enjoys reading, maybe Life of Fred books would be a good option, with the fun stories and fewer problems.

[Quercus]

On 12/11/2019 at 12:18 PM, dmmetler said:

Most schools take at least a 2 week break over Christmas. Just call it winter break, have fun, enjoy yourself, and start in the new year-and I'd suggest at least a week after the other schools go back. You can easily give her a month break and not hurt anything. 

 

Yes, people take breaks all the time and are fine. Second grade is pretty young to be loathing school 😞 

When you come back to school, you should be fine to get on with Singapore. 

[goldenecho]

If she likes math games, depending on where she is on fact mastery, Addition Facts That Stick/Subtraction Facts that Stick/Multiplication Facts that Stick/Division Facts that Stick might work for her.   It has short scripted lessons followed by a week of practice for each set of math facts they are teaching that week.  It's very specific to math facts,  but it might be a good "in the meantime" thing while you figure out something more long term (since it's inexpensive).

Right Start Math is more complete and also uses games for practice.   I have less experience with that as we were just starting to use it when we decided to send my son back to school for a special program there.  But it's also excellent...but more of a commitment because it costs more.