Math concerns

[Janeway]

We are using Singapore Math for my 2nd grader. She was using Math In Focus at the school she had been attending. Her teacher was awful and I can tell did an awful job teaching math. It was apparent even back when daughter was in school.  Now, my daughter acts like she is struggling through math completely. She makes mistakes such as $15 plus $1.45, she will answer as $15.60. We are using Singapore Math 2B. She did place in 2B with no problem. But she hates and dreads math and I think it is because of the environment she had at her old school. I would not be exaggerating to say it was an abusive environment. (teacher banging on desks, yelling at kids so much that parents in other classrooms were reporting back about it, calling some kids dumb or sloppy, in my daughter's case, told my daughter she could do something and then giving her detention for it, saying it was against the rules. She admitted she gave my daughter permission but said my daughter never should have asked, etc).

My daughter has been out of that place since Thanksgiving. She left at Thanksgiving and never went back.  My daughter never struggled academically before that place.  I am unsure if I need to find something completely different or figure that maybe after the summer off, and level 3A being so different from 2B, things will go better so don't worry about it.   Overall, she is rejecting work, so I am not thinking she necessarily does not know how to do the work but rather is purposefully making no effort and getting problems wrong as a result. This has been proven by when her dad comes down on her and sits with her, she shapes up and just does it and gets it all correct. 

[8filltheheart]

I would stop all formal math.  Without A Single Doubt!!  I would play math games instead.  War. Dominos. Race to 100.  All of those are simple games that can be played in numerous ways requiring basic 2nd grade math skills.  You can be creative in how you play.  For war, flip up 2 cards and either add or subtract them, higher number wins, etc.  Dominos can be played matching according to the simple rules or adding, multiplying, subtracting the number on the domino. Race to 100 is a dice game.  Take turns, roll the dice, add them to your previous number.  First up to 100 (or subtract down to 0) wins.  Lots of other simple math games as well.

[El...]

Her confidence may be shot for a while. I like 8's idea. And then I might switch to a program with a completely different approach, without grade levels on it, and back up to things that give her easy success. I might even have her go through Miquon ( very fast through the first three books until it got trickier). She could probably do all the books in a year and come out on track. 

I'm pretty angry for her sake. What a horrible experience. 

[El...]

Another thing! If I thought a kid was deliberately making mistakes due to discouragement, I would make the curricula adjustments over a natural schedule break. "We're about out of time for Singapore, kiddo, so finish what you can this week and then next month/this summer/after spring break we're starting a different book."  That way I would be meeting her needs without letting her feel like a quitter or failure. I would NOT say, "You're not doing well and I'm going to put you through first grade again." Even if I were.

[Paige]

Is she making the mistakes when you are sitting with her or when she's alone? I think having someone sit with her may just help her focus and try. It's not that she's purposefully making mistakes- why would a kid want to fail??- but that having someone with her gives her the boost she needs. 

Math in Focus is awful- I've had kids do it too and it's a mess. Switching from that to Singapore, I would expect a struggle. When you switch from any math curriculum there will be differences in vocab and style and it takes kids a while to adjust- maybe even up to a year until the kid is exposed to all the new vocabulary in different areas. They may seem to have forgotten the math or to not do well for a while but I think that's normal for a transition.

[Janeway]

1 hour ago, Paige said:

Is she making the mistakes when you are sitting with her or when she's alone? I think having someone sit with her may just help her focus and try. It's not that she's purposefully making mistakes- why would a kid want to fail??- but that having someone with her gives her the boost she needs. 

Math in Focus is awful- I've had kids do it too and it's a mess. Switching from that to Singapore, I would expect a struggle. When you switch from any math curriculum there will be differences in vocab and style and it takes kids a while to adjust- maybe even up to a year until the kid is exposed to all the new vocabulary in different areas. They may seem to have forgotten the math or to not do well for a while but I think that's normal for a transition.

Sitting with her. I sit with her through all her work. 

[Paige]

54 minutes ago, Janeway said:

Sitting with her. I sit with her through all her work. 

I would just drop it completely then. Sounds like she must have a lot of math anxiety or stress issues related to math. I think Dreambox is giving a free 90 day trial. I love Dreambox. I'd let her do that, or something like it, play some games, and start with something new in August.