Earlybird math hangup...

[LeAnna]

We are just about to finish our first year with the Earlybird series, and both of my girls seem to be struggling a bit with the topic "money". They just aren't quite understanding how to add coins, etc. We only have a page or two to do, and then we are done. Is this introduced again in the next book? Are the same topics taught over again for review in Primary 1A and 1B?

Thanks,
LeAnna

[WigglesMom]

I don't know how the primary 1a and 1b does about reviewing, but Kumon makes a workbook called Easy Telling Time that may be a good brush up on it for you. The books aren't that expensive and you can get them at Walmart or Target or a book store. The Kumon books only cover one topic so you won't be buying a workbook with a lot of things that you don't need. It just covers telling time.
My daughters did poorly on their Singapore placement tests and when I looked at it they lost a lot of points in the telling time section. So I bought the Kumon book and it worked they placed higher on the test the next time.
Val
edit-I meant to write money for your situation but somehow got confused and kept writing time (our problem)

[Mom2Monkeys]

Money is covered again in later guides. You don't have to master topics in SM, but just cover them well (which the books do a great job of combined with Carrie's activities). I've bought fake money (ironic, isn't it?) and let them use that. That has helped so much since all coins and bills are there and there are plenty of each. My daughter just finished 2A not long ago and is part way through 2B and we're covering money in there too. It's on a higher level, but the basics she was exposed to have prepared her. She's not strong on money either, but is improving with each exposure to it.

I like the Kumon books and have used the telling time one. It starts with telling by the hour, then half hour, quarter hours, 5 minutes, then minutes-- 1 to 15, 16-30, 31-45, 46-59. It helped but the pattern was so predictable that my dd just wrote the next number in the sequence without really looking at the clock. I prefer to just make her tell me what time it is throughout the day-- What time have you woken up? What time are we having breakfast? Finishing breakfast?, etc....Real life seems to work better than workbooks for her.

I think money is a hard topic, as well as time. It will come up again and they'll have a chance to practice it with you between now and then. Let them use what they have learned so far to "buy" their lunch at home, pay fines for "litter" around the house, etc. and remember to count back change to them the RIGHT way!

HTH!

[my3sons]

Yes, money comes up again... and again... in Singapore - and then again... when we're adults, right?!? In all seriousness though, Singapore revisits skills to make sure dc are solid in math concepts. I remember my ds didn't remember math coins and how to count them at first either, but now he does just fine with it. We're finishing 3B, and we've done money every year so far. Before you know it, your little honey will be understanding money just fine.

In Christ,
Julie

[Jen in Va]

I did both Kumon workbooks, Telling Time and My First Book of Money, with my ds because he was interested in them and wanted to continue past the brief intro in EB math. In the Kumon money workbook the first page of each lesson does introduce a topic, particularly in adding coins together, by doing the problems in sequence, for example 1 dime is 10 cents, 2 dimes is 20, 3 dimes is 30, etc. I got around the figuring out the pattern by having ds do the second page of each lesson instead, as this page is random in its sequence of problems. When he gets to the money portion in level 1 of SM, I will likely get the next Kumon money workbook, as he really enjoyed it. I just used real coins with him to practice adding coins.

[LeAnna]

Thanks everyone! I bought some play money, that they have enjoyed using. I think I am going to look into those Kumon books. I know Rainbow Resource has them pretty reasonable.

LeAnna

[MamaBear23Cubs]

While in my house we do the time/money in the workbooks most is done by playing and chores. We play store quite a bit in our house. It died down a bit but it's starting back up again since now my younger two are doing more in the schooling area. Chores are done in 5 or 15 minutes per chore. Then we have 30 minute or 60 minutes stuff. Cooking is great for this. I use both play money/clock and real money/clock. My oldest got confused with the play money and the younger ones seem to have no problem. What I like about the play stuff is that it's okay to loose that money.
As for Kumon workbooks, I have used them in the past and everyone has enjoyed them. You can get them at the bookstore and use their educator card to get 20% off the book. Usually it's cheaper to go thru the bookstore than online or other stores that sell them.

[Carrie]

LeAnna,

You may also wish to redo only the activities on money that are provided within the LHFHG guide as they do a good job of cementing and practicing the needed skills in money.

Blessings,
Carrie