Math Questions

This is where new posts begin. All questions or discussions about any of Heart of Dakota's curriculums start here. If you wish to share a one-time post about your family's experience with our curriculum, you may post under the specific curriculum title (found beneath this "Main Board" heading).
Post Reply
Happy2bMommyof3
Posts: 103
Joined: Fri Aug 14, 2009 7:41 pm

Math Questions

Post by Happy2bMommyof3 » Thu Sep 02, 2010 12:52 pm

Okay, so I have a child who is not a big math fan in the first place...some history: We did CLP the first half of 1st grade and she was soaring through math. Due to family issues, I switched her to the Online Virtual Academy K-12 for 2nd semester of 1st. It was me not trusting God that caused me to do it and it was a bad decision. The math they used had her counting on her fingers again and totally messed her up. We discovered HOD for 2nd Grade and decided on Beyond which was wonderful. I started her over at 1st grade math (Singapore 1A) because I was afraid of gaps, etc. and wanted to rebuild her math confidence. It was a good decision, and by the end of 2nd grade (last year), she was ready to begin Singapore 2B. This year (in Bigger), I started the year continuing Singapore 2 B, hoping to catch her up through Singapore 3B by the end of this year...if you're still reading and I haven't lost you yet... :roll: She is having so much trouble. She was multiplying at the end of last year, but now she is having trouble adding and subtracting. I'll do a few problems with her to make sure she knows she can do it, then she'll turn in the lesson with half of the problems wrong. I'll check it and give it back to her and they're still wrong...just with different wrong answers.

Is anyone else having math difficulties like this? I'm wondering if it's only becasue it's the first couple of weeks of school and she's having a hard time remembering or getting back into the groove...any advice? After the third time today handing it in with the problems still incorrect, I put it away for tomorrow. I fear discouraging her. For the record, I think she is trying, I'm just not sure what this means. If I write the problems on the board, she tells me exactly what to write and where to write it with no help, and makes no mistakes...but when she does it independently, they're all wrong.

I wonder if she could be a bit dyslexic as I am typing :idea: ...she still gets her 9's and P's and her b's and d's mixed up...

Thanks!
Heather
Wife to the most hardworking man I know,
Mother to three amazing gifts from the King...
Amelia -8 - BHFHG + DITHOR
Noah - 5 - Christian Liberty Press Kindergarten
Lily - 4 -Rod and Staff Pre-K

annaz
Posts: 833
Joined: Tue Apr 14, 2009 12:47 pm

Re: Math Questions

Post by annaz » Fri Sep 03, 2010 10:59 am

9/P and b/d are standard mix-ups. Sometimes through 9+ years old.

Maybe you can do 1 lesson over two days. It just sounds like she doesn't understand the concept, which means she really may not of understood it last year. How much review is in Singapore? I don't use it. :oops: If dd doesn't understand a concept, I do a full review page the following day, then we review periodically. I think it's okay to help her talk or think through the problem until you feel she gets it. It's not a race. If she doesn't remember adding and subtracting, then she won't remember multiplication. Play some more add/sub games. Go through fact families.

I'd just go slower. Use manipulatives until she masters the concept. My dd could do it with me on the board, then on paper she'd bomb. Sometimes she'd get it there on the board, and the paper is just different. Kinda like a horse. There are two sides to every horse. Two separate animals. :lol: And when you use different math programs, they use different ways, lingo, etc. So go over it on her paper with her after the board. Just take it slow. We had the same problem around that same age and then dd just got it.
Married 1994
One DD 6/2000
One DH :)
One cat
One dog
Three horses :shock:

blessedmomof4
Posts: 1138
Joined: Tue Oct 02, 2007 4:34 pm
Location: Las Vegas, Nevada

Re: Math Questions

Post by blessedmomof4 » Fri Sep 03, 2010 5:40 pm

Forgive me if I sound a little lost... Did she do 1A and skip to 2B? Or are you saying that she completed 1A, 1B, and 2A? Also, did you use the hands-on activities in the HOD guides? They are marvelous for helping teach the concepts. I believe LHFHG has activities for Earlybird, Beyond has for 1A/1B, and Bigger of course, for 2A/2B. If you could be clearer on how you've been using Singapore, I'm sure someone could come up with some helpful suggestions.
As far as being caught up, keep in mind that Singapore math is an advanced program, and that in the country of Singapore a child starts 1A at age 7, 2A at age 8, etc, so it's one to two grades ahead of most US math programs. If she is in second grade and doing 2A/2B, she is already essentially ahead, and there isn't a need to rush her through to level 3.
Lourdes
Wife to Danforth
2 grads 9/19/92,7/8/95
2 in charter school 1/31/98, 9/19/99
3 in Heaven 8/11/06, 8/18/10, 9/13/13
Future HODie is here! 9/14/12

Tree House Academy
Posts: 1078
Joined: Sat Mar 21, 2009 7:40 pm
Location: Tennessee

Re: Math Questions

Post by Tree House Academy » Fri Sep 03, 2010 8:41 pm

I just wanted to say that Singapore is leveled a grade ahead of what it is used...for instance, 1A is used for a typical 2nd grader. So, if your dd is only in 3rd grade and doing 2B, she is AHEAD and not behind at all.

Did you take the summer off? If so, she probably just needs some review time. Be sure to give her lots of practice with the fun activities in the guides. I know that making number sentences and telling addition/subtraction, etc. "stories" sometimes seems silly, but it is a wonderful review to jog their memories. :)
~Rebecca~

ds13(8th) - Rev to Rev w/ TT Pre-Algebra, R&S English 6, CLE Reading 8, Rosetta Stone French
ds9 (4th) - Preparing Hearts, TT Math 4, R&S English 3, CLE Reading 4, & Writeshop Jr.

We have completed LHFHG, BLHFHG, Bigger, CTC, & RTR.

Carrie
Site Admin
Posts: 8128
Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2007 8:39 pm

Re: Math Questions

Post by Carrie » Tue Sep 07, 2010 9:28 am

Heather,

The ladies are doing a great job of talking through this with you. I'll just agree that their suggestions are so good! :D Singapore is advanced, so I wouldn't worry about "catching up". I would just plan to do the A and B book each year. My second son is very mathy and completing 5A/5B in sixth grade. It is plenty challenging and is not holding him back in any way! :D

Next, I'll agree that Singapore does not review at the beginning of a new year, it just jumps right in where the kiddos left off. Also, the 'A' book in each series is especially challenging. So, after a summer break, you'll definitely want to slow down at the beginning of the 'A' book and sit with your daughter helping her with each problem in the lesson. You can either half the lessons, or sit with her to make sure she is successfully completed each problem in the whole lesson. Either way will work. :D You can help her by talking through the problem with her as she works, or by working it with her on a markerboard and having her copy the steps as you go. :D

If you don't have the hands-on math activities that go with 2A/2B, you may really want to consider getting the Bigger Hearts guide to have those (if you don't have it already). 2A/2B is the last big push for hands-on math activities, so you won't always have to buy the next guide in line to get the hands-on. 3A/3B switches to purely workbook/textbook schedule. :D

Don't worry, your child will get into a groove again as the 'A' book moves on. Singapore has a terrific ebb and flow to it. But, your daughter will need some extra help for the first several weeks (and maybe longer) to get back into the flow of things. I make sure I am next to my son as he works on his math, as the Singapore way is different from the way I learned math, and I need to see the way they do it too! I have truly enjoyed going through Singapore with my sons, and we pray you will find it to be a blessing too! :D

Blessings,
Carrie

Post Reply