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Math isn't my nine-year old's favorite subject, and when doing her work she often tries to arrive at an answer quickly, without showing her work. The result is that she makes quite a lot of careless mistakes. At the moment I just tell her it's wrong and she corrects it. Recently I have been wondering if I should grade her math and mark wrong answers with a red pen for her to correct. She is a few weeks from finishing Singapore 3B, so I was thinking I could start giving grades in 4A.

Do you all grade math? Would it help my daughter to be more careful? Are there other factors I should consider? Thanks in advance...

I have kids who have struggled with math and one that acts like there is a prize for finishing first even if it is all wrong. I opt not to mark wrong answers. We used a remedial math program to help the kids a few years ago and one of the first things the author said was don't make the paper bleed. Instead pick a happy color and mark check marks by all the right answers. It builds their confidence rather than making them feel like they can't succeed. I still have them find the right answers and often we work one on one through problems with the dry erase board if there are a lot of missed problems. I don't give grades for anything less than mastery until they are in high school.

I do mark missed problems so my DD can go back and fix them, but I don't make a big deal of it. My DD's problem is similar, usually it is carelessness. If she is rushing and not doing a good job your options might be 1) Sit with her and try to encourage her as she's doing the problem or right when she finishes if it is wrong to go back and look again 2) Talk about how you want her to do them carefully and maybe offer reward if you feel she has done so (this might be regardless of right or wrong, we all make mistakes sometimes). I am not above, along with talking about the things I want her to work on, offering incentives. I think it carries over into real life. If you do something right the first time, you don't have to do it again. If you work hard, then you can relax and be satisfied that your work is done.

In math, I put arrows by problems that need correction so we can go back to it. For reviews however, I mark with a red "X".
This is just what we do. Personally I think something like this depends on the child and family. The thing to think of is "Will this child respond better to an "X"? Or should I try something else?" Some children need that 'grading' and some it would only discourage. We found what works for our family; hope you find something for yours soon.

Thank you all for your replies. I really like this suggestion:

Tidbits of Learning wrote:pick a happy color and mark check marks by all the right answers

I think this might really work for my dd. We can then go back and fix the wrong ones, but she won't get a check mark for those. I think this may encourage her to try a little harder, without making math more of a negative experience. I am going to try this once we hit 4A.

I already have been talking to her about how I want her to be more careful (and even sitting with her at times), but I haven't tried rewards! That would probably work too...