how much help do you give in math?

Hi Karen,

While I’m not specifically answering your question, I want to share some interesting information that I’ve uncovered regarding math instruction.

Some background…My dd is 9 and in 3rd grade. She is very bright and does well in most subjects, but math has been somewhat difficult. Not the concepts, she understands +-x/ concepts well, but has had extreme difficulty in memorizing math facts and would therefore be considered a grade level behind in math were she tested. This stresses me because math comes very easily and naturally to both me and my husband. So I’ve spent an enormous amount of time and effort trying to “remedy this problem.”

In all of my research, I’ve discovered is that math wasn’t formally taught until about 3rd grade up until the 1950s, I think it was. Here is an interesting article on delaying formal math instruction until the 7th grade! Benezet Math Experiment

Here is another article – Mynah Bird Math – that is interesting, too, in how it relates.

All this is to say, I’m no longer worrying about it and we’ll keep on with our lessons in Strayer-Upton and we’ll eventually get it. I want her to understand math and be able to accurately use it in day to day life. Right now she can tell time on both analog and digital clocks, count money and can make change (we’re working on this), understands how to measure using a ruler or a tape measure and completely understands the concepts of addition & subtraction and can work out the problems herself. All skills relevant to a 9 year old. She doesn’t have instant recall of the facts, but she is understanding and that’s more important to me. 

I don’t know if that is helpful to you or not, but it was helpful to me to write it all out and see that we are progressing, even if it’s not in a traditional manner. I have zero concern about keeping in line with what ps kids do in any other subject, so I just realized why should math be any different!

Blessings,

Christie

I will tell you my current situation.  My son who is 10 is a struggler in math (which is a struggle being we both excel in it).  So after taking a year and a half in +/- and thinking we were definately ready for multiplying.. we’ll we got to lesson 15 in Mathusee and well everything fell apart.  Needless to say back in January of 10 we STOPPED.  AHH it killed me to do this but I knew that without a very firm grasp of add/sub there was no way to continue on with multiplying.  So now after weeks of practice and then slowly.. very slowly and with some help from a older home school mom on how to have him practice (I’ll explain in a min) we are now next week going to be back to multiplying and I believe back finally up to lesson 15.

BUT it was well worth it.  He is stronger now in +/- and all the multiplying facts till this point are right on.

Heres my explain: In my friends experience with children who struggle in math you have to keep at it, but slower.  So we set up a plan.  My son does only about 10 minutes max of math at a “time”, but he does 10 minutes 3 times a day.  ONce during school, once after lunch/read time and once before bed.  The lessons are also broke down to watch the video (which comes with MUS) and do one page (etiher from the workbook or the worksheet generator online), next 2 worksheets, next 2 more worksheets (at this point they are only focusing on the lesson) then we do 2-4 more (broke into 2 at a time) of a mix of everything he has learned.  That may sound like a lot, but when you figure in a day he does at least 5-6 worksheets / video it’s not.  He really likes doing it quick and doesn’t mind the 3 times.  Also being he’s getting 100% right he feels like somethings working.

So I just want you to know.  “Don’t worry” take your time.  It will come when it comes.  Teach tell they can tell you how to do ti.  Then have them do it a few times alone.  Thats my advise and I hope at least a part of it is useful. Misty