60-day returns • free shipping on USA orders $129+
question about Math u see
- This topic has 12 replies, 5 voices, and was last updated 15 years ago by
.
Viewing 13 posts - 1 through 13 (of 13 total)
- Posts
How do you know for sure that they are ready to move onto the next lesson? I mean is there a certain number of problems they are allowed to miss. I usually have mine correct what they miss if it’s 5 or more. Depending on how many problems are on the page. I have them take the tests at the end of each lesson as well and allow them to miss 3 on them. Any more than that and they correct them and we do some of the problems together and I give them more practice..
I’m only asking because my kids are having a really hard time with some of their math and I’m afraid that I have let them move on before they were ready. One in particular is having a hard time with his times tables. But when I test him he knows them. I don’t know what to do. It’s stressing me out trying to figure out how to help him.
Here’s what I have done.. I also have a multiplacation issue. My son has only made it to lesson 14 in the book you are referring to (can’t place level at this moment) and he’s been trying to get these down sence July. Now in that time we’ve practiced many different methods and worked on it in many ways. So he’s actually been learned all the facts not just the 5or 6 to this point.
My son who is having a hard time here is what we have done. We did Times Tables the Fun way. If he has the sheet that says things like 6×8=for the cake (48) which is a picture memory idea (and the 48 is not on that card) he seems to remember them. So we let him look at this while he’s doing his mathusee if he gets stuck. Also, he can TELL me the facts if we do them orally. So with my dh’s approval we’ll do some writen and some orally (he don’t realize this) but I will tell him way more orally. And for us math is huge, but for my son looking at the problem stresses him out. That said being we do it this way and to help him work on the writen portion he does do more than the pages in the workbook I print off more say like 3 or 4. Our belief is that +,-,*,/ are the 4 major things you have to know for life. So it’s taken a long time and we are not even close to being done but he’s finally feeling like he’s moving on and getting it.
I can’t wait to hear what others say. I have posted a lot on this question and we finally just decided to keep him moving at a slower pace and when he’s done with the book (which I figure is going to take 2 years) I do believe he’ll know them for doing this slower, lots of review and repetion.
Good luck I iwll be looking back to see what others say Misty
Hi,
Although my daughter is likely much younger than yours we had a similar problem and ended up working on certain addition facts for severaly months. Some days she would get them all correct and other days she would miss tons of the same problems. She ended up hating math. I had to take some time off of MUS and use something else.(CLE Math was my choice) for a couple of months. It worked wonders. Things really clicked. I guess she really got tired of the same old thing everyday. She would glaze over. I have taken out the MUS materials and now we use MUS on Mon. Wed. Fri. and CLE on Tue. Thurs. just to break it up a bit. In one week she has shown mastery on the very facts that we were stuck on for months! I do require all answers to be correct on the test. I also print up a worksheet that has review of all past material to be done on test day to see if it is sticking.
If you have any math worksheets hanging around I would try that for a week and see if everyone starts to get happy and excited to do math. You could use any grade level math workbook from the book store or you could download Math mammoth or something. I am not telling you to ditch MUS cause I love it. I think a break may fix the issues your having.
Sincerely,
Penny
Missing problems is really only ONE symptom of not understanding clearly enough to move on. One problem with written tests is that it gives the student plenty of time to think on his fingers, or slowly think out the answer. To me, you don’t really KNOW your, say, x7’s until you can repeat them all, RAPIDLY. When we were still in the part of the MUS books using “facts” we would do lots of extra drill. I would ask questions during the course of the day–if that “What is 7×6?” takes very long to answer, then I know they aren’t really ready. Another thing we would do is to use the online drill function on the MUS website. Something about it being on the computer seems to make it more fun. The drill on the website lets you choose exactly what you want to test, then keeps track of missed answers AND time. I would make my sons get all of them correct and then work on doing it faster. When they could do that fairly rapidly, we would go on, but we’d still review that set of facts sometimes.
We also would sometimes use a written drill program, like The Mad Minute, for reinforcement drill.
I have to admit, I think you’d be happier just adding in some reinforcement than changing programs. Most of these things to do don’t cost any extra $ either, always a plus.
Too bad we can’t trade kids for math. I’d happily work on multiplication or addition facts with someone’s kid if they’d come here and help make sure my 16yo is setting up his Algebra II motion-and-distance problems correctly, LOL.
mommix3,
I was going to say exactly what Bookworm said: If they’re missing any problems at all, they’re not ready to move on. According to CM, children should correct mistakes immediately, so that they never see the wrong answer, spelling, etc. Maybe backing up a few lessons and doing those over again until he gets them 100% correct will help on the particular lesson you’re on now.
We’re not at our times tables yet; in fact, we’re just in the Primer! The reason I say all I’m saying is because I feel like there are enough worksheets per lesson as well as extra activities in the Teacher Manual. If the child can make it through all those with ease, they’re ready to move on. However, if they’re still having trouble, maybe the thing to do is erase all the answers and start over. Have him re-watch the video (if you have it). Or do as Bookworm suggested and find some practice drills online and let him practice to his heart’s content!
Like I said, I’m not even close to being where you are, but I hope this is helpful. We love Math-U-See! My son never tires of it, and would build with his blocks all day if I let him. Then again, he is 5.
Be encouraged,
LindseyD
My son that is having multiplication issues is 12 years old. He doesn’t seem to want to learn and I think that’s part of the issue. I’m contemplating sending him back to public school because I can’t seem to motivate him.
Another issue that I’m having is feeling that my kids are “behind”. I used to not worry about where they are compared to public school kids, but my husband has told me they need to go back to school in the 9th grade. So I’m really feeling some pressure now. And that has caused me to push them on before they were ready. If I’m going to do this I may as well just send them to school now.
Angela
Bookworm.. so I am wondering when you say you have them answer questions rapidly during the day.. what would you do then with my son who can answer them verbaly but when the worksheet is in front of him he can’t seem to do it? What is Mad Minute is it online?
What is CLE?
Thanks I am really learning from this thread.. I think we’re going have to go back??
You are making me realize I just need to be even MORE patient.Angela, I have no idea what is right for your child and family. But I’ve observed that the public schools also have trouble motivating kids to want to learn . . . that MAY not solve the problem.
Misty, the ones he is getting wrong on paper–is he really engaged? What happens if you have him do the sheet on paper, then pick it up and do it orally? I know one of my sons can sort of “zone” sometimes while doing written work and then he makes errors, and if I’m not really, really on top of things I don’t notice–he’s learned how to do this without looking up, lol, so I don’t get some of those “flash” visual cues that attention has begun to wander, and then taken flight and left, lol. It takes real vigilance to catch a “stealth” dawdler! LOL
Mad Minute is a softcover drill program. It goes through 8th grade. I found it cheaper and easier to implement than some of the other similar drill programs. I got mine from Amazon and it’s often available for about 18-20 dollars for 1st-8th grade. It comes with cool charts my kids liked filling in, lol.
Is he really engaged? Well, sometimes and others no. He’s a very UN confident man. (2nd born to a perfectionest) If I give him the sheet and walk away and come back and read it to him… we’ll more than likely he’ll have some wrong on the paper but more than likely he’ll get them all correct when I ask them verbally.
Being he’s not gotten a 100% on his times test so far would you go back and redo those? I guess I answered my own question.. yes you would. But how do you keep him motivated then? We have CD w/ the facts, the little key where you wrap the string around it, the times card games from right start.. I don’t know what to do.. should we go review + & – for a week to break away and then restart w/ times?
Bookworm can you come over for a week? LOL Thanks for your help Misty
oh, forgot to say he also like to count on his fingers.. this drives me nuts! He just dont’ grasp the concept of times.
Misty, I think there is a clear problem with the concept here if he is still using his fingers. Yes, I think I’d take some time to review addition and subtraction and then if he seems pretty solid there, begin multiplication again and really stress the concepts–what is happening. To keep him motivated–what works for him? Could you make him am little chart, perhaps with the list of “mastery clues” for each set of facts? Things like “Can explain concept clearly to Mom” “Gets 95% right on worksheets” “Can do problems on the online drill 100% correct and in less than ____ seconds” and then put up a mark for each lesson or concept as you go?
Talk to him here and explain why you need to really make sure he has a solid understanding here. What does he want to do? Does he like science or something? Perhaps you can point out how he will need math skills for whatever he wants to do, and how he needs good BASIC skills before he can do more advanced math. Even just every day living–shopping, saving, budgeting, figuring out how much paint to buy–you need to be able to use math and if you can’t remember 7×8 it makes life tougher!
I also had a child once who was a little shaky on some concepts and I had him watch the videos along with a younger sibling. He was the younger sibling’s “helper” and had to “explain” things to help out little brother. Actually, I think it did more good for OLDER brother, lol.
Michelle
Thanks bookworm you always have words of wisedom. I think I will have him doing online drills with mathusee in addition and subtraction and give insentives when he gets 100%, and I’ll start really easy so he see’s, and feels like “he knows this it’s so easy”. BUILD CONFIDENCE! (spelling??)
Misty
I also keep forgetting–you can get EXCELLENT advice on using MUS and on problems encountered along the way and how to address them, by either contacting your representative, or by finding the group of MathUSee users on Yahoogroups. My rep saved my sanity when ds1 hit a wall with multiple digit multiplication several years ago!
You are making me realize I just need to be even MORE patient.Viewing 13 posts - 1 through 13 (of 13 total)
- The topic ‘question about Math u see’ is closed to new replies.