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Right Start Math users …. Help !
- This topic has 14 replies, 6 voices, and was last updated 11 years, 2 months ago by
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Hey gang I am beginning to get very frustrated about our math hangup / snafu . Let me explain – I am working on level B with my son who is in 2nd grade . I have been using Right start from the beginning , we completed level A fairly easily . I have not switched to RS after using another type of math. RS is all he has known. When it comes to finding the missing part number ( basic subtraction ) he shuts down , doesn’t even try to figure out the problem , just sits there and blurts out answers. I have tried to make it more visual for him and that didn’t seem to work. I took a week off of RS and we just did money and measuring things. We came back to it and I tried a more conversational , emphasizing talking and using a variety of words thinking maybe he needed more auditory ?? Still to no avail was met with resistance , sour attitude and crying. I am afraid simply because he can not do subtraction that he is starting to attach negative feelings to math….. I don’t want him grow up hating math. But also I don’t want him to “quit” trying to learn math …..even if I try to skip this concept and move on i don’t want him to be like this anytime we attempt to learn a new concept
I don’t know what happened…. when we did level A he seemed to thrive off it. We are 9 weeks into level B and it’s been a bit of a drudgery for us. I am feeling some pressure as a parent because he is in 2nd grade but his skills are hovering between K and 1st grade. I am fighting feelings of ” we are REALLY behind in math.
What kind of advice do you have for me? Should I attempt to teach subtraction via a different style of curriculum? Should I just skip subtraction entirely and keep going with level B and hope that I can restore his interest in math?
Thanks soooooo much for any ideas or suggestions you can offer 🙂
Jamie
I would highly recommend contacting RightStart. They are very willing to help parents work past those blockades. I wish I had known they would do this a few years ago when we used RS the first time.
I would also contact RS….
Beyond that…. which lesson is he on?
There are two types of missing part questions… what did you start with, and what changed…. does he have problems with both types?
Maybe some M&M math?
Ie – you had some m&m’s. I gave you 2 more, and now you have 5… how many did you start with? You can have the 3 m&m’s hidden, have the 2 out… say all together there is 5… does he know how many are hidden? If so – he can eat them…
He doesn’t need to see it as subtraction at this point…. it isn’t taught ad subtraction. At this point, this is addition where you don’t know an addend, but do know the sum.
Do the upcoming lessons have more of this right now… if not, you can probably move on for now.
Hth.
Also about being behind…
My 10yo son is partway through level c… and I’m not worried… well most days lol
Read this post. http://simplycharlottemason.com/scmforum/topic/joanna-breaks-down-math-from-k-to-college
I would post your question on the RightStart Yahoo group. There is a huge crowd there that will hopefully help you figure this out. I ditto contacting customer service. They are awesome. Hugs! Don’t give up, you will figure it out. Take some time and don’t feel pressured. I assure you, you are not the only one who “feels” behind.
Actually she did post on the RightStart Yahoo group too, and didn’t get any response…. Sometimes it is like that on a yahoo group. I read it there (in my email) but didn’t have time to write a response and felt someone else would answer – then forgot about its existance….
Hm – I think I gave some good suggestions….. but I guess I didn’t cover the sour attitude when things get hard….. any general ideas for that anyone?
I do know it is a common thing to start happening when things are too hard….
Suzuki mom- thanks for your ideas & suggestions 🙂
I still am not sure what is going on entirely but knowing my son is food motivated ( the way to his heart is to feed him….never misses a snack or a meal 🙂 ) so…..I took your suggestions about M&M math but instead used pretzel sticks. He was willing to do math if he got to play with his food & snack a bit. A better attitude but still not grasping the concept.
And yes, I did post on the RS yahoo group & nothing yet. I am finding I get more responses from here….you ladies have heaps of wisdom & are full of ideas!!!
I am wondering if it’s just a ….well what would you call it….a slump developmentally. Like he’s hit a glass ceiling ….dis-equilibrium of sorts and needs extra time. I don’t think it’s anything like dyslexia ???? ……his reading has really taken off since spring & his handwriting is clear .
Thank you Suzuki mom for sharing that your 10 yr old is working through level C . I shouldn’t let public school standards worry me so much. Think outside the “box” more.
Thanks again 🙂
Jamie
Well, it could be something like dyscalcula – but most likely it is a temporary wall… as I said if there are very few questions like this in the upcoming lessons then just continue on. If there are more like this – take a break and play games for a month, then try again…
I suggest also trying a living math book on basic subtraction like a MathStart book by Stuart Murphy. The one with the ducks, I think may be it. There is also a website booklist for math…something like livingmathbooks.com.
My ds9 is in the middle of level C. I used to worry about it until I realized that he is surely ahead of where he would be in ps where he would have been passed by a long time ago. We take the time needed for him to learn at a 100% level.
I think helping him work through hard things diligently will help with the attitude and help him see a good example in you. Because even as an adult he will need to know how to work through hard things. Something I tell them is “practice makes hard things easier”. I got that from a post on here a while back on perfectionism. Is he afraid of getting the wrong answer and not being perfect so he doesn’t even want to try?
My son had difficulty with subtraction in level B as well. I just helped him with the answers and moved on. We are on level C lesson 36 right now and the lesson is “Subtraction as Missing Addends” and the next four lessons are also subtraction. It is just now starting to click with him and he is doing fine with it. Just wanted you to know it will be reviewed again and may sink in better then.
Then I have you to thank, suzukimom! I could not remember who it was, but I wrote it down at the time and started using it for my kids.
While it is important to work through tough problems, I don’t think it will hurt to move on as level B is focused on addition. But he needs to understand the part-whole circles, which shows how addition and subtaction go hand in hand and are essentially the same thing.
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