For our 3rd yr hs math has yet again become a problem with Conner. I don't understand but it's as if just the thought of math gives him a completely different personality. Today is a good example.
His lesson today covered Place Value, yes simple basic place value. Here are his problems
Write each in standard form
4000+500+60+9
400,000+300+50
60,000,000+3,000,000+4000,000+5000+7
1,000,000,000+200,000,000+50,000,000+300+9
Write in expanded form
8998
15,243
672,115
700,946
13,004,205
2,005,940,000
That's it.
Here is how it went. Immediately upon opening the book to the page required he asked for help.
He then needed help for each and every problem until the last two at which point he was finally getting it. But if I were to ask him to do this tomorrow I'm not sure I wouldn't need to help him again.
We tried Saxon but he didn't like it and didn't use it long enough although I think it would help him immensely. He is using K-12 grade 5 Math. The problem here is that when he gets to a quiz he won't remember half of it.
It is sooooooo frustrating sitting there with him helping him through every single problem. It's as if he can't correlate moving from a small number to a bigger number doing the same thing. It is frustrating for the two other boys because if they need help they generally have to wait for me to finish with conner. So I hop between kids although the other two don't require nearly as much help. Basically just Colin and he gets upset when I am constantly helping Conner and he has to wait for me to be done. I don't make him wait for the whole lesson just one problem but it seems that it takes forever.
I saw another math program called Teaching Textbooks where it comes with CD's that gives lectures, practice problems and goes over every single problem. So if you miss number 16 in lesson 23 you can pop in the CD and it will show you how to do that problem. I think that would help him alot. I also like Saxon for him as it goes over a little of everything to keep up on learned stuff so you don't forget how to do it. I don't know if I should switch but if I have to take another year of this much frustration I'm not doing much to help him in math. I can't do that to him or to myself, it's very wearing.
This is one example. For clarification this happens 3-5 days out of the 5 days of school. He is at the point where I think he thinks he can't so he asks for help before he even tries. That in itself frustrates me as I would like to see him at least try. I obviously need to do something to build his confidence in this area. I just don't know how. I also need to find a comprehensive math program that works for him. Again I'm not sure what that is but I have an inkling that it's not the math he is using now.
Vanessa
12 comments:
The poor guy has no confidence in himself and I don't know any program that will build his confidence up in this area. I'll keep my eyes open for one though. :)
Oh I know what your talking about sister! It takes great patience. Im thinking of getting those teaching textbooks for Tink too. Then she cant fight me. It would be pretty hard for her to argue with the lady on the DVD
Oh PLEASE share the solution to this problem if you ever get it. My Girl is so far behind that it will take her years to catch up enough to even get her GED. I can't figure out where the disconnect is other than, apparently like Conner, she's decided that she can't do it. So she can't. I totally feel your frustration! Good luck!
I was just reading the fair post and had a thought... as much as Conner loves to cook, is there any way you can link his math exercises to figuring recipes? Maybe you've already tried it, but I thought I'd mention it just in case.
Damama,
I would love to do that. I just need to figure out how and still get what he wants to learn out of it.
Vanessa
Ok, first, (if it were me) ;)
I would have the Colin and Austin doing a lesson that is very easy for them to do without your help while Conner is doing Math. Next, why don't you try some math games first before you open the books. I have a math card games book that the boys love which involves a deck of cards and they are doing math. It's from Scholastic - I'll show you when we see each other again. Next, try some other math games as well. Watch his reaction to them - his response. When you see a passion in his eyes - go with that line of math until his confidence is boosted and he is ready to be challenged. Do Colin and Austin make fun of him and tease him due to the time you are spending with him? This can lower his confidence in his ability to do the problems so he can't focus as he is too busy thinking about how he can't do it. Would your husband be willing to help out in the evening and you just post pone it till then? Brenden and I went through this a few years ago where I had to have Mason explain the math as I had a different perspective of the math and Brenden totally got Mason.
Remember, games, games, games. I can share the ones I have but you can also find tons on the web.
Now, celebrate the 3 day weekend!
Oh this idea I could handle very much. I love this idea. Now to find some math games to start with. Austin is pretty self sufficient but colin still needs occasional help.
I would love to see what you have and mabey I need to get a few math games book too.
Chris did help and he does have a totally different perspective on math then me, Colin and Austin get it. We are going to try Conner doing math with Chris on the weekends for now and see how it goes. I will also try your idea. I think he will like it too.
Thanks so much for sharing this. (smacks self on forehead) why didn't I think of this????
Vanessa
I shared your concern on my kids group and one homeschooling mom sent me this link saying she uses it with her 3 boys and loves it. She says she hasn't even opened the teachers guide yet because the boys are doing so well with it. It is on cd so it is interactive - this crossed my mine last night (interactive math) while thinking of dear, sweet Conner and wandering how we could help him be happy with learning math so I shared your concerns. So, here is the link: I know nothing about it but she was pretty happy with it and says she has tried a variety but this was the one they stuck with:
http://www.mathusee.com/
Yikes ~ are you writing about Ditz or do you just have an ESP link into Ditz's mind?! Lol. Actually, while I don't have a solution I do have a visual/spatial learner & sequential learning (maths as everyone teaches it) is a no brainer for both of us. We do NOT think sequentially, we do not Do sequentially ~ math is a nightmare & getting worse as she gets up the grades. We either get lightening *flashes* (where is you're working?) or we just don't get it at all.
Place value though ~ money, money, money. Working with money, real money for real issues, really helped Ditz ~ especially if she could spend it.
Thanks gneida, I will definetly give it a try. Conner has issues with all math this way and this was just a prime example seeing as how many problems there were and how long it took us and how I needed to explain every single problem.
It's all frustrating. I just want to help my son feel better about math and be able to do it on his own.I don't want to have melt downs this yr. That is my goal to get him there. Beyond that if we don't get far in our math that is fine as long as we can open the book without all that emotional rollar coaster around.
Vanessa
Vanessa, I know the meltdown thing. *sigh* We do that a lot. If it's not Ditz it's me. I do not like math. I so lost the plot with Ditz & fractions I told her to put $ in front of everything. lol. but it seems to have helped. For what it's worth do some music ~ which is counting & patterns & relationships but in a more fun way & cooking ~ measurement, fractions, weights etc. We do well with practical math. It's the abstract stuff throws us. I refuse point blank to do algebra. Stupid stuff. I can get out of the grocery store without embarrassing myself, balance my cheque book, buy material for a pattern & sew it, cook from scratch, do my garden ~ all of which requires hands on practical math. I am not about to launch a rocket in to space so I'll skip that math, thank you very much.
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