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Thread: Math and schools

  1. #1
    God/dess krchab99's Avatar
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    Default Math and schools

    This thread is for sw parents and others i just want to know if anyone shares my furstrations wth this. My children are in elementry school and there reading skills are on point but there math skills much like my own need some help. I have noticed schools have all kinds of programs for kids who need help reading which is fantastic I think it is very important but math is overlooked. Becuse my math skills are very low i have been looking for a program at the school that was geared at math for my kids to participate in but all i find is literacy help your on your own for math. This makes no sense to me math should be equally as imporant as reading and have as much dedicttion payed to it as reading but it is just not the case. I would like to know what your opiones are on this and if there are any websites you can guide me to that has math help for young kids i would appricate it.

  2. #2
    Banned Katrine's Avatar
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    Default Re: Math and schools

    I don't have any children, but I did personally experience this. My parents went to school in a country known for its excellent math and science education. My brother and I, in Houston public schools, had a series of TERRIBLE math teachers, and were just mediocre at it, while excelling everywhere else.

    When my parents tried to help me out, the teacher would give me an F, because in other countries they "show the work" just a bit differently. And she was such an idiot, she didn't know how to do it herself, and just looked at the answer book.

    So my parents sent us to a tutor once a week. It was another russian lady, wasn't expensive, and she just helped us think a bit differently about mathematics. I would recommend that if you can spare just a little bit. Find a person in your area who tutors on the side and make a deal.

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    Featured Member southstbabe's Avatar
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    Default Re: Math and schools

    G has always struggled in math and did not receive any extra help until this year, 5th grade, because he scored just below the proficientcy line on the NJASK. I was glad he was finally getting the help, but annoyed that he's needed this help all along and it wasn't until he fell just short on a state test that he got it. He also fell just short in language arts too and is getting extra help in that area also. I've never been good at math myself and it kills me to see him struggle and not be able to help him effectively. Oh and get this. Over the years his teachers have suggested summer school for him but I've always had to refuse because summer school runs from 8-12:30 or something like that and hey, I work 9-5 and so does my husband. There's no way we would be able to do it. And when tell you his teachers would try to lay a guilt trip on us, like we were purposely (sp) keep him from getting help. Pissed me off. What we have done over the years is get him a tutor for over the summer. We found a teacher from one of the other elementry schools in our town that tutored him for an hour once a week for $50 per session.

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    God/dess LuckyOne's Avatar
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    Default Re: Math and schools

    No Child Left Behind my ass. Maybe you could ask the school if they have anyone availible to tutor your daughter if you can't afford to hire someone... ???

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    Featured Member southstbabe's Avatar
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    Default Re: Math and schools

    You could check with the HS, sometime the honor students do it for extra credits and it looks good on college applications too.

    And check with the senior center in your area too, sometimes they partner with the schools and offer tutoring.

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    Featured Member snoopy's Avatar
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    Default Re: Math and schools

    a lot of the arithmetic i see the elementary schools do (two girls in grade school and one boy in high school) can be taught/trained just thru repetition.

    it's the geometry and alegebra they see towards the end of grade school that's a bit more difficult for us to help.

    you can get those aid books sold in bookstores/office-supply stores (Staples) or discount retailers (Wal-Mart) or online (Amazon). they are very helpful ime. i have my kids do a page or two whenever possible.

    i've also made my own addition, subtraction, and multiplication tables using Excel. pretty easy when it's point-drag-copy. just mix up the numbers a bit and you have your own lessons.

    flash cards, preprinted or make your own, are also great study aids.

    it's boring repetitive stuff but that's the best way to learn the basic math imo. the advanced math requires more thought processing, which i think is why the reading is always so emphasized (more thought processing is required). get those study aid book for then. my son's doing those books now to help in test taking and reading comprehension as supplements.

    as the others suggested, asking the teacher for suggestions is also very good. also inquire with the PTA. topics/activities start with someone asking a question, usually it begins with "why don't we have/do...?". good luck!

  7. #7
    AudreyLeigh
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    Default Re: Math and schools

    Im right there with you! Not only that but the teacher doesnt explain the homework and I dont even understand the freakin questions. I cant help my daughter with her homework. My husband is a math genuis and the problems are worded so poorly that it takes all 3 of us to work together to figure out what the hell shes supposed to do. My daughter keeps coming home crying because she cannot finish the 30 problems in 60 seconds. Why not HELP her with the problems rather than berating her and punishing her (missed recess) because she wasnt able to finish.

    Frustrating to no end. I HATE my daughters math book.

    I have to say I also think my daughters reading program is problematic also. My daughter reads at a 7th grade level. Shes in 3rd grade.

    Because shes on level 7 she gets the same amount of points for reading a 7th grade level book as other children get for 3rd, 2nd and one child even 1st. Even tho she reads better than the other children if she doesn not accumulate enough points SHE misses out on the bi-monthly ice cream parties. Pure Crap.

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    Default Re: Math and schools

    In elementary school I seem to remember flashcards were the biggest ways to learn. I would assume people finally learn by memorization. 4 + 7 = 11. 4 x 7 =28.
    Buy your own pack (depending on what grade). When they get older maybe difficult math puzzles would help.

  9. #9
    Veteran Member Melvis's Avatar
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    Default Re: Math and schools

    Just from my experience in writing mathematics material (I used to be an Editor for standardized assessment exams, focused on math) -- there are essentially three levels of how math is applied.

    1. Recall -- (for example, a simple recall would be "What is 4 + 4?" "What is 1/2 of 6?") It's all basic formulas. Stuff like that tends to be learned through repetition and through visualization. Flash cards and visual examples tend to ingrain itself into the learning mind.

    2. Application in real world situations/multi-step calculation -- This is where the tripping up usually begins, because you advance from basic "to the point" questions to where someone has to discern the correct usage of math. Example of this would be: "Joe plans to build a rectangular fence around a field that is 5 yards long and 10 yards wide. What will be the perimeter of the fence that Joe plans to build?" Not only does the subject try to conceptualize this information, it becomes a matter of discerning what is the correct method. While some would use the concept of perimeter, some might think area. Then from that step, it's a matter of recalling the formula of perimeter. So it's a multi-layered process.

    From how I've learned math, it's usually a good idea to constantly give the learning mind practical/real-world applications that appeal to their likes. If someone likes to play video games, ask them if they let them play 30 minutes a day for 4 days a week, what would be the total amount of time they play? If they play sports, use sports statistics to teach. That's always been a staple method.

    Most hiccups occur because of incorrect interpretation of the word problem. Look for common patterns where there are errors and by finding a common thread, you'll learn how to correct it by informing the instructor where the problem lies.

    3. Reasoning/logic -- That's the complex word problems. Instead of recalling a formula, the subject is asked -why- something is correct way of solving a problem, and it's a matter of reasoning/deduction. Some people -know- things, but can't always express why. That tends to go hand in hand with language skills.

    Altogether, the pedagogy (strategy of teaching) is what's most important. How a mind learns is usually the key to teaching. Is the subject: kinesthetic (hands-on, physically -doing- relevant study), auditory (learn by lectures, conversation), or visual (can learn by the instructor's body language, diagrams, charts, and thusly taking notes from all the visual cues)? All that can pinpoint how to effectively teach.

    Hope any of that helps. And good luck!


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  10. #10
    God/dess krchab99's Avatar
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    Default Re: Math and schools

    wow i love sw so much thank you all four your responses I got lots of ideas and valuable infomation. Thank you all for takeing the time to respond.

  11. #11
    AudreyLeigh
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    Default Re: Math and schools

    I do math backwards... maybe thats why its so hard for me to explain how to do it to my daughter?


    My kiddos learning her multiplication tables - its all repetition and memorization.


    If youre really worried theres places here that do tutoring like Sylvan - Im sure theres places near you?

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