Oh my poor little guy! Math is just such a tough one for him. It isn't that he doesn't get concepts. He really does understand. Often he can explain the whys of his math better than the book or I can. What stumps him are those basic math facts.
We've tried flash cards and drill sheets with unimpressive results. He will remember the facts only just long enough to get through that drill, then when we turn around to do some other problems, he just can't remember.
Whats odd is that he can remember the more "odd" facts. For example, any combination of numbers that add up to 14 or 18 -- he has that down cold. There is no stumping him on those. But, then if you say "okay now 7+1?" He gets a blank stare for a second or two before he can answer. It's 7+1 for cryin' out loud! One more than 7!?!
I get so frustrated and that just makes him more frustrated, too. Recently, we've begun using those cheap workbooks you get at Wal-Mart. He earns a point for every page he does on his own without help. He has to get "most" of them right though. He does okay with that, so far. He can use points to get Legos. I make him keep track of how many points he has and figure out how many more points he has to have to get XYZ Lego, or ABC Lego, or whatever it is he wanted.
I don't know if it's helping with retaining those facts, but at least he has a better attitude about math.
You had me at Oreo.
4 hours ago
6 comments:
Audrey, is he a visual-spatial learner? I've been reading a bit about this learning style and am on the homeschoolingcreatively yahoo group (warning: the moderator is nice and a wealth of information but very didactic in style) and it seems that what you describe is perfectly normal for creative learners. The advice is to move on to other things. Let him him use a number line or count on his fingers. Eventually, he will remember math facts, but he will be much more interested in higher level math concepts (and maybe geometry is a good place to start).
Blogs of folks whose kids are like this include Throwing Marshmallows and Apple Stars. Both are linked in my side bar.
And as someone on that list said one, if anyone is crying then stop doing what you are doing. He is pretty young. He doesn't need to know his math facts right now (particularly if he gets the concepts). I think I have forwarded you an e-mail with suggestions of games and things for learning single digit addition and so on.
Jove, you rock! I got the email. Lots of ideas there. We have some games at home that could probably help. He loves playing games with me. We should do it more often (bad mommy has been working too much lately).
A least a couple of my seemingly bright children couldn't (can't still), for the life of them, memorize math facts. I myself can't remember any sequenced number facts, addresses, phone numbers, the like. When I say we can't remember math facts, I mean, I still have problems instantly remembering 9 +7, or 6+9; I have to think about it. I can't remember my left from my right either, without thinking for a second or two - well, more embarrassingly, without visualizing the living room of the house we lived when I was 3 or 4 and the little song my mother sang to me (up to the ceiling, down to the floor, left to the window, right to the door). Multiplication facts? Have to think about it for a few seconds too - and then in my head I start singing those awful multiplication songs I bought for the kids and listend to 1218476386736743 times in the car. I can do trig though! I can do analytical chemistry! I don't have any cures for you, but in the sidebar of my blog, under "hands on curriculum" there are a bunch of suppliers of math games and manipulatives. Beware of those songs though, they're dangerous.
Audrey, Thomas is the exact same way. Math facts is a bad word -- statement -- in this house.
After years of doing timed tests, drills, flashcards, and then T. forgetting everything, we decided this year to NOT worry about math facts.
Guess what? He does just fine now. I figure with kids like ours, there's no need to memorize the facts. Well, no need for instant recall, at least.
T. is like your son, he does beautifully with the math concepts. Computation is his weak area. However, that said, he still scores several grade levels ahead on math computation tests, and usually 12th grade or post high school on math concepts.
So relax. They're just wired differently.
If I could change anything about our past homeschooling experience, it would be my need to drill and put him through torture with math facts.
Audrey,
I love your blog and your attitude. My wife and I also live in a small corner of nowhere, and it's the best.
Your post made me want to cry, though. There are solutions to your problem, but no "official" educators seem to care about them. I suppose it because they feel threatened by things that actually work.
I used to be mildly discalculic and had a severe case of mathephobia. I thought I was all left brain, filled with languages, art, literature, history and philosophy.
One day, on a three-day bus trip, I discovered my right brain. Long story. At any rate, now I calculate in my head for fun, can memorize anything, and love doing it. It's as much fun as drawing or juggling.
I've started a blog at http://mathmojo.com/chronicles, with some tips, but it is not very complete yet. But I'd like to offer you some really useful advice, if I may.
There is an old book, written in the 50s or 60s, called, "How to Develop a Super-Power Memory." Despite the hokey name, it is still the best book to help laymen (not psychologists, etc,) improve their memories. Learn what's in it and teach it to your child. Don't give up on it, because once the light bulb goes off, there will be no stopping your child from learning with those methods.
It should be considered a crime, punishable by flogging, that we do not teach this stuff in schools.
As far as the multiplication "facts", I offer a very inexpensive booklet on the above blog-site called "Numbers Juggling," that can help any child, guaranteed, learn their multiplication "facts" in a few minutes. I am not joking. I'd like to offer you the booklet (for free, of course) if you are really interested in a vastly superior method to what is traditionally taught in the States.
Think about it: Any methods that are traditionally taught in a nation that traditionally at the bottom of the barrel in basic math should be jettisoned, anyway, right?
So, if you'd like to take me up on it, send me an e-mail (you can find the contact link at the blog) and I'll send you the e-booklet.
BTW- "rote memorization" and "math facts" are two fictions developed by inferior educators. Neither are important, nor desireable. You'll see what I mean when you try out the methods in the booklet.
You're on your own as to finding "How to Develop a Super-Power Memory," though, because it may be out of print. If you can't find it, try "The Memory Book." That was a best-seller in the 70s, and is by the same author, (Harry Lorayne) although it is not as good as the first one.
I wish you all the best.
Keep up the good work!
Brian at mathmojo.com
Hello, I am a teacher, and just want to clarify that many "official" educators like me do care a lot.
I have also created a booklet about the math facts. I have used it with my 1st to 4th grade classes and all of them seem to enjoy these practices and get fast and comfortable about math facts. The way I do it is in a progressive manner so that it always seem easy for the children. I do explain in the booklet tricks to remember certain facts, a little bit like the lessons explained in the "Moho" pages that Brian mentioned before.
Another aspect that students enjoy is the use of erasable markers (they love the different media)and the repetition of the same page for the whole week. This way the image of the numbers is little by little being imprinted in their minds and they can sense their own progress.
The website is www.teachinginabox.com and the booklet is "Math in a minute".
I just started also my own blog http://blog.teachinginabox.com. I'd appreciate any comment or suggestion about my blog.
If you want the booklet, let me know through the "contact us" page or to the e-mail on my page. I will also send it to you for free.
Have a nice day
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