Maths woes or not
Posted: Wed Feb 05, 2014 12:21 pm
Hi
I have two sons, twins. Both working well in maths, but where one has a very open mindset to maths (ask for help, work at it until you understand), the other is far more fixed (if I can't do it immediately I must be too thick and will never learn). He is one mental maths book below his twin in a small primary, but still working at good level 5. Teacher says his performance in class is fine and he engages in lessons and book work. It's the mental maths homework we struggle with. I have his book and I've just done the whole section, there is nothing in it that he cannot do. However, left to himself he will get 60% wrong by rushing, making hurried errors and by absolutely refusing to check it or thing it through slowly.
How doi tackle this? So far we have had
1. Let him make the mistakes and do nothing. They mark their own at school and go through all the answers, but I take a group myself, there is not a lot of time to make sure each member of group understands completely
2. Helping him at home, lots of tears, his and mine, as he gets cross and snappy and lolls in chair saying "2 x 12? I dunno I dunno!"
Mug that I am I am determined to go in for another try. Whilst my biggest concern is maintaining his confidence, equally I think this frantic backing off from any pushing through frustration is doing nothing for either his skills or in the end for his confidence (group sessions cannot be fun if you have made loads of mistakes), and ultimately it is setting a dislike of maths into concrete!
His teacher as I say is happy with his class work and suggests homework club, but my son really does not want to do this so it's a last option, and as many do it, they still only really help those who ask, and my son tends not to!
I can't help thinking that an honest discussion around it followed by an obligation to work through whole section, even if it's a bit bumpy, in knowledge that he can emerge at the end havingt he satisfaction of knowing how to do it, might be the way to go. But don't want to make things worse.
Thanks for any ideas!
I have two sons, twins. Both working well in maths, but where one has a very open mindset to maths (ask for help, work at it until you understand), the other is far more fixed (if I can't do it immediately I must be too thick and will never learn). He is one mental maths book below his twin in a small primary, but still working at good level 5. Teacher says his performance in class is fine and he engages in lessons and book work. It's the mental maths homework we struggle with. I have his book and I've just done the whole section, there is nothing in it that he cannot do. However, left to himself he will get 60% wrong by rushing, making hurried errors and by absolutely refusing to check it or thing it through slowly.
How doi tackle this? So far we have had
1. Let him make the mistakes and do nothing. They mark their own at school and go through all the answers, but I take a group myself, there is not a lot of time to make sure each member of group understands completely
2. Helping him at home, lots of tears, his and mine, as he gets cross and snappy and lolls in chair saying "2 x 12? I dunno I dunno!"
Mug that I am I am determined to go in for another try. Whilst my biggest concern is maintaining his confidence, equally I think this frantic backing off from any pushing through frustration is doing nothing for either his skills or in the end for his confidence (group sessions cannot be fun if you have made loads of mistakes), and ultimately it is setting a dislike of maths into concrete!
His teacher as I say is happy with his class work and suggests homework club, but my son really does not want to do this so it's a last option, and as many do it, they still only really help those who ask, and my son tends not to!
I can't help thinking that an honest discussion around it followed by an obligation to work through whole section, even if it's a bit bumpy, in knowledge that he can emerge at the end havingt he satisfaction of knowing how to do it, might be the way to go. But don't want to make things worse.
Thanks for any ideas!