All a bit out to sea.

[gemscat]

My DS like a few on here received level 3's at the year 2 sats, however only got a 2a, for writing, this is despite having taught himself to write at about 3 years old, he's a bit of a funny one, as he was drawing road maps at this age, including correctly spelt road names with no input from me, however now his handwritng is worse than back then, because they expect him to write according to proper methods (which I understand is necessary), ironically when he was 3 it was difficult to tell if DS, or an adult had written certain things, so have no idea what has happend. I have just been notified that he has been put on the more able pupil register at school, and have been invited to apply for a place at a creative thinking workshop, which I hope I can attend, as he has been identified due to his maths, however when I tried to tackle last night's homework with him, he just added up the answer in his head, and got very angry and upset when I had to explain to him he had to show his working out, and in particular the way the worksheet dictated. We made a little progress when I asked him to do the answer in his head, and then explain to me how he arrived at the answer, but it all seems a little too backwards, and long winded , could really do with some advice

[sarahfreck]

I'd write a note to the teacher explaining what you have just said here about DC being frustrated at having to do the sum according to particular method and explain the method he used in his head. Then just ask her advice as you "don't want homework to become a battleground when up till now he's really enjoyed maths" This puts the ball into her court in having to think about how to deal with your DS, alerts her even more to his efficiency at doing the maths and also makes her aware of his frustration.

[gemscat]

Hi, thank you, yes I will do that when we get back to school, the riddiculous thing is this has been set over the half term holiday, and only showed up on the portal, after they broke up, so for the moment think we will have to grin and bare it til its back to school time. Good advice though much appreciated, he has parents evening in a couple of weeks, so hopefully I can get some joy then :).

[Lizcat]

The workings are important for the future - at A level there are often 5 marks for the sum, but only 1 is for the correct answer 4 is for correct technique. Is it possible for you to reward the working out as well as the answer? This allows him to see the benefit of the working out.

[minimathsmouse]

I agree the working out is very important in exams. However a child who is gifted at maths often uses their intuition. They arrive at the answer sometimes without using the methods we use.

If the work is too easy a child will often think the working out on paper is boring and want to ignore this.

I teach maths in KS1 & 2, I have worked with a couple of very able kids who are very reluctant to show working out. DS1 is way a-head of his peers doing GCSE at 9, I am constantly having to show him the importance of written methods.

It is often compounded by the school. So although the teacher wants to see working out, children are taught the more intuitive methods first. Years ago we were taught one method and not encouraged to develop our own, this meant that written methods become 2nd nature.

In terms of the writing, I had a similar situation with DS around the age of 8, when the school insisted he do cursive (joined up writing) He had been writing at 2.5, doing maths, labelling maps, very similar to your boy. His writing was printed but very neat. Then cursed cursive handwriting imposed by the school, stopped him in his tracks.

He told me his wrist hurt and his arm ached. He also has trouble tieing shoe laces, using a knife and fork, sewing etc.

Does your son find writing uncomfortable? Its quite common in bright kids, either because their writing can not keep pace with their thoughts or because of disgraphia.

Have a long but relaxed chat, well away from the homework, you know one of those sort of side by side chats that boys favour. See if your son can shed any light on the situation before you speak to his teacher.

[gemscat]

Thanks for all your idea's and support, I too realise that the working out is important, not less for such area's as GCSe and A level down the line, I knew this when he got frustrated, and I have explained why it is important, its just the method the school are using is not particulary natural which doesn't help, did think about giving him a much harder sum, to see if it imporved his readiness to try the method. He has since undertaken the homework, it took less than 5 minutes, including showing how he worked it out, but he missed things like + signs and = in places, and he even got 2 wrong the first time he did it! So I sent hom back to correct the 2 that were wrong, and add in the symbols he missed in places, which took him longer lol. I think it is just as important for the teacher to sit down and re-iterate everything I have told him, as me pointing these things out, I'm hoping there would be a greater respect for the instruction that needs to be undertaken.I don't know about disgraphia, he is a leftie, but he still doesn't write joined up (cursive), its mre I think because he taught himself to write its very hard for him to break the habbits he has set himself into, so he forms some letters not according to the method they are taught, even when they were taught non cursive letter formation, but I will have a chat with him, and look into it a little further. I know that he does skip over stuff because his brain works faster than he can write, and I think that may well be why he has been so turned off to writing now. Keep your thoughts coming guy's [hsmile]

[ragged]

This is classic for boys, they really don't like to show their work in maths.
So, Um, no ideas, but it's pretty normal.
You don't say how old he is now, but I wouldn't think it's at all worth making a battle over if he's still in primary school.
When he's older he'll better be able to see the point of showing his work.

[gemscat]

Hi Ragged, yeah he's only 7 and a half bless him, but of course as a parent you panic, especially, when like my son, there possibly appears to be a lazy streak, personally I just want him to be happy, but as his mum, I also understand that sometimes we know best so as to increase their happiness down the line, obviously he has a long time til he has to worry about such issues, but I'm sure it would be agreed, it needs to become habbit now, allowise the problem with writing may well become a problem with maths down the line [hsmile]