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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to hate Times Tables Rockstars?

90 replies

Rinoachicken · 04/10/2020 15:40

So my 6 year old has a login for TTRS. He has SEN and really struggles in all areas.

Sat down this weekend to have a go at the 2x and 1x tables which is what they’ve been doing at school.

But no, you can’t choose which times tables to practice - it just has all of them, plus divisions.

So his first question is 98/2. He has no idea of the answer, can see the timer counting down, and gets all upset, doesn’t want to play. He can’t even skip the question.

Way to put kids under pressure and destroy a child’s confidence.

Why is there no practice mode with no timer? Why is there no option to choose which tables to include? Surely that’s a pretty basic function??!!

OP posts:
Original poster
Rinoachicken · 04/10/2020 15:41

10x tables not 1!

OP posts:
stgrssl · 04/10/2020 15:42

School should be setting him specific time's-tables to learn. I thought the teacher could do this in TTRS

StripyHorse · 04/10/2020 15:43

YANBU to hate it for your child's stage of learning.

It is, however, useful when children are more confident and just need to practise.

spanieleyes · 04/10/2020 15:43

I'm pretty certain that The teacher can set the tables tested, ask them just to set for 2x and 10x

BasKaro · 04/10/2020 15:44

If i were you I would spend the time doing timestables in a way which suited my child and tell the school that you are doing x/y/z instead. Not every method is suitable for every child.

FloydWasACat · 04/10/2020 15:44

I hate TT Rock Stars, it stresses my DS out so much and he is nearly 11!

autumnkate · 04/10/2020 15:44

The teacher hasn’t set it properly. All the times tables shouldn’t be available til they are older.

Honeybobbin · 04/10/2020 15:47

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

SliceOfFriedGold · 04/10/2020 15:47

Yes - the teacher can set the times tables.

Original poster
Rinoachicken · 04/10/2020 15:47

I’ve dropped his teacher an email. Honestly, even with just those two I really don’t think this is going to be useful for him - he needs time to work things out not be put under pressure and feel like he failed when the clock runs out.

OP posts:
HandfulofDust · 04/10/2020 15:48

The teacher should have set appropriate times tables I wouldflag it with the teacher and not bother in the mean time.

Mysa74 · 04/10/2020 15:48

My sympathies OP.
My daughter is good at them if shebusesit regularly, but gets slower if she doesn't practice, it's easy to get disheartened .Just asked my husband your questions. You can't just practice one but if you ask the teacher they can allocate specific tables for you. You can change the timer up to 3 minutes in the garage area... Hope this helps you both?

ILoveMyMonkey · 04/10/2020 15:48

I hate it and I'm a teacher, it's seems to reset itself as well so whatever I set them it seems to override and give them all. Use hit the button instead it's much easier to use, quick and has a timer, plus when he gets really confident he can hit the question rather than the answer.
www.topmarks.co.uk/maths-games/hit-the-button

ToelessPobble · 04/10/2020 15:48

I yabu but only because for some children it motivates them to do their timestables especially as they enjoy using their points to buy things, for other kids like yours it is completely the wrong thing and you just need to work out what works. I can't get my child off it and he point blank refuses to do any other homework whatsoever. I am really surprised by that question as they only go up to 12* each number so I imagine it is somehow on the wrong setting which the teacher can change for you.

Makinglists · 04/10/2020 15:50

I'm sure the teacher can set the tables, when we were learning I don't think the ÷ came in until they had got confident at the x. Squeebles tt app is good - a bit gentler in its progress and you earn brain brakes when you get to catch a squeeble - I think tt rock stars is more suited to ks2 when kids are getting more competitive with each other. Ds2 uses and gets on with it fairly well (he's 9), however the same company does numbots and he loathes that with a passion.
Speak to the school as one method dosent suit all.

Allthegoodnamesweretakenalread · 04/10/2020 15:51

My daughter hates it as well, she finds the pressure of the timer really off putting. We stopped using it. We have orchard games times table game instead. It's a great way to practice multiplication and less pressured.

APipkinOfPepper · 04/10/2020 15:52

We had it over lockdown. My DD hated it, it was the time pressure, she’d get upset and refuse to do anymore - and she’s not bad at maths generally. I think we found something else - maybe a BBC game that wasn’t timed so she could do it at her own pace. I also made some dominoes which had times tables on one half to get her to practice that way instead.

AgnesNaismith · 04/10/2020 15:56

Yanbu

We use days of listening to Percy Parker songs - whichever table it is, this seems to help! After that we go to hit the button.

There is another book for visual learners which is absolutely crazy but worked really well for dd. It is called times tables and has characters associated with each number, if they can remember the story they will remember the answer.

I think you have to work out how your dc learns best, audio, visual or written and go with that.

Original poster
Rinoachicken · 04/10/2020 15:57

Thanks for the suggestions for other platforms, I’ll definitely take a look at those.

OP posts:
Livebyfaithnotsight · 04/10/2020 16:05

My 7 yr old dd has access to this and also has the problem of times tables she struggles with (7 times tables and above ) appearing in the questions.

She gets upset when she doesn't know the answer, which means I then have to either console her when she doesn't earn the coins to spend on things , or I would have to tell her the answers, which kind of defeats the purpose.

I may contact her teacher and ask if it can be set to the ones she is working on currently.

Atadaddicted · 04/10/2020 16:11

I love it
Really
My son was good at maths but not great
TY rockstars really grabbed him. He became addicted!
The knock on effect on his maths was astounding
And basically his maths was a huge reason why he got a huge bursary

Ohdoleavemealone · 04/10/2020 16:23

My DS hates it too. He can do his timestables but the timer just adds too much pressure.

gottastopeatingchocolate · 04/10/2020 16:24

My DD hates it. The timer is the main issue. She has issues with anxiety anyway, but it really stresses her out.

The teacher can set the tables. Also, you can "pass" a question by answering incorrectly. I get DD to type either a complete guess or a 1, to move on. It does put the incorrect tally in red, which I don't like either, but every correct answer wins coins, which is the only bit DD likes.

I hate the competitive nature of it. DD has said that kids are named and shamed in class if they don't use it, they get dojo points for the amount of time they spend on it, they give "certificates" for the one in each class with the most points and they play classes off against each other.

My DD prefers a web site called timestables.co.uk. They have games on there which are less intimidating to her. Maybe look at those? (I can only think of My Smart Horse which is her favourite.)

kursaalflyer · 04/10/2020 16:27

My school have this and it's relatively successful (ie most of the children are on board with it in the classes I've worked in) but I was under the impression that there was a practise mode to learn the specific times table before going onto the timed tests. And yes, the teacher must set an achievable level, that sounds very soul-destroying.

rc22 · 04/10/2020 16:36

As a teacher, I would recommend timestables.co.uk. It's quite basic but a nice,gentle way to learn tables.