To think this Maths target is completely pointless

[NoCryingInEngineering]

DS is in Yr 2 (and finding it boring and repetative). A couple of weeks before half term he and a chunk of his class came out of school clutching Target Met certificates for knowing their 2 times table. Today there was a new maths target stuck in his school diary.... to know the doubles of numbers to 12!!

I am totally WTF??? and this close to writing a That Parent note back to the teacher. Am I missing something or is this the most pointless target ever?

No, I'm an engineer. One of those total weirdos that actually uses maths every day. But still not getting how doubles to double 12 is different to 2x table

Exactly! which is why you don’t understand what type of work he needs to do - just like his teacher wouldn’t understand things you do in your job.

The concepts and methods are often much more important than getting the correct answer.
You would have learnt all these things yourself but not realised.

I teach secondary science and I will teach the same concept but in various different ways. If I taught it one way and moved on it would be a lot harder for them to understand and retain and wouldn’t be able to use the methods in different scenarios in future lessons, tests and life.

I'm sorry but are most definitely 'one of those parents' already, just by posting your grievances online for hundreds of strangers to discuss.... Just have a word with your teacher - I really can't understand the need for this post 😂😂

I hope your child's teacher is okay. School is a really toxic and stressful environment atm! Be kind 😊

Agreed. Mastering concepts through a wide range of activities is so much more beneficial than purely looking through workbooks from the next year group!

If your child likes doubling, then discuss the famous grain of rice problem.

Allegedly, someone did a favour for an Emperor and was told he could have anything in return. So he asked for rice.

1 grain of rice on a chess board square. Double that for the next one. Double again.

See how long it takes till he loses count.

You could then generalise to see if he can work out a pattern (you might want to limit to 5 squares)

Pattern recognition, algebra (yes, even at this stage) and generalisation is a fun concept.

Still - if you want some real fun.

Give him a some playdough in a lump. Then get a similar size lump but make it into a long thin tube. Ask him which has more playdough in.

Or put a litre of water into a tall thin glass and a small wide container and ask him which has more in.

No, I'm an engineer. One of those total weirdos that actually uses maths every day. But still not getting how doubles to double 12 is different to 2x table

Being an engineer doesn't make you an expert in how Year 2 children's brains usually deal with maths or with different terminology or ways of doing maths though. What is an obvious connection or concept for you is not necessarily obvious to the average young child.

Firstly, doubles up to 12s and 2 times tables are different.

Just as you wouldn't appreciate teachers questioning why you do things at work, leave the teaching to them, they're the experts.

The issue here is a bigger one. I would approach his teacher and tell them that you are concerned that he is becoming disinterested in school as he finds things easy, and boring. You should be more concerned that he is at risk of being permanently disengaged from school, and dislike learning, or attending school.

I do remember my own DC learning times tables and then doing doubling and halving so it’s normal to learn it as different topics. And it is easier for when they go on to things like division and percentages and then squaring and cubing numbers.

I agree with the PP too it is a worry that they are finding lesions boring at primary school. It could be that the work is too easy or too difficult for him or there could be others reasons which need to be looked into.

Not enjoying homework - fine.
Not enjoying school - worrying as it can be a slippery slope.

I have a year 2 in top set. Targets are same as other kids for the top set but worded differently. So 12x2=28- (..) - lots of variants of that. Plus multi step word problems around 2,5 and 10 times table. Please download teacher assessment framework at the end of key stage 1- mathematics 2020/2021 and go to the greater depth section. Lots of examples there. Only if your kid can easily do all of those types of questions ask for harder work.

Maths is an important skill and not everyone can learn all the tables off by heart before aged 8.

I agree that the boredom issue is one to address, as it may be an underlying problem.

Apologies for disappearing, life happened.

Anyway, talked (nicely) to his teacher, the target applies to the whole class but they are doing money this week (makes the target even more logical). Asked DS how maths was, he did a huuuuuge sigh and said he "I finished all the questions because it was too easy and then Miss X said I had to write my own so I added all the things up on the sheet and it was only 234p and that's the same as £2.34 you know Mum"

Also, got him a magazine at the weekend that turned out to have some maths puzzles in, which we watchedhim do. He asked for help on 24/4 and had the right answers soon as we said half and half again. 32/8 he worked out from the instructions for the toy on the front of the magazine. 19-16 he said it's just 9-6 because the 10s are the same. For the puzzle at the top he was doing 9+12=21, 21+7=28, double 8=16, double 20=40, 40+10=50, 50+6=56 out loud but not writing the steps down. The whole lots took him about 5 mins.

So if he won't write anything down I can see why his teachers may doubt his understanding (flashbacks to my school experience here) but I can also see why he might be getting frustrated with school maths