Help with Maths (Generally) for 7 year old

[Flowertop]

Hi, am sure I will get some good sound advice from MN. Having problems with DS and his numeracy in that a) he is not interested and b) he just does not get it - kind of a hammer and chisel job. He is struggling at school and have spoken to his teacher (which is another story) but really need to know some good methods to help him at home. Has anyone had similar problems and how did you get round this. I think the lack of interest is lack of confidence as he just doesn't get it. If I try to explain his 5 times tables for example he can run off 5,10,15,20,25,30 etc. but when I try to say so what is 1 x 5, 2 x5 (in many different ways) he just doesn't understand the concept. The maths level in his class (year2) is generally very high so it makes things worse for him. ThanksXX

My dd didnt know her 3x table on saturday and on sunday she was skipping and I was repeating the times tables over and over and suggesting she joined in if she knew the answers, she didnt really join in but it must have somehow gone in...last night, Monday, she had homework surrounding the 3x table and she knew the answers.
So going over it must have worked somehow. I also told her that the next answer was 3 more than the last...and she seems to get that..and hopefully once the basic goes in the rest will follow and she will be able to work out 6x3 knowing 5x3 is 15...easy peasy, plus 3...you know??!!!
It really hard this teaching lark isnt it?!

Is this of any use to you?...

maths target sheet for year 2

We have just started doing Kumon maths with ds (6) for just this reason. They start them off at a much more basic level than they are capable of and then gradually bring them up, so that they are completely confident on each stage before moving on. They also have a brilliant reward system, so the children are really motivated to do their practice. Might be worth investigating.

At what level is his numeracy confident? - does he know his "number bonds" (eg 6+4, 7+3, 9+1 all = 10, 16+4, 11+9, 8+12 all = 20, eg)? If he is not confident at that level, I really recommend getting him some Cuisenaire rods (scroll down the page) - you just kind of mess around with them at home, making patterns and shapes and stonehenges, and suddenly the number bonds are there.

Other Tarquin stuff (same site) is wonderful for maths ideas at home.

Would a good computer game help? We have a good American game (Software on CD) called Maths Missions. MM has multiple ability levels and works on lots of facets of maths -- definitely the harder stuff is about the same level as the worksheet linked to by schnapps. We bought MM on Amazon. When the player answers questions correctly they earn money to spend in the "arcade" to play some quite addictive games (DH & I have a running battle over high score on one of these games). Maths Missions is meant for K-2nd grade, or age 5-8.

The only slight inconvenient thing is it teaches kids to count in American money (coins=quarters, dimes, etc.), but otherwise I think it's fine for British kids, too. I am sure that it has really helped DS (now age 6) to understand lots of maths things.

There's other games you could try, including ones on websites, too.

Schnapps - how funny! We get those target sheets sent home (occasionally) and I had assumed the teachers had devised them.

Thanks all, the target sheet is really going to be useful. I feel we have a long way to go. He really seems to struggle with maths and blocks me when I try to help. The suggested computer games sound good and I think I will look into help with Kumon. Not sure I wanted to go down this route as his teacher advised against it as he would know he had to more than the other kids to catch up. Not easy eh but thanks again.XX

Frogs can I just ask if your DS was negative about doing numeracy before enrolling for Kumon. I am concerned that because he is so negative about doing anything to do with school work he will react badly when I try to get him extra tuition. I suppose I'm asking about the methods of teach i.e. is it like a classroom environment or do they make it much more fun. Thanks again, xx

Hi, I thought I'd chip in with our experience of Kumon - which is very positive. Both my ds & dd do it, ds has been keen from the start but dd was quite reluctant but now freely admits that it has helped her significantly.

Kumon is mainly done at home, one worksheet each day & the children time themselves, they have to aim to be both quick & accurate. You go into the centre each week to do a piece of work there to be marked by the teacher hand in work,resolve problems etc etc.
IME it really does help to go over things far more than there is time for at school & the child's confidence in their ability & enjoyment of maths increases.

I would say, though, that if you can, shop around to find a Kumon teacher you are happy with as they vary a lot - some don't have teaching backgrounds and go into Kumon purely as a business venture.

It also helps to have a teacher who is prepared to be flexible/challenge the Kumon Institute - some of the Kumon methods vary from the English National Curriculum & you really need to make sure your teacher will follow the english way rather than the Kumon way. Also, Kumon HQ are, apparently very rigid & inflexible about how children do/progress through etc Kumon & this is not always the best way for an individual, so, again, check that your teacher will look at your child rather than the Kumon prescription (I think this is prob where the teacher v business person shows!)

Sorry - v long post - hope it's useful!

Binkie have bought the Cuisenaire Rods (sorry if seem thick) but not sure how to use them. Can you give me some advice/ideas please. Anyone else got any good ideas to use these rods would be appreciated.
thanksxx

Have they arrived yet? If not, when they do, you'll see how appealing they are just to play with them - I haven't yet met a child who didn't like making patterns with them: laying out the orange 10 next to the blue 9 next to the black 8 down to the buff 1 and then realising you can turn your pattern into a square by adding a 9 on the 1 and an 8 on the 2 and so on. I remember really clearly having a lovely time doing that as a 4 year old.

Every pattern a child makes with them is learning about how numbers combine, so it can be really relaxed - ds and dd went through a long period of making elaborate "cakes" (??) with them - I think that just meant enjoying the colours.

That all said, when I bought mine they came with some little books of suggestions of how to use them in schools, and I'd be very happy to pass those on to you (free) - let me know.

Binkie thanks for your quick response. They have arrived but with no suggestions, booklets etc. which I was expecting to have. Would appreciate the booklets if that's ok. Do you just teach the child that e.g. organge represents number 10, blue 9, d green 6, etc. etc. and does the child start to relate to the colours/vs numbers or am I barking up the wrong tree. Thanks again.XX

OK - CAT me your address and I'll send them on!

Yes, just show them that (eg) 2 of the little buff ones make up a red two, 5 little red twos "are the same as" 1 orange ten, and that a six and a four also are the same as a ten, then leave them to mess around with them (apparently the first thing most children do is make "trains").

I don't think there's anything that significant about the colours chosen - it's to make a good contrast between one number and the next, and to make them more appealing to play with. I think. That orange is 10 sorts of grows out of realising that the orange rod is the same as two yellow rods and a yellow rod is five buff cubes - which are obviously ones! I hope I'm making sense.

Flowertop, I posted a long post to help with learning tables on the thread about Y3 homework. Can't find it to link it at the moment but if you look in archives under my name with key words 'lots of', it should come up. I'm not suggesting it's wonderful just that it may be something else that helps.
I'm numeracy co-ord. so if ther's anything specific you want to ask, feel free to CAT me.

Binkie have sent you my details. Thanks.

Homemama can't find your thread in the archives. It's really just general as to how I can improve DS1's confidence with his numeracy as hates it and struggles really hard. I try to help but he blocks me out and does not want to know. I just need some strategies to get him going. Thanks all for your helpXX

Here's the link, Flowertop.

Oh thanks, FV.
I've just worked out how to do links then couldn't find the thread!

This is so useful - ever thought of writing a book homemama - thanks all!! XX

I haven't the patience, Flowertop. Glad you found it useful. As I said, feel free to CAT me if you need anything else.
He just needs to be motivated and encouraged, then he'll start enjoying it.

Flowertop, I have your CAT and will send on Monday - hope OK then. (Dd's birthday consuming everything this weekend.)

Flowertop, package is on way - sorry, I sealed it up without thinking so there's no note - anyway, it's very obviously from me. There's a book and some mini workbooks, all so endearingly old-fashioned. I do hope it's helpful.

Binkie, got pacakge today (just back from half term hols) thank you so much. Please let me know your address so I can send money for postage etc. These will come in very useful. XX

curriculum online.