Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

Flip

Original poster

Anyone got a magic wand?

17 replies

lovecheese · 03/03/2011 10:46

Because Im beginning to think that is the only thing that is going to help DD with her maths . Quick recap - 2a in KS1 Sats, put into top group in yr3 to see how she goes on; DD struggling but not moved, preferred to bury her head in the sand; finally moved down about May time of yr3 but by then any confidence starting to wane; had intervention in small groups in yr4 (incidentally this teacher identified that there were gaps in her knowledge - the yr3 teacher didn't say a lot ), ended yr4 on 3c; Has had more intervention this year, including 1:1 which she absolutely hated and TBH don't think helped a lot and is now targetted for more intervention in small groups (currently a 3b). Suggested getting some past SATs papers to get her used to the style of questions - not to sit her down under test conditions - and DD reacted as though we had suggested selling one of her kidneys. She does her homework quite willingly, but no more, hates computers so will not entertain the idea of online games, refuses to practice X tables with us and to top it all has a younger sister who loves maths and finds it all quite easy.

I am conscious that we are half way through the school year already and am seriously considering a tutor - Oh, BTW, any tutoring agencies can bog off right now from replying - in the hope that it may help. Her main problem has always been number and mental recall, and whilst her confidence is increasing a little and DD has said herself that she thinks she has improved her basics are still shaky and comes unstuck a lot of the time because of this.

WWYD? Tutor? leave it? Hope this latest round of intervention is going to help? Thanks for reading and any thoughts much appreciated.

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Original poster

lovecheese · 03/03/2011 10:59

If I could turn the clock back I would put her in a lower group at the start of Yr3 because that's when it all started to go wrong.

OP posts:

Original poster

lovecheese · 03/03/2011 11:06

Me again, sorry, just to add that her literacy by comparison is great, so she doesn't lack general ability.

OP posts:

IndigoBell · 03/03/2011 11:18

So she is in Y5 and currently a 3b?

mummytime · 03/03/2011 11:21

Have you considered she may have dyscalcula?

Actually it could be that she actually has a mathematical brain and will do much better at Secondary. If you can find a tutor that she likes and gets on with then that could help. I'd also recommend looking at : Times Tales This has helped my children learn their tables.
I would also ask for more information about exactly which areas does she have difficulty with: addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, place value, shape, spatial, word problems etc. I would also like to know exactly how they are helping, and how she feels. Is she freezing because she thinks she is useless? Do time limits freak her?

Good luck!

Original poster

lovecheese · 03/03/2011 11:29

IndigoBell - yes, yr5 and 3b, so 2 sub-levels progress in 2 1/2 years.

mummytime - yes, that thought has occurred to me, but school have never mentioned it and I know that she is not doing SO badly that dyscalcula has been something we have pursued. Her problem is numbers in general, by contrast she is good at things like shape and spatial prolems. She has said, and I have noticed this, that she cannot "See" numbers in her head, she has to write them down. As to the time limit question, possibly, if she looks at a question and it looks as though it's gonna take a while to work out she won't attempt it - but in literacy she will make herself a check-list in tests to make sure she includes everything!

OP posts:

IndigoBell · 03/03/2011 11:31

If she is a 3b she does not have dyscalcula.

A level 3b at this stage in Y5 is fine and nothing to be worried about. You should chill for another year and let school do it's stuff.....

If she is a 3b now she is on track to achieve a 4b by end of Y6, which is a perfectly respectable grade.

Original poster

lovecheese · 03/03/2011 11:31

Oh and she is good at problem-solving in real life situations and is turning out to be quite a leader at school.

OP posts:

IndigoBell · 03/03/2011 11:34

Sorry - x-posted.

I can see why you're worried. She has not made good progress.

Original poster

lovecheese · 03/03/2011 11:34

But Indigo, that is expecting her to make 3 sub-levels progress in 1 1/2 years, when she has only made 2 so far in 2 1/2 years - wouldn't you say that, for her, that is a bit unrealistic?

OP posts:

Original poster

lovecheese · 03/03/2011 11:34

Sorry, x-posted too!

OP posts:

IndigoBell · 03/03/2011 11:42

She will be targetted to make 3 sub levels in 1 1/2 years.

May or may not be realistic. Very hard to tell without knowing her and the school......

I think school are on to it, and giving her loads and loads of interventions.

So it depends on what you think of the school. If they have already given her 1:1 and it didn't work - I don't see why a tutor would work.

On the other hand, with another years maturity all of this may just sort itself out.

I don't want to sound trite, and really can't advise you what to do without knowing an awful lot more, but my (bizarre) recommendation would actually just be Omega Fish Oil and taking the stress off her as much as possible......

Then at the start of Y6 I'd talk to her new teacher and find out what they think.....

Original poster

lovecheese · 03/03/2011 11:49

Thanks for posting again. Yes I do trust school (apart from the yr3 bit, ggrrrr). Her 1:1 teacher, how should I put it, terrified her, so maybe a private tutor who we selected very carefully could make a difference. I also share your thoughts as to a suck-it-and-see approach, and, yes, more time elapsing and the maturity that goes with it could be the key. As to the fish oils, completely agree, but - she refuses to take them because they tast "fishy" (Lovecheese goes away for a moment to bang her head against the nearest wall), she was on them but now will not take them, so if you or anyone else knows of any brands that really do not taste fishy at all I would be very grateful!!!

OP posts:

IndigoBell · 03/03/2011 11:56

Does she eat Tuna? What I do is give my kids a snack of tuna when they get home from school and pour the (unflavoured) fish oil over that. (or put it in their dinner )

Else I have heard you can actually rub it on the inside of her wrist and she will absorb it through the skin.

Or you can take the capsule ones if she will swallow them......

mummytime · 03/03/2011 11:57

It could be dyscalculia, as someone I know who has struggled with it described a similar problem to your daughter. Anyhow just in case it helps here is a link.
If she tastes the fish taste maybe that isn't her problem, you could try linseeds. As a girl she is more likely not to have the fault which means you can't synthesis the oils you need from these ones; at least if I read Alex Richardson's book correctly.

The right tutor is crucial, good luck.

Original poster

lovecheese · 03/03/2011 20:51

Just had an in-depth chat with DD about maths, she was actually willing to talk which in itself is an improvement. She says she feels bamboozled by numbers at times and freezes when asked questions orally, it is becoming quite clear that she is a visual/kinaesthetic learner and definitely not an auditory one. I suggested having more visual aids on the table to help her so that she isn't spending ages working out simple multiplications when she should be moving on to steps 2 and 3 for example, and her teacher has said that she has a good understanding of methods - she is up for this, providing that any aids don't have "For X's use" emblazoned on them in marker pen, God love her. Will talk to teacher tomorrow and discuss what I have written here, will keep you posted.

OP posts:

sageygirl · 03/03/2011 22:10

Good luck, I'd say that her being able to talk about it and want to improve is half the battle. Perhaps a tutor she likes might help, but I think if I were you I'd have a go with the visual aids first as she has agreed to it, and only resort to a tutor in yr 6 if it isn't helping.

Tuna has poor omega3 levels - try salmon or mackeral - mine love fish pies provided lots of cheesey sauce. Neither will touch a tablet / capsule though. Interesting idea about absorbing through skin - I might try to read up on that.

ChazsBrilliantAttitude · 03/03/2011 23:10

You could try the eye q fish oils. The are very
a bit pricy. We have the lemon one (DS1 has mild dyslexia so I am giving them a go) and it doesn't taste fishy at all. Look out for BOGOF or 3for2 in Boots or Holland and Barrett.

Flip