Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Primary education

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

Original poster

maths problems

13 replies

justcallmemummypig · 06/10/2011 14:24

dd is in year 2 (a young one july b'day) and doesn't have the best grasp of maths.

We have been playing board games (loose change, magic cauldron), and have been doing number bonds with playing cards. Have a big bag of beads and have been explaining times tables in sets. She seems to understand it all but doesn't seem able to do it.

She is now doing mental maths at school and was upset doing last nights homeowrk (schofield and sims workbook) as she has to do it in her head and not on her fingers and she can't (am going to clarify this at parents evening next week but she was adament about no fingers)

The other problem she seems to have is rushing but i think maybe she panics, we have a whiteboard and i've been putting ten sums a day on there for her to do and some days she gets them all and the others none.

any ideas please?

OP posts:
fastweb · 06/10/2011 14:28

yes, but not cheap.

Had the same prob, then he discovered live maths challenge on mathletics.

He likes winning and just stuck with it. He typically comes first these days in the mental maths races on the site...and is insufferable about it.

I'd only invest if you thought the rest of the site was any good to you too.

Think I paid about 100euros for the year, but not sure.

Original poster
justcallmemummypig · 06/10/2011 14:36

thank you will look at it... have a ds who starts next year so maybe beneficial to both?

I am just concerned that if she doesn't grasp the basics now it's a long road ahead. I'm using the old practice makes perfect at the moment.

If she had 20 - 18 she would start taking eighteeen away in her head rather than thinking 8 + 2 etc.. i'm staruggling to get her to see that...

OP posts:
witchwithallthetrimmings · 06/10/2011 14:42

i would just step back a bit. most children don't learn their tables until much later on in the year or in year 3.
Goto the KS1 bitesize on the bbc and you may be surprised about what most children are expected to be doing at this level. She may also enjoy the games

Original poster
justcallmemummypig · 06/10/2011 15:46

i will look at that website too thank you.

Please don't misunderstand me i'm not trying to push her ahead of her year, i just want her to be able to cope with her schoolwork/homework.

OP posts:
2BoysTooLoud · 06/10/2011 16:07

It seems strange she can't use her fingers in year 2. Are you sure she is behind as far as NC levels are concerned?

SandStorm · 06/10/2011 16:10

Are you sure that she's not taking the title of the book too literally? Just because it's called Mental Maths I'm sure it doesn't mean she has to do it all in her head. Why don't you just clarify this with her teacher. We use these books and although I work in upper KS2 all we take this to mean is 'don't use a calculator'.

Original poster
justcallmemummypig · 06/10/2011 16:11

i'm not sure about the fingers thing, i will bring it up at parents evening. It's her thats adament (this is for mental maths)

not sure what her level is as have never been told... i just know she finds the h/w difficult, and that maths is her weak point.

We have just introduced pocket money as suggested by someone else on here.... trying to bring maths into everything we do without her realising at the moment!

OP posts:
Original poster
justcallmemummypig · 06/10/2011 16:13

thank you am beginning to think dd hasn't understood correctly. Will put a note in her book 2moro.

OP posts:
witchwithallthetrimmings · 06/10/2011 16:13

might be interested in this
my ds is slightly ahead of his peers (was working at level 2a at then end of last year in year 1) but when he is tired or distracted he can't do simple sums either.

fastweb · 06/10/2011 16:14

so maybe beneficial to both

Sure, if you don't mind the record keeping of results getting a bit mucked up by two users.

Maybe let them play against the computer to start till they get the hang of it, and then let them loose on playing against kids all over the world.

Be prepared for the start of an obsession. Grin

There is an ipad app too once you have subscribed, but I haven't tried it yet, not wanting to give him more reason to snatch the new toy off me.

Original poster
justcallmemummypig · 06/10/2011 16:19

ooh an ipad am very jealous

OP posts:
fastweb · 06/10/2011 16:34

show DH the amazing educational app "the elements" tell him ipad is VITAL for child's education, talk about dragon dictation and prepareing child with the skills of tomorrows working world today....win.

And then gorge self with mumsnet consumption cos there is no longer the hassle of turning the puter on.

BBC good food mag is also BRILL on the ipad, as is BBC player for people outside of UK, you NEEEEEEEED one.

I turned my nose up when it came out and said it was a toy. Am total convert since I my son got one for his birthday.

And I want one just for me ):

New posts on this thread. Refresh page