Maths in year 1

[mamadou]

Hi all, I'm looking for a little comparison and insight into how much your yr 1 kids have done in maths this year. I went to an open evening recently and there was a huge difference in the amount of work my DS has done for literacy and numeracy and this concerns me.

He had 3 A4 books for writing and topic work that were all almost full. He's done a huge amount of work in literacy and reading and writing are not an issue at all. In fact I think the balance is all wrong because his maths book was nowhere near half full - I think 10-12 pages, with between 4 and 10 questions on each. Is this a normal amount?

It could be the teaching is focused on explanation instead of 'book work', but he has come home a few times to tell me about something he has 'learnt' and then proceeded to give all wrong answers. For example his attempts at doubling (to 10) were all wrong answers, even though he was suppose to have been doing this in class!!! I find this really frustrating! I'm not sure if he's young and I should leave it, or if it is a problem with the teaching and I need to be doing more. I can see that maths does not come naturally to him, even though his teachers, last year and this, have said he is good. I know that the school were criticised in there last ofsted, for failures in maths teaching and with the evidence I have, I am becoming very concerned. So please tell me what you DCs are doing, how much and whether this is normal? Thank you

Im a primary teacher and tend to find maths books arent as full cos most of the work is practical. Literacy is by its nature more about writing. However if hes struggling with things he says hes been learning ask for support.

Maths is often taught through lots of practical activities in reception and Y1 with only small amounts recorded formally in books. Children often write on white boards or use number fans to show the answer. Have you asked him what he does?

In DD's school lot of it is taught in practical way and indeed verbal quick recall rather then a "sit down and write" way.
As far as I am aware of covered so far in DD's case is following:

• and - quick verbal recall to 20, writing sums to 20 Counting in 2's, 5's and 10's up to 100 Doubling of numbers: 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and halving those same numbers This last term it cranked up a bit, so applying the 2, 5 and 10 in relation to addition and subtraction with two digit number 42+2 55+5 55+10 40+40 50+10 Teacher teaching DD's Y1 class this year is also Juniors maths co-ordinator, who also runs after school additional maths workshop for older years. This is what has been covered in DD's Y1 and I have no idea if this is line with other schools Y1's maths work. If you are asking how much DD knows of this staff that has been covered, she is OK with addition and subtraction to 20 and counting in rotation, but a bit dim with adding with two digit number and can't work out the simple change out of pound or two to save her life.

I was hoping a few teachers would come along and give me a realistic idea on how maths is taught now, so thanks. I really think things have changed a lot since I was at school and I can't remember a lot . I did think that maths would be practically taught, a lot of the time, but I think ds is still confused. I do ask him about stuff he's done, though sometimes it's like getting blood from a stone! I'm apprehensive about talking to the teacher because I don't want to sound critical and as they've told me that he is doing well in their view, they'll think I'm just being fussy. I am thinking of doing maths at home with him on a reg basis, but it's not my fave subject and I'm worried about teaching things incorrectly. Is there anything you would recommend parents do with their kids to help?

5 minutes a day on one of the following:

• number bonds, first to 10, then 20, then 100
• x tables - forwards, backwards, random
• division facts of the above
• doubling numbers
• halving numbers, including odd numbers when they are getting proficient
• addition
• subtraction
• word problems - ie. Maisie has 3 bags each containing 6 sweets, how many sweets does she have in total?.

I think the trick is very little every day, morning on the way to school is perfect time for us, we repeat every morning first doubles so 1+1, 2+2, 3+3, 4+4 and 5+5 and backwards halving half of 10, half of 8, half of 6, half of 4 and half of 2.
Then move on to adding to ten in different variations 4+3, help him by saying "you know how much is 4+4" mummy asked you with one less, he will get there, keep practising.
Count with him if necessary in 2's 5's and 10's at the beginning until he secure and then move him slowly into addition up to 20, once he feels secure with his bonds up to ten it will be a doddle, make it fun and not a chore, mental maths rather then "sit down and write" works better.
Measuring with tape measure around the house is great fun as is adding, money/coins their different value, playing cards, and rolling the dice game all great for learning addition and subtraction.

I wouldnt overdo it but if u can find out what hes learning n carry on at home in a fun way so he can see its useful. Reading bigger numbers on packaging or on weighing scales, adding prices and working out change, spotting 3d shapes. Probably all things you're doing. Just help him enjoy maths n see its real life uses. Also make sure you listen to how he works things out. As you said things have changed a lot and he may have been shown different ways to do things.

I found with my older DC that Y1 was used to set out the "basics" and then it felt like much more content was covered in Y2. so it felt very much like hardly anything was covered in Y1.

DD (who is top table in maths) is working on number bonds to 10 (starting to look at bonds to 20), counting in 2s,5s,10s, basic use of money, measuring length and weights, telling time to o'clock and half past the hour.

We do a lot more maths at home than the kids do at school. I was cr@p at maths and am determined that my kids will be confident on that subject - so that's why I married a maths teacher !!

so far DS in year 1 has done exactly the same as above: "

• and - quick verbal recall to 20, writing sums to 20 Counting in 2's, 5's and 10's up to 100 Doubling of numbers: 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and halving those same numbers

At home we have worked a lot on number bonds. We are working often on which numbers add up to ten, and counting in tens starting from any number (ie 3-13-23-33-43 etc). We have also started counting in 3's. We have started to half numbers, and at home we do some work with the Numicon method and also we have the old fashion Cuisenair rods.

We have a times tables poster on the bottom half of the fridge and my kids look at it most days (reception and y1) and they have started to understand what multiplications mean and they know what 'ten lots of ten' means and 'two lots of three' that kind of thing.

They have also started working with counting money at school.

Thank you to those who have clarified what to go over with DS. Definitely some of the things mentioned DS has not done yet - probably because he isn't ready and needs more practise on the simple things, but at least I have an idea of what I am aiming for. I do resent having to do this extra work at home after he's been at school for 30 hours, but like BlueberryPancake I don't want him to be bad at maths and he obviously needs more reinforcing of ideas to get a firm hold of them.

I do resent having to do this extra work at home after he's been at school for 30 hours minus 5 hours lunch minus 2.5 hours breaks divided between 12 subjects doesn't leave much time really

whereas he only has 138 hours a week not in school

Have a chat to the teacher to find out what he is doing and the try and relax.
He is year 1 - not hugely important to be a maths whizz/ Einstein imho.

I always think that Maths is a life skill ... Not a subject! It invades every part of of life ... Why limit a child's exposure to maths to 30 hours a week?

Hi mamadou:

To understand what is covered in each year - see campaign for real education curriculum notes: www.cre.org.uk/docs/primary_maths_curriculum.pdf - this is working to 'ideal' and may not be the reality of your school, but at least you know what should be possible for a pupil in YR, Y1, etc...

although I appreciate that mrz doesn't like extra work at home - I think it depends on the quality of the school/ teachers. I think if you know the school isn't holding up their end of the bargain then as a parent, you are stuck between a rock and hard place (by the way this situation was recently confirmed in OFSTED report for our school mrz - they've been given one calendar year to improve maths provision, especially for girls) . Do nothing and allow your child to leave primary unable to multiply (which is the norm at our primary) or intervene. I wasn't able to stand by doing nothing.

For supporting materials - access to worksheets/ games to help reinforce learning at home: www.bbc.co.uk/schools/teachers/keystage_1/topics/maths_ks1.shtml

Also some of the BBC Bitesize games for KS1 (so some are for Y2 & you'll have to work out which are appropriate) - www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/ks1/maths/

The nice thing about the BBC learning games & bitesize is once you've identified the games to support learning, you can pretty well leave your DC to it.

Downloadable free videogames in maths:

Tux of Math Command: tux4kids.alioth.debian.org/tuxmath/
Like the old video game Asteroids - only math problems come down the screen and you shoot them away by typing in the correct answer. You can set ability level and select the type of problem to review.

Timez Attack: Addition/ Subtraction are in Beta version but great Multiplication & Division games - there are free slimmed down versions - but you can upgrade to full versions (but pricey). Basically you chose to be a little boy or girl monster and run through a dungeon or castle solving problems. It is visual - so you see groups of numbers (i.e 4 x 7 - you see 4 sets of 7 blue balls - and the computer counts out 7, 14, 21, 28 - then you see the sum 4 x 7 and you're asked to type in the answer - 28). The game tests your child - so it starts at whatever level your child is at. Every now and then a giant ogre comes out and quizzes your child reviewing the problems they've been working on. The ogre can be pretty scary - but my DD's love it. Link here: www.bigbrainz.com/

HTH