Maths homework aaargh, I get so frustrated.

[AfroditeJones]

I am sorry if I will come across as nasty but I get so frustrated when helping dd (Y2) with her homework.
Her maths is very basic, she struggles even with basic counting on her fingers or beads and can't do any calculation mentally, no even a simple one.
Ask her 5+0 and she will answer 8.
She can't learn the 0 or 1 timetables nevermind the other numbers.
I didn't want to introduce websites as I was holding back and see if she could learn the traditional way, besides she has a leapfrog tablet with some maths games but she hates it and never plays.
Anyway, I am now considering online tutoring as I can't afford a real person. Went into MyMaths suggested by the school but the password the teacher gave us is not working so I have to wait until tomorrow, meanwhile I tried another one ( with a lady, forgot her name) and we did some trial lessons and dd had to do the pre-school ones and even that has been kind of hard.
I feel a failure as a mother, did I do anything wrong or should I have done more during the formative years? dd has been going to nursery since she is 2. Her life has always been filled with opportunities to learn and etc..
Her school was rated outstanding last year and it is addressing her dyslexia, I was always told she is progressing as she should, but I am not so sure and I think at least in Maths she is way behind, Am I wrong??

Anyone has experience with MyMaths or other online tutorial program?
I don't mind paying and putting in the extra time, as much as I hate pushing her and taking her away from the extra curricular activities that she enjoys, but I think a strong maths foundation is a key and difficulty or hatred in maths can cause a blockage in the children's learning and it will spill in other subjects later on, if that makes sense?
Dd loves science but how would she be able to enjoy science later on if she hasn't got strong maths knowledge?

Please give me your honest opinions and sorry if this post is weird, I am not a English native speaker and had dreadful time with maths as a child.

Thank you very much you all. I guess I just thought that because she is getting this kind of homework with big numbers and just digits and maths symbols she would/ should be ready. Clearly her basics aren't strong enough so I am anxiously waiting for my numicon and other resources and actually had introduced lots of hidden maths this morning.

Hi AfroditeJones:

I've written a lot about maths here on MN and our success with an on-line tutorial (mathsfactor in our case) but always also mention other programmes: mathswhizz, komodo maths, mathletics, etc... just use a search engine.

There's a lot out there. My advice is try the free trials with your DC and see what appeals to them - because each programme has good and bad points.

We started arithmetic school on mathsfactor in May of Y2 with DD1 (when she could barely add numbers >10 and couldn't subtract at all). It will test your child and start from where they're at. Mathsfactor is very slow and steady thing and sometimes (certainly the learning the times table bit) it can seem to go on and on and on - but the point is that all that practice is about really knowing your facts & gaining those calculation skills (so much so you don't really need to think it through). Slow & steady was what DD1 needed - her confidence was low, she truly believed she was no good at maths and she had to re-learn a lot of things that she was muddled about I think.

It could of course be dyscalcula as usernameunknown suggests - but it could also be that the pace/ style/ explanation of maths in school isn't working for your DD. We certainly found with video lessons and Carol Vorderman's endless enthusiasm (easy when recorded) that both of our DDs responded well to her explanations & could even rewind if they wanted to see something again. Both girls also really responded well to the video game style practices/ quizzes and homeworks.

As a parent you will probably have to help type in answers but I found this really useful to see where DDs were 'getting it' and where they were 'confused'. The nice thing was that someone else had thought through what to teach and when - so I just had to do the typing, provide encouragement & snacks & play some games now and then. Mathsfactor does provide a lot of away from computer activities - to be honest we probably didn't use them as much as we should have - but when DDs were struggling with a concept I'd print them out and we'd play. They never saw it as 'homework' - just playing with Mum.

My advice is even if it doesn't feel like it - and whatever you decide to do - just keep sending the message that you believe your DC will get there in the end. I refused to believe the HT that 'I should just accept DD1 is a bit dim' - I truly felt that anyone can learn how to add, subtract, multiply & divide. It was just a case of finding something that would appeal to DD1 - which in our case was mathsfactor. So keep trying things - hopefully you'll find something that does work - because it is absolutely worth learning these basic numeracy skills.

yes pastsellbydate
I tried doing some workbook activities yesterday but dd wasn't very keen, I think it feels too like homework atm. Anything on my computer will be more appealing.
I am now emphasising more maths during the day but I want to go further and get her confident to do tasks on paper too.
Thank you.

Afrodite -

certainly my DD1 hates workbooks - again too much like school.

We found video games didn't seem 'like work' but also DD1 turns out to be a highly visual learner. She learns by seeing others do it or by trying to do it herself - which gaming really helps with.

as your DD is Y2 - some free & great gaming sites include:

BBC Bitesize maths (you can control difficulty on this - this is meant for preparation for KS1 SATs in Y2): www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/ks1/maths/

math champs: www.mathschamps.co.uk/#home - games are organised by ages 5-7/ 7-9/ 9 -11 - which isn't ideal - especially if you're a bit behind - but the games are great and it's clear what they're working on - descriptions provided for each game.

I also would highly recommend Woodland Junior School Maths Zone - which has links to free resources & games in all areas of maths - so if your DC comes home as says I don't get negative numbers - just have a look at the games and see if something might help. It does take a bit of hunting/ trial & error - but there's some great stuff there: resources.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/maths/

It genuinely sounds to me like your frustrated - possibly with the pace of your child's learning. I think turning over the teaching to something like mathsfactor - which will be tailored to her results (so you get more practices if you're struggling & less if you get it) - will help take that struggle out of the equation for you. Certainly I've never regretted signing up my girls. We stick to 5 practices a week (roughly 1 hour to 1.5 hours over the week) tending to do 2 in the week and 3 at the weekend. It's nice to set them to it and then go off and cook/ load the washer/ put away clothes/ vac/ etc.... so ultimately it frees your time a bit - and they seriously just see it as play (sometimes frustrating play) - but a game. We all enjoy maths now!

HTH

Thanks PL123 ! - Yes, I always thought that; teachers do the planning, meetings, and agro stuff, while TAs get the fun things!

One year when Yr2 had finished SATs, as a reward for their efforts, teachers gave me groups of 5 or 6 kids at a time, for several weeks, constructing a 2m high tyrannosaurus rex from cardboard boxes. As work progressed they took the components round all the other classes, to show what we were doing.