Homework - lacks methodical approach / common sense??

[NobodyInParticular]

DC and I were doing some homework today. DC is a bit above average academically, so no real issues there, but seems to lack common sense / a methodical approach.

For example

Maths homework needing to write numbers in a box on a chart with no lines, he will write the first one top left then scatter the other numbers randomly in the box.

Will often attempt questions out of order. No idea why!

Also works through questions in a very strange way, such as when sorting animals into Venn diagrams according to numbers of legs he said "I will do the farm animals first then the zoo animals then the insects" instead of a more standard approach such as working fewest to most legs or left to right.

Doing maths question which involved reading down a list of 12 or so numbers and copying them onto the correct place on a chart, instead of doing them top to bottom of list he did them starting with the smallest number first. He also did not cross off the ones he had done so frequently lost his place.

Is there any way I can teach DC the importance of having a more methodical approach? Is DC just lacking a bit of common sense?

My ds has some weird approach at solving problems, but he seems to "get" it, so I haven't tried to change the way he does things. He is very logical and his maths ability is beyond me anyway...

Maybe trying these might help? My ds loves systematic way of approach very much.

nrich.maths.org/9807 KS1

nrich.maths.org/9810 KS2

How old is he? Tbh the animals thing sounds like a typical child focused approach; he's sorting according to what's important to him. Children often do things in ways that seem strange to us as adults. They haven't become immersed in grown up rules/structure yet and are just doing things their own way if that makes sense.

Does he get the answers right? If so, leave him to it - it's just how his brain works. I always took a different route to solving physics questions than my teacher and the rest of my class. But no one cares as I still got he right answer and understood what I was doing.

Sorting the animals out in that way just sounds to me like making a really boring question more interesting... How old is your dc? The other inefficient ways of working just sound like normal immaturity. You can always suggest crossing off numbers already dealt with, etc, if it is resulting in him missing numbers out or getting the answer wrong, or if you are finding it too painful to watch! He might take the message better from a teacher - it depends on your child and whether he sees your advice as wise words or something to rebel against!