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Original poster

OK, be gentle.. I'm considering getting my 6yo dd a maths (and poss English) tutor

36 replies

MascaraOHara · 20/11/2008 12:54

Is it a bit OTT?

My dd is not particularly 'academic' she's got a mountain of common sense and is very articulate, can read very well and has good conversational skills etc so IMHO there's absolutely nothing wrong with but

she's very average in her school work, her handwriting is very messy, she not great at spelling and she just doens't get maths.. she has just been moved down a group in maths and I can see that slipping further if I don't help in someway. I've asked for a bit of homework several times but nothing is forthcoming.

Her problem with maths is that she just doesn't get it, I mean the concept behind multiplication etc and so she can never 'work out' an answer.. if she doesn't know the answer from memory she can never get to the solution herself.

Would it be reasonable (and would it help) if I got her some one-on-one tutoring over a short to medium period of time?

Thoughts please... I don't know anybody else who uses or has ever had a tutor themselves..

TIA

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claricebeansmum · 20/11/2008 12:59

What springs to my mind reading your post... possible dyslexia.

She is only 6. Talk to school.

hullygully · 20/11/2008 13:02

I'd get the help if you can afford it (and can't do it yourself!)- early intervention and support is really helpful. It could just be for a short period to help her grasp the basics. If she's in a class of 30 it's difficult for the teacher to give all of them the differing levels of support they need.

Original poster
MascaraOHara · 20/11/2008 13:06

Could she possibly be dyslexic and be an excellent reader? It's a possibility I guess

I've spoken to the school and imo they're not very interested.. she's not 'failing' for want of a better word but she was very upset last week when she was moved down a group.. she was upset because "[she] always works hard and is a good girl and tries her best" she was very upset. I'm a bit cross with the school as they obviously have not explained to her why she is moving down

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Original poster
MascaraOHara · 20/11/2008 13:07

that was pretty much exactly my thinking HullyGully

I would deffo find the money if there was a geberal consensus that it would be useful and sensible

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GivePeasAChance · 20/11/2008 13:10

I would say it wouldn't do any harm from your point of view - but you have to be so careful that it does not inadvertently make her feel like a failure (already happening at school by sounds of it)

But done and presented in a non-competitive and non-critical fashion it can only benefit her and hopefully build confidence.

I personally would also consider lack of confidence before dyslexia.

ramonaquimby · 20/11/2008 13:27

I had written something down but didn't post message. duhh

anyways - I do think it's OTT to get a tutor for a 6 year old - it doens't sound like she's struggling at school. Multiplication tables are difficult for 6 year olds (they are a bit older than this when they learn them aren't they?) and a great many kids would certainly be memorizing them and/or take a while to work out answers. To be honest, she sounds fairly average. I've been SEN teacher for 10 years and it there are no alarm bells there for dyslexia for me.
Sadly ( I think) tutors for children this age are becoming more and more the norm which I think is ridiculous - you're going to always have high/average/low ability children.

why not see the teacher about your concerns and see what they suggest before you sort out a tutor?

ramonaquimby · 20/11/2008 13:32

sorry - have just reread your post and you've already been to school - so not very helpful there.
have you tried going on some fun websites for maths games and stuff? workbooks from various bookshops/supermarkets?

cat64 · 20/11/2008 13:45

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seeker · 20/11/2008 13:56

My ds is supposed to be quite good at maths - and he can only just do multiplication and he's 7.5!

What have the school said? Do you have any idea what SATS level she's at - not massively reliable, but will give you some idea. Oh, and go http://tutpup.com/ here for an amazing maths resource that children seem to adore!

seeker · 20/11/2008 13:58

sorry, I meant here

Original poster
MascaraOHara · 20/11/2008 14:01

thanks.. that was really useful.. I don't reall yknow why they are learningmultiplication then but she was in an average set not 'top table' or anything..

and before I forget, if there are any good websites that you can recommend we'd be happy to play them.. we have looked at a couple last weekend actually.

so anyway.. let me try and answer all the questions if I can

I'm not sure what the term rote means
she can count backwards but not flowing iykwim, she has to concentrate and stumbles
count in 10s - yep
does she know what the next number is (given a random number to 10 or 20) - yep
the number before - yep
can she tell you what happens when you add two number together - I will ask her tonight
take something away from a number - yes using her fingers
does she know 'how many more' you need to get to a new number (eg I need 6 plates, but I've only got 4 here, can you get the rest out the cupboard for me please? - can she get 2 ?) yes with small numbers and is ok with a number line
does she understand more / less / can she count on using a numberline - ie, when playing a board game, does she know to move tho the next square on the board - yes
and not start on the one she's on? - she forgets this

So yes she can do all/most of this, not fluently though, it's very using fingers and thinking a loud, but that's ok isn't it

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Jajas · 20/11/2008 14:01

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Original poster
MascaraOHara · 20/11/2008 14:05

no idea what sats level she's at, how would I find out?

She's only in her first term of year 2 and is a summer baby

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cat64 · 20/11/2008 14:14

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Hulababy · 20/11/2008 14:14

I think a tutor and things like Kumon are a bit much for a 6 year old personally.

How about doing online games, etc with her each night for a while. Educationcity.com is excellent - you can have a free 10 day trial. It is £40 a year after that IIRR. You select the level of your child and all the games are aimed at the right stage for her, and they can track their success over time too, plus print of certificates.

Making it fun, and also relevant to things they like can really help.

jellyhead · 20/11/2008 14:22

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WowOoo · 20/11/2008 14:33

A lower set may do wonders for her confidence too.
I personally would wait until she was a bit older. It just takes longer to 'click' in some people (like me!)
Great suggestions here too.

Have bbc websites been mentioned?
If she comes shopping with you get her to count some fruit, help you with planning how many knives and forks you'll need, moving toys around house 'You've got 5 teddies, but I can only find 3...how many do you need to find to tidy up?' Fun fun fun....

pagwatch · 20/11/2008 14:38

TBH I have a six year old DD and no way would I get a tutor for her at that age.
I also have older children and they develop different skills at different ages. Giving her a tutor will be an added pressure for her however low key you manage it. And at six children are learning so much in so many areas at a great rate. She may be developing in areas that are not testable IYSWIM.

And having a bright child and a child with SN - and another in between - can I just add that not every bright child is always acadmic. And that is not a bad thing.

You haven't said she is bottom of her class and struggling. She sounds average. Which is not a disaster.

Give her a little time, keep her confidence up and wait a bit .

MadameCastafiore · 20/11/2008 14:44

Bloody hell she is a kid - let her be a kid and play with toys and relax - she has penty of time for tutors etc as she gets older.

I really think you are worrying over nothing as she sounds completelynormal - my DD is 8 and has a reading age of a secondary school child but her handwriting is shocking - they all mature at different levels and there isn't really any way IMO to really get an idea as to whether she would need a tutor until she is at least 8 when most kids even out in terms of academic prowess.

shootfromthehip · 20/11/2008 14:48

Don't get a tutor- It will be an ongoing event til she's finished her A Levels if you start now. I tutor English and I would NEVER take on a pre Secondary child. You can give her all the help and support she needs at the moment. Some good advice here about websites- keep it positive and fun and she'll get there.

saadia · 20/11/2008 14:49

My ds1 (6) also struggles a bit with maths. He gets maths homework every other Friday. All his teachers, since Reception, have said that he would do much better if he had some practise, so I started givimg him sums to do at home. Nowadays I buy workbooks (from the local library) for him and he works on those whenever he feels like it. They do seem to help him make more sense of different concepts.

Original poster
MascaraOHara · 20/11/2008 14:49

blimey loads of comments.. and long ones too, haven't go time to respond right now so will have to come back later.. though Cat64, you've mentioned something that I'd really like ot pick up on whne I have some tim..

about the 5 fingers, 5+5 is 10 thing.. that's what she doesn't grasp.. will be back later to explain and the 1+9, 9+1 Will be back

Thanks all, will reply later

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cory · 20/11/2008 16:12

The one thing I would ask myself is:

is her current level of work enough for her

is she getting tired out as it is

Because if so I would let her be in the lower group and work at that level until she develops the ability to do more work.

Ds was in bottom group for both maths and literacy at that age and he is certainly not dim in other ways, just a slow developer. I felt there was little point in pushing him as long as he was doing worthwhile work and making progress in the class he was in. He is now (Yr 4) beginning to pick up slowly and move up the sets.

The big turning moment for ds was when he finally learnt to swim- that gave him the confidence to push himself at other things.

Maybe out-of-school activities could help your dd's confidence. Pocket money is good for maths, particularly if you let them go to the shops on their own.

ramonaquimby · 20/11/2008 16:42

some great websites

www.rainforestmaths.com
www.crickweb.com
www.ictgames.com

Original poster
MascaraOHara · 21/11/2008 11:20

hi all, again - I didn't really look at this last night as it had been such a hard day at work.. I just wanted to say I appreciate your comments and thoughts an dI hope to have a look at this properly sometime over the weekend.

I am definitely going to bookmark the websites.

With regard to the reversing so 6+4 = 10 therefore 4+6 = 10.. this is all part of what she doesn't 'get'.. I asked her this morning 4+6 10.. ok so what 6+4, blank face.. I do keep trying to explain it to her and at the time she understands but the next time I ask her it's all blank face again. Also I can ask her to add numbers and she'll give me a number lower than the number so e.g. 7+3, her answer could well be 6

I will read and respond at weekend properly

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