Teaching math | Imamother

amother

Sun, Aug 12 2012, 5:38 pm

Math had always come very easy to me. I could read a calculus textbook like a novel and get As. My son shares my abilities. Unfortunately, my daughter does not. We struggle daily for her gains. She has come up two and a half grade levels in the last academic year. I have been working with her still summer. She is entering sixth grade and is doing math at 5.3 level.

I realize knowing how to do math is very different than knowing how to teach math. My daughter is a very good girl who tries really hard. It is just so hard for her. She never needs reminders even during the summer to practice, practice and practice.

Would a professional teacher kindly recommend a book on how to teach math?

Thank you.

groisamomma

Sun, Aug 12 2012, 5:58 pm

Get hold of a recent teacher' edition of a grade level math book. It will have the resources and explain it step-by-step with excellent strategies. Her school may have an extra one lying around or ask the school to call companies like McGraw Hill and they will send you a sample of their newest teacher's edition. Or see if you can buy last year's teacher's edition on Amazon.

PM me if you need more help. My school might have some extra 6th Grade books lying around but I'll only know once school starts and the teachers took what they need from the stockroom.

amother

Sun, Aug 12 2012, 9:29 pm

groisamomma wrote:

If you allow your kids online, I can post some excellent sites I use with my students. Let me know.

Yes, she is allowed online with supervision. My big concern is that I don't know how to teach. How does one learn to teach ones child?

I can't thank you enough for taking your time. You must really love what you do.

groisamomma

Sun, Aug 12 2012, 9:43 pm

amother wrote:

groisamomma wrote:

If you allow your kids online, I can post some excellent sites I use with my students. Let me know.

No problem. There are a ton of tutorials online that you can watch before you introduce the topic to her. These will tell you how to teach it-many of them have hints and rhymes useful for memory.

For starters you can search youtube by putting the key words in, but make sure to put in "6th grade" because otherwise it will give you older grades and it will confuse you. A great channel I view before teaching is "Common Core Math with Mr. Almeida" on youtube. Also search "alternate ways to teach [insert topic]" for videos on different ways to teach the same thing.

This is the link I use for my basic skills students that need extra help. It teaches every topic on top of the page and then gives them practice. You have answers to check her work so you may not need a teacher's edition if this works for you. The green book on this website is for 6th grade, by the way.

http://www.bigideasmath.com/pr...../bsh/

ffbmom

Mon, Aug 13 2012, 3:27 am

Math can be exciting and a wonderful subject. It is really like a code that has to be "gotten", but the trouble is most schools either don't have teachers with proper skills or do not have the time to devote for kids to consolidate the concepts. I teach math and when my daughter was that age, I hired a tutor because I found parents, especially those that aren't teachers, just cannot teach math to their kids. I can give you a host of websites and books, but that would just be practicing, not teaching. Your daughter is of an age when it is vital to teach her the proper way to view math and then she will begin to love it. In the meantime, I found this site to be invaluable: http://nlvm.usu.edu/. PM me if you want any more information.

amother

Mon, Aug 13 2012, 6:43 am

DrMom wrote:

amother wrote:

She is entering sixth grade and is doing math at 5.3 level.

How did you assess the level of math she is doing?

I'm asking because I would like to use whatever tool you are using.

The schools access the level the children are at as compared to other children across the state. The test is called The Iowa Tests. They are through Riverside Publishing a subsidy of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

amother

Mon, Aug 13 2012, 6:52 am

DrMom wrote:

You have indicated that your daughter is not as much of a "math person" as you and your son are. Is there some way you can incorporate math into something else your daughter enjoys and at which she excells?

My daughter is very good at dance and singing. I made up songs with movements for each of the times tables. I bought multiplication bingo and would play this with her and her peers for prizes. She knows her times tables. IMO, I was not teaching her math but teaching her to memorize times tables. She has no feel for number patterns.

amother

Mon, Aug 13 2012, 7:08 am

ffbmom wrote:

My daughter has had tutors. The district even paid for a special math teacher either a title one or title three. I forget. They actually sent a girl right out of high school and the school pocketed the difference between what the district paid $60.00 & what they paid the girl $20.00. I was supposed to get a math teacher.

Another problem is as you stated the schools don't have teachers with proper skills. I had my kids in Kumon; but with the private school schedules, it was very difficult to find times that work for us and them.

I have also had private tutors; but I have not found one who knew how to teach math.

amother

Mon, Aug 13 2012, 7:11 am

groisamomma wrote:

amother wrote:

groisamomma wrote:

If you allow your kids online, I can post some excellent sites I use with my students. Let me know.

Again, thank you for your ideas. My daughter is excited about going on the computer today. I told her this was recommended by a math teacher.

groisamomma

Mon, Aug 13 2012, 9:48 am

ffbmom wrote:

I found this site to be invaluable: http://nlvm.usu.edu/.

This is an excellent supplemental site. Manipulatives without games is great for learning the first time. I love the way the pan balance is laid out for my grade level. I use a SMART board in my room and the kids use laptops, so I'm always looking for better sites that have easier-to-use manipulatives. I looked through it briefly but it looks like I'm going to love this one! Thanks.