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Post by rosie on Aug 26, 2014 21:32:16 GMT
DD 13 (about to start year 9) has always struggled with maths. She missed a lot of school when in bf which hasn't helped. she was well behind in maths when she came to us at 7. Because I am a Primary teacher I have always tried to help her; but with maths she is very unwilling to be helped. maths homework always ends in tears or angry outbursts. We also had other things to deal with when she first came to us so it wasn't our priority. She is finally realising for herself that for most jobs she will need GCSE maths and wanting more help.
I want to help her to catch up a little if I can before she starts GCSE courses in year 10 ,but am a bit out of my depth at this level; it is years since I did secondary maths ! can any one recommend any books that I might buy and work through. She has lots of gaps in her learning so want something that gives lots of reinforcement of each concept; and shows clearly the stages.
She is working within Key stage 3 but I think there are concepts from key stage 2 she doesn't fully understand. At my school I teach the numbers count program in key stage 1, and believe there is a secondary version; but the school do not seem to do anything like it. I have spoken to her maths teacher but I didn' t get given many ideas; though he does spend a lot of time in class helping her.
Any suggestions would be appreciated.
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Post by moo on Aug 27, 2014 5:48:36 GMT
Hugs Rosie xx sorry am not a teacher... Just wanted to offer you support xx
Maybe if you asked her teacher if he could recommend a maths coach for her after school?? That might make him more helpful xx
Good Luck xxx.
Xx. moo. Xx
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Post by milly on Aug 27, 2014 7:10:08 GMT
We tried tutors but couldn't find one that worked for us so I started working with my dd myself. Her teacher emailed me the scheme of work so I knew what they had been working on and basically we go over what she has learnt that week. I chose a time at the weekend when she and I are the only ones home and we just spend about an hour on it. Dd is very resistant to too much instruction so what works for us is for her to work through some examples and then she asks for help when she needs it. She has access to MyMaths (online scheme) via school so we use that. We also have two secondary textbooks or she often has worksheets given to her in lessons.
I haven't been able to push her too much as she won't let me but the difference in her test scores over a couple of months was amazing - up from 3B to 5C. Her lessons last year were difficult as there were some tricky kids in the group plus her teacher was inexperienced, so basically I don't think she was getting much learning done at school.(She also has ADHD). I intend to carry on this year although hopefully the group (which is changing) and the teacher will be better.
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Post by milly on Aug 27, 2014 7:14:38 GMT
PS dd is also about to start year 9 and I'm also a primary teacher. So far I haven't found her maths has gone much beyond that of an able year 6 child ie she is still working at level 4/5.
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Post by rosie on Aug 27, 2014 11:14:21 GMT
Thanks Milly that sounds a good idea. My dd is at a similar level to your dd. I think I do need to be a bit more pushy with the teacher, and ask for the scheme of work each term. DD also gets given My Maths activities for homework quite often, so doing the extra exercises there might be a way in; if I can persuade her. I will not be able to push her too hard ,but hopefully some regular imput outside school will help.DD also has some tricky children in her maths set which doesn't help, as they distract her even more.
We have discussed having a tutor Moo; but she is very resistant to this idea and would need someone who was very good at working with reluctant mathmaticians ! Our compromise has been that she will work with me for short periods over the week without melt downs. Lots of count to 10 , be patient and calm from me I guess. (easier said than done !)
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Post by donatella on Aug 27, 2014 14:17:03 GMT
My son - sane age - is very similar. Very resistant to my husband working with him and so we do have a tutor for him. He does moan but she's very good. She's innovative and tailors her lessons around his interests - football and gaming - and so he learns in a way that isn't like doing a boring maths lesson!
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Post by rosie on Aug 27, 2014 20:52:55 GMT
If it doesn't work out with me giving her extra help we will have to search for a tutor. It is as you saying finding one who puts up with the moaning and finds innovative ways to motivate. Fortunately it isn't as bad with other subjects
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Post by damson on Aug 29, 2014 19:54:24 GMT
Sounds like a suitable use for the Pupil Premium.
What is the school going to spend all that money on?
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Nov 3, 2014 21:37:24 GMT
we are using pupil premium for year 7 on general homework/independent learning skills by a tutor rather than subject specific as we hope these will have a knock on effect across the curriculum.
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Post by caledonia on Nov 4, 2014 12:15:34 GMT
Rosie100
I am not a secondary maths teacher, just a mum who has been through this with her DD.
If she has gaps in KS2 you could buy a KS2 maths book and get her to work through that too. If she has gaps in her knowledge she will get more and more despondent that she can't do it and could give up. I have done this with DD (12) and it helped. We also used BBC Bitesize which was good. We got ours on a well known website named after a large river in South Africa, after checking some out in a well known newsagents with a very common surname. There are a number of different books which take slightly different approaches and one may suit DD more than another. DD looked through them and then chose the one she liked best. Choosing it gave her ownership and made her more willing to learn.
She found some of the KS2 work was repeating things she knew and it gave her confidence to tackle the more challenging things. She went from pulling her hair out, shouting and screaming about maths to being very relaxed about it and sat and did her maths homework without a fuss last night! She is in 1st year at secondary school in Scotland and is now in the second top group for maths - a year ago she would have been in the second bottom group.
she announced at the weekend that one of her good subjects was Maths. This would never have passed her lips even 6 months ago.
Good luck
Cale
x
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Post by milly on Nov 4, 2014 20:27:00 GMT
How is it going Rosie? It's working quite well for my dd at the moment - she totally accepts her maths hour with me, and this week did some revision exercise on Bitesize - got several wrong, so had another go and got 10 out of 10. This is massive progress - it's not long since getting something wrong would send her into meltdown. My next task is to get her to try the 'beat the clock' type activities - she panics at the very thought!
The 'new' maths group turned out to be very much the same people as last year unfortunately, BUT it seems like the new teacher might have more control. At least no issues have arisen so far...... (Yes, I know I should never say these things)
Plenty of other issues but those are another story.........
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Post by rosie on Nov 5, 2014 21:03:52 GMT
It sounds like your dd is doing very well, you must be really pleased . I have to be very careful with my dd too as she is very prone to melt downs over maths. When she was at Primary school I signed up to mathletics and she did do the countdown activities but would secretly lower the level !It ended up with her only attempting the easier stuff that she didn't really need to practise; though it worked for a while.
This term she does seem more accepting of help and we have had a lot less melt downs. I have done quite a few non pressured sessions trying to fill in a few very basic gaps and reinforcing what she is doing in school;and dh has helped her more this term too. Fortunately she has the same teacher this term which is good as she hates change. Her teacher tells me she is doing much better this term and concentrating a lot more; which is probably the key. She brought home her half termly report today and has done well with maths, so I am keeping my fingers crossed we can keep on the positive roll. I think a lot of it is to do with confidence. If they feel they are doing better they are more willing to try. Dd also has My Maths activities and actually asked tonight if she could play the extra reinforcement game! They now have a class after school for maths that children can go to for extra help with areas they are finding difficult. I am going to encourage her to go, even if it isn't every week. Her teacher feels this might help her.
I sympathise with being put in groups where a lot of the children mess about. DD suffers from this in several subjects. Fortunately I think the maths teacher keeps good control and sorts out any 'problems'
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