Second class, struggling with maths

Wantobe

My daughter has just started second class.

I think she is struggling a little with maths- she just doesn't seem to be 'getting' double digit addition and subtraction.

I'd like to try to take a bit of time to help her but I know that there are different methods of teaching maths now than when I was in school and I don't want to mix her up. Can anyone recommend a book/workbook or some tool I can use to help her please? Or should I just use the same book that she has in school? She is using mathemagic and brainteasers 2.

mitosis

She's only been in, what, a week? Give her a little time, it's all new.

Wantobe

Yes but she was having some trouble last year too and her teacher pointed it out. Anyway, surely trying to give her some additional support in maths couldnt be a bad thing?

byhookorbycrook

New Wave Mental Maths 1/2 are good. I would also encourage the use of concrete materials, lolly sticks are good to help with regrouping("opening a bundle of ten")

Wantobe

Now that you say that, I seem to remember my Dad 'encouraging' our maths by use of sweets as concrete material. It had a way of focussing our minds all right!:D

byhookorbycrook

sumdog.com is free and has lots of good games too.Baking/cooking will help with measures.Shopping does wonders for money'she'll soon learn if she has enough for whatever.An old fashioned (non digital) clock) in say,the kitchen,is good too.

Wantobe

Great ideas, now why didn't I think of those?:)

byhookorbycrook

Chances are I'm teaching longer than you have been a parent:p
Not willing to say how long though

As she is in second she will be learning the basics of multiplication later in the year so skip counting (i.e in jumps of 2s- 2/4/6/8/10, 5s,10s etc) will be of use-could be done as a game in the car to help her along. Another handy tip for knowing the difference between odd/even is to let her see what an odd no. is - 13 lolly sticks can't go into groups of 2 without an "odd one out" and that she sees numbers ending in 0/2/4/6/8 are even. "Zero ,2,4,6,8, we think even numbers are really great " is the rhyme we learnt at school-so if it's not even it's odd.

Fractions again need to be done in a concrete way, kids get pretty nifty at getting fractions of something shared between siblings!

Using the language of maths in everyday situations will help too,so that she will learn what a metre is used for (not a yard!)greater/less than/fewer/more /equals etc.

I'm sure she'll fly, a lot of maths is down to confidence.

Wantobe

byhookorbycrook wrote: »

I'm sure she'll fly, a lot of maths is down to confidence.

Thanks again for all those ideas. I agree with you about the 'confidence' and I don't want her to feel as though maths is her weak point, which would possibly be self-fulfilling. Going through her homework, she's getting some of the sums wrong and she's said to me that she doesn't understand it. I've just told her it's just a trick she has to learn, and that once she gets the hang of it she won't look back.

I think if I invest a half an hour with her here and there it will help.

silverharp

khanacademy.org is my goto site. you can setup an account for the child and keep track of their progress. My eldest is in second class and he is now way ahead of his class. Its also a good parent and child activity as by watching the videos with them you can see how to explain to a child how to do the topic. 15/20 minutes 4 or 5 times a week and they will be flying

brónaim cád??

Ask the teacher can you arrange a time after school to discuss this. It will only take 10mins for them to show you the method.