Math Is Driving Us crazy...what to Do?

Oh my goodness, welcome to my world. Oh but did I mention I am a teaching assistant and have been placed to HELP in Math? I am great at,no fantastic at Math in the old school. I can get the answers through my head in about two seconds, and well, here we are same problem, I don't understand always- all of these new steps. I do want to say ,that if the testing only requires the answers, then he should be home free, but if the means that he used to get the answers are important, then maybe some sort of intervention should arise. Guess sadly if the teacher is also frustrated, then go beyond just her/him and to the school district, school board, other math teachers, who can possibly provide websites for learning. What a shame. I totally completely empathize.

I wouldn't do a darn thing. State-wide standardized tests are designed to evaluate whether or not the school is reaching its goals with its current teaching methodologies. If he does poorly, and other students do poorly as well, then that will be reflected in the test results and when the school district looks at the results, they will be able to see that whatever they have adopted for the curriculum isn't working, and they will go back to the drawing board and change things up.

This isn't a test that your child needs to pass...it's testing his teachers, the school district, and the curriculum.

If your child needs help in math, then continue to get that help, but in the context of understanding actual math strategies and skills, not in forcing him to adapt to some poorly-chosen curriculum. If he can multiply and divide the traditional way and get to the right answer, then in the long run, that's what will count. If he does poorly on this test...so what? Relieve him of the burden and let him know that while you expect him to try his best, what he is doing is just fine and there is nothing for him to stress or worry about.

Fair warning before you read my answer: I am homeschooling in Texas and I never thought I would be (both in texas and homeschooling). I love homeschooling my daughter now and can't imagine being under the contrived stress of some primary "academia". We do use some new teaching methods inspired by common core (common core is not the curriculum, just the standards), and sometimes they help with her learning, sometimes they are redundant and confusing. Luckily we get to pick and choose the best curriculum fit for our daughter.

IMO if you are confident he knows the material and it's just the teaching methodologies that are tripping him up, I wouldn't worry about him failing the test. What are the real consequences? If your son fails the STAAR test, he'd likely be offered before & after school, and summer tutoring. You could accept or decline. Surely if he understands the concepts and can do the problems, they wouldn't hold him back. I would ask the teacher what the consequences would be and please, don't let anyone tell you you are "messing up" your son because you taught him a new way of doing a problem at home.

FWIW, every Nobel prize winner in Physics or Economic Science, and every Fields Medal winner (Nobel equivalent in math), was taught basic math using older methodologies. I wouldn't worry that you caused your son any problems by teaching him a way in which he could more easily grasp the concept. :)

One last thing: I would be constantly reassuring and encouraging your son. He did not "suddenly get bad at math". He is still good at math. Whatever ways they are teaching M. be conceptually difficult for him, but that doesn't mean he no longer has the ability to do well.

I would check out http://www.teachingtextbooks.com/
It is a video-based, awesome, easy way to learn difficult concepts. Good luck!

If he is having trouble, I would speak with the teacher and let her work with him. As far as the testing goes - the tests are to find out how well the kids are learning. If you prep for them, that completely distorts any information (if there is any) they might provide. Just make sure he gets a good night's sleep and a good breakfast and that is it.

I personally LOVE how my son is learning common core math. But as far as the testing goes - I would rather they eliminate ALL this high stakes testing. I am certainly NOT wasting any time prepping for them.

I left it to the school. I didn't get it (wasn't way I did it) but figured that's how they are all doing it now, so may as well go with the new way.

We've even had different teachers (different years) approach it differently for each of my kids.. so that more confusing.

I emailed our teacher and said my son was having difficulties "getting it" and she spent a lunch hour going over it (multiplication and division) and he got it. It didn't take long - for someone who knows how to explain it, it wasn't near as bad as I had thought it would be. She said he was almost there, and once she reviewed some examples, he caught on quickly.

So I would talk to the teacher if you can. Maybe you have - I couldn't quite tell from your question if you'd exhausted the school resources or not. Sounds like you've done your own research, but wondering if the school/teacher could advise you? What happened in our case was other kids were struggling (once I mentioned it she realized it wasn't just mine) and she had a few math lunch hours for those who were a little bit confused.

Our teacher also gave us some websites that went along with what they were doing.

I must admit, the new math does seem to make more sense once you get it - as you say. And I did the same as you - I confused my oldest child with my old math thinking I was helping, and it wasn't until he was utterly confused that he said "that's now how we do it". That's when I talked to the teacher.

Good luck :)

I do live in a common core state. Last year when my now 11 year old was in 4th grade she really struggled with math. Tears. Screaming about how she hated math. I started watching Kahn Academy videos to learn how to help her. Both her father and I expressed our concerns to her teacher who explained that it's not what she learned either, but the point is to teach them different ways to solve equations so they can find what works best for them.
Dad got a book from the teacher and still complains even now that she's in 5th about 'that new math'.
I continued with the videos, learned it, and helped her. By the end of 4th grade math was her favorite subject (?!?!?!)
When I was in high school my dad suggested I start with the lowest math class and work my way up. I only needed two years of math, so I only made it to prealgebra. College algebra away a nightmare for me!!! (I might have cried). I took a history of mathematics class that helped to make sense of it all. I never knew how long the lattice method has been around-especially since I never learned it until my kids brought it home! Math has a long history of individuals building on what was discovered before. I'm now glad my kids are learning more than me and more methods than I did. I'm not a huge fan of common core, but I AM glad that my kids who attend the same school district I did are learning things I never did!

You and your son should ask for a tutoring together for after school.

That way you can both learn together. Take dad with you.. That way the 3 of you will understand what is expected.

Try not to make this into a big deal. Notice how many kids can do the math..

I agree with FYI.. Our daughter got through the math in the Texas public schools. She did great. I did not always understand but I went to the teacher to learn. It helped a lot.

First remember that state exams don't count towards his grade or his school record. If a bunch of kids do poorly, what the results will reflect is that how they are teaching is not working and the methods will have to change so the kids can understand it.

Help him as much as possible learning for his actual graded work with the ideas and resources others mentioned below, but don't give any more thought to the TAKS test because it does not matter.

ms. may said it all!
i really really hate common core math. it makes NO sense to me, and i don't understand why if the goal is to let the kids see different ways of getting there, why the 'old way' isn't permitted. for some kids that works just fine.
but i am deluged by young moms, including lots of homeschoolers, who tell me i don't get it and that CC math really does make more sense.
so i'll just sit over here on the porch and shake my cane at 'new math.'
:) khairete
S.

I wouldn't go to big lengths - as Jill pointed out, this test is to test how well the teachers are teaching and how well the students are learning. It's not a true test of how the teacher is teaching if you spend a bunch of money on private tutoring. Tell your son to do the best he can, and make sure he understands that this test is a test for the teachers abilities, not his, and his grades will not suffer or get better no matter how well or poorly he does on this test. The teachers want the kids to do well because it makes them look better.

My son also struggled with math in 4th grade. I used YouTube often last year. I don't think you should give up. If it were me I would hire a teacher to be a private tutor instead of doing the group math class. I did this and it was amazing how quickly my son would learn things compared to being with a group. (Make sure to get someone your son likes. It sounds like your current teacher is not a good fit). Hang in there and keep practicing. 4th grade math brought a lot of tears and frustration to our son, but we stuck with it. This year (5th grade) has been wonderful and now things are going smoothly again.

Do what Laurie A. said and hire a tutor and learn together so you can help him.

That sucks and seems like private tutor is the only way to go. Ask around. There must be some experienced with this. Do you have Kumon centers near you? People seem to like them. Fortunately my kids have taken to common core methods well for the most part. 3rd and 5th. I actually can't follow some of what they do but they get it. And I think it really helps kids think in groups of 10 which apparently other countries use with great success. I've actually redone some of my mental math after working with them and I have a lot of education in math and related fields. So don't give up on it. And good for you for helping your son. Parent involvement makes all the difference and it shows me how some kids never stand a chance bc their parents aren't there when needed to get them over a hump. Do you have a local mother's group you could email for math tutors? I see that question in ours.

I would speak to the teacher and let her/him know your concerns.

For what it's worth... You CAN sign onto the state site and download old state tests to study as a guide. Yiur guidance counselor knows how to do this.

Outside tutoring may help, BUT, may make things worse if the tutor does not teach the same way the teachers do. Our district prefers if you have outside tutoring to make sure the tutor teaches the way the teacher does and is approved.

Our daughter went through Plano ISD which is one of the top districts. Yes, it's hard and demanding, but the students are well prepared for college. She still has her 4.0 GPA and had held it since graduation in 2013. She's a sophomore in college and just got spring tuition paid through a surprise scholarship.

I admire yiu fur going what you can to support your student. Keep it up!!

I would ask for a meeting with his teacher. I would ask how to reinforce this method at home. I would look up videos, because there seem to be many, on how to do this. I would ask if there is any tutoring available for students, either through the school or through another program. Locally we have "Saturday School" which mirrors the local public school curriculum and is good for exactly this. The teacher may be able to take a few kids aside in a group at lunch or something and re-teach the part they don't grasp.