Checking math

[Anonymous]

As math becomes more involved, the number of careless mistakes on math work are accumulating. As far as I can tell, it’s not the same thing over & over.
Kid absolutely knows the math concepts, but doesn’t seem to really understand what it means to ‘check their work’ & are simply not catching arithmetic or transposition errors.
I’ve suggested a few strategies, but I’m wondering what’s worked for others.

[Anonymous]

Nothing. I am a math teacher and the only way I can get kids to check their answers is to put a box on the test that gives points for showing the check—and even then often kids will just write “I did it on the calculator” or show a check that doesn’t work and submit it anyway.

It’s a battle I fight all year, every year.

If you find something that works, please share!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nothing. I am a math teacher and the only way I can get kids to check their answers is to put a box on the test that gives points for showing the check—and even then often kids will just write “I did it on the calculator” or show a check that doesn’t work and submit it anyway.

It’s a battle I fight all year, every year.

If you find something that works, please share!!

Agree.

I have a child in very accelerated math. Still an issue.

[Anonymous]

It's such a battle.

Just getting the middle schooler to show me their assignment is a battle, to be honest. The teacher even said at back to school night "I won't be able to look over every problem on every problem set so please go over your student's homework with them."

I feel like that is way too much to ask of parents. How does the teachers know parents can even do the math? I was a great student and some of the new methods are confusing to me.

I know my kid could do better with more checking and more help, but it's not a fight I can handle on a regular basis.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's such a battle.

Just getting the middle schooler to show me their assignment is a battle, to be honest. The teacher even said at back to school night "I won't be able to look over every problem on every problem set so please go over your student's homework with them."

I feel like that is way too much to ask of parents. How does the teachers know parents can even do the math? I was a great student and some of the new methods are confusing to me.

I know my kid could do better with more checking and more help, but it's not a fight I can handle on a regular basis.

And what happens to the student if the parent doesn’t understand the math and can’t check it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nothing. I am a math teacher and the only way I can get kids to check their answers is to put a box on the test that gives points for showing the check—and even then often kids will just write “I did it on the calculator” or show a check that doesn’t work and submit it anyway.

It’s a battle I fight all year, every year.

If you find something that works, please share!!

Agree.

I have a child in very accelerated math. Still an issue.

OP here. Also accelerated, but with little to no idea how to study or review/check their work (I think because it’s always come so easy). But the sloppiness is creeping in…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nothing. I am a math teacher and the only way I can get kids to check their answers is to put a box on the test that gives points for showing the check—and even then often kids will just write “I did it on the calculator” or show a check that doesn’t work and submit it anyway.

It’s a battle I fight all year, every year.

If you find something that works, please share!!

Agree.

I have a child in very accelerated math. Still an issue.

OP here. Also accelerated, but with little to no idea how to study or review/check their work (I think because it’s always come so easy). But the sloppiness is creeping in…

Me again…
And they have no interest in listening to the parents about these things.

[Anonymous]

Eventually their grades will suffer and that will motivate them to be careful with their work (or not).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Eventually their grades will suffer and that will motivate them to be careful with their work (or not).

Afraid we’re headed down the “or not” path with one kid. She’s completely unmotivated and does not want to show her work or do the check. Her teacher (6th grade) seems overwhelmed and is not setting a good foundation on what’s to come. Definitely doesn’t want to hear it from her parents.

[Anonymous]

It’s frustrating but many are like that. They are still young.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nothing. I am a math teacher and the only way I can get kids to check their answers is to put a box on the test that gives points for showing the check—and even then often kids will just write “I did it on the calculator” or show a check that doesn’t work and submit it anyway.

It’s a battle I fight all year, every year.

If you find something that works, please share!!

Agree.

I have a child in very accelerated math. Still an issue.

OP here. Also accelerated, but with little to no idea how to study or review/check their work (I think because it’s always come so easy). But the sloppiness is creeping in…

How is a student in accelerated math and they don’t know how to review or check their work, a skill that is taught very early on. Such a basic skill and a good way for student to increase their grades.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's such a battle.

Just getting the middle schooler to show me their assignment is a battle, to be honest. The teacher even said at back to school night "I won't be able to look over every problem on every problem set so please go over your student's homework with them."

I feel like that is way too much to ask of parents. How does the teachers know parents can even do the math? I was a great student and some of the new methods are confusing to me.

I know my kid could do better with more checking and more help, but it's not a fight I can handle on a regular basis.

And what happens to the student if the parent doesn’t understand the math and can’t check it?

For my kid, I had to relearn the concepts. I happen to love algebra but haven't done any in decades, so Kahn Academy and YouTube have been helpful. And I actually bought portions of my kid's curriculum digitally, which has answer keys and actually shows the work. My hope is that she'll become so annoyed with me doing all this to keep her on track that she'll just start doing what she should and simply CHECK HER WORK. In the meantime though, I'm actually enjoying the learning process for myself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Eventually their grades will suffer and that will motivate them to be careful with their work (or not).

Afraid we’re headed down the “or not” path with one kid. She’s completely unmotivated and does not want to show her work or do the check. Her teacher (6th grade) seems overwhelmed and is not setting a good foundation on what’s to come. Definitely doesn’t want to hear it from her parents.

Give her a few years. She will mature and be more methodical

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nothing. I am a math teacher and the only way I can get kids to check their answers is to put a box on the test that gives points for showing the check—and even then often kids will just write “I did it on the calculator” or show a check that doesn’t work and submit it anyway.

It’s a battle I fight all year, every year.

If you find something that works, please share!!

Agree.

I have a child in very accelerated math. Still an issue.

OP here. Also accelerated, but with little to no idea how to study or review/check their work (I think because it’s always come so easy). But the sloppiness is creeping in…

How is a student in accelerated math and they don’t know how to review or check their work, a skill that is taught very early on. Such a basic skill and a good way for student to increase their grades.

How? Because up til now, everything came intuitively & was always correct. That’s how.
The battle to show work was eventually won when it was required by teachers. But for some reason, in their mind, check work = check to see that work was done. Not actually check to see if the work is correct.

[Anonymous]

I don't even understand my 6th graders math, and I am not even going to try. It makes so sense to my non math brain.