First Grade Math

[Anonymous]

Help! My kid is very bored with the daily math work they are doing (in class and for HW). Yes, it's only the first month. But they are doing the most basic stuff - counting from 1-120, greater than/less than, counting by tens, and repeat, repeat, repeat. DS truly loves numbers and is complaining daily that he wants to do more "real math" -- addition, subtraction, multiplication, division. Some fractions. A little geometry.

I am being respectful and not contacting the teacher but sincerely wonder what to do for DS. Last year, our K teacher gave DS extra work on the side, but I'm not sure how that happened (I did not push for it, DS just started coming home with a new folder one day and she later told me it was just to keep him interested and moving at a faster pace). I can see him losing interest and it concerns me.

Does anyone with older kids in MC schools know how this is handled? They have moved all of the kids into reading groups, but I haven't been able to glean anything about math. I want to work well with the system, but keep him motivated and enjoying school.

Any ideas welcome. TIA!

[Anonymous]

Why don't you look at some math workbooks and activities online to keep him interested? There is plenty out there.

[Anonymous]

I believe that math acceleration was greatly cut back with the new math curriculum. They used to push kids ahead but the results of this were often not good down the road. Supposedly kids that are ready for more will be offered enrichment while still being on grade level. Not all teachers will bother though..you may have one like that this year...

[Anonymous]

Try Beestar.org. A weekly math program that is free. We found FCPS to be so lagging with math in K-2. I feel that DS regressed and lost interest in math. We didn't push extra work at home though.

[Anonymous]

In MOCO, if your kid is -really- ready for more, they will accelerate. Although acceleration has been cut back, they are still accelerating the really advanced kids (maybe 5-6 per grade rather than 20-25). This issue here might be that you think your DC is ready for more, but the teacher might disagree.

[Anonymous]

My understanding is that they didn't accelerate until 2nd or 3rd grade but now they are cutting that back. At our back to school night, the principal's presentation and the teacher's class specific presentation was all about how they are slowing down math. My DC was doing these type of exercises when she was 4 years old in Montessori. She even calls her homework preschool work.

We just let her do math at home. She plays several card or computer games that involve adding or subtracting multiple variables, multiplication, and division games. If you look on-line or for books you can find some cool things. You can also try the Sir Cumference book series or Mummy Math to introduce some more advanced concepts.

[Anonymous]

No acceleration started in K under the old system. My child (now in 4th) took Math 1 in K along with many of her classmates. Then she (and a smaller group of classmates) took math 4 in 2nd. She is now in math6. I am not sure what would have happened if she was under the new curriculum but glad she is old enough that it will not catch her..

[Anonymous]

DD is in first grade, and she gets some basic addition, subtraction and activities that build number sense but are also simple mulitplication. We also supplement with math games and workbooks at home.

[Anonymous]

OP, I agree with you. As other PPs have said, though, under MCPS Curr. 2.0 they are slowing down math acceleration even more.

To the PPs who suggested supplementing at home with math games and computer games, can you recommend any? I do appreciate the rec for the Beestar program.

[Anonymous]

A slightly different response here. If you child is not real comfortable with the act of writing, filling out the worksheets (especially the ones that involve writing words) can be a comfortable way to enhance that skills.

Also, a good teacher will be able to teach on two levels - challenging the advanced kids while teaching the curriculum. As the year goes on, you may realize that double level teaching is going on.

[Anonymous]

We supplement at home with Singapore Math which is fantastic and cheap. Go to the website singaporemath dot com and you can find placement tests and Home Instructors Guides for home school students. I buy the Home Instructor's Guide, Textbook, workbook, and Challenging Word Problems. I have given up on math at his school, so instead of complaining I teach him math after school.

[Anonymous]

I'm surprised in such a 'highly educated' parent community as we have here in MoCo, parents still express SHOCK that the school can't address every child's individual learning needs. OF COURSE you should supplement at home--come on! Sorry, but isn't this a no-brainer?

BTW, every early elementary child is reviewing basics this month, and every parent feels their child is 'bored' now--including my 2nd grader. Challenge him/her at home.