Math—when to worry?

[Anonymous]

I am ok with Bs and even Cs in many classes. You can do better the next unit or year in social studies, English, science (early years). But I get very concerned when there’s anything below an A in math. It means they don’t fully grasp the concepts and issues will compound and snowball, since they will need those concepts later. Agree with others that it’s time for a tutor and to put some focus on this. Good luck.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:One of my kids was similar. I dug around and realized she just didn't have a solid, fluent grasp on place value and math facts (probably at least in part because her school has gone all in on the conceptual/Jo Boaler approach) She knew them-ish, but was having to really still think through basic calculations which was slowing her ability to really move forward. We went in the opposite direction of school recommendations for practice (things like ST Math, other apps) and went to back to paper math. We started with Singapore Math and then switched back a few grades and just had her work through the Kumon Workbooks when it became apparent that she just wasn't fluent. Now she's rolling along and ahead because the basics are automatic.

This is me. I sometimes need math for my work, and every time it’s like I have to start from elementary math again and kinda conceptually figure everything out again. Like literally I have to teach myself what a logarithm is a couple of times a year. The other day it was factorials — I was helping my son with a statistics concept that I totally intuitively knew, but I couldn’t fluently read the formula because I had forgotten the notation. If OP can save her daughter from this with some tutoring, it will be a lifelong benefit.

[Anonymous]

Time for tutoring and monitoring the progress yourself. Teacher doesn’t care as long as she is performing at grade level.

[Anonymous]

Look, a tutor or extra help never hurt anyone. I am sure your DD will be fine even without one, as in an average American child with not too solid math skills (my son is one so no offense meant, it’s the system)
But if you are ok with hiring a tutor - why not?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What percentile is she in for math on standardized tests? What metric are you using for deciding she is below average in math?

Standardized testing. She always toes the line of being on grade level. Teachers always just suspect she’s rushing and/or not taking testing seriously and that she’s not alone in that.

The problem is our school system doesn’t do “grades” until middle school. All we get throughout the year are updates as to if she is “on target”, “not on target”, or “target met”. She’s always “on target”.

Grade level is where a student is expected to be. If you want her more advanced than that, then you can do something outside of school, but no school is going to start interventions based on kid being on grade level

Pretty much this, even at a private school. And it might mean you need to drop the dead-end extracurricular activities to make room for more academics.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Have you been lulled into complacency by teachers all this while? It's fine for them that kids are below average. They don't care, it's not their kid. If you want your child to be above average, the teacher is not the expert you need to consult.

Your daughter needs re-teaching, either with you, and the helps of Khan Academy or other products, or with a good tutor. She needs it because math classes build on each other through the years, and at some point she won't be able to to keep her head above water.

Also, and not to scare you, but college admissions are getting crazier and crazier. Some kids with really strong GPAs, lots of advanced classes (APs, not just Honors) and strong SAT/ACT scores are rejected from their flagship state universities. So unless you have the money to pay for a no-name private college, it's in your best financial interest to help your child now. I mean it: I've got a senior in high school and I'm seeing where kids land with what sort of academic profiles. It's getting to be where it's not even a discussion of academics and love of learning or something like that. It's a question of where your child can go to college and much will you pay, if she continues to struggle in math.

Tiger Mom has entered the chat!

Yes, how dare she want her child to do well in a core class like math.

[Anonymous]

One of my daughter's teachers had them all start at 2nd grade math (in 7th) on Khan academy and work their way up to grade level. She is now a grade ahead.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would send her to Mathnasium over the summer. My daughter (who sounds similar) found it really helpful and didn't complain (too much).

Yup. Run, don’t walk, to it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:One of my daughter's teachers had them all start at 2nd grade math (in 7th) on Khan academy and work their way up to grade level. She is now a grade ahead.

I don’t follow.

[Anonymous]

I am pretty amused that a parent is worried about her daughter's math ability because her daughter's math skills are average or a little below average.

OP, do you know what "average" means?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Have you been lulled into complacency by teachers all this while? It's fine for them that kids are below average. They don't care, it's not their kid. If you want your child to be above average, the teacher is not the expert you need to consult.

Your daughter needs re-teaching, either with you, and the helps of Khan Academy or other products, or with a good tutor. She needs it because math classes build on each other through the years, and at some point she won't be able to to keep her head above water.

Also, and not to scare you, but college admissions are getting crazier and crazier. Some kids with really strong GPAs, lots of advanced classes (APs, not just Honors) and strong SAT/ACT scores are rejected from their flagship state universities. So unless you have the money to pay for a no-name private college, it's in your best financial interest to help your child now. I mean it: I've got a senior in high school and I'm seeing where kids land with what sort of academic profiles. It's getting to be where it's not even a discussion of academics and love of learning or something like that. It's a question of where your child can go to college and much will you pay, if she continues to struggle in math.

Tiger Mom has entered the chat!

Wrong.

I have a senior in high school and the PP is spot on. Test optional, record high applications, common app, full pay international students, and yield protection has thrown everything into chaos. My son got waitlisted at VT, rejected from UVA, and got accepted at Georgia Tech and CalTech. He has a 4.4 and an SAT of 1530, varsity sport, student body president, and NMS. We are now totally on the hook for out of state tuition, no way around it.

NP. Those are excellent options, congrats! (I would take either over the VA schools).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would send her to Mathnasium over the summer. My daughter (who sounds similar) found it really helpful and didn't complain (too much).

I think that Mathnasium is much better than Kumon. My kid, who didn’t even like math that much, did it as a mildly fun activity when we were going to have to leave him alone during the day for a few weeks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One of my kids was similar. I dug around and realized she just didn't have a solid, fluent grasp on place value and math facts (probably at least in part because her school has gone all in on the conceptual/Jo Boaler approach) She knew them-ish, but was having to really still think through basic calculations which was slowing her ability to really move forward. We went in the opposite direction of school recommendations for practice (things like ST Math, other apps) and went to back to paper math. We started with Singapore Math and then switched back a few grades and just had her work through the Kumon Workbooks when it became apparent that she just wasn't fluent. Now she's rolling along and ahead because the basics are automatic.

I like this approach for summer, on top of a tutor.

They make Singapore workbooks. Do you prefer Kumon workbooks over them? I think I’ll take her back to 4th and do a couple pages a day over the summer.

I don’t know how Kumon and Singapore compare, but I get the feeling that Mathnasium people are a lot more serious about math, in a down-to-earth way, than Kumon people.

And I think the bottom line is that many math teachers are simply terrible at teaching math. You can’t depend on them to teach the concepts to a kid who’s having trouble with the concepts.

[Anonymous]

I would ask if the math specialist at your school can do an assessment. I've found at our school that they don't care until the parent starts rocking the boat, so I ask about these things and my kids get pull outs. That said, one of my kids failed her math SOL last year, so she's clearly below average.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Have you been lulled into complacency by teachers all this while? It's fine for them that kids are below average. They don't care, it's not their kid. If you want your child to be above average, the teacher is not the expert you need to consult.

Your daughter needs re-teaching, either with you, and the helps of Khan Academy or other products, or with a good tutor. She needs it because math classes build on each other through the years, and at some point she won't be able to to keep her head above water.

Also, and not to scare you, but college admissions are getting crazier and crazier. Some kids with really strong GPAs, lots of advanced classes (APs, not just Honors) and strong SAT/ACT scores are rejected from their flagship state universities. So unless you have the money to pay for a no-name private college, it's in your best financial interest to help your child now. I mean it: I've got a senior in high school and I'm seeing where kids land with what sort of academic profiles. It's getting to be where it's not even a discussion of academics and love of learning or something like that. It's a question of where your child can go to college and much will you pay, if she continues to struggle in math.

Tiger Mom has entered the chat!

Wrong.

I have a senior in high school and the PP is spot on. Test optional, record high applications, common app, full pay international students, and yield protection has thrown everything into chaos. My son got waitlisted at VT, rejected from UVA, and got accepted at Georgia Tech and CalTech. He has a 4.4 and an SAT of 1530, varsity sport, student body president, and NMS. We are now totally on the hook for out of state tuition, no way around it.

This is terrifying. Really.