Is this problem too hard for a second grader?

[Anonymous]

My DD has always done well in math, but this year suddenly she's saying she hates it. She brought home some worksheets that they were doing in class, and they seemed very confusing to me. For example, one was a word problem that required division, although it didn't use that word. It said someone had 100 pieces of candy and wanted to give five to each person in the class, and there are 25 people in the class. How many would each person get? Another said someone had 50 apples and wanted to put 2 in each basket, and so on. My DD had meticulously drawn out one hundred pieces of candy and then grouped them into 5's and done the whole thing that way...she actually got the answers right, but complained that it was hard. She has never learned either division or multiplication in school, and last year worked mostly with numbers less than 20, so this seems too difficult to me. Is your child doing work like this in 2nd? Do you think they could do it, if they did have it? This is public.

[Anonymous]

What's the answer to the first question? Does everyone get 4? Or do 20 people get 5 and 5 people get 0?

[Anonymous]

It sounds like a great problem for a second grader.

[Anonymous]

Yes. Standard second grade curriculum.

It's early in the year. They're working on the concepts. It's about understanding what "division" means in real life. So it's more than just a mechanical function. The goal is for kids to experience division -- not just learn the rote rules.

More generally, it's ok that homework is hard sometimes. As a parent, our job is to teach our kids that it's ok to struggle with learning. It's ok to be confused. It's ok to have to think about things in different ways and keep coming back to it until we figure out how to do it. It doesn't mean we're dumb or that the work is too hard. Sometimes learning comes easily and sometimes it take more time. Both are ok. It's how we grow.

I'd worry less about whether she got the "right" answer and focus on encouraging her CURIOUSITY, her PERSISTENCE (not give up when things get hard) and her RESILIENCE (not letting it upset or get to her when things are difficult.) That's learning. Sometimes it's easy and sometimes it's hard. Either way, her brain is GROWING and getting STRONGER, and that's awesome.

Maybe think of an example in your own life when it took you awhile to learn something. Where you had to put in a lot of time and effort before something clicked for you. For me, it was weekly spelling words (never came easy) and later in law school (certain classes took months to click before they came together for me). But you're proud that you STUCK WITH IT and DIDN'T GIVE UP. That effort and mindset made you even smarter!!!

[Anonymous]

You're right, they're not supposed to be using division yet. They want the kids to draw pictures (basic ones - the problem my kid has is that he wants to get too artistic, lol) to figure problems like that out. Seems like a waste of time to me.

[Anonymous]

It is the stupid new way they teach math now.

They should be memorizing the facts first the way math has always been taught.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It is the stupid new way they teach math now.

They should be memorizing the facts first the way math has always been taught.

I am sorry. Where's the proof in American education and worldwide standings, and our overall success in math, that shows that the old way actually worked?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is the stupid new way they teach math now.

They should be memorizing the facts first the way math has always been taught.

I am sorry. Where's the proof in American education and worldwide standings, and our overall success in math, that shows that the old way actually worked?

Americans have been learning new math for decades, only semi-successfully. The old math has been taught more recently in other countries.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes. Standard second grade curriculum.

It's early in the year. They're working on the concepts. It's about understanding what "division" means in real life. So it's more than just a mechanical function. The goal is for kids to experience division -- not just learn the rote rules.

More generally, it's ok that homework is hard sometimes. As a parent, our job is to teach our kids that it's ok to struggle with learning. It's ok to be confused. It's ok to have to think about things in different ways and keep coming back to it until we figure out how to do it. It doesn't mean we're dumb or that the work is too hard. Sometimes learning comes easily and sometimes it take more time. Both are ok. It's how we grow.

I'd worry less about whether she got the "right" answer and focus on encouraging her CURIOUSITY, her PERSISTENCE (not give up when things get hard) and her RESILIENCE (not letting it upset or get to her when things are difficult.) That's learning. Sometimes it's easy and sometimes it's hard. Either way, her brain is GROWING and getting STRONGER, and that's awesome.

Maybe think of an example in your own life when it took you awhile to learn something. Where you had to put in a lot of time and effort before something clicked for you. For me, it was weekly spelling words (never came easy) and later in law school (certain classes took months to click before they came together for me). But you're proud that you STUCK WITH IT and DIDN'T GIVE UP. That effort and mindset made you even smarter!!!

Wonderful response! Thanks, PP.

Concepts are harder than methods. They take longer to sink in, but once you've gotten it, the method flows. Offering her other word problems with smaller numbers would be good practice. Locking in the concept right now is key. She can memorize tables later, if you think that would make it easier for her down the road.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is the stupid new way they teach math now.

They should be memorizing the facts first the way math has always been taught.

I am sorry. Where's the proof in American education and worldwide standings, and our overall success in math, that shows that the old way actually worked?

Lol amongst developed nations (and even a few less developed ones) American kids rank at the bottom for math proficiency. Get a clue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is the stupid new way they teach math now.

They should be memorizing the facts first the way math has always been taught.

I am sorry. Where's the proof in American education and worldwide standings, and our overall success in math, that shows that the old way actually worked?

I don't get that problem. We have done it both ways and traditional works much better. We just switched to MCPS and the curriculum is not impressive, to put it nicely.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes. Standard second grade curriculum.

It's early in the year. They're working on the concepts. It's about understanding what "division" means in real life. So it's more than just a mechanical function. The goal is for kids to experience division -- not just learn the rote rules.

More generally, it's ok that homework is hard sometimes. As a parent, our job is to teach our kids that it's ok to struggle with learning. It's ok to be confused. It's ok to have to think about things in different ways and keep coming back to it until we figure out how to do it. It doesn't mean we're dumb or that the work is too hard. Sometimes learning comes easily and sometimes it take more time. Both are ok. It's how we grow.

I'd worry less about whether she got the "right" answer and focus on encouraging her CURIOUSITY, her PERSISTENCE (not give up when things get hard) and her RESILIENCE (not letting it upset or get to her when things are difficult.) That's learning. Sometimes it's easy and sometimes it's hard. Either way, her brain is GROWING and getting STRONGER, and that's awesome.

Maybe think of an example in your own life when it took you awhile to learn something. Where you had to put in a lot of time and effort before something clicked for you. For me, it was weekly spelling words (never came easy) and later in law school (certain classes took months to click before they came together for me). But you're proud that you STUCK WITH IT and DIDN'T GIVE UP. That effort and mindset made you even smarter!!!

OP here - Let me be clear - this was NOT homework. This was done in class, with no assistance (30 kids in class), and she did not finish it, so it was sent home for her to finish.

I disagree with you that it is OK to struggle - if a child is asked to do a problem and doesn't have the tools to do it, it only leads to frustration. My DD did not feel good about getting the right answers. She said it was hard, and by hard she meant tedious and boring. She now hates math. So she isn't getting any pride from this at all.

[Anonymous]

OP here, and I still have no answer. I thought the problem type itself was OK, but not with such a high number. Are other parents seeing their kids working with this type of problem with such a high number?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is the stupid new way they teach math now.

They should be memorizing the facts first the way math has always been taught.

I am sorry. Where's the proof in American education and worldwide standings, and our overall success in math, that shows that the old way actually worked?

I don't get that problem. We have done it both ways and traditional works much better. We just switched to MCPS and the curriculum is not impressive, to put it nicely.

I respectfully disagree.

DD is now in third grade and thoroughly understands the concepts AND has memorized the facts. She's got both.

Not because we drilled her on them. But because the class worked with the numbers so many different times and ways in first and second grade that she just knows them now. Addition and subtraction combos and most multiplication combos, too. My guess is the rest will be cemented in her head soon enough. They practice and play a billion different ways.

To me, this is a huge improvement. Not necessarily now in 2nd/3rd grade. But looking ahead to 8th grade and beyond. This is where kids separate out in to those who feel confident in math and those who don't.

By eight grade, kids who are strong with computation because they memorized the basics are at risk for leveling out (or stressing out) when math becomes more conceptual. Kids who took in the concepts and are excited about them as "puzzles" rather than memorization are more confident with and open to advanced math.

Of course, YMMV. But my experience is that it's not either/or. It's both/and.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is the stupid new way they teach math now.

They should be memorizing the facts first the way math has always been taught.

I am sorry. Where's the proof in American education and worldwide standings, and our overall success in math, that shows that the old way actually worked?

I don't get that problem. We have done it both ways and traditional works much better. We just switched to MCPS and the curriculum is not impressive, to put it nicely.

I respectfully disagree.

DD is now in third grade and thoroughly understands the concepts AND has memorized the facts. She's got both.

Not because we drilled her on them. But because the class worked with the numbers so many different times and ways in first and second grade that she just knows them now. Addition and subtraction combos and most multiplication combos, too. My guess is the rest will be cemented in her head soon enough. They practice and play a billion different ways.

To me, this is a huge improvement. Not necessarily now in 2nd/3rd grade. But looking ahead to 8th grade and beyond. This is where kids separate out in to those who feel confident in math and those who don't.

By eight grade, kids who are strong with computation because they memorized the basics are at risk for leveling out (or stressing out) when math becomes more conceptual. Kids who took in the concepts and are excited about them as "puzzles" rather than memorization are more confident with and open to advanced math.

Of course, YMMV. But my experience is that it's not either/or. It's both/and.

I don't have a good enough memory to compare it to the way it used to be, but I agree with the bolded whole heartedly. It's actually kind of amazing to see what they know or can figure out.