If you’re umc and you’re kid is not a good student… how did you parent?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is a rant/ question. I’m a math tutor. I have this one student who is sooo slow with concepts. She is a junior in high school. I’m talking with negative numbers. I just want to go off on her parents. How can you let your child be this way? She finally started getting tutored but she has the math skills of a 3rd grader. I think there’s no excuse if you’re umc and up. End rant.

I thought my kid was making a win-win reference when she said "it is like 1+1 = 3". Maybe I should investigate further.

[Anonymous]

This is just a case of a bad fit between tutor and student. People who become actuaries have an intuitive grasp of negative numbers. It’s literally incomprehensible to them how anyone could not understand. I’m sure OP has helped lots of kids with algebra. They were hired to tutor “high school math” or SAT math.” Instead they found a kid who needs serious remediation. Maybe that’s because of a learning disability, maybe there’s some other cause. It doesn’t matter. OP needs to tell parents to get a more remedial tutor. The conversation will probably go better if they suggest there’s a learning disability issue, whether or not there really is. (OP isn’t qualified to diagnose anyway.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why the hell do people still not understand that you can’t parent your way out of everything?!? You get the kid you get, can tutor as much as you want, and your kid may still suck at math. I sure as hell do.

Wrong. Anyone without a learning disability can be at least moderate with math

Sorry. Original point still stands. You can’t parent your way out of everything. And not everyone, even with a learning disability, can be moderate at math. What on earth qualifies you to make that statement?

[Anonymous]

OP if you are so smart then why are you a tutor for children’s math? Not that there’s anything wrong at all with tutoring children, but based on your obnoxious and judgmental post you’d think you were an astrophysicist or something. (Actually, even an astrophysicist probably had a kinder bedside manner than you.) Best go back to watching 90 Day Fiancé and leave the educating and evaluations to the adults.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is a rant/ question. I’m a math tutor. I have this one student who is sooo slow with concepts. She is a junior in high school. I’m talking with negative numbers. I just want to go off on her parents. How can you let your child be this way? She finally started getting tutored but she has the math skills of a 3rd grader. I think there’s no excuse if you’re umc and up. End rant.

OP, she probably has a learning disability. Some kids struggle with basic numeracy skills due to learning problems or they are slow processors. Language learning disabilities can affect math skills-- especially word problems.

You can't "money" your way out of that -- although I do agree that if this is first brush with a tutor and extra help, and her parents have the resources, that is neglectful on their part.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is a rant/ question. I’m a math tutor. I have this one student who is sooo slow with concepts. She is a junior in high school. I’m talking with negative numbers. I just want to go off on her parents. How can you let your child be this way? She finally started getting tutored but she has the math skills of a 3rd grader. I think there’s no excuse if you’re umc and up. End rant.

Find another line of work. You have no business working with children and teenagers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We focused on teaching our kids the difference between your and you're. OP, can I have *your* parents contact information so I can go off on them?

Can't you see that OP had correct "your" in the text of the post? That was clearly a typo. Geez

OP - be careful not to judge. You don't know the full profile of this student in terms of academic challenges or psychological ones either. When walking these mine fields, sometimes it's a fine balance in getting supports and crushing your child's self esteem.

I'm hoping your rant is coming from a good place and that you wish this child had gotten support earlier - but always remember - you don't know the full story. It's your job to help, not to judge. So take the child where he/she is and be the superstar and cheerleader that helps him/her conquer this deficiency.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't get. How did your student get to her junior year without her teachers noticing her math is at the 3 rd grade level. Are you exaggerating or she attens an awful school?

I wish I was exaggerating. I’m really not. I’m confused how they’re now just coming to me. The school is actually great. I think she does use online help because her homework grade is great but the test scores are really bad.

Sounds like processing speed or test anxiety issues. Both are issue that only show up and matters for test taking. My kids went to a school that never had tests, so the problem never showed itself; we didn't start to recognize it until starting a new school that actually gave tests. Kid is super smart, and once the testing phase of life is over it won't be an issue, just like it wasn't before the testing phase.