Need help for a first grader
Posted: Thu Feb 03, 2011 5:38 pm
Hi there. My daughter is in the first grade and she is having an extremely difficult time with math. She is in a public school but right now, I'm not overly thrilled with the school itself. I know that homeschooling parents know what they are talking about and know where to find things to help their children and that is why I'm turning to you for help. I'm afraid that if she doesn't grasp this now, she is going to be in a lot of trouble with whatever is coming up next.
My daughter is having the worst time grasping that there are different ways to count numbers - by 1s, 2s, 5s and 10s. She can count from 1 to 100 by 1s, 2s, 5s and 10s with ease. But getting her to figure out word problems is proving to be a difficult task. I will tell you that the way that they word the problems in these books is actually confusing me as well.
I'll give you an example. The problem will contain 3 rows of 10 blocks. How many blocks are there? She will say 3. She will look at the rows, not the blocks. When I ask her how many blocks are in a row, she says 10. When I say how many blocks altogether, that's when she gets that it is 30.
If the problem shows three rows of 10 blocks and 4 single blocks, she will say that there are 3 tens and 4 ones but then 3 tens plus 4 ones will equal 7.
She is also not doing well in comprehension testing which could be playing a part in this as well. She doesn't comprehend the questions which could be tricking her up as well.
Last year there were 4 kids that were left back in 1st grade. I really don't want my daughter to be one of this year.
Anything you can tell me, if anyone has kids who have had this kind of mental block, any books you can turn me to - anything is greatly appreciated.
Thanks.
Michele
My daughter is having the worst time grasping that there are different ways to count numbers - by 1s, 2s, 5s and 10s. She can count from 1 to 100 by 1s, 2s, 5s and 10s with ease. But getting her to figure out word problems is proving to be a difficult task. I will tell you that the way that they word the problems in these books is actually confusing me as well.
I'll give you an example. The problem will contain 3 rows of 10 blocks. How many blocks are there? She will say 3. She will look at the rows, not the blocks. When I ask her how many blocks are in a row, she says 10. When I say how many blocks altogether, that's when she gets that it is 30.
If the problem shows three rows of 10 blocks and 4 single blocks, she will say that there are 3 tens and 4 ones but then 3 tens plus 4 ones will equal 7.
She is also not doing well in comprehension testing which could be playing a part in this as well. She doesn't comprehend the questions which could be tricking her up as well.
Last year there were 4 kids that were left back in 1st grade. I really don't want my daughter to be one of this year.
Anything you can tell me, if anyone has kids who have had this kind of mental block, any books you can turn me to - anything is greatly appreciated.
Thanks.
Michele