Talk me down from the ledge - I'm about to put Sam back in school

Hi Tiffany,

First, let me confess that I only read this far. I just wanted to say that fish oil improves memory. Our psych recommended 6grams per day, prefereably in a divided dose. I find this really makes a huge difference to my ds in terms of memory. I also let him make notes and stick them on the wall in front of him about things he forgets continuously (mostly math), and that helps too. I figure that every time he refers to it, it helps to know it a bit better.

My other thought about the memory is that it is also affected by anxiety. And your dd is at a hard age....at least mine is hard work, anyway. Moody, inconsistent and hard to live with.

So hang in there :love:

 

What about adding in Life of Fred? I heard wonders about that!

Otherwise I'm in on the run and coke deal - just PM me directions and me and my goat are on our way!!

 

You have a goat that drinks??:wink:

 

Gotta a baby who is bottle fed - so SURE! LOL

I do have a sheep that likes beer - but he's about 250lbs+ so not sure I would bring him.

 

Now- if only they could teach math!:lol:

 

Sounds like she needs to go back in math and figure out what part she missed the boat on.

Some friends of ours were having a similar problem with their 7th grader in math. They tried EVERYTHING but he'd just get angry, stubborn, cry—everything when it came to math. He wouldn't even THINK, he'd just sit and stare at the page. When they asked him what he didn't understand he couldn't even say. They'd explain a concept and he'd listen, repeat it...then not be able to do it AFTER THEY JUST EXPLAINED IT.

Out of desperation they went back and started with 1st grade concepts. They seriously went back and gave him worksheets for every concept starting at the very beginning (they downloaded them free from the internet). He started with adding single numbers and went up through from there. Of course the first grade stuff was completed in one day, and same with second grade.

As they came up through the grades he got CONFIDENCE in what he already knew, and getting the problems correct relieved some of the pressure. As they came up through the grades he started balking at about 5th grade level. They reviewed the concepts he forgot and helped him get them down. They continued up until they hit 7th grade....and MIRACLE OF MIRACLES he breezed right through what he was having trouble with before...AND KEPT ON GOING!

He moved forward and by the end of the year was doing 10th grade math. No lie. Math is now his best subject.

We had to do that with reading with our 7-year old, start back at the beginning but now she's flown past the problems she was having and is now reading at grade level. She used to cry, balk and freak out at reading. Now her confidence is back!

Sometimes if kids miss the boat on one concept it keeps them from getting ALL the later concepts. And they don't necessarily know what it was they didn't fully get. The phenomenon is exactly what you just described. The solution is going back and picking up the missing data.

Good luck!

 

Becky, sorry can't agree with you on this one, I think by holding the child to a curriculum they don't like and don't understand puts a bigger gap in there learning then changing. They are doing something they don't like and don't care about it so they wouldn't put there mind to it. I know I been there. I made my dd finish last year and what a big mistake....

 

Well I just got back in town. I took the girls to my parents house for the weekend. I think we can all use the break. We had a birthday lunch together and said goodbye until Sunday. They will get to have fun shopping, eating out and playing tons of games with grandma and I will get to have fun just being with my husband and friends.

I think a few days relaxation will do us some good.

We will get back to work on Monday and we will be doing math. We will see how it goes. I will be looking into Teaching Textbooks for sure. We have used MUS for three years now and maybe she needs a change.

Aussie Mum I am also going to look into the fish oil. Thanks for letting me know!

And I really wanna see that goat drink some rum!:lol:

 

I haven't read everyting... you know all 60some posts, but wanted to offer some (((hugs))).

I don't have any real advice.. but I don't recommend LOF math, esp if she has an issue remembering things. We are not impressed with this book, and don't feel it has enough math in it. I could never imagine a child mastering math with it.

 

As much as I love you, Sommer, I have to disagree on this one. I checked out what ds and dd are doing, and it's right up there with two other math programs I looked into. Same concepts covered.

People often say that LoF isn't a complete program. I think the story part throws people off, and the humor makes them think it's not serious enough. It's DEFINITELY set up differently! But it DOES cover concepts well, and the kids I know that have used it are doing well, as are my two.

 

I keep reading more and more about LOF. I need to check it out!

 

Did I already respond to say that you may just need to switch math curriculums?

 

I don't know Deena, Garrett was learning litterally nothing from LOF fractions. There wasn't enough examples or work to make it make sense to him. We have switched to a basic 5th grade math book for the rest of this year and next year we will go with TT, as much as I hate to spend that much money. We still are using LOF, but esp if you have a student who isn't willing to, or doesn't want to put the effort into figuring it out they won't because the answers are right there on the exercise problems. I also have to sit right there during the bridges... or he is getting the answers from the back of the book... because I can not just cut the pages out of a hard bound book.. that is like murder to me.

 

This goes to show that what works for one person, might not work for another. Again, this is the beauty of homeschooling.

 

I am a big math geek, loved it all through high school, but I really struggled when I got to Calculus. Took it in HS, couldn't remember how to do it (and was very glad for the scientific calculator, which allowed us to put the formulas in so I could pull them out for the test). Had to take the 2nd semester of Calc in college to get credit for the AP test (very strict college), struggled then. Moved on to multivariable calculus (that's calculus in more than 3 dimensions), and really struggled, but I needed it for my major.

My 2nd year of college, I started taking physics classes that actually USED the formulas. After two years of being unable to remember them, once I put them into use, I could remember and use them with ease. "Oh," I said, "NOW I see why that happens."

So my suggestion - put it to use. Let her do the baking, if she has to make something every day, since you said she was struggling with fractions. Relabel the measuring cups to 8/16 and 4/16s. Instead of 'simply' doubling or halving a recipe, have her up or down it by 1/3, 1/4. Get seriously convoluted, and tell her you want her to make 9/8s of the recipe (but she can use just one egg to one egg, LOL). Have her draw it out on paper. I was thinking last night, for some random reason, about multiplying fractions and how that looks on paper. Kind of like,

"If you multiply 3/4 by 1, then of course you get the same number; if you multiply it by 2, naturally you're going to get a bigger number. But if you multiply it by a number that is less than one, you're going to get a number in total that is smaller than one." Think it out yourself, and draw it out, and see if that helps her (let me know if you need elaboration). A lot of times, once we understand the process, we remember it. Now, of course, you have to repeat the process even after you get it to remember it, but at that point, you are remembering it while it makes sense, KWIM?

Just a thought,
SG the math geek

 

LOL!
I have to laugh when I read posts about some of you ladies doing Calculus. My sister made it to Calculus but I couldn't seem to get bast Algebra1.LOL

You ladies must have the mind of a genius!

 

Me too, I'm with ya, Patty!!! I wonder what OUR minds are of???!

 

Sounds like you have started to step back and reapproach.

Glad you are getting a couple of days to relax. sometimes that is a large part of the solution process.

I would use some of those accessments type tests for the grade you are in and the grade under it and see if there are some areas where you student hesitates, or has trouble. Then I would seek some materials or activities that could help shore up those areas.

Also remember that if you student was in a school at this age it would be Middle or Junior High school. These are the WORST years of school for almost everyone.

Most kids have a subject that causes both student and parents a great deal of grief during Jr. High.

Can your student count change well enough to work at McDonald's. If they can actually count change, they can be manager LOL. If so they will be able to move out and live with roomates someday, and .....its all up hill from here.

I guess what I am saying is that we don't all need a course in Differential Equations and that you have 5 or more years to get where you are going. Just make progress even if it is not the progress that your curriculum, or state calls for.

I have hear good things about Teaching Textbooks. I was math challenged at the same age as your dd and would have loved such a program. It is not cheap, but many recommend it. I plan to switch to it in the next year or two.

I wish you both great progres in this matter. I can see that similar situations are on the horizons for me as my oldest dd grows up.

 

LOL!!! I really enjoyed your post, Vantage! (As well as the others.)

 

I only took Basic Math and Business Math. We just barely touched Algebra. I am learning as I teach it. I am right there with you Patty and Deena.