Trouble with Math

[Lifestar]

Ever since 2nd grade, my now 13 year old dd has had trouble with math. She has gotten after school help throughout the years, and even private tutoring the past few years... but now, there is no more money for tutors...

She just doesn't get it.

Now she is in 8th grade, and the stakes are very high. She has a teacher who is set to retire next year. This teacher is feeling very pressured by the new state standards... and is rushing "full steam ahead" through the math curriculum..leaving my kid ( and some others) in the dust...

When the kids ask for review of things they "don't get" the teacher has such an attitude about wasting the time on review... that the kids feel intimidated and stupid about asking for help... they sit quietly..feeling defeated... My daughter has stopped doing homework because she sais "What's the point?.. I never get it anyway..and if you don't complete the homework it's graded as "Not Done" anyway!" <that's a quote> Talk about feeling defeated...

I have spoken to the teacher, with no resolution about this... and even the principal has said... "Well this teacher is retiring next year.. why don't you just get a tutor?"...

I'm beside myself... I can't afford a tutor!!

I am lousy at math and not capable of helping her with the work.. I just don't understand it ... I don't know where to go next.. or quite honestly what to ask for to be done about it!

All the Honor Students in the HS are unavailable to tutor 8th graders... ( I've checked) .. Now what... Any suggestions?

Val

[barbszy]

I'm not a math person either. My DS's math teacher said that some people have "math brains" and some don't....luckily my DS does. He's in 6th grade and I can't even CHECK some of his math homework!!

But I can relate to how your daughter is feeling.

Her teacher AND principal are way out of line with their attitude. You might need to get together with other parents of kids who are struggling and prove to the principal that it's not just YOUR kid.
Get her taken out of that class. She needs a teacher who cares about whether she "gets it." There is no excuse for what that teacher is doing. She should get out of the classroom now and put your kid out of her misery!
If the principal won't help you, take it to the school board.
Check with your local library and see if there is tutoring available. And also see if there are computer games you can check out that will help her with math skills. Many libraries have those.

[Stormy]

I live in Michigan, my Grandson also had learning problems with some subjects. His Mother was unable to pay for tutors, however she found out that some churches, youth groups and the college in our area gave him the free help that he needed on a weekly basis........Call around and see what you can find,,,Stormy

[Vrsherren]

I was never any good at math either. Fortunately, there is a website "aaamath.com" It has all kinds of math there. Check it out and find what you daughter knows and let her develope confidence mastering the math skills while having fun.
I keep my friend's grandchildren during the summer. The oldest was having so much trouble in math, and work sheets weren't helping. I found this site and found her skill level and let her "play". She had the best time and is doing much better in math this year.

Hand in there!

[bbkimberly]

Try getting her some workbooks - there are those that have the answer key in the back so you don't have to worry so much at checking it. I just this past week got some great deals on ebay for quite a few workbooks. I also found an ebay seller that specializes in McGraw-Hill Learning Materials (she is a distributer that can get stuff for you at a discount from the McGraw-Hill website) and she has a lot of stuff. If you would like to get in touch with her PM me and I will ask her which way is best to get in touch with her.

[Goria]

I might look at what building blocks she missed in grade 2 and start there. It seems juvenille - but if that is where the problem began, there is something she missed. Maybe it is x tables/ addition/subtraction facts - borrowing/ simple division etc. That might be a place to start looking. You can get the grade 2/3 levels of workbooks through Abeka and see if the problem is there....

[mom2-4]

My DS, also has had trouble with math since about 2nd grade. He had trouble all the way up to 7th grade.

Luckily just before that we switched school districts. And they were alo more helpful. They noticed that if he did good in math that all his other subjects suffered. And when he was doing ok in the other sujbects he failed math.

They tested him for a learning disabilty and found that he does have a disability in math, and now he gets special help for math. They will actually let him, if he needs too, to go to a "special" help teacher. And she will actually help him with it.

He now cares a little more about school. Keep in mind, I have a boy. Who is very defiant.

I don't know if maybe you could talk to the guidance counselor. And have her tested. Maybe there is something similar that could be done for your daughter.

I do have to go into the school for IEP meetings. Which are really no big deal, you are actually participating in helping the child.

I thought in the past this IEP was just in our school district. But, I did see someone else on the boards mention IEP, and they are not even from my state.

Because of the "learning disablity" in math he is also entilted to help with other subjects.

[freckleswa]

I would definately urge you to get her tested for a learning disability, pronto.....if this has gone on for as long as it has, once she has been checked, if this is the case, the school MUST do anything and everything possible to help your child....once you have an IEP, it is the law that they help your child.....get this checked as soon as possible..... I will check back to see if you have made any progress......

[Lifestar]

Thank you for all the referrals to all the web sited and other support systems.

I have had her tested for classification under the IDEA laws; which are Federal, not local, Karen... you may want to research your rights under the Federal Idnividuals with Disabilities Educational Act statutes.

Any public school that recieves federal funding has to give your child certain rogramming under these laws. All children are ENTITLED to a free and APPROPRIATE education.. and that's where the IEP (Individualized Education Plan ) comes in.

But every state is entitled to set it's own STANDARD for determining clasification, and within each state.. each school district is entitled to determine HOW to screen to see if the child meets that standard.

Right now in our district, a child has to fail to recieve help. A child has to score two "standard deviations below norm" to qualify for services. MY child did not score THAT low... she missed the mark , because although her math WAS MANY standard deviations below the mark..overall she is very bright and compensated in all other areas..and her score was high enough OVERALL..so that she didn't qualify for special education services..

Buracratic red tape..

[jns131]

There is nothing wrong with your child. What needs to happen is she needs to be challenged and also needs to work at her own speed. Has the teacher been any help? Have you actually called and made an appt with the teacher to see what needs to happen next? Otherwise, the best computer programs I have seen out there and this has helped our DD is Math Rock and Jumpstart Math. Ours is in 1st grade with 2nd grade math abilities. There is another one, Reader Rabbits Math. All was found at Toys R Us and other computer stores. Ours has her computer and we teach her math using these programs. Sometimes we let her go and she just takes off. Learning all starts at home. I am a teacher and do see what happens to children when parents get invovled. I would sit down with her and see where the problems start.
Good luck.