Monday, December 22, 2014

Random thoughts: teaching my son Maths

My son going to K2 soon.

I always feel he is weaker in Maths than in languages. Maybe because we read every night but do not do Maths every night.

If u believe in gene, he did not inherit any Maths genre from his Maths Major Mother and his money obessed and stock retail analyst father who is always calculating.

He is relying on mermory to do Maths. Teach him a way to do addition and refresh his mermory, he can do it. 

Go deeper, he has problems understanding "more than" and "less than"

Not that he do not understand literally what it means, he can read lonewolf off my iPad game with only some words he can't pronoun. 

I explained until I become Thor ( Thor Huey; vomit blood) the concept of 1 more blue ribbon than red ribbon when teaching number bonds. I visually show him pictures, give him
Manipulatives to move around, he just don't get it. 

I know of schools that teach accelerated Maths in P1. 

But really, what set me
Thinking is: 

No worry, when he grow older, it is really a super blessing if he have not concept of more than or less than.

He earned more than me, his friends birthday gift is bigger. He has less tutors lol.

Let him take his time.



9 comments:

  1. Hi SI,

    I think sometimes, it's the understanding of the phrase 'more than' or 'less than' that trips people, rather than the math. I knew of very young children who can do the mathematical equivalent (all in numbers) of a problem (e.g. 2 + 3 = ? ) but will fail miserably when it comes to a worded problem like "If a number is 2 more than 3, find that number." So, I'll do a test:

    1) 5+3 = ?
    2) 5-3 = ?
    3) What is 5 added to 3?
    4) What is 3 subtracted from 5?
    5) What is a number that is 3 more than 5?
    6) What is a number that is 3 less than 5?

    The questions, in ascending order, becomes more and more about the language than about the math. But I'm sure you must already know this. I'm just waving my axe in front of the master carpenter ;)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yup yup it's word problem
      That is beyond him.

      He can do 1) 2)

      Struggle with 3) 4)

      Fly kite with 5)6)

      LOL

      Delete
    2. Hi SI,

      Ah, so it's more language problem than mathematical. Then you should know what to do...knowing how to pronounce words is not the same as understanding the meaning of words. I started off memorizing how to pronounce the words...it's only years after that I realised what the meaning of the words really is. Actually for 3 to 6, it's only sec 1 or 2 that I started seeing..but progressively it's been pushed down to lower pri. It's really a precursor to algebra, and I don't know why they are learning it at this young age. Oh well....our education system.

      Delete
    3. Ya, talk about accelerated learning! LP!

      A* assessment will soon become A assement when the bell curve move.

      Ya, "more than" is easy to understand. More than 1, that is abstract.

      Also, addition then addition la. Why, counting, number bonds, number line Blar blar Blar.

      Hmm... Like that say also wrong.

      Investor must have a repertoire of valuation methods. Cannot say can win money can liao what. Or can I actually say that?

      Delete
  2. K2 and you are already so concern?

    i don't understand why parents nowadays are so worry about their kids education that they unintentionally add pressure to them. thats very bad!

    me have 2 kids, i never have to worry about their studies, i let them be what they want to be. my son quit normal school and now a musician and my daugther want to be a scientics study in NUS, who cares!

    As parants we should assist them and not add pressure onto them, otherwise they are likely gonna make the wrong choice of their career.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Coconut,

      When it's my time, no one has "extra help", we all DIY.

      I am already the enlightened one liao. I NVM send him to any enrichment except arts which he wanted and interested.

      We home teach, no stress. The reading he enjoy too.

      I know of 3 years old must go Shishida. Blar Blar blar.. Kumon etc, I can read Blar ... The. Pri go learning lab...

      I baba mama tuition center LOL

      Delete
  3. Hi Sillyinvestor

    Weak in maths no worry, just don't weak in financial planning when he grows up k ;)

    I'm sure with a good father to lead him on, his results will not go very bad. Don't worry too much about it ;)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hmm...

      My fiancial journey is a very 坎坷one, hope his is better. Trying to teach him money value slowly. When primary, will give him money to manage

      Delete
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