For those with Math Challenges

[JAG10]

My dd11 is in 5th grade. She suffered with PANDAS throughout her entire elementary experience. Anyway, I signed her up for this program called Kumon (you can do math and reading, but we just do math.) Kumon's approach is much more traditional than Everyday Math in that there is lots of practice of the basics and it is timed (but not in a pressured way.) When she took the placement exam, they put her back at a 1-2nd grade level and started her out practicing addition. That was about 2 weeks ago, and she has already progressed 1 level to 2-3rd grade. I don't think she is really 3-4 years behind in math at all and she isn't failing math or even in the lowest class (her last test was on adding mixed fractions, finding common denominators, adding positive/negative integers.) It's just that there are holes, lack of mastery of the basics that will always haunt her if we don't go back and achieve automaticity. That is what Kumon is doing for her. I put my younger girl in the program too. She does one packet a night and it takes her about 10-15 minutes. DD11 does two packets Thursday thru Mondays and then one Mon-Wed. so as not to overload her. We are also practicing 1-5 multiplication tables, which she had, but must have vanished into her PANDAS hole, nightly, one pass, to get her ready for multiplication in the next level.

 

Believe me, it was a deep narcisistic wound to see dd11 start at a 1-2nd gr level. I was always a math whiz and obtained a great deal of confidence being a girl who excelled at math. I've always wanted that for my girls too. But I just keep saying to myself, slow and steady wins the race. We will increase to 3 packets in the summer to get her to where she needs to be. She just had her 2nd IVIG in the beginning of February and she is well on her way regarding puberty. I really believe her darkest days are behind her and we will win this race!

 

BTW, Kumon in Philadelphia is about $100/month. She goes into the center twice a week to do her packet so they can monitor progress. We are in and out in 20 minutes and there is a four hour window to go 3 days/week. So far, I have found it very convenient. I can see both girls' confidence increasing as well as their respect and interest in accuracy and efficiency with math. I keep telling dd11 there is no way but through this challenge. Now she sees it is obtainable!

 

Thought I would share this info and success with you. If you google Kumon, they have a center locator. If there isn't a center near you, perhaps, if you are interested, you can call one of their centers and ask for a recommendation.

 

Best wishes!

Jill

 

 

[Bill]

My dd11 is in 5th grade. She suffered with PANDAS throughout her entire elementary experience. Anyway, I signed her up for this program called Kumon (you can do math and reading, but we just do math.) Kumon's approach is much more traditional than Everyday Math in that there is lots of practice of the basics and it is timed (but not in a pressured way.) When she took the placement exam, they put her back at a 1-2nd grade level and started her out practicing addition. That was about 2 weeks ago, and she has already progressed 1 level to 2-3rd grade. I don't think she is really 3-4 years behind in math at all and she isn't failing math or even in the lowest class (her last test was on adding mixed fractions, finding common denominators, adding positive/negative integers.) It's just that there are holes, lack of mastery of the basics that will always haunt her if we don't go back and achieve automaticity. That is what Kumon is doing for her. I put my younger girl in the program too. She does one packet a night and it takes her about 10-15 minutes. DD11 does two packets Thursday thru Mondays and then one Mon-Wed. so as not to overload her. We are also practicing 1-5 multiplication tables, which she had, but must have vanished into her PANDAS hole, nightly, one pass, to get her ready for multiplication in the next level.

 

Believe me, it was a deep narcisistic wound to see dd11 start at a 1-2nd gr level. I was always a math whiz and obtained a great deal of confidence being a girl who excelled at math. I've always wanted that for my girls too. But I just keep saying to myself, slow and steady wins the race. We will increase to 3 packets in the summer to get her to where she needs to be. She just had her 2nd IVIG in the beginning of February and she is well on her way regarding puberty. I really believe her darkest days are behind her and we will win this race!

 

BTW, Kumon in Philadelphia is about $100/month. She goes into the center twice a week to do her packet so they can monitor progress. We are in and out in 20 minutes and there is a four hour window to go 3 days/week. So far, I have found it very convenient. I can see both girls' confidence increasing as well as their respect and interest in accuracy and efficiency with math. I keep telling dd11 there is no way but through this challenge. Now she sees it is obtainable!

 

Thought I would share this info and success with you. If you google Kumon, they have a center locator. If there isn't a center near you, perhaps, if you are interested, you can call one of their centers and ask for a recommendation.

 

Best wishes!

Jill

 

Great information!! My son brought home 6 A's, 1 B+, and 1 D last quarter. Yep - math. Some days he is unable to add to single digit numbers easily (he's in 7th grade). Lately, he's surprised me by doing simple multiplication with fractions in his head. We have been wondering if a tutor of any type would be useful as he is resistant to all attempts so far.

 

Thanks for this though. Perhaps he would benefit, if we can get him to go.

 

bill

[thereishope]

JAG, this is when you dig into the SLP skills of yours and think about those kids that are say 5 years old that have the speech equivalent of a 1-2 year old. You know it'll take work, but you don't think less of those kids (not saying you think less of your dd, but you know what I mean) and you know they can overcome their issues and get up to speed in due time.

 

There are also a lot of free math websites she can go to. This may help "break up" doing worksheets sometimes. I think our school uses http://www.ixl.com/ That one you only get 15 minutes a day before you have to get a subscriotion. They also use www.funbrain.com. Finally they use www.studyisland.com but you may need a subscription for that, not sure.

 

She'll get there. She's a fighter!

[ilovedogs]

Just wanted to add that I have a friend who uses Kumon for her boys, who have no neuro issues, btw. She loves it. Kumon starts all kids at the same level, it's up to the kids on how they progress. I've been doing review speed drills with my ds, he's 12, because I know he knows the answers but he has a hard time transferring the answers to the paper. I have considered Kumon but he's actually doing really well now that I'm focusing on reviewing the tables(addition, subtraction, multiplication, division) and since we homeschool I have been blaming myself for him being almost 2 years behind in math.

 

We also do a website called bigmathtime.com and that gives him good review and keeps him practicing his problems without having to write down answers since he seems to be pencil-phobic, LOL!

[Phasmid]

Good to hear good things about Kumon. Always wondered. As a parent and a teacher, I HATED Everyday Math curriculum!!!!

 

 

[JAG10]

Everyday Math.......isn't so bad if your kid has an old school teacher who knows it needs to be supplemented with a DAILY dose of the facts that should be mastered in that grade! I see older teachers doing this on their own.

 

Kumon will place your child where they demonstrate mastery. Many children go there for enrichment. But it is a daily commitment, thus the mastery. Online programs are also an alternative if you have the discipline for daily practice without having to be accountable to an outside source. It is a working mom's luxury to have the packets put together for me and have the girls accountable to someone else also, but if I had more time at home I would take advantage of online programs and set up the structure for daily practice. I really admire parents who home school their children. I can work with other peoples' disabled children everyday and exhibit great patience, but I'll admit it much more challenging to do with my own. Four years ago, dd11's psychiatrist suggested I home school her and I just knew I did not have what it takes to pull that off and keep our mother-daughter relationship intact. It it my short coming, but at least I am wise enough to see that in myself.

[matis_mom]

I think it's wonderful that you are doing this for your daugthers! PANDAS did not hit my daughter until last year (she is in fifth grade now), and I can see her struggling with things she had already mastered. But then when she has a good day, she is back to normal like nothing happened. But I wonder will I ever have to go back and revisit all the "bad days" we've had this year...

[peglem]

Mathnasium is another math tutoring company that is very good at identifying and targeting math "holes." I worked for them for a couple years doing after school tutoring and was very impressed with their systematic approach of evaluating deficiencies and remediating exactly where needed.

[ilovedogs]

Peglem, which mathnasium did you work for? Was it here in AZ? I've thought of looking into their program but the closest one for me is in Scottsdale, about 40 mins from my house.

[peglem]

Peglem, which mathnasium did you work for? Was it here in AZ? I've thought of looking into their program but the closest one for me is in Scottsdale, about 40 mins from my house.

The one I worked for was based in Chandler, but I actually worked on site at the schools.