| frustration with math [message #642395] |
Mon, 26 July 2010 13:33  |
 Tina
Messages: 598
Registered: April 2005 |
Senior Member |
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My 11.5 year old son is doing Math-U-See Epsilon, focusing on fractions. On occasion, he gets really frustrated. He forgets the "Why" part once he memorizes the formula, then starts to get really upset. He watched the math video for his lesson three more times this morning, and then the "Why" part clicked for him.
So, in the end, he always understands without my help. We love the curriculum overall. I'm just wondering what is normal.
I am guessing that his brain is switching gears from boy to adolescence, and therefore the frustration??? What do you think?
If you have done MUS, what age were your kids when they went through the Epsilon book? Do you have a boy or girl?
Thanks.
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| Re: frustration with math [message #642433 is a reply to message #642395 ] |
Mon, 26 July 2010 17:30  |
Elise
Messages: 978
Registered: April 2006
Location: Ohio |
Senior Member |
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In my experience (as both a hs mom and a professional) this is VERY common. So many students have trouble with fractions. My ds sure did. He's quite good at math, but he hit a wall when it came to fractions (long division, too).
The way it worked out for him was that right when this happened we moved two times in three months. (We also traveled for Thanksgiving, Christmas and a far away wedding - it was crazy.) So, ds had quite a break from fractions (and everything else). When we got back to math, it clicked. I really think his brain needed time to make sense of it all and the break really helped. It was an accidental discovery, but I've used this a few other times when he really struggled and it helped those times, too.
Maybe you could do some other math with your ds for a week or so - even math games, puzzles, and library books, then revisit fractions after the break. It may be just what he needs.
Another option is to just take a break from fractions but continue with math that doesn't involve fractions. Then come back to them later. It's fine to take your time on this.
HTH a bit.
Blessings,
Elise
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| Re: frustration with math [message #642444 is a reply to message #642433 ] |
Mon, 26 July 2010 18:34 |
Tracy in Peru
Messages: 5097
Registered: April 2005
Location: Trujillo, Peru |
Senior Member |
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Agreeing with Elise that sometimes the "click" comes after a complete break. It is great that he is figuring it out on his own, though. You have to judge if the struggle is worth it in the long run. I have one that the stress of "stopping in the middle" would completely outweigh any benefit a break would give.
In Him--Tracy
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| Re: frustration with math [message #642844 is a reply to message #642395 ] |
Wed, 28 July 2010 08:44 |
elliemaejune
Messages: 1050
Registered: April 2005
Location: Texas |
Senior Member |
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| Tina wrote on Mon, 26 July 2010 13:33 |
I am guessing that his brain is switching gears from boy to adolescence, and therefore the frustration??? What do you think?
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I think he gets frustrated because he doesn't understand. It would not occur to me to think it was because of the on-set of adolescence.
Personally, *I* am frustrated when people try to teach me the whys first. I want to learn the process until I know that I know that I know it, and then I'll undestand the whys. Maybe he is like that, too.
Born again since 1974
Married to Mr. Ellie for over 30 years
Mom to 2 amazing grown-up dds and 2 dsil
Grandmother to 1 beautiful baby boy
A kitten dies every time you use an apostrophe to pluralize.
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that it took me several days to open the teacher's edition to find out that the lesson my son is learning "can be the hardest to understand or think through, but it is the easiest to do using a formula". Fractions of fractions, or multiplying fractions.