Hint for RightStart B, lessons in the mid-30s

[Reya]

The exercises with the picture cards is likely to be too much of a jump for a fair number of students. You child might get each individual step in isolation, but when they have to build three four-digit numbers and add them with trading right off the bat, they can lose the meaning of what they're doing because of the number of steps.

I suggest that you introduce it by adding just two two digit numbers this way first--if you must, back up to one-digit and compare to that abacus or add in three-digit numbers between two and four. It also might help to introduce adding three number--which they've never done before--in a simpler context, too. Then they can track the more complicated numbers when you get to them.

[OhElizabeth]

Those who did level A will already have done 2 digit addition mentally with trades. When we hit the 4 digit jump, as you say, that was a biggee. We basically did 1, 2 or 3 problems a day, taking it very, very slowly. I recall there was a lesson with many, many 4 digit addition problems on one worksheet, and I declare we spent two weeks on it!!! One lesson!!! But by the time she finished it, boy could she do 4 digit addition, lol.

That's great that you're slowing it and adapting to fit your dc's pace. As you say, some of these lessons require a LOT longer than 1 day to make the leap. Doing the trades with 2 digits was a level A skill and something they should have covered in the review lessons of level B as well, right? Then you just slow it down to let them work through the process. The one potential disadvantage to growing the numbers (adding 2 digits, adding 3, adding 4) is it can imply that some are harder than others. It's all the same process, just takes longer. RS goes directly to 4 digits because they want the dc to really SEE those trades happening, not just guess, infer, or do it mentally. Even when we do division we do the same thing, teaching all the way to dividing into 4 digits, then backing up to try simpler problems. Once they conquer the hardest, they aren't scared of the easier stuff. :) It's a bit counter what most other curricula do, but I've been pretty impressed with it as a method with my dd. But like I said, when you jump into those biggees, sometimes you have to slow down dramatically, even doing just 1 or 2 a day, because they do take so long. Just a thought.

[King Alfred Academy]

Perfect timing! We were working on this last week. He did the problems correctly...always does, but I don't think he is "getting" it.

We have a long break coming up...3 weeks due to visiting family...but I plan to revisit this. In fact, I think we need to spend a lot of time playing games and reviewing the concepts we have learned for a few weeks anyways. Like I mentioned, he does it correctly, but I don't think he is understanding the "why" part. Not sure I am either...ugh!:blushing:

We did not start out with Level A (we switched from Saxon) so he did not get that part. However, I will be starting Level A with ds almost 5 soon. I needed to "hear" what OhElizabeth said...
The one potential disadvantage to growing the numbers (adding 2 digits, adding 3, adding 4) is it can imply that some are harder than others. It's all the same process, just takes longer. RS goes directly to 4 digits because they want the dc to really SEE those trades happening, not just guess, infer, or do it mentally. Even when we do division we do the same thing, teaching all the way to dividing into 4 digits, then backing up to try simpler problems. Once they conquer the hardest, they aren't scared of the easier stuff. :) It's a bit counter what most other curricula do, but I've been pretty impressed with it as a method with my dd. But like I said, when you jump into those biggees, sometimes you have to slow down dramatically, even doing just 1 or 2 a day, because they do take so long. Just a thought.

I wasn't clear that that is the approach RS takes. This is helpful and encouraging.

Thanks Ladies!

[Reya]

We did RS A, and I don't remember two digit addition with trades. Adding 20 to 30--that is, adding tens only--yes, but not any two numbers. I REALLY can't remember a single trade except to occasionally make an even ten. What lesson was that????

There were just sooo many steps that the first time DS did the 4-digit addition that I could tell he had NO idea what was going on even though he could step through it all fine and even though he could tell me what each action meant in isolation. I just backed up for about four minutes and had him do two two digit numbers, and after that, he flew through it. It was that initial getting-lost-in-the-mess that was the trouble! He's now got it so solidly that I'm only going to make him do half of the worksheet that has 6 4-digit problems on it. :-) He didn't think it was harder, but he did sigh about how long it took. (Instant gratification kid here...)

I think jumping on things *right away* when DS doesn't get them and representing them in different or simpler ways until the "click" comes helps a lot--with his progress and enthusiasm, both. If he doesn't get something right away, he'll usually just shut down. But now he's sooooo excited about finishing first grade math (er...even though we started it eight days ago...) that he's nearly wetting himself. He's making me do four to six lessons a day. Not doing extra math is now actually a terrible punishment! :-) I just won't let him move on until I'm sure he's got it, though!

[OhElizabeth]

The two digit mental addition is toward the end of level A, and it's all mental. (97+23, etc.) I sold my level A ages ago, so I don't have it handy. It's a real stretch at that level and then you spend more time doing it in level B. You repeat the process with subtraction in level C.

That's cool that he's enjoying math so much. Good job and keep up the good work! You might also get him Primary Challenge Math by Zaccaro as something fun to do. :)

[kimmyandgracie]

Thanks for the tip. I am planning to start the boys in RS B this year and I am sure this information will be helpful.

[LisaTheresa]

Just FYI. I've just finished A with my daughter and am almost through B with my son. All that 2 digit mental addition is actually at the end of B. My daughter did nothing like that in A.

Lisa

[OhElizabeth]

Wow, I must have just remembered wrong. It was a WHILE ago since we did level A, lol. We jumped back and forth between A and B, so it isn't shocking I would have gotten them confused. By the time we did some of the lessons in A, we had already done them (or at least I had seen them) in B, meaning I knew where they were going and did them in a more advanced way. It's a little screwey, but that's what we did.

[Reya]

Oh, thanks so much! I was beginning to wonder if there were different editions, or something!

My DS is also 2E--we have CAPD issues here, which makes "overhead" much harder for him to deal with than most kids. It's like he either gets it or there is so much "noise" that he can't even begin to get a handle on what he's doing. So while he can figure lots of things out, he can't work from confusion/disorder to order at this point.

Oh, and as soon as he's finished this, I plan on getting him to do Singapore's IP and CWP for 1st and Primary Challenge Math (as far as he can so at this point). As soon as he's done with C, I'm going to have him do Singapore 2nd grade IP and CWP, more Primary Challenge Math, and Calc for Children. Then for D, the rest of Primary Challenge Math, Singapore 3rd grade, and the rest of the ...for Children series. One 4th grade hits, there's lots of challenge/contest materials, which is awesome, so from there on out, we'll be spoiled for choice. I'm determined not to just let him race through--I want him to have the deepest comprehension at every grade level! He's already doing most of the abacus work abacus free, which is awesome for a kid who got tangled up in a verbal word problem (CAPD issues again) just a few months ago.