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Math
Dec 4, 2005 13:45:48 GMT -5
Post by swmom on Dec 4, 2005 13:45:48 GMT -5
We are struggling in math this year(5th grade). It is a complicated situation but perhaps one you all may have seen, too.
Most of the time it seems like dd knows the material - well. You ask her a math question. Can you do this problem? She says, yes, and does it or she gives you the right answer. Then, on the test she misses it. Sometimes she'll answer 36 at the top of the page when the problem is 9x4, then at the bottom of the page she'll answer 45 when the problem 4x9. Sometimes she won't reread the question and will get it partly right or do the wrong thing to the problem. Always, she hurries through the test because she does not want to be seen finishing last. For example, a few weeks ago, she scored a 53 on a math test. I knew she knew the material well. We studied extra hard for it. I told the teacher this. He retested her - after school one day when it was quiet, no distractions, no one to see her finish last. She scored an 86. We both agreed that her anxiety is having an effect on her math performance. But what do I do about it? The ability is there. She just cannot get through a test without making many careless mistakes. This is so frustrating. Her teacher thinks she needs a tutor and lots of extra practice. But it's like she remembers it when you teach it to her but then retains some of it but not all.
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Math
Dec 4, 2005 14:44:47 GMT -5
Post by Mayleng on Dec 4, 2005 14:44:47 GMT -5
My son is the same way, he rushes and doesn't read the questions properly or doesn't under how they phrase the questions. He gets the concepts and is very strong in Math. But careless mistakes and not understanding the questions brings his grades to Bs instead of As.
I don't know what to tell you, except if she does better in a quiet place, then get that accomodation in for her and give her extra time. Tell her she has extra time and not to rush.
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Math
Dec 4, 2005 16:25:49 GMT -5
Post by Gillian on Dec 4, 2005 16:25:49 GMT -5
We have a similar problem. Seems to be okay on everything until test time comes and then he messes up. I'm used to it now and barely pay any attention to test results. Problem is school does pay attention to test results. Having extra time does not seem to really help.
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Math
Dec 6, 2005 8:22:51 GMT -5
Post by Brenda on Dec 6, 2005 8:22:51 GMT -5
Steph is the same way.We studied coins for a test one night and she understood how to count change.I just knew she would finally get an A on a math test.She made a 64.She's made F's on every math test this 9 weeks. She started going to an after school program this week where one of the second grade teachers helps her and 3 other kids with math for an hour.I hope it helps.Do they have a program like that at your dd's school? Next week we have a meeting to put her IEP in place. They said she didn't qualify 2 months ago but I've been pushing and after her teacher completed new rating scales,now she does qualify.
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Math
Dec 6, 2005 8:50:10 GMT -5
Post by Mayleng on Dec 6, 2005 8:50:10 GMT -5
Brenda. Keep pushing till you get her the help she needs. The schools don't give out IEPs or 504 without alot of pushing from the parents.
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Math
Dec 6, 2005 9:55:20 GMT -5
Post by Brenda on Dec 6, 2005 9:55:20 GMT -5
Thanks Mayleng.I'm going to keep pushing until she receives all the help she deserves.
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Math
Dec 6, 2005 10:34:48 GMT -5
Post by VaMom on Dec 6, 2005 10:34:48 GMT -5
Next week we have a meeting to put her IEP in place. They said she didn't qualify 2 months ago but I've been pushing and after her teacher completed new rating scales,now she does qualify. [/left][/quote] Brenda, I am THRILLED for you!! This also is a good reminder for others who believe their child needs an IEP but have been unsuccessful so far. The new version of IDEA (fed. special education law) no longer requires the "discrepancy model" for learning disability classification. I.e. you no longer have to show a certain difference between the child's IQ (perceived ability) and their current level of school performance. There are other ways they are allowed to measure the need for specialized help now, and it's great news for many children who were struggling, but their parents were told, "well, she's achieving at her level." What a load of c*** that was and thank goodness it finally has been changed. And you want to talk about pushing from parents.... there were organized groups that have devoted themselves to little but this for YEARS. It was the world's biggest uphill climb, but they prevailed. And untold numbers of children will benefit.
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Math
Dec 6, 2005 12:06:47 GMT -5
Post by Gillian on Dec 6, 2005 12:06:47 GMT -5
Good for you on the IEP. It took a year of battling to get our elementary school to move on my older son's IEP. I was ready to kill by the end of it.
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Math
Dec 9, 2005 10:48:14 GMT -5
Post by ohmama on Dec 9, 2005 10:48:14 GMT -5
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Math
Dec 9, 2005 11:50:00 GMT -5
Post by strugglingagain on Dec 9, 2005 11:50:00 GMT -5
I made absolutely certain that my son's IEP included that he gets to take tests in the special ed room. Even his teacher says, "A simple piece of paper on the floor will distract him!" It's true! On top of that, he looks around and wants to be the very first one to be finished.....so he zoooooms through it. It has helped his test scores immensely because he is like your child, he KNOWS the material.
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Math
Dec 9, 2005 20:50:07 GMT -5
Post by RobbysMom on Dec 9, 2005 20:50:07 GMT -5
Getting extra time to take a test or taking the test in a quiet room are easy accomodations that most teachers have no problem agreeing to.
My ds gets extra time to complete reading tests. Every week the class takes a reading test that consists of short answers and paragraphs. He is in the gifted and talented program, so it's not the issue whether or not he can do the work, but it just takes him longer to organize his thoughts and write down the answers. Reading tests use to cause him so much anxiety! He wouldn't even do them -- just sit there and do nothing at all! When he feels overwhelmed, he just shuts down.
His teacher last year started giving him extra time with anything to do with writing. At the end of year 504 meeting we had that accomodation included just in case it would be a problem the following school year. He rarely needs the extra time now, but I think just knowing it is an option for him helps him not feel so anxious.
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