Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy Math acceleration for 1st grader

Hi Everyone,

DS6 is in first grade and takes 2nd grade math. He is one of top math students in his class , right behind his two other friends who are even more advanced then he is who are taking 3rd grade math this year. His teacher had debated putting him in 3rd grade math but then decided against it because he didn't know what multiplication was since it wasn't covered at school and he hadn't really discovered it yet. Now half the school year has gone by and I keep having to supplement his math because it is too easy. I basically bought a 3rd grade math book and showed him what multiplication is. I think he is pretty advanced in math and would like him to do 3rd grade math but I'm not sure if I am being pushy. When I work with him in math I do notice that he doesn't know his addition facts or multiplication table as well as he could. He really does not like to practice them unless they are embedded in more complicated math. To solve thee he uses "tricks" like 6x4 is 24 because 6+6 is 12 and double that is 24. Yesterday I gave him a problem from a Singapore math book. It said, " Leah bough a television for $2365 and Jan bought one for $89 less. HOw much did Leah and Jan's televisions cost altogether." Ds solved the problem without any help and even understanding that it was a two step problem.

If DS can't join 3rd grade this year as it is the middle of the year do you think I should prep him on his math facts so that he can join 4rth grade math next year? I would really prefer to have him get his maths at school since I'm pretty tired and so is he by the end of the day so there isn't much after schooling. I feel like he's just on the brink of being the ready to be pushed up a grade but I'm 100% sure what he needs to get there. I would love your opinions!

You should really do math facts. My third grader (who does 5th grade math) really knows his math facts, and I can say I think third grade is when that really ramps up- for both multiplication and division. Kids really need addition and subtraction math facts too in second grade. Try doing some timed tests on those at home.
My experience from my fairly "math-y" kids is that addition and multiplication are very easy and subtraction (and division) are harder conceptually.

My kids' school uses xtramath.org to practice math facts. It is a quick and easy way to develop mastery. Not the most exciting thing but maybe you could challenge him to beat his last score, etc. You can set it for type of math facts and track his progress. I bet just a few minutes a day on that site would do the trick!

Warning, this is just an opinion, so take it fwiw! Is your ds asking to move ahead in math or are you wanting to move him ahead because he's capable of working ahead? Unless he's asking and telling you he's bored, I wouldn't worry about it at this point. He's already been accelerated to a level his teacher thinks is appropriate, so that's a good thing!

I also think it's tough to translate from a workbook to classroom curriculum requirements - I'd be more comfortable looking up your school district's curriculum requirements for each grade before I made a decision re whether or not I wanted to push for acceleration. For instance, my kids started multiplication in 2nd grade, and their classes also did a lot of word problems, including problems like you mentioned above in 2nd grade (regular curriculum, not in gifted/accelerated classrooms). It has always seemed to me that looking at workbooks the "grade level" seemed a bit lower than what was happening in our classrooms in math, but that could be entirely just my particular school district.

Re math facts - practice if it's fun, if not, I'd skip it for now. Math facts are one of those things like reading which is a skill that kids need to be developmentally ready for, and it's not tied at all to what they may be ready for in terms of math concepts. I have two kids who are extremely talented at math, and neither one of them was ready to practice math facts for proficiency at 6, but they were both well ahead of grade level in math concepts. My dd7 is in 2nd grade this year and she absolutely aces timed math facts tests, but she's still counting in her head or on her fingers, she's just fast at writing and counting, not fast at knowing the actual facts!

If you think you need the math facts for acceleration to 4th grade math next year and that's the plan you want to pursue, then I'd wait until mid-summer, then practice the facts for speed (or sooner if your ds has to test this spring in order to be accelerated).

Best wishes,

polarbear