I hated arithmetic. Hated it. I think that much of my problem with math was self-fulfilling prophecy generated in no small part form those stupid timed fact-tests in 2nd through 4th grade. I was NOT a memorizer, never have been, so I was actually working the problems. Needless to say, one cannot actually DO that and finish 60-80 problems in 3 minutes. (I don't think it was actually the hundreds of problems that I recall. Visually, though, I'm pretty sure that it was a 6 or 7 by 10 grid.)
I'm happy to hear this from someone!
DD9 has a wonderful memory, but math facts are kicking her in the butt. She wants to work it all out in her head instead of spewing out an answer she has memorized. We haven't been able to figure out why she has a photographic memory for so many things but can't remember 7X8 without thinking about it. She despises the "Mad Math Minutes" and if she has done the same sheet of problems more than a couple times the teacher might as well give up and have her do something else. Once she has made it to, whatever number of problems they think she should be able to do, she is done - don't expect her to push on and try to do more. Oh, and heaven forbid if she doesn't go down each column or across each row in order - there is no skipping around on the page to answer the ones you want to.
I'm just hoping she will learn to enjoy the more advanced math once the school allows her to try it. The gifted teacher started some pre-algebra last year and she would beg me to ask her some questions - "Mom, do some of those a, b, c problems with me." She does them in her head, so hopefully when the time comes she won't shut down when she has to put it on paper.
