Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy Learning math

Master of none, I hear you! My ds10, who was labeled by a gifted psychologist as a potential "genius" in math, now can't stand math, and it's a struggle to get him to do his math homework. His last two tests came back as big fat F's...Mostly because of careless errors, forgetting to do problems etc...However, there are a ton of brilliantly designed doodles all over his tests....hmmmmm, sigh....He did not like EPGY because it just wasn't visually appealing enough. He is a hard one to figure out. Despite his so called "math genius potential", I begin to wonder if he even understands the most simple math concepts. His interest just isn't there (I'm currently pushing for acceleration in subjects that he's really passionate about) I do believe that my son's math potential has been killed by his current math classes and teachers..........That's why I was SO ecstatic when the Vi Hart math video thread was posted! I showed them to my son and he just sat there in awe. Maybe that math spark will finally come back

Tallulah
I haven't thanks! I had not heard that either about computation compared to concepts so very eager to learn!

DeHe

My son's idea of making math fun was doing math while also playing video games, often role playing strategy type games. Multitasking is supposed to be hard for people with dyspraxia, which he was diagnosed with, but I could ask him the questions and he would do the math mentally while playing the game, at least for the easier ones. For word problems, he would pause his game and read the question and answer it faster than I could. He actually seems to do much better in math when he is multitasking because when he is multitasking he can better maintain focus.

He also liked to race me because I usually lost since I had to use pencil and paper or a calculator more often than he did. He has motor dysgraphia so paper and pencil really slow him down, so I am encouraging the mental math.

He can't stand to do a lot of one type of problem so switches to another type of problem when he feels he is losing focus. He sometimes does math in bed on the iPad. He has done over 1,000 7th and 8th grade math problems on IXL since October, most of it using mental math.

He had to work around frequent migraines and other pain that made it harder for him to focus so I did whatever it took to get him to do math. He is working through the Life of Fred Algebra book again now that amitriptyline has cut down the frequency and severity of the migraines. I think it was about a year ago when he started the algebra book but he had difficulty adjusting to his brace and the headaches so he just wanted to read interesting things because it helped distract him from the pain. He did not do much math at all for a year and I was afraid he might fall behind, but he is back on track.

(I told my sister about your timed math migraine project. She's willing to try when she gets one. She's not that frequent.)

Ugh- your DDs teacher is a downer:-( I dread my DD getting a teacher like this. There is definitely a lot of time spent on math facts in the regular classroom. And if your DD is not getting the GT side, it can be repetitive. But, I do see the value in it. You will probably have to keep doing math with her to make it fun- at least until she has a new teacher. It is amazing how a teacher's attitude can affect a child.

FWIW- my New Year's Resolution was to re-learn Euclidean Geometry, and now my kids see me reading and doing my "math homework" and loving it! My DD is even learning some of it with me (she is 7) and having a blast. I give her problems like mine (but at a level she can grasp) and we work them out. She sees how much I like and value math, and her attitude is, "I am great at math, it is so cool!"