Turning Math Errors into Opportunities

Thankfully this year there is a reprieve on standardized testing in California. If there is one lesson learned while I was in Texas during our little testing hiatus last year, do not take this "gift" for granted. The accountability still stands, whether formal or informal. The math material covered in this school year plays a direct role in how successful a student will be next year.  If you are noticing a slide now do all that is possible to stop the trend. As math builds upon itself, the slide will continue if not addressed as early as possible.

With spring officially here, school is in its homestretch and sooner or later some form of end of year assessment will take place.  Encourage your student to learn from past mistakes to increase their success. Some teachers use a type of "Reflection Report" where the students have to categorize the type of mistake made to bring awareness to yourself so you do not go on repeating the same error. Once students have that "ah-ha" moment they tend to avoid making it again in the future. It is often eyeopening for kids to see how their scores were impacted by repeating the same type of error many times in a row.

For your student to benefit from their mistakes, it is best to reference old homework, quizzes and tests and track where points were lost. Did they out and out get the whole problem wrong because they are deficient in a concept?  Did they rush and not really answer what was asked?  Are their facts off? Did they lose a point here and there due to "not reducing" or "labeling" their units? Next time they prepare for a test, any test, have them consider the following:

Concept Mistakes:  This is when your problem solving process is off-course. You may not understand or mix up the steps it takes to reach a solution. You are multiplying instead of adding, you forgot to take the reciprocal of a number, you aren't combining like terms, you needed to convert something first. Do I need to practice more of these types of problems or meet with a math tutor and have it retaught to me? If they struggle with adding or subtracting mixed numbers, chances are a quiz with ten of these problems will not go well.

Comprehension Mistakes:  You are solving for the first part of the problem, but missing the second part in multistep problems. The question asks for which one is NOT but your answer solves for which IS. Make sure you reread the question to make sure your solution has an appropriate answer. Did I solve for the type of unit they are asking me for? Do I understand the vocabulary in the question so I know what I am supposed to do?

Calculation Errors:  Did you forget to regroup?  Did you not take your solution to its lowest terms as required? Were all like terms combined properly? Is my place value off because my writing was not aligned or slightly sloppy? Am I rushing too much?  Many times the kids complete the process 100% correctly (the more difficult part of problem solving) but if their facts are off they will never get the right answer.

These details are the difference between grade they currently have and one that is a level or two higher for middle and high school students. In elementary school it is the difference between getting a 2 on the report card or a 3 or a 4. The details build confidence in a child's mathematical ability.  For younger students in elementary math, their attention to detail leads to prealgebra and algebra success. Algebra success leads to higher scores in more complex math courses students take in high school.

At Mathnasium of 4S Ranch we build a students confidence by working with them on concepts they struggle with or introduce new concepts to broader their math world. We set up good habits from the start that ensure future success so kids go into their classrooms feeling prepared.

Click here for the full article from Business Wire with an interview by Mathnasium founder and Chief Instructional Officer Larry Martinek.
Image retrieved on 3/19/14 from here.

The "Common Core" Way to Problem Solve

I honestly can't remember the source of this picture, although it came across my Facebook news feed repeatedly.  As parents, we know how we learned math.  The teacher showed us the traditional algorithm and we just did it. Concerned moms and dads constantly come into our center frustrated because they can't help their student since they "aren't doing it right."

Why does it have to be this way? Why are Common Core Standards making it more complicated? That is a huge national debate I will let the experts defend, but it is our kid's reality for now.  The powers that be want the kids to know where the numbers are coming from and improve number sense. For many kids, they don't need all the pitstops along the way to get to the answer and the requirement of dragging out a solution actually becomes a huge turn off of math in general, or leads to careless mistakes, or leaves them more confused than just going with the "old school" way.

At Mathnasium of 4S Ranch we are striving to support our students in the ways presented by their teachers, but to also let kids know sometimes there are other ways to reach the same answer. Isn't the bottom line 32-12=20. Kids need to build up their own personal toolbox of math kids that make sense to them so they can think on their feet in the real world.  All this work for 32-12 is for an early elementary math student, just imagine something more complex and the steps for prealgebra, algebra, geometry, trig or calculus!  No wonder frustrated parents are seeking out quality math tutoring.

This is why I love our tagline: We Make Math Make Sense. Visit or call our center in 92127 to learn more.

The Saddest Math Picture Ever

I literally felt punched in the stomach when this picture came across my news feed. A viral image taken by a professional photographer of her own 2nd grade child who is frustrated beyond belief over their math homework. Kids with high work ethics put so much pressure on themselves for perfection and have meltdowns when mistakes are made.  This was my son ten years ago.

My own son had plenty of moments like this in the 2nd-3rd grade window.  When we moved from Dallas to San Diego last summer we were both reminded of that period of time. The movers pulled back the big TV from the built in cabinet and there were six snapped pencil halves. My now 17 year old son noticed them first and asked why all the broken pencils were back there. I reminded him of all the temper tantrums he used to throw during homework time. He would go from hard worker to pencil snapper in a split second and throw the pencil across the room. Apparently some of those bits got trapped behind the TV.

We laughed it off since almost ten years had passed, but as a parent I remember calming him down, making him walk away for a while to clear his brain, and at times NOT turning in the homework on time as it was such a negative experience and I needed my kid to feel like a kid and be happy.

It was these situations that led me from stay at home mom to earning my teaching credentials, becoming an elementary school teacher, math curriculum writer, and ultimately an administrator responsible for integrating 21st Century skills into the lessons delivered on our elementary campus. I want kids to understand math. Not just the rules, but the whys. How did those numbers get there? How can I move them more flexibly?

Our math tutors offer quality math instruction that prepares elementary school children for middle school, middle schoolers for prealgebra and algebra, and supports all levels of high school math including advanced algebra, geometry, statistics, precalculus and calculus.

The outburst changes as the kids get older.  Tears and snapped pencils turn into mood swings, bad moods, withdrawn, insecurity of intelligence, and other self-esteem issues.  If you see this nightly, come talk to us and let's see if we can be of help. We identify and help fill critical math gaps, present lessons one on one so it makes sense to the child, and provide homework help so your time with them in the evening is less stressful.

What Makes Algebra Easier

I can't say these concepts make algebra easy, but definitely easier. Isn't that the goal? To make something completely understandable by having the proper math foundation that each lesson logically flows to the next?  For that to happen, a student's brick wall of math can't have missing bricks!

The National Math Advisor Panel stated way back in 2008 that there are three critical skills that students must master for algebra to go smoothly. They are:

1. Effortless recall and fluency of basic math facts
2. Fluency with fractions and how they interchange with decimals and percentages
3. Certain aspects of geometry and measurement

To become fluent may occur naturally to some, but for others it takes practice.  Having a firm grip on where the numbers are coming from is a start. How do you turn a fraction into a decimal? Or vice versa? Does your student "get" that percents, fractions and decimals are three ways to show something of the same value?  That if we shared a cookie equally, I would get 50%, or 1/2, of .5 of that cookie. That benchmark is fairly easy, but what if there were eight of us sharing a twelve-cut pizza? I would get 11/2 slices, which is 1/8 of the pizza, or 12.5% of the pizza, or .125 of it.  If you know the mathematical process, you should be able to figure out sharing that pizza if there are seven people or 15 people.

Algebra readiness is essential since all prior math leads to algebra and your student's success in the course.  Success in algebra leads to further success for all future math. The pressure to get your child in algebra as early as possible is high but don't let it push your child into a math path they are not equipped to handle. Once they are in it they are in it. It can be a challenging and exciting path, or four years or frustration and struggle.

This summer Mathnasium of 4S Ranch will offer sessions to prepare your child for what lies ahead. Consider our summer sessions which include a "punch card" format to work flexibly with your summer plans.  Get their brain charged with algebraic thinking and practice the essential skills with quality math instructors who make math make sense so algebra is understood from Day 1. We are here to help!

Image retreived 2/19/14:  http://www.a4maths.com.au/userfiles/images/brickwall%20falling%20small.jpg

"Getting" Fractions Leads to Algebra Success

Fractions. We start off learning about them as sharing a pizza or a cookie equally among "x" number of people and it takes off from there. It is said among algebra teachers across the country, that having the ability to work flexibly with fractions (plus have great multiplication skills and a certain number of geometry and measurement skills, but I'll save that for another post) is essential for algebra success. It can be a matter of making or breaking your math path.

So how do we know if our kid is up for the algebra challenge? Are they "algebra ready?" Math standards even call these requisite skills algebra readiness for a reason. You need them to be ready for algebra.  These skills begin as young as third grade and build in complexity, so keeping up with the ramp up is key.

Students should be able to:

• Recognize patterns with fractional parts and be able to "decompose" a fraction to its smallest form (EX: 3/4 = 1/4 + 1/4 + 1/4)
• Find and create equivalent fractions 
• Add, subtract, multiply and divide fractions with common or uncommon denominators

Somewhere along the way, fractions no longer became sharing pizza and cookies, it became probability, ratios, proportions, unit rates, and then comes algebra. Working flexibly with the whole numbers and fractional numbers is critical, but efficiency is just as important. If too much effort is expended on these "nuts and bolts" items, then they begin to slow down the problem solving process.  

If you find your child is not efficient or successful in their fraction sense, they could benefit from Mathnasium of 4S Ranch's program. We build a custom learning plan just for them and their needs and introduce every lesson in a way that makes sense to them. 

Common Core Math Standards can be reviewed here:  http://www.corestandards.org/assets/CCSSI_Math%20Standards.pdf

Need Math Help? Don't Call 911!

Here is a funny audio clip of a little one who needed help with their math so they called 911!  We know math help can be an emergency sometimes, and that's why we love that students can drop in and get the help they want exactly when they need it. Unlike the friendly, yet unhelpful, phone operator, our expert math tutors will walk struggling students through the problem solving process.

Common Core expectations have made math somewhat confusing to kids and their parents.  Much of the "answers" aren't necessarily numeric anymore. The requirement to not only solve, but to explain the steps you took to solve is essential.  Having a firm understanding of what you are doing and why you are doing it is essential.

So whether it's prealgebra or algebra help, geometry or even calculus, you just need to call 858-312-8888 to reach Mathnasium of 4S Ranch. We'll get you covered!

Enjoy:  http://www.wimp.com/kidmath/

When Should You Get a Math Tutor for Your Student?

PBS recently ran an article on their website for parents struggling with when to hire a math tutor for their child.  Sometimes it is a pretty concrete clue: Grades are on the decline. Sometimes it is more of an instinct: Noticing avoidance strategies when it comes to math homework, excuses for why they can't finish, and general negative attitude changes.

When the time comes to making the jump, besides seeking a quality math tutor who is a math specialist, it is important to get to the root of the problem. Why is math getting harder? Was something missed along the way? Where bad habits started that need to be corrected? Is my high school student struggling with pre-algebra concepts but is enrolled in algebra? If your child struggles in one concept, are there other concepts where they could use math enrichment as well?

This makes Mathnasium perfect!  Our center in 4S Ranch fits the needs of anyone reading this article and saying, "This sounds like my kid." We begin with an assessment that identifies areas for growth or advancement. We create a customized learning plan that fits your child and we deliver it with one on one instruction to have the concepts make sense to the student. Once the student is ready, they are given independent time to practice their new strategy on a few problems before meeting with their math tutor and discussing their process a few minutes later.  We help with numerical fluency, number sense, elementary curriculum, algebra, geometry, pre-calculus and calculus help. 

The exchange between students and our math specialists is critical in cementing the math procedure and the student's confidence in tackling the math problem. Common Core math standards require students to communicate mathematically, and through careful questioning by Mathnasium of 4S Ranch's outstanding math tutors, students build their math vocabulary and problem solving abilities.

To read the entire article, you can visit: http://www.pbs.org/parents/education/math/math-tips-for-parents/when-to-get-a-math-tutor-for-your-child/ 

Image retrieved on 1/21/14 from: http://rack.3.mshcdn.com/media/ZgkyMDEyLzEyLzA0LzNiLzVmdW53YXlzdG9oLmFLUy5qcGcKcAl0aHVtYgk5NTB4NTM0IwplCWpwZw/906e116f/32e/5-fun-ways-to-help-your-kids-learn-math-online-141a0cd04c.jpg

Survey Says: "We're Not Good at Math"

I came across this survey and sat in silence!  1000 people were surveyed, all 18 years or above, and they were questioned on their self perception or feelings on math.  Grown ups that have at least had the opportunity to benefit from a full educational experience through the high school level.

They admitted to:

• Struggles with math situations they come across in a typical day, like shopping, taxes, interest rates
• Feeling frustrated when they have to use math authentically in real life
• Difficulty when figuring out the discount on a sale or figuring out a server's tip
• Feelings such as frustration, anxiety, worry and inadequacy

Sadly, women have a more harsh perception of themselves than men, a perception the educational system has been working tirelessly to correct.

With future jobs heading toward more and more STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) skills, today's students cannot afford to have outcome. It will short change their opportunities and prospects for careers.

Mathnasium of 4S Ranch is more than math tutoring. Our top priority is build a student's success by making math make sense and instilling confidence as they work toward independence in the concepts they are studying.  We do this whether the child is struggling in math or visiting us for math enrichment.

After reading this article/survey, I feel more responsible than ever to make sure a future generation does have these same perceptions of themselves concerning math.  Students need to be adequately prepared to be successful and have the confidence. Elementary math is foundational to middle school math, such as pre-algebra and other algebra readiness courses. These directly feed into high school math success and impacts higher math concepts. The unfortunate thing about math is the train pulls out of the station in kindergarten and it doesn't stop. Once the struggle begins you have to address it or things slip away. Little by little at first, but at an alarming rate at some point. I have to think many in the survey were "those" kids. They may have gotten out of the class, but math shows up all the time in life's classroom (work, home, household budgets, big ticket purchases).

For the full article, please click here:

http://changetheequation.org/press/new-survey-americans-say-“we’re-not-good-math”

Image taken on 1/19/14 from: http://img.wallbeam.com/193processed/Bullet%20red%20train%20wallpaper%20hd.jpg

What is Mathnasium Like?

Wondering what Mathnasium is like? Take a glimpse:

Friday the 13th Fun Fact

So I am off by two days, but I learned of these fun facts and didn't want to wait until the next Friday the 13th to share.

• Friday 13 happens on every month that begins with a Sunday? 
• Every year has at least one and at most three Friday the 13ths in it, but usually there are two
• There can be two consecutive months with Friday the 13ths. Do you know which months they will always be?
• Since a calendar repeats itself exactly once every 400 years, statisticians figured out that over those 4800 months (400 years x 12 months) the probability of it being Friday the 13th is .14333 or 688/4800 because 688 months had a Friday the 13th
• If fact, when those people did all that crazy matter to figure out how ofter Friday the 13th happens, it turns out that Friday is the most common day of the week to fall on the 13th. (Since I know you are dying to know the least common day, here it is: Thursdays and Saturdays which happen 684/4800)

The people who figured this out must have had amazing math tutors or algebra help to figure this out. Too bad Mathnasium wasn't around back then!

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• Information shared above was retreived from http://www.jimloy.com/math/friday13.htm on Sunday, December 15, 2013.

When is the Right Time to Take Algebra?

Parents come into our center every day talking about algebra. There is a giant push to get kids into the advance math track, but make sure your child is ready to handle all that comes with it: The accelerated pace of instruction, the strong understanding of the requisite skills necessary to be successful, and the impact an undesirable grade has on the high school transcript.

This is a terrific article with the President of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics addressing "when" to take algebra. It is very good food for thought in making a decision.

http://www.nctm.org/about/content.aspx?id=40258

Image retrieved on 12/6/13 from

 http://www.teachthought.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/edshelf-algebra-1-tools.jpg