Hello Carissa,

We are on Lesson 50. My dd who is 7 can add 1 to a number just fine. She can add 10 to a number--but when I mix up adding 1s and 10s orally--she has some trouble. We have been on this for a while. Should I go on--or stay with this? She does fine with the abacus--but is getting frustrated doing it mentally. Again--she can do it mentally--she just doesn't get them all when I mix up 10's and 1's. I have a feeling that it is something that will come with time--but don't want to go on if she has to have this down before we move on. The next part adds 100--which she gets too--as long as we do it on an abacus and I stay within the 100's doing it mentally. The next few lessons focus on the clock which may be a good break for her.

Any suggestions?

Thanks so much!

Irmi Gaut

Dear Irmi,
Yes, I would recommend that you move along. Play some more addition games, like Corners and some others she enjoys and keep moving along. You know she can do it, she just needs some more practice and games will help. Nancy

Thank you Nancy!

Irmi

My Meredith, who is seven, was doing pretty well until all this hit her with lesson 50, too, and then she got a little jumbled, and even started reversing her 10s and 1s when she was writing 2-digit numbers (writing fourteen as 41, that kind of thing).

I settled her down again through the exercise with the abacus tile cards and she clicked, but I didn't harp, because I knew we'd run into it again and she'd get the hang of it.

Every time place value gets confusing at our house, either the abacus tiles come out, or I grab my counting sticks and elastics and start bundling physical tens....we have a very hands-on girl here, and that's what she gets.

Thanks for sharing that practical and helpful tip. Nancy