My son (6) is just starting level A this year. He has not been ready to cooperate with formal learning until now so we waited. We are on lesson 33 or so and he seemed to be going really fast through the worksheets. I thought maybe I was holding him back and he was bored. BUT, after a careful eye, I noticed that he was counting in his mind and he "just knows" the answers. He has watched his older brother so long and he has tried to keep up with him w/o being taught the foundation. So, he has been teaching himself how to count so that he can come up with the answer fast!
I try to explain to him that he needs to "see" the answer. We spend a lot of time now going back over the tally sticks with the abacus doing the small addition problems.
He seems to brush me off when I tell him not to count. Help! What do I do? Oh, and he will not count the math way. He feels compelled to struggle with nineteen (any teen number) instead of getting in the habbit of one ten nine. He won't do it. What should I do? Thanks!
Marie

Dear Marie,

Thank you for your post. I would like to recommend that you also consider posting these questions on the RightStart yahoo board that is monitored by a homeschool Mom who wanted a board for RS users to share their concerns. You can join this board through the RS website where you enter into this board.

Regarding your questions. Does your son use the abacus? I would recommend that you have him check his work on the abacus. I'm also wondering if maybe he would have been ready to work through Level B? This level will challenge him more and may help him realize he needs to use the abacus which will help him "see" math and visualize quantities. As I'm sure you realize make sure the abacus is always present and encourage your child to use the abacus. With him not wanting to read quantities the math way you could ask him, how many 10's are there? How many ones, just so you know he sees this and also to help him recognize the quantity without actually asking him to say the number the math way. Does he ever hear your older son use the math way of naming numbers? I'm also wondering if much of this behavior is related to wanting to move fast so he can catch up to his brother? How do the two boys work together? Meaning, would it be possible for your older son to work a little with your 6 year old by playing some of the games with him and also talking to him about how he likes RS and how he learned addition and how if he learns it the way you teach it than he will get to be as good at math as he is (the older brother). Since I do not know your children I do not know if this is a reasonable idea, however, I mentioning it as an option.

I hope this begins to address your questions. Please feel free to email, post or call our customer service number with any questions you have or to continue this conversation. You are also welcome to email me directly as well.

Thanks for giving your children a RightStart in math.

Sincerely, Rosine