My ds has been doing well with RightStart until the last month or so. It's not the curriculum it's just that it seems to have jumped pretty quickly into harder stuff and he hasn't jumped ahead with it. (We're on lesson 73) He's struggling with the 5's and 8 strategies and even beginning to confuse place value. I really thought that he was solid with the place value but I guess I was wrong. So, my question is should I camp out here for awhile and provide more game time with these facts? If so, which games? Also, will he then be very "far behind", I've tried not to concern myself with that but it's so hard - I guess I need some encouragement! Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

I understand your concern. My ds6 started having struggles around the same point. We took breaks, played games, used other worksheets, skipped ahead & worked on graphing, etc, but it wasn't long before I realized there were gaps in understanding. After much internal debate, I finally went back to the beginning and repeated lessons for 1/2 of class & played games the 2nd half.

I see his confidence rising again. Seeing the lessons a 2nd time means he is familiar & he doesn't get as frustrated while we're mastering the concept.

We probably won't finish B before September, but I've come to realize that I'd rather he fully understand a concept than move ahead & constantly struggle. Also, we work through the summer, so he'll eventually catch up.

As far as the games, we play war (all #s included) basically everyday. We say which strategy we're using aloud for repetition sake. We played corners Friday & had great success. Going back in the lesson book has worked well for us. We're only on Lesson 51, but he can now take the adding 10 rule & apply it to money and 3 digit numbers. HTH

Be encouraged!
TXMomof2

Hello Lindy,

Take your time going through this material.

Be consistent, but take your time.

Sometimes when they go through this, it is as simple as being too tired, or not having eaten the right foods. Sometimes they are just too busy hearing the call of Spring. And yes, sometimes, there are gaps in their understanding. Which ever one it is, time will tell. So before we (as moms) over think this, start out with knowing that you were sure he understood place value. If he does he will be able to explain it in a way you will understand what his is telling you. If he can replicate it and explain it, he understands. If not, then you know where to review. Bring out the abacus and the Base-ten Picture cards and have him work on problems. You can also have him review lessons, 30-35, 39-42. Plus any money games will help with place value.

As far as knowing the strategies, he is not required to master those at this time. He should be able to explain how it is done, but he doesn’t need to master it; it will come again in Level C, and he will have had more experience with it. I recommend that you play more card games, even though the book may not tell you do the games on that lesson. I suggest you do them 3-5 times a week so he will gain experience with the math concepts he struggles with. I find Addition War is great to practice our addition strategies. Of course Corners and Rows & Columns are great games too. They really force the mind to analyze the numbers…there are plenty of opportunities to teach the strategies, and more importantly, it gives them more experience with the concepts, and stores the information into the correct part of their brain.

And as far as being behind, according to many different studies, and surveys, the accumulated information paints a gloomy forecast of the USA’s math skills, so much so, that I would venture to say that if you NEVER taught math to a child, they would still not be behind in their freshman year at college. I had a junior college dean tell me that most of the students coming from high school test 2 years below college math! I just don’t think you can get behind in math, using this program, even if they completed the Geo Approach in grade 12—that is to say if they are understanding it and moving that slowly. I think they would be ahead of a large percentage of the students. And remember the Geo App is not high school math, it should not take to grade 12, but I just finished it with my eldest (7th grade), and I can tell you, your child will learn what math is about, even if it takes TIME!

So cheer up, and keeping moving forward. Every 12 inches forward is a foot forward. Eventually, it becomes a yard and then a mile. But it all takes times, and work. In the here and now, we only see what they can’t do, but remember there are many things they are doing today they couldn’t do a year ago. There is progress, the problem is when we forget there is progress and only notice what they don’t yet know. But they will, it all takes time.

Please let me know if you have any more questions. You can email me directly at Carissa@alabacus.com .

Thank you for giving your child a RightStart in Math,

Carissa
RightStart™ Mathematics by Activities for Learning, Inc.

For program questions: 888.272.3291
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