Math - How to teach problem sums

[spunky]

I failed maths in p6 sa1. By PSLE I also scored an A*.


From then on, maths for o,a level n uni, all A.

So don't give up .

atutor2001:

kitty2:

Sorry to bring up this topic again .
atutor2001,this's my friend's son problem and they've been wasting money on all the tutors.Most of them have no patient to teach or know how to handle him.My friend is in distress & helpless as he's already P5 and not much time left to brush up for P6.

Anyone can help :? ,thanks

Hi Kitty2

I agree with spunky's suggestions. Patience and doing our best to get improvement in his results to boost interest and confidence seems the only solution. Shower praise no matter how little the improvement may be (but not advisable to entice with material incentives).

Tutor will not have the time needed to make such kids remember. Only parents can. So parents need to follow up on what has been thought by the teachers/tutors.

There is also this funny thing, I called \"enlightenment\", which Chinese called \"kai qiao\" whereby the kid suddenly can understand all the concepts and most importantly can also remember them. Some kids found enlightenment pretty late - there is kid I know who \"see light\" in math only after SA1 in P6 - very worrisome for the parents. After that he was even aiming for A* after doing very well in Prelim.

Just to share my experience.

Regards

[kitty2]

spunky:

I failed maths in p6 sa1. By PSLE I also scored an A*.


From then on, maths for o,a level n uni, all A.

So don't give up .

atutor2001:

[quote=\"kitty2\"]Sorry to bring up this topic again .
atutor2001,this's my friend's son problem and they've been wasting money on all the tutors.Most of them have no patient to teach or know how to handle him.My friend is in distress & helpless as he's already P5 and not much time left to brush up for P6.

Anyone can help :? ,thanks

Hi Kitty2

I agree with spunky's suggestions. Patience and doing our best to get improvement in his results to boost interest and confidence seems the only solution. Shower praise no matter how little the improvement may be (but not advisable to entice with material incentives).

Tutor will not have the time needed to make such kids remember. Only parents can. So parents need to follow up on what has been thought by the teachers/tutors.

There is also this funny thing, I called \"enlightenment\", which Chinese called \"kai qiao\" whereby the kid suddenly can understand all the concepts and most importantly can also remember them. Some kids found enlightenment pretty late - there is kid I know who \"see light\" in math only after SA1 in P6 - very worrisome for the parents. After that he was even aiming for A* after doing very well in Prelim.

Just to share my experience.

Regards

[/quote]Spunky,

Can you share how you did it?Thanks for sharing :celebrate:

[tamarind]

atutor2001:

kitty2:

My son's quite weak in section B and C,problem sums.Anyone has any idea to improve his skill?I've let him practice quite alot but at times he doesn't seem to understand the questions.Any good tuition centre can tackle this problem?


Please help,thanks

There are 2 approaches to problem sums :
1) Logical reasoning
2) Mathematical methods

Model drawings, which our schools are using, is actually using the \"logical reasoning\" approach. This method derives answers that require very few steps (shortcuts) provided that one can see the logic. However, drawing model is tedious. Many kids (especially boys) give up problem sums because of \"model\". The irony is that the smart ones can visualise everything mentally and would not need a model. The dull one will not be able to produce the \"model\". My kids draw the models because the teachers demanded so. They hated models.

\"Mathematical methods\" involve memerising rules and applying them to solve problem sum. It is abstract and does not relate to the real thing. However, it is \"dead\" and does not need much thinking. All one has to do is to be systematic.

Be careful when teaching problem sum. It can really kill a kid's interest in math if he/she just can't or dislike models.

I totally agree with you.

Yesterday I was watching my P2 girl do problem sums by drawing models. I really hated it because it was so tedious, but I did not dare say anything. My girl does not mind drawing, though she could have solved all those problems in less than 50% of the time that she needed to draw the models. She does not need models to get the correct answers.

On the other hand, I don't know how I am going to teach my younger boy, who is of average ability, to draw models. His English is very good, so he can understand problem sums and know how to calculate the correct answer. But I can predict that I am going to have a lot of headache teaching him to draw models. He is already quite slow in writing, I don't want him to waste time doing things that are useless to him.

I think I am just going to tell him to forget about drawing models. I will probably talk to his maths teacher about it. If his teacher wants to deduct his marks, then just let him deduct.

I have written to MOE about whether kids will be penalized if they do not use model drawings in PSLE. MOE replied that any mathematically correct answers will be accepted.

[atutor2001]

tamarind:

I totally agree with you.

Yesterday I was watching my P2 girl do problem sums by drawing models. I really hated it because it was so tedious, but I did not dare say anything. My girl does not mind drawing, though she could have solved all those problems in less than 50% of the time that she needed to draw the models. She does not need models to get the correct answers.

On the other hand, I don't know how I am going to teach my younger boy, who is of average ability, to draw models. His English is very good, so he can understand problem sums and know how to calculate the correct answer. But I can predict that I am going to have a lot of headache teaching him to draw models. He is already quite slow in writing, I don't want him to waste time doing things that are useless to him.

I think I am just going to tell him to forget about drawing models. I will probably talk to his maths teacher about it. If his teacher wants to deduct his marks, then just let him deduct.

I have written to MOE about whether kids will be penalized if they do not use model drawings in PSLE. MOE replied that any mathematically correct answers will be accepted.

I am so glad that you shared my view. I feel worried when I see so many new forumers being so impressed by the model method because the models posted here were so well drawn and clear. They didn't realised that these models were produced by math experts who knew the approach / concept i.e. what and most importantly how to draw before they even started drawing them.

Hope your DS pick up \"changing comparison fraction to units\", \"algebra\" and \"solving simultaneous equations\" as early as possible. With these tools/skills, solving problem sum will be a breeze. He will probably need only half the time to complete and can spend the other half drawing models from the equations to please the teachers.

Cheers

[lizawa]

Model method is good to explain some complex questions for those who can visualize. If you can break down complex problem sum into models, and know how to draw them, it’s sometimes easier than algebra. Algebra has the variable concept which kids who not exposed to until P6, cannot deal with, efficiently.


Perhaps the more appropriate way is not to avoid doing model, but rather teach them how to do it and let them have a choice when they are in upper primary, to choose whichever the easiest and quickest method to apply for different problems. In my opinion, it’s probably easier to teach them how to draw model correctly at lower primary level where the questions are alot more simpler.

[spunky]

Just practise n practise. I used to do my ten years series like 3 times before any major exams.


Even now , if u look at children who score well, they practise many problem sums until they are able to know what method to use for diff types of question.

Some r able to visualize the model in their mind they do not need to draw them at all.

Interesting thing is many children spend so much time drawing model as their teacher require them to look like a piece of art work, using ruler and all.

Just make sure the model is big enough to fit in information and for resizing, should not take more than a minute.




[uote=\"kitty2\"]

spunky:

I failed maths in p6 sa1. By PSLE I also scored an A*.

From then on, maths for o,a level n uni, all A.

So don't give up .

atutor2001:

[quote=\"kitty2\"]Sorry to bring up this topic again .
atutor2001,this's my friend's son problem and they've been wasting money on all the tutors.Most of them have no patient to teach or know how to handle him.My friend is in distress & helpless as he's already P5 and not much time left to brush up for P6.

Anyone can help :? ,thanks

Hi Kitty2

I agree with spunky's suggestions. Patience and doing our best to get improvement in his results to boost interest and confidence seems the only solution. Shower praise no matter how little the improvement may be (but not advisable to entice with material incentives).

Tutor will not have the time needed to make such kids remember. Only parents can. So parents need to follow up on what has been thought by the teachers/tutors.

There is also this funny thing, I called \"enlightenment\", which Chinese called \"kai qiao\" whereby the kid suddenly can understand all the concepts and most importantly can also remember them. Some kids found enlightenment pretty late - there is kid I know who \"see light\" in math only after SA1 in P6 - very worrisome for the parents. After that he was even aiming for A* after doing very well in Prelim.

Just to share my experience.

Regards

[/quote]Spunky,

Can you share how you did it?Thanks for sharing :celebrate:[/quote]

[Blue Pearl]

kids must be patient enough to draw. my gal sometimes do not draw properly.

[bb_ mom]

My DS also hates drawing models. To him, it’s a waste of time, especially if need to use model ruler. Afterall, he can get the answer by writing down the math sentence. I insisted on using the model ruler initially. Now, I just remind him that the size of the rectangle must be about the same so that he doesn’t get confused & the teacher marking can understand too. I think as the problem sums get more complicated, the model is useful to show the information.

[CoffeeCat]

bb_ mom:

My DS also hates drawing models. To him, it's a waste of time, especially if need to use model ruler. Afterall, he can get the answer by writing down the math sentence. I insisted on using the model ruler initially. Now, I just remind him that the size of the rectangle must be about the same so that he doesn't get confused & the teacher marking can understand too. I think as the problem sums get more complicated, the model is useful to show the information.

Agreed. Even though many students find drawing models for p3 quite lame,
but for p5-p6 drawing models is actually a good process to help to visualize and understand all the components of the question (and also to help them spot the technique to apply to solve the problem!)

[MyPillow]

Hi mummies,


Any good or easy to understd guide to show the different types of problems
sum solving methods for P5/6 Math?
I find the fraction/ ratio sum very very difficult this yr (P5) .