From: Claire (for Teacher2Teacher Service)
Date: May 29, 2007 at 11:16:38
Subject: Re: Math Calculations; Grade 3

Hi, Gigi --

Thanks for writing to T2T. This is an interesting child!

I couldn't possibly explain the situation without sitting down with the child
and spending some one-to-one time. I'd want to make sure he understands the
meaning of the operations he struggles with. Try putting 5 + 2 in the form of
a story problem and seeing if it makes any difference. Ask him to draw a
picture to represent a number fact or show it with objects. Present him with
a number fact and ask him to make up a number story to go with it.

It's possible that he just hasn't made the connection between the math
concepts that he understands intuitively and the formal written notation that
he is being asked to deal with.

Then I'd ask him to tell me how he does the problems that he finds easy,
describing exactly what he's thinking at each step. The more you get him to
talk about it, the more you'll learn.

I hope this is helpful.

 -Claire, for the T2T service

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