Summer School?

[Michelle in KC]

I want my daughter to go to summer school. She doesn't want to. I think she needs it for math. She'll be in 4th grade and she just doesn't get it. Should I make her go for her own good? Help! Michelle in KC

[shell]

My 14 year old stepson (who lives with us) has had problems with math in the past, especially word problems. He was able to spend time after school with his math teacher to get some one-on-one help. It was so great to see his face once he "got it" and did well on a test, especially after seeinf the earlier frustration when he was stuck.

If you think going to summer school would
help your daughter to catch up or keep up, I would send her. I'm assuming this wouldn't be all day, all summer long. You could make it more agreeable to her by having something fun she could do as well this summer. A summer camp or activity she'd enjoy. Maybe come up with a few options and let her pick which one she wants to do, that way she'd feel she has control over something.

I'm sure that your daughter doesn't want to go to summer school, that's just not considered "fun." But it's great that you are concerned about her having an opportunity to spend more time on a problem area, that can be extremely helpful for her both now and in the future. Once a child gets behind in a subject it can take lots more time and effort to get caught up.

[Cricket]

Hi Michelle,

Unless you can find someone to tutor your daughter at home, my vote is for summer school. When it concerned my children's education, I wouldn't allow what they wanted (or didn't want) to stand in the way of what they NEEDED. Math isn't a course that one can sorta-kinda understand. Falling behind in math at any level, especially the elementary basics, will make it extremely difficult to move upward.

My son hated math from 1st grade all the way through high school. He detested the fact that I forced him to study. Now he's in college working towards a computer science degree. LOTS of math. He's on the deans list and glad now that I was "the meanest mom in the world" way back when he didn't think he needed math.

Sometime children need a little push. Sometime they need to taken by the hand and pulled, kicking and screaming, in the right direction. At all times, what they NEED is the deciding factor.

Cricket

[yvette]

Hi Michelle! Do you have any tutoring centers there? We have something called Sylvan Learning Centers up here. They tutor, but they also find out WHY you're not understanding certain lessons. Their example was a boy who stunk at fractions because he was weak in knowing percentages. They also help kids that "freeze" taking tests... Summer school doesn't sound so bad either. Unfortunately, yes you kinda have to be bad guy in this But you're doing it for a good reason I went to summer school-- I bombed Algebra I, thank God I took it again...I so needed it for Chemistry. Honestly, I think the school system sucks these days. I graduated in '89. It keeps getting progrssively worse. I spent so much time out of class and either no one knew, and those who did...didn't care. You do what you feel is right! I stand behind you 100%!!!
Hugs,
y.
PS Hows that back feeling lately? Hopefully better!

[lady pilot]

Hi
My son who's twelve has had a diffuclt time with math since kindergarten and he is in fifth now. He has a teacher that comes in to the class works with all the kids but is there for him. They do it this way so the others don't know his problem. We know how peer pressure is. The grading for him is based on goals that is set up for him. All states are different I know that and you woul have to go the school to see if this option is available in your state if you choose to go this route. Hope this helps..God Bless

[kimmi158]

Please make her go now because the later in life the harder it is and right now you have control over it.It is for her own good and it will be easier on her next year.
Lots of luck,
Kim

[liisa]

Michelle,

I have worked with lots of kids who haven't got the basics (in Canada I blame grade 9). These are the studnts who passed thier way through from year to year, getting 50% in grade 13 Calculus (called something different now I'm sure). Then they come to me and they're hopeless. They have the ability to learn university calculus (and worse), but they have great difficulty succeeding because they cannot perform basic math manipulations.

I think that the more support end encouragement you can give your daughter, the better Math (okay, I'm totally biased) runs the world, it's everywhere from the arithmetic we learn up into high school, to the hard core we begin to learn after second year university. It's the arithmetic aspect of math we learn, is so important in ANY job, just to get by.

In 14 years of tutoring through school boards, privately or at the university level, I cannot stress how important it is for a child/student to see that they CAN do it. Not only does it help them with the obvious life skills, but it helps with organization and most importantly to me, self esteem - too many children today are told that they can't do math or physics in some very subliminal ways

So whether you send her to summer school, help her yourself or find a tutor, that is entirely your decision. From where I stand, your daughter has no reason not to succeed, the power is in her (and your) hands.

Liisa
(this is from the perspective of someone who is doing a graduate degree in math)