Asalaam Alaikum/Hi all!
I have recently been getting quite concerned about munchkins school and the way they are teaching the children. Although munchkin is pretty advanced with her reading she seems to be struggling with the concept of money and this was pointed out to me at the parent consultation meeting.
Now since she has been to school I have seen no real evidence of them teaching the basic maths or teaching them about adding and subtracting. In fact I have gone out myself and got her basic maths books. But she is struggling and I think I will have to spend some extra time on it with her.
If the children do not know basic maths then are they really going to understand about different money and how to make up 18p or 19p?? Poor munchkin is getting really frustrated with it and I have had to take a step back with her to teach her about adding.
I don’t understand why they have added money to the mix so soon……..or am I just missing how important it is?
Over the summer holidays we read alot and the books they are giving her as homework are too easy for her. I pointed this out to them and they said they like to give her a few books at one level before they move onto the next.
Ummmm hello??
She is finding level 6 reading easy as pie and frankly needs to have a book she can get her teeth into rather than just rattle off the words in 5 minutes flat.
Today I saw a note in her reading book about some guided reading they did: ‘H…… read it well and understood the features of an acrostic poem’.
Yeah that’s great but what the heck is an acrostic poem?! And why are 5 year olds being taught about that?
I had to google it and it is not as though I am uneducated and know nothing.
Should they not be focusing on the basic stuff??
And in her homework book it asks: ‘can you describe yourself using adjectives?’
Fair enough the homework I am meant to help with, but is it just me that thinks using the word adjective is complicating things? I am pretty sure we weren’t taught these things at age 5…or is it sooo long ago that I have forgotten!?
Mathis is difficult because it moves so quickly from topic to topic. Over a half term you cover, number, shape, measures, and data handling, usually in about two week blogs. Number work is really important but maths covers lots of areas so teachers can't just focus on that. I know it can be a bit frustrating when they move on from something they haven't quite mastered yet. Luckily it sounds like you are doing exactly the right thing. Money is important, especially as it is how we use maths in everyday life. Don't worry though, your daughter will get there. It's actually a really good way of practicing basic number work too as it puts it in a real life context.
It's hard to teach money in the classroom but the more children handle real money the better so get them to pay for anything in the corner shop, or play with money at home like pretend shops.
If you're really worried then book to see the teacher. They might not realise your daughter is struggling.
I do think some things are done sooner than when we were at school. I don't know if that's a good thing or not. Sounds like you are doing a brilliant job supporting your daughter though. I wish more parents were the same.
Thanks for the comment. Was just getting a bit worried because she gets confused with just simple 6+2 and then throwing coins into the mix is complicating it more for her as she then has to also remember what each coin is!
Munchkin always sticks at something so I am also confident that she will get there eventually!
Thanks hun for saying I am doing a good job! I do worry sometimes!
Am thinking to get her one of the pretend tills with the fake money so she can play at shops and learn without the pressure being put on her.
I understand where you are coming from Foz, but I think in the real world they come across a great deal of things that are perplexing…good thing you are there to fill in the gaps.
And if I am not mistaken, your little Munchkin is going to a private school?
No munchkin is currently in public school but looking into sending her to private when she is older – an Islamic girls school opened up for 11+ here recently. By the time she hits 11 inshAllah I will know what the track record of the school is.
Is she in Year 1? I teach Year 2 at a British school and I know it seems really tough that we teach the kids about some of these things so young. The money thing is tricky but it will help her to get to grips with it and it's just another way to practise some simple adding,like 6p+2p. More than that at year 1 seems hard for me.
And for the reading,I have a lot of kids who can read fluently in my class. They can read at a level 13-14 but if you ask them what the story is about or whether they understood something a character did they have no clue. Sometimes we have to work at a lower level with them to get the understanding and also use of expression etc even if they can read the words perfectly.
It sounds like you're doing a good job with her at home and if you think she is becoming frustrated just ask the teacher I'm sure they'd be happy to help.
She is in Year 1
Alhamdulillah munchkins understands what she reads so I have no concerns there.
I understand its teaching them maths…ie the 6+2, but once she has worked that out (with difficulty) she then has to work out which coins are appropriate….I just thought it was a bit much.
It looks like they have moved on from the money thing so will just have to work on that with her at home.
Hmm… I too had to Google it!