help with math
By aretha
@aretha (2538)
United States
April 12, 2008 5:40am CST
my son is in first grade,we moved from one state to another in the middle of school. his last school hadn't done take away math yet so all he knew here was what him and i had done at home. he did very well on his report card and got a O in math which is the best he could of gotten. but now they are doing timed math and he is doing great with adding but when it comes to take away he isn't getting them all done in time. the teather sent home the sheets they have been doing and i copied a bunch so we have been going over them each night but i guess i am doing something wrong. whats the best way to teach take away math with out using fingers?
1 person likes this
7 responses
@sminut13 (1783)
• Singapore
12 Apr 08
well, it is tough to teach young kids to subtract without using fingers. taking away numbers from 1-10 shd be no problem. it's the bigger numbers (11-19) where they'll start to have problems.
for those numbers you can get them to use their fingers to count backwards. for example, it the question is 15-6,
then your child should count from 6 until he reaches 15. and see how many fingers are needed to get from 6 to 15 which would be 9.
as for numbers that are 20 and above, you can get him to write like this.
25
-17
-----
-----
then teach him the borrowing method where since 5 is smaller than 7, it would need to borrow from 2. so 2 gives 1 to 5, thus making it 15. then your child will count again from 7 to 15 getting the answer 8.
of course, as he's older, he'll know the easier ways but for now, you can use this. this is how i teach my younger students.
it might take some time as they'll be confused which is expected. we might find it easy but to them, it's like crossing mountains. best of luck and hope this works. i hope you get other suggestions too. take care
1 person likes this
@aretha (2538)
• United States
13 Apr 08
he was so proud of himself when he got that big O on his report card and i hate to see him not get it this time cuz he can't do 30 problems in 2 minutes. the adding he goes right through with no problem but the take away he is strugglinig with. it takes him to long to use his fingers to count from 8 to 15. i got him to go through and do the ones he knows first then go through and do the rest so he is doing a little better. just can't seem to get through all 30 in the 2 minutes.
thanks a bunch for the response
@sminut13 (1783)
• Singapore
13 Apr 08
30 problems in 2 minutes??? wow that's real fast. isn't that a little too much to ask for a young kid? i don't know how it is there but here, 2 minutes is definitely not the time. but it's all practise makes perfect. you can use the toothpick idea too or draw sticks in the book and take away. those are good ideas. best of luck
1 person likes this
@aretha (2538)
• United States
14 Apr 08
yes 30 in 2 minutes, i was a litle surprised at first too but then we did the adding and he gets them all done but the take away is really giving him a hard time. we used some mini dominos that he has this weekend to do it and it did help a little but until he remembers them he will never get them all in 2 minutes.
thanks a bunch
@icyorchid (2564)
• United States
13 Apr 08
I taught mine with colors or toothpicks or something like that.
Put 10 toothpicks on the table and then take away 5 and let him see it instead of counting his fingers.
I hope that helps 
1 person likes this
@winterose (39887)
• Canada
14 Apr 08
I think you should ask the teacher for some strategies, and having said that, how I learned was with buttons,
put all the buttons there and take away and the child counts the rest. The may have much better strategies now though.
@canjo13317 (396)
• United States
21 May 08
as i read through the responses, there are some great suggestions here. i would like to add repetition to the list. the more your child does something, the more comfortable they are doing it. and try to make it enjoyable. include yourself in his studies so it shows you are interested in his learning. remember to praise him when his report comes out, especially if it isn't quite as good as the last. remind him that as long as he does his best, that will always be good enough for you. good luck to you and your son. oh yeah, and keep reading to him as long as he'll let you. that can make a difference in so many ways.!!
@queenofarms (1659)
• United States
14 Apr 08
Have you tried counting backwards,tally marks or objects?
Bring out pennies from their piggy bank to count and take away, use cotton balls to count, subtract them.
@abdulmajeed (75)
• India
20 May 08
For beginners maths should be taught through special method. In the Ist grade we have to explain the child by marking lines on the right side of the slate or book. Please, Don't show him by counting on fingures. it is not the good method. After we learn multiplication tables in the coming classes.
@megaplaza (1441)
• Nigeria
12 Apr 08
you have to get some material online for him to use, or use sheet,
