My fifth grade daughter is struggling with math so I turned to Google to search online math help. We tried a few video sites and LOTS of worksheet sites. She needed more than worksheets.
What she needed was someone who could explain it to her in simple terms, without being complicated about it. Her math teacher throws it out there, if she gets it great, if she doesn't, too bad.
Her teacher explains it for the students who are good at math and those like my daughter get left behind. It's now my responsibility to get her help. Doesn't seem right or fair but that's the way it is.
Last week they were learning addition of mixed fractions. My daughter was lost. While I was trying to explain it to her, she had a look of torture on her face; her forehead was wrinkled, her eyebrows raised, upper lip almost a snarl. She looked like she was in pain.
In the middle of the 'addition with fractions' week, while searching for HELP, I came across this youtube video:
What she needed was someone who could explain it to her in simple terms, without being complicated about it. Her math teacher throws it out there, if she gets it great, if she doesn't, too bad.
Her teacher explains it for the students who are good at math and those like my daughter get left behind. It's now my responsibility to get her help. Doesn't seem right or fair but that's the way it is.
Last week they were learning addition of mixed fractions. My daughter was lost. While I was trying to explain it to her, she had a look of torture on her face; her forehead was wrinkled, her eyebrows raised, upper lip almost a snarl. She looked like she was in pain.
In the middle of the 'addition with fractions' week, while searching for HELP, I came across this youtube video:
Adding Fractions with like denominators - 5th grade math tutorial
I immediately recognized that my daughter would be able to understand Jason Gibson's explanation of adding fractions with like denominators.
I ended up buying the Mastering 5th Grade Math Bundle. It has been well worth it. After four days of videos my daughter doesn't look like she's in pain, her face is relaxed, she has confidence now.
The lessons come with worksheets and an answer key. It's available for immediate download, which is what I did.
This morning before getting on the bus, I gave her some problems of addition mixed fractions with like denominators and with unlike denominators. She worked them quickly, confidently and CORRECTLY!
An amazing change in a short time. She still has a long way to go in bringing up that F but now she has a fighting chance.
I highly recommend these videos to any child struggling with math.
