HELP! My child might fail need help to teach her, please everyone give advice.?

Question

My 6 yr old attends a private school that is closing next year. She is in Kindergarten. Next year she is going to public school and I received information that she will need to know for 1st grade. After reviewing it with my daughter, she dosen't have the concept of:
Telling time to the hour,
her sight words,
or understanding addition and subtraction

So, dispite the fact I paid for this school to teach my daughter, they have not done a good job of it and now I need to do it at home. But how?

I need teaching methods for possible learning disabled children. I do not know if she is disabled or if her teacher just didn't teach her.

Please help me, I don't want her to struggle next year.

Answer 1

I would say to check out a local teacher supply store for math manipulatives. You can get a small wooden or plastic clock, and show her how to adjust it to her favorite things (lunch is at 12, playtime is at 4, storytime at 7, etc.) Time is a very abstract concept, one that many young children just plain don't grasp yet...and with digital clocks everywhere, many of them don't have to until math class. Once you connect it to something she understands (it's time for...) she'll probably "click" with it pretty quickly.

As for addition and subtraction, I would suggest to get out her favorite toys (dolls, stuffed animals, Polly Pockets, whatever) and play with them. Start working (very) easy math problems into them - how many outfits does Polly have? How many would she have if we gave her two more? How many bears are here? How many would you have if you gave 3 to grandma? Things like that.

The key with math, if she doesn't understand the concepts yet, is to bring it off the page and into something she knows. If she likes to bake cookies with you, let her put them into groups. If she helps you put groceries away, have her count some of the different things (5 apples, 3 oranges), etc. She'll get more used to working with numbers.

Sight words - at age 5, these are usually 2, 3, and 4 letter words - and, the, you, with, things like that. The easiest (and least painful) way to work with her on this is probably just to visit the library, let her pick out a bunch of picture books, and just plain read them with her :-) Read them somewhat slowly and in a storytelling voice, pointing to the words as you read. Read each one a few times over the span of a few days, and after 3-4 times have her tell you the story. If you model pointing and reading, she'll start to catch on - and probably even start asking you what sounds the letters make. It really is easy, once you put it into something that she likes.

She won't necessarily be reading and doing 3rd grade math by fall or anything, but she should have a pretty strong concept of how to work with basic numbers (adding is putting more in and subtracting is taking away), and she should be comfortable enough with easy words (which are the sight words) to be where they want her to be.

Hope that helps!

Answer 2

OK, for sight words go here http://www.abcteach.com/directory/basics/abc_activities/dolch_word_cards/

Go here for tips on teaching time:
http://homeschooling.about.com/od/basicmath/qt/teachingtime.htm

Counting things around the house; pasta, red paper clips + blue paper clips, two forks + two forks = how many forks. and the same for subtraction. And when she is starting to get the concept try something like this site www.kidport.com.

I would be wondering why a beginning first grader would need to have sight words memorized. She should be learning phonetically more than be sight. You may want to check your library for 100 Easy Lessons to Teach Your Child to Read, or Ordinary Parent's Guide to Teaching Reading.

Mostly, don't panic. It's not as daunting a task as it may seem, once you jump in.

As an aside: Not all schools would think that sight words and telling time, addition and subtraction should be memorized before 1st grade. I think some schools try to force too much on kids too young and spoil the joy of learning. Not to mention whether you understood the lingo of the particular school so that you can ask the right questions. Some schools teach "fact families" some don't etc. So don't start thinking of your daughter as disabled. She is more than likely fine.

Lastly, (sorry this is a short novel) go to the school she is in right now and ASK what she has been taught. Tell them your concerns and ask them for guidance. You have the right to know.

Answer 3

The first thing you need to do is have your daughter assessed to find out if she has any learning disabilities. I teach second language students and you would be amazed at how little they know at the start of the year. I don't think you should panic as a lot of students going into 1st grade don't fully understand the concepts they are going to study. Try and spend 30 - 60 minutes each day with your daughter going over basic Math and English concepts. Use flash cards for her sight words. There are so many websites for parents with free worksheets, games and ideas. Feel free to e-mail or im me if you want more information. I hope this helps :)

Answer 4

Ok--first calm down. Obviously your daughter has learned something in Kindergarten, but not every child will master everything the first time it is taught. That is why things are constantly repeated in the next grade, then expanded upon.

Telling time to the hour is something she will learn in the course of 1st grade---we review it before we move on to half hour. You can get a cheap clock at the drugstore and practice it with her---put put the time you eat and help her figure out what time that is--etc. Then as she gets better at reading the clock, have her put the hands where they go--What time will we eat lunch? That is one way to transfer the skills.

Sight words--again they will be emphasized in 1st grade. Some words a kindergartener should know--I, a, is, the, and, we, see, can. Simple words--and not tons of them. They will be emphasized in 1st grade. You can make some little posters of the words and practice reading them--start with one or two and focus on them until she gets it--then add another one or two. Let her write them down on paper in fun colored markers. Let her trace them in sand or pour rice in a flat dish and let her use her fingers to trace the letters. Let her use playdough to shape out the letters as well. Those are ways to teach her the words. Read them together before she goes to bed at night. When you are out and about, point out the word when you see it--Can you tell me what that word is?--and praise her for the effort, even if she doesn't get it right. "Good try!"

As for addition and subtraction, I would go to a teacher supply store--or a learning store--and find a game of some sort that focuses on addition and subtraction. Don't get flashcards---get something fun and hands-on, which will help your child grasp the concept. Ask one of the sales people at the store to help you. They are knowledgable and can point you in the right direction. There are tons of professionally made games that teach these concepts. I don't know what teacher supply stores are around where you live--but you can go online to Lakeshorelearning.com. Lakeshore is a large teacher supply store. Do a search for addition and subtraction games. Also, look and see if there is a Lakeshore store near you.

Secondly--do not assume that your child is learning disabled. Your daughter is 5 years old--her brain is just beginning to grasp concepts. Children this young of an age are little sponges--but sometimes it takes awhile to get the info to stick. A good teacher will use various methods to help children grasp the concepts. And like I said, some children take longer than others to grasp certain concepts but that DOES NOT MEAN they are learning disabled. Don't label your child just yet. Give her time to work on the concepts.

Perhaps the teacher didn't teach well--that is possible. Just because your daughter went to a private school does NOT mean she received a superior education. Private schools are NOT required to have credentialed teachers teaching at their schools. Not many people know that. I taught at both a private and a public school--all the teachers at the public school are at least credentialed. I was the only teacher at the private school with a valid teacher credential.

See how it goes over the summer---do some of the things I said above. Then when you take her to school in the fall, inform the teacher that you have been working with your daughter on those concepts and you are concerned. A good teacher will listen to your concerns and help you. Don't get all worked up the first week she is back in school either. Give her time to adjust to the new environment--a month or so, since teachers usually test children on various reading and math concepts at the beginning of the year to see where the children are. After a month, ask to speak to the teacher in a conference and see how she is doing. Get feedback from the teacher and ask for any suggestions on what you can do at home to help. You'll know from the conversation where your child is academically and what the teacher thinks are the next steps in helping your daughter succeed.

Above all--don't let you daughter know you are nervous--don't tell her she is behind because that frustrates children. They want to please their parents and teachers. I have acutally had 6 year olds tell me they are not smart enough--because their parents told them that. Tell her she needs to work on things to help her make her brain stronger so she can be a better learner--and don't be punative if she isn't getting it right away. Encourage her to try. She should have an interest in learing new things and if you turn her off at this early stage in the game, it is hard to get them back into it because they won't try. Again, I have seen this time and again.

Be positive--your daughter will be ok. She has a parent who wants the best for her--and that is a great thing.

Answer 5

You may be panicking about nothing. Some kids do not transfer information well--meaning she may not relate what she does at school to what you are asking at home. It may also be that she hason't fully grasped the concept. Not a big deal. She may not be learning disabled (many states call it Developmentally Delayed until age 8) she just isn't ready for the concepts. Flash cards work really well for most of what you are talking about. For the time situation, start saying what time it is every time you do something with her (you are eating dinner say "it is 6:00 time to eat dinner") and by a cheap clock or get a dry erase board and draw a clock on there with the time you are eating etc.

Answer 6

Most kindergarteners aren't able to tell time. That is usally a concept that is learned in first and second grades. And I bet she does have some site words, but reading to her every day will help her to gain that. as for understanding addition and subtraction, that is actually a complex skill, and you shouldnt worry too much. i would suggest contacting the school she will be going to with your concerns and see if they would be willing to screen her. This would tell you what she REALLY doesn't know, and the teachers there will be able to give you lots of suggestions. Also, if you think she maybe learning disabled, either her current school or the one she will be attending should be willing to test her for such diabilities.

Answer 7

ask this first: do all her classmates have any trouble learning these also? if yes, then teachers problem
but yes or no, these stuff you can teach her yourself
for these things you have to constantly test her
for example, keep drawing the clock thing and ask her to tell the time - understand between the difference of short and long needles on the clock
i dont know what sight words are so i'm not going to try to explain that
as for math, constantly test her too, let her use her fingers to do it at first for anything above 5...after a while she's bound to have memorized it.........remeber these are memorization that will become automatic once she's memorized it
that's how we all did it

Answer 8

If you believe your child has a learning disability, go to the local public school and ask that she be tested. Now, before school ends . Because you pay taxes you have the right to request that she be tested. The public school has to accept her and if she is disabled has to develope an education plan for her. They will place her according to her age and ability. It best to know as teh school year starts, so she looses as little time as possible once she starts the new school.

Answer 9

The first step, is to have her evaluated by the school district's child and family service/early intervention. You might be over-reacting. In our state, learning services are offered at no charge for any child thought to be at risk.

Your child should be tought those things in kindergarten, but not usually until the last half of the year.

If not, set aside 1 hour per week to work on the areas you feel your daughter needs improvement on.

Answer 10

Hooked on phonics is still the best out there.

Now you may also want to reach out to some Learning Centers (Google them).

As a kindergarter she really needs help and now. To retain her is not a good thing.

Now you have to explain to her that she has be still long enough to learn and you and your family must take out more time with her. Meaning create a nice learning environment.

She needs to see more ABC books and have a special reading time at home.

Schools are failing because they are NOT taking out time. Some schools have become more of babysitters and education is far out of the equation.

So as a parent..you still have time to train your daughter and create a way for her to learn.. Meaning, sing learning songs in the car. Get hooked on phonic K level and look into some learning schools.

Hiring a tutor that she likes is even a great idea! She has to be trained and inspired to learn.. If you do not catch it once she get into the 2nd grade, her zeal may be harder to develop.

No it's not you fault alone.. she deserves more so help her to learn.. Was your money wasted..sort of..but the money is not the problem..her education is MANDATORY! Help her now and you and her daddy will be proud.. because she is a SMART little girl!