[lynn P.]

My daughters taking grade 9 math this term - they're learning Polynomials and my daughter is frustrated beyond belief. I started fading with math around this grade so I'm not any help. Is this normal to be this confused and is there an easier way to learn these concepts. At this point she's fed up. They're doing all their class work on IPADs.

[Fresia]

I remember when first learning these being VERY frustrated. I went in for extra help from the teacher. I am sorry I can't be of help as am too rusty at it now, but just wanted to say I can sympathize with what y'all are going through. Perhaps seeing if the teacher is available or if there is a tutor that might be able to help.

Good luck with it!

[unaluna]

I helped a kid down the street with 9th grade math and after a couple of sessions he "got it" AND he eventually was offered a full ride IN math at a major midwestern uni (lynn, I think you know which one i'm talking about). but from what i've seen of math lessons in recent years, they teach things differently now. those tutoring chains, mostly don't you pay them to watch your kids actually DO their homework (not watch TV, text, etc)? learning math is really a matter of repetition, doing ALL the problems in the book. Spending an hour every night, uninterrupted. Do that for a week, THEN see if she is still having problems.

[lynn P.]

Thanks Fresia and Hankster. My daughters at school right now voluntarily speaking with the school counselor to set up some extra help. I think one of the problems is - this teacher although he's good, he doesn't use a textbook and only the IPAD's - some people/kids are visual learners...myself included. By the time I was in grade 9, I was lost in math because I was too shy to ask for help.

I found a good website today that teaches this is several ways, so I'll show this to her later. I'm also teaching myself, so I can make sense to her lol. There's a good store nearby that has learning books appropriate for each grade and I'll see if they have a grade 9 book. This website also has worksheets. Last term she got 90%, so she's in panic about getting a low grade on her report card.

[googley]

Lynn,
What is she trying to do with the polynomials? Is she trying to expand them? Solve for x? factor them? (part of how to solve for x). Does she know FOIL for expanding polynomials? I love polynomials. Can you tell?

[lynn P.]

Originally Posted by googley

Lynn,
What is she trying to do with the polynomials? Is she trying to expand them? Solve for x? factor them? (part of how to solve for x). Does she know FOIL for expanding polynomials? I love polynomials. Can you tell?

Thanks googley - right now the class in dividing polynomials but she was lost before that. The website I found yesterday showed the FOIL method which is very helpful, so I'll go over it this weekend. I can see how this can be fun once you get the hang of it.

http://www.khanacademy.org/

We discovered this website this year, recommended by my son's pediatrician actually. It contains videos on just about any kind of math issue you might run into.

[lynn P.]

Thank you very much farmergirl - I'll check it and appreciate your help.

[Perna]

I learned the wives tale that if you are good at algebra you'll be bad at geometry or good at geometry and bad at algebra (and a couple more higher stuff pairs in there too with each of those, trig and calculus but. . .) and I happened to be good at algebra and bad at geometry We had a national algebra test and I scored in the 99th percentile and the teacher just looked at my lazy, C+ self, moved me to the back with all the A students and told me to do whatever I wanted (i.e., listen or goof off, use the class like study hall, whatever, like I'd been doing? :-) Just don't ask me to do a geometry proof; had to retake that class in summer school.

The "Math is Fun" site might help? http://www.mathsisfun.com/algebra/polynomials.html

[lynn P.]

Thank you Perna - now I have several sites to help my daughter. I'm learning this all again myself lol. I was intimated by math but now I want to conquer what scared me off when I was younger. I'm trying to teach her math is a challenge but you'll feel good when you finally get it - plus you'll build some new brain connections. She's also feeling nervous about her 90% average going down.

[Perna]

I took astronomy a few years ago when I was working on my second degree, because I was intimidated by science/physics growing up and because it was a field my husband is interested in as a hobby. It worked out well except I could not respect the professor which detracted some from my enjoyment.

[googley]

Lynn,
It is great that you are working on this with your daughter. I think it would be great if you told her that you struggled with math too in school (if you haven't already). Let her know that it is okay to struggle and find something a challenge. Helping her lets her know that you value her learning and think math/science is important. I think it is so wonderful when parents (mothers especially) get involved in their daughter's learning of math and science.

Okay i'll get off my soap box.

[lynn P.]

Originally Posted by googley

Lynn,
It is great that you are working on this with your daughter. I think it would be great if you told her that you struggled with math too in school (if you haven't already). Let her know that it is okay to struggle and find something a challenge. Helping her lets her know that you value her learning and think math/science is important. I think it is so wonderful when parents (mothers especially) get involved in their daughter's learning of math and science.

Okay i'll get off my soap box.

Yes I shared that I also struggled with math at this age - the difference between us, is I was too shy to ask for help and my daughter is getting help from the teacher as well. She got 90's last term, so I sense she's upset this will bring her mark down this term, but I told her not to worry. I've also told her, once she gets the process of learning this, she'll feel triumphant. Thank you for the encouragement Googley.