12 Years old did not do well in Math test

[uid60001]

Both my kids went onto honor math class in their grade in last Sept.  Both them did not do so well at the start. So I started to sit down while they do the math home work,  and help to solve the problem if encountered. My son, older of the two, is doing better. However, my daughter seems not able change course. She has been making very basic mistakes. We tried to prep her for test prior to the test date. She seems to have no difficulty in solve most of the question we give her during the prep session.  One twist, her math teacher project a tough image, and give very tough tests(with larger number of questions and a few question in very difficult level) most of time, so kids are known to get C,D and F in her class. My daughter seems to have high anxiety during the test, so she forget the very basic stuff(that my theory). On side note, she is not very interested in the any formal challenge, like audition to region orchestra. Any kid of beyond normal challenge seems to turn her off. I am thinking about taking her to see a psychiatry doctor to find out why.

Any help and suggest is appreciated.

Dean

[AJWS6]

Please don't take your daughter to a pysch.  

When I was growing up, I had alot of difficulty in Math, not because the questions were difficult, but for the reason, they were not challanging enough for me, so I would alway's work the complicated problems first, then daydream through the easy, so I paid less attention to the easy questions, and sometimes forget to answer them, or my mind would start racing to get pass the easy questions, so I can get done with the test.  I only enjoyed answering complex questions.    

So for a very long time, my parents thought math was too hard for me, when it was actually the opposite, but they began tutoring me, until my mom discovered I did really well on written math questions, and rolled my eyes during simple questions like 9 x 5.  

My mom spoke with my teacher, when I was in 6 grade I took a math test for 7th grade students, and did really well.  So I was put in 7th grade math.  

I graduated with a BA in Engineering, and all I do is math problems.  Ironic isn't it.  

Give your daughter a chance, ask her what intrest her about math and what doesn't, etc....  Math may not be challanging enough for her to take intrest.    

Good luck !!  

[MrGreen]

I would ask what her focus is like? Can she stay focused on everything? Or does she mantain full focus on only things that interest her. Going into honor maths doesn't mean a person might not need some special help in schooling areas and the likes. She might just get totally bored with it. I think these are the sort of things I would look for to begin with. Not just with school. With other things too. You might see signs you never saw before. Who knows. But the forum is always here to vent or ask for feedback.