[MatD]

I used to think parents like you were overbearing. Then I had children. And my daughter is in 1st grade. She had the math homework assignment linked below. The unit was on subtraction and she said she was confused by the question. She told me she thought the answer was 11 and I told her based on the way the question was asked, she was correct. She was upset for getting it 'wrong' and had to 'correct' it (shown). Take a look at the question for yourself. It's hard to explain to a 1st grader than her teacher is a moron. I felt she should have gotten a gold star for answering the question correctly.

So yeah, my heart goes out to you.

[BykrBayb]

You’re kidding, right?
The unit was on subtraction.
There are 6 balloons of one color, and five balloons of another color. How many more balloons of the first color are there?
This is not subjective. It’s not open to interpretation. Words mean things, and math is an absolute science.
6 - 5 = 1. Always 1. Never 11.

[metmom]

She told me she thought the answer was 11 and I told her based on the way the question was asked, she was correct. She was upset for getting it 'wrong' and had to 'correct' it (shown). Take a look at the question for yourself. It's hard to explain to a 1st grader than her teacher is a moron. I felt she should have gotten a gold star for answering the question correctly.

Are you serious????

There's no way that question could be interpreted any other way. Only if the question was read as *How many balloons are there?* could the answer even be construed as being 11. Only a careless reading of the question, reading what one wanted to read instead of what was there, could have left out the *more*.

Her clues should have been that the test was on SUBTRACTION and the verbal one of *how many MORE*.

And you're telling her she was correct? *bangs head on desk*

How about teaching her to ask for clarification from the teacher next time a question confuses her instead of telling her her teacher is a moron?

[aruanan]

She told me she thought the answer was 11 and I told her based on the way the question was asked, she was correct.

Please, don't screw your daughter up like this. Based on the way the question was asked, "How many MORE of this colored balloon than the other color?" the only possible answer is 1. If there are 6 of A and 5 of B and I ask how many more of A, the answer is the difference between the two , 6-5, which is 1. There is no other answer. It didn't ask, "There are 6 of A and 5 of B, how many all together?"

[christianhomeschoolmommaof3]

I agree that the black and white page was confusing the question but the phrase “ how many more” is used for subtraction. If it had said “how many” then you would have a point. Explain to your daughter that anytime she sees the phrase “how many more” that she is to use subtraction.

[MacMattico]

I can completely understand how a first grader would come to that conclusion. If you hadn’t of explained to your daughter why the teacher marked it wrong, she could have encountered other similar questions and been confused. Nobody will believe me, but I’ve been described as “quiet”, “a calming influence” and never had a problem with any teacher before the last couple of years. I started being “that mother” so to speak when I had to bring a corrected math final exam to the Principal in 6th grade— the teachers mistakes I had corrected!

[9YearLurker]

The sooner kids learn that teachers are not infallible and that it is an imperfect world generally, the easier it is for them to get through school.

In this case, however, there are clues that a typical adult, for example, would have read into the question and probably have got them through it to the teacher’s expected answer. It may be a good chance to show even a first grader that there is an understandable cause for confusion or different interpretation, and kiddo could either take the opportunity to explain herself in a respectful manner or to let it pass. Certainly, this is only the first of such situations your kiddo will face.

[CAluvdubya]

I just saw this post of yours. Looking at the picture you posted, the key words in the question asked were: “How many more?” Those words mean subtraction....even when you can’t see the different colors you should go by what the question is asking.