yet another math / math program / concept ???

[Momma Aimee]

Sorry



I have a question --

I did not like math and was very unsuccessful .... (I have some LD issues that made it more of a challange i guess but i never felt good about it, or myself and always dreaded it and hated it and tried to avoid it ).

So

1. getting my head about all the differnt "ways to teach math" is a struggle

and

2. I do not want my boys to inhert my feelings.

but to be honest some of the reading i have been doing, is really intresting to me.

also Theodore -- seems to alrady have the ablity to go mental math at 4 -- their dad is number-gifted.

so

here is what i guess i need spelled out to me

i see a lot of people post about useing more than one math program --is it confusing or diffcult ? are the differnt program (math u see, right start math, and so on) all that differnt -- or do they mesh?

and building on -- how differnt are they -- i guess i am worried about getting into a program i am not going to understand if it is differnt from how i learn, or that i will get into one that is too differnt and we won't transition well or the boys will be "stuck" only able to think math THAT WAY and it might not be the way they encounter later in school or life

A lot of the math out there just seems so differnt from each other i am not sure what direction to take.

I like living math -- and since we want to go more of a classical approach, learning based on books, that fits well for us to build from books.

I like right start math -- at least the first two level look like a lot of games and that would be a good thing for the boys --

math us see worries me -- the little i have looked at it seems to be caught up in you the parent teching it is just teh right way.

but there are so many others -- and tons of free worksheets on the web too

any owrds of wisdon or direction?

AImee

[Lillian J]

You might want to take a look through this whole thread in which people discuss what they've used: Let's Talk Math

[Lillian J]

duplicate

[AAK]

I do use two. Here is how: Singapore is my core. When my dd need more on a topic or for any other reason I want more I go to math mammoth and get the subject specific book. I LOVE math mammoth to be honest. But I use it as a supplement because I can download the books so they are "on demand" so to speak. Also, if you sign up for her newsletter (you don't need to buy anything for that) you will see video demos of math topics. I think you can go to her site for that too, but I love that the creator is very much in touch with the people who use her program. Also, it blends really well with singapore for us.

Amy

[Momma Aimee]

thanks

i will read that thread too

A

[kgianforti]

We use Singapore Earlybird as our core and Critical Thinking Company Math Level A as our supplement. We do some pages of CTC between EB units. The concepts in EB aren't brand new to dd so she gets her brand new concepts from CTC. Or if we are working on something in EB, I'll find pages in CTC to use as well.

We are going to try Horizons K after EB. I don't think the mastery approach keeps dd hooked as much.

[craft_media_hero]

Well, I always had the misconception that I was bad at math or didn't like it because of my public school experience. All that changed when we started homeschooling and doing math from the very beginning. We have a blast with math! Some days that's all we do is math, math, math. Then later, dd will ask for more math, . Then the next day, no math, time to digest

We do use two programs (Miquon and Singapore) plus a big heaping of living math. Singapore is an easy, pull it out, very self-explanatory work-book IMO (we are only on the first level, and I'm sure it will get harder to "teach" when we get further along). Miquon takes a little more prep, but is really worth it because of the depth. But you can't always just look at the worksheets and know what to do--you do have to look stuff up in the teacher book. I thought she'd prefer the more open style of Miquon, but she favors the clear-cut Singapore.

We don't find it confusing to use two programs or do multiple math topics simultaneously--she will do grouping by tens in Singapore and odd and even in Miquon, and then whatever living math pops up. By her preferences she will let me know if she needs to just work on one thing for a while.

Living math games or "not doing math" and just playing a board game or doing logic-y stuff is important, too, to keep everything from being so serious, you know? They don't ask if they got the right answer.

Doing homeschool math has been a really great opportunity for me and dp to "heal" over our math-phobic ways. It's okay if you don't understand everything; you can look it up and learn alongside your little one. It's okay to bust out the teacher manual together. You're going to have fun!

[raelize]

math is very important to dh and i, we both have backgrounds that are heavy in math science and engineering. i want dds to have a strong robust math instruction. i am planning to use singapore and miqoun as supplementas craft media hero does. i like what i have read about singapore, and i really like the tactile nature of miqoun. this set up is very popular among math oriented people, from what i can tell from reviews adn posts.

[meetoo]

Are you talking about math to do right now or when you start math later on?

[Momma Aimee]

in general trying to get an idea of the differnt prgrams -- are they THAT differnt and if you use for for a while are you "putting your kid" in a cornor if they encounter a differnt one -- at home or in school? also if they really ARE that differnt, then if you choose one tha tis differnt from you YOU learned does that make the teaching more diffcult??

For now, for later ... i am tring to decide if it is that importnat what i choose now (well fall 2010 likely) is "going to determin" what i use later -- or if it is pretty normal and EASY to change programs back and forth. How far in the future do i need to be thinking when i choose a moth program to get started with?

are some better at "early math concepts" and other better and other wil higher math ..

also WHY people choose this one or that one -- one way of teaching math over that way of teaching math.

Aimee

[craft_media_hero]

Originally Posted by Momma Aimee

in general trying to get an idea of the differnt prgrams -- are they THAT differnt and if you use for for a while are you "putting your kid" in a cornor if they encounter a differnt one -- at home or in school? also if they really ARE that differnt, then if you choose one tha tis differnt from you YOU learned does that make the teaching more diffcult??

For now, for later ... i am tring to decide if it is that importnat what i choose now (well fall 2010 likely) is "going to determin" what i use later -- or if it is pretty normal and EASY to change programs back and forth. How far in the future do i need to be thinking when i choose a moth program to get started with?

are some better at "early math concepts" and other better and other wil higher math ..

also WHY people choose this one or that one -- one way of teaching math over that way of teaching math.

Aimee

Well, Aimee, I think that finding a program that is easy for you and the little one to enjoy is very important. For us, doing multiple programs and taking a very easy going approach with lots of living math is the key because we don't ever feel like we're stuck in a rut; it's fun and natural.

I can't give you the retrospective look yet, since we are in our first year of homeschool math, but I imagine that if dd went back to school, she would be able to handle anything they put in front of her because of our work with Singapore and Miquon. I'm not saying that to brag---I have looked at what ps kids are doing here in math, and 3rd year ps is covering a lot of the same material that Miquon and Singapore introduce in the first year. But don't be scared of that! It's all very incremental, developmentally appropriate, and fun! I think that it's good that they introduce "harder" concepts (like multiplication) early rather than later---kids are so flexible when young, but if we waited too long, she might be intimidated by those things later?

I also imagine that because dd is getting a real understanding and not just learning to fill out worksheets, that pretty much any math program (hs or ps) would be approachable to her---I mean, if you understand the "why" then the format is not so important, right?

So this is coming from two math-phobic parents with a child who now LOVES math---I do think that her attitude toward it is mostly because of homeschooling; it's always fun and we don't go too fast or too slow for her.

I haven't used any other programs, but I do think that with either/both Miquon and Singapore, a child who does the primary levels would be more than adequately prepared for pretty much any math program in the upper years. Both are very thorough, so that by 3-4 yrs in, they have a very solid foundation and can take that into whatever comes next.

I know you are looking ahead for your little one, as he is still very young, and again, I think that both of these programs are approachable for a young child--Miquon is more like an activity book, and they get to play with the pretty colored blocks. The Singapore format is very lively, not too much info on the pages, and really pretty fun/cartoony, nice for a child's first intro to math on paper.

Since you have a lot of time, perhaps for now you could invest in manipulatives and play around with concepts in a living math format until you feel like he's ready for a workbook? That way by the time he sees a math sentence on paper, he'll already have encountered the concepts in real life.

Also, Sing and Miquon are pretty cheap, compared to other math programs. So you could buy the first book of each and see if you like either without making a big investment. JMO, good luck!

[Momma Aimee]

craft -- great observations .. you really "hit:" the issues i am wondering abut .. i think part of it is it all seems so "tenative" .. like this or that or that or that ...it is not really "concrete" for me since i am grazing and looking ...rather than splashing around in it.

(th epool always looks a bit scary from the edge a bit too big, yk? )
thanks so much

[craft_media_hero]

Yes, it is a bit scary, isn't it? That's where I was last summer, trying to decide what to do and feeling like it was this huge commitment. It's okay, though. Even if you don't get through all the workbooks, the big thing is to have fun and not pass our math fears on, right? So days of just playing with pattern blocks or doing connect the dots are important, too. No pressure on the mama, no pressure on the little one. Relax and have fun; you have lots of time to get all those math facts down. You're going to do great, because you really care about your son and his long term development, not just getting through this year's sheets of math problems.

[meetoo]

Aimee, I was driving my self nuts over the summer, looking at things and basically freaking out! What it comes down to is trial and error! That's the great thing about homeschooling. If you buy it and it is horrible you can change! Or if you feel it isn't strong enough in a certain area you can supplement. Plus I really think you can't mess up kindergarten(or first grade I should take my own advice ). If you are doing things with him he will be fine KWIM? I ended up picking the program that looked like the most fun and the easiest for me to follow. I went with McRuffy and we are loving it! I think we will definitely stick with the reading, may add the science, the math I'm not sure about i think we might switch to Singapore. It is not because there is anything wrong with it, it's just heavily manipulative based and I'm not sure my DD needs/wants all the manipulatives. WHat you can do if your really worried about him "keeping up" is just make sure what ever you buy meets or exceeds national standards.

[Momma Aimee]

thanks everyone.

Aimee

[Lillian J]

Originally Posted by Momma Aimee

i think part of it is it all seems so "tenative" .. like this or that or that or that ...it is not really "concrete" for me since i am grazing and looking ...rather than splashing around in it.

(th epool always looks a bit scary from the edge a bit too big, yk? )
thanks so much

Absolutely. But really, Aimee, what you'll find once you take that first step for kindergarten is that it only a shallowest of puddles, if even that, at this point, not a pool. Promise. Lillian