need math curriculum help

[kittie313]

We're withdrawing from our k12 school because of dd1's learning challenges just making it too difficult for me to rewrite the entire program like I need to for her and keep up with all my other stuff I do (FT college with a 3.9 GPA, teaching Awana Puggles, leadership role in our homeschool group, watching a 5yo hs'ed boy a couple days a week flexibly as his mom needs me). So anyway, I need a math program that I'm not going to need to completely rewrite for my oldest dd. She's dyslexic with auditory and sensory processing issues and ADHD (we're still testing). She learns best by seeing it done while hearing you tell her how to do it AND her doing it herself all at the same time with constant repetition. She needs constant review to maintain what she's learning (over summer break she lost her basic addition and subtraction facts completely) and needs to move slowly with a lot of practicing on a new concept. Brightly colored pages mess with her ADHD and get her distracted, as do black and white pictures if they aren't needed for the assignment at hand. She literally does best when I use a drill sheet to work with her on a concept, and the only manipulatives that don't mess her up and distract her are a base 10 set with place-value chart and a page with a number line on it (with a one cube from the base 10 set to use on the number line for sliding back and forth). She doesn't learn well through games normally, and computers to her are for fun and not for learning (I like that mindset btw). Is there a math program out there that will work for her or am I stuck having to create my own each year using our local district's grade-level standards booklet (which I can do, I just don't like to). Cost won't be much of an issue right now, as we are saving up while her daddy goes and reteaches her basic addition and subtraction facts.

[CherryBomb]

MCP might work, the pages are a muted green color, there are suggestions for "enrichment activities" but they aren't required and it tends to be a lot of traditonal repetition.

[naturegirl7]

Check out MathUSee - we are using the Alpha and loving it.

The DVD teaches you (or both of you) - which is a nice resource. The teacher text has lots of helpful ideas and additional games to reinforce.

The student text (workbook basically) is black and white - no real pics - some things to color in occasionally, but mainly just problems presented in different manners. LOTS of repetition. And teaches math is a simple, step by step approach, slowly building. It is Asian based too.

We also love the blocks - they are each a different color and size depending on the number. After just a week - DS knows half of the blocks/numbers on sight now. Mainly from playing and building with them. They are very Lego-esque. The blocks provide a very tactile way of exploring math and "seeing" it. Great for my son. But it hits other learning areas too - each lesson is Build it, Write it, Say it. So that you are using tactile, visual, and auditory learning.

I have supplemented with some games - variations of what it recommended in the teacher book. The place value game was simple and really effective. Like today I put one of each block 1-10 into a bag and did a grab bag game. Instead of just identifying them though - I got our mini dry erase board (lap sized - bought at Target). He'd pull a block, count/identify it. Then he'd place it on the dry erase board, and write its number next to it. Then I took some math "gems" (craft stones that we are using as counters in another game) and we counted out that number of gems.

The website also has a drill sheet maker - so you can make more and more practice sheets. Also each chapter has a few pages at the end of culumative review - which I really really like.


There is a great demo on the website that you can watch, that helped us decided.

[zeldamomma]

Math U See might be a good fit. There's lots of practice, the workbook is very plain, and the video lessons are simple and clear. The program uses base 10 blocks as the only manipulative (at least for elementary).

[kittie313]

Funny, I was chatting with my aunt and cousin on Skype this morning, telling them about dd1's struggles and that I was trying to find a math program for her and they looked at each other and said Math U See without hesitating. My dd1 learns JUST like my cousin I was talking to, and his family hs'ed him using that program all the way through to graduation. Hmmmmm maybe I should think more seriously about it, I discounted it because of the cost and having 3 kids who are very visual learners like their momma, will it work for them too?

[broodymama]

I would give it a try! We're using MUS with my 6 year old and I like it so far. You may be able to find the blocks used on one of the curriculum FSOT boards.

[scheelimama]

Another vote for Math-u-See! Seems to fit your criteria perfectly! My dd has very similar learning problems and has had a good bit of success with MUS.