oak meadow math

[tufted]

I'm very interesting in the Oak Meadow K curric, for my daughter, who will start K at home in the fall. We are currently using a loose approach, just focusing on her current interests - nature, history, storytelling, art, science, and numbers.

She's at a first grade level with her math, and I don't particularly want to hold her back. Still in every other way I think the program would be great, and it fits her learning style.  Would supplementing another math program work in the OM parameters?  Is there a huge difference between OM K & OM 1?

Thanks in advance for any thoughts or advice!

[onyxravnos]

1st grade math as in public school 1st  grade? OM 1st grade math will might not be a good fit either.

although many kids don't mind the review. my DS already knows his letters and is at the very beginning of reading words but he likes the OM introduction of letters anyway. it creates a deeper connection to the letters (same with math)

perhaps buy OM and just find some good math workbooks to supplement with?

[tufted]

Yes, public school. At least what her cousins are doing in First. She knows her letters but isn't interested in them and is indifferent to reading. So I'm pretty sure the K will work for us for that. The deeper connection is what I'm hoping for. She's just very very interested in math.  I think I'd go with K and supplement a math. Wanted to make sure it's easy to work that into OM. 

Thanks!

[Naturallove]

We are planning on starting Oak Meadow and supplementing with Math Mammoth and Explode the Code (online version). I love the Oak Meadow approach to science and social studies, but both of my kids are far ahead of where OM would place them in phonics and math and it seems unfair to hold them back so they will fit in the OM box.

[onyxravnos]

it would totally be easy to only supplement the math part with OM kindy. Singapore has a good math program, or some people like Saxon. It would be no problem at all to add it in. 

[kanga2roo]

  We've always supplemented OM math to add variety. I like Christopherus, which is done in blocks and has a great Waldorf flavor and imo blends beautifully with OM.

[tufted]

Thanks for all the curric recommendations, everyone!

[bluebird68]

We just started RightStart Math in Jan (my son is 6.5) and we love it.  We got it because the math in Enki was not flowing for us, and he is really loving RightStart.  Great support from the company, too, if you are having trouble with a concept, etc.  Good luck!

[tankgirl73]

I'm toying with the idea of OM for my daughter for next fall... she'll be 4.5yo, almost 5 (turning 5 in December) and I'm looking at doing OM grade 1.  

She's currently halfway through RightStart level A and loving it.  She's already reading simple words.  I had a good hard look at the other material of grade 1 -- the non-math and non-reading parts -- and I don't think it would be beyond her at all.  So if you haven't already, you might look carefully at the OM1 program and see if it might be a better fit for you.  I don't think it's doing a lot of reading, it's still mostly just letters and sounds in a very gentle way.  

If it's not a better fit and you go with K, then I think you can absolutely supplement with other math -- I know I would be.  DD wouldn't mind doing some of the number stuff, she doesn't mind things that are "too easy", it's all just good fun for her and it's all good reinforcement and maybe sometimes looking at something a new and different way, which is all good.  But we'd absolutely not "hold her back" if she's keen on doing more math stuff.  Or reading stuff.  Or science stuff.  Or WHATEVER.  Not going to rush or push her in anything, but if she's keen on something, we'll follow her lead on that.  :)

[tufted]

Originally Posted by tankgirl73 

She's currently halfway through RightStart level A and loving it.  She's already reading simple words.  I had a good hard look at the other material of grade 1 -- the non-math and non-reading parts -- and I don't think it would be beyond her at all.  So if you haven't already, you might look carefully at the OM1 program and see if it might be a better fit for you.  I don't think it's doing a lot of reading, it's still mostly just letters and sounds in a very gentle way.  

Yeah, actually I keep going back and forth about this with the samples from the website and the catalog's chart. I wish these materials were at bookstores so I could thumb through them! The samples really don't help much.

[tankgirl73]

Have you seen the newer thread about EarthSchooling?  It seems to be a very similar kind of curriculum in many ways (a loose guide to implementing Waldorf with specific topics, verses, etc for each grade), but it's more flexible in many ways.  Also, while I was waffling back and forth between K and 1 for Oak Meadow, I think my daughter would definitely be best in K in EarthSchooling.  One of the flexibilities is subbing in more advanced topics in certain areas, so we could do that in the areas she's keen with, but keep the stories, verses, crafts, time management etc more age-appropriate for her.