I am so worried about Math.

[my3peanuts]

My dd will be in kindergarten next year and we plan on homeschooling her. I hope we'll be ok in terms of kindergarten math but I don't know. I always hated math and I'm horrible at it. I don't have any idea where to start, what she should know, or how to teach her. I've forgotten many basic math concepts.

We're using OM but I'd like to use something else for Math. Can anyone explain different math curriculums or the different methods of teaching math? I really am at a total loss as to where to even begin or what different math programs consist of. TIA!

[Leav97]

http://www.homeschoolmath.net/teaching/kindergarten.php

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000FFRW9C?...&link_code=as3

I don't have opinions since my DD is just turning 4 and we haven't started any "schooling" yet.

[elizawill]

i totally feel your pain. i've always thought i was terrible at math too. in fact, i honestly (turning red from humiliation now) chose my major in college based on the least amount of math i had to take ....i was totally fearing the calculus vortex would eat me alive -- lol.

my dd is 6 and in kindergarten and i was so worried that i would pass my "stuff" onto her regarding my deep rooted math issues. but what i've found is i am actually learning right along side my little girl and we are loving it. we use a curriculum and have changed a few times based on my dd's wants and needs. i started with saxon k, which was fully hands-on and requires no writing; it's learning through math manipulatives. unfortuntely, it moved too slow for my dd though...so we eventually moved to math mammoth.... she loves it! it's a first grade book & she is blowing my mind with how good she is at math! just this week alone, i've seen her grow leaps and bounds! next year, we will be utilizing calvert. we'll see how that goes. anyway, fear not mama. i'm not saying things will always be easy for me....but i trust that there are enough amazing resources available to get my children and i through all subjects successfully

as for styles....the two main approaches probably are mastery and spiral. what you choose imo solely depends on your child. you should check out: http://www.homeschoolreviews.com/rev...ult.aspx?id=93

there is great info there. good luck.

[Charmie981]

I really like this site for self-generating FREE math worksheets. K math is so easy to teach, don't stress about it!

I hated math as a kid too, and just didn't ever learn to think mathematically. Teaching my child to think mathematically has been a huge thing for me, and in the process of teaching him the relationships between numbers, I've found myself re-teaching and improving my math skills. I've blogged quite a bit about our ongoing math saga, if you want to look at the blog linked in my siggy (click "homeschooling").

[phathui5]

I would totally not stress about kindergarten math at all. We didn't even use curriculum for math then. We just counted lots of things, talked about shapes, read math books from the library, etc.

[Itlbokay]

Math used to scare me too.

After reading the book The Myth of Ability: Nurturing Mathematical Talent in Every Child I felt much more relaxed and confident. The author believes that everyone can be successful at math - and so do I.

Curriculum choice is another story. Everyone seems to have a favorite and there are as many different kinds as there are learning styles. We bought Saxon Math and Singapore Math, then combined them with other resources to create our own math.

[happydoulamama]

I am afraid of math. It's not my favorite subject and I know it's so important to like and be exposed to. SO...I chose Saxon K. It is scripted, I kid you not. It tells me everything to say and do! It's SO easy to just pull it out and do it- nothing to prepare. And my dd LOVES the manipulatives. She asks for more every day!
I don't know if it will always work for us, but for now Saxon K is what works. We also do some computer time at www.rainforestmaths.com once a week.

[sewingmama]

Okay, I may be one of the few who *isn't* afraid of math, but my family is very mathematically inclined, and I did well in it myself, so I've never seen it as something scary (though I certainly do see why people think that -- I'm much more that way about science!). But I totally do not stress about math. Kids learn their shapes, and they learn to count, just as part of life, really. Same with money -- I haven't taught them about money, but they ask questions, and I answer them.

We don't have a formal math program for our kindergartener and won't for some time, if we ever do. I have a numbers chart on the wall, and from time to time, I highlight various multiples on it, and DD picks up skip counting sort of by "osmosis." We have a fun little balance scale and weights, and both kids love playing with that. We also have Cuisenaire rods, and they're both fun and practical. I'm kind of impressed with how much addition she actually has picked up just on a casual basis. At some point, though I don't know exactly when that will be, I'll make a concentrated effort to make sure she knows her addition tables cold so that she doesn't have to think about them, because that has been a very useful skill for me (same with multiplication tables), but I see no reason to rush that. DD thinks math is fun (but she thinks that about pretty much everything -- it's all new and interesting), and I see her picking up new facts and skills daily, so that's perfectly fine with me.

[Lillian J]

I put together a page of links to helpful articles about children's math and to websites that have all sorts of good ideas - you should be able to get lots of reassuring suggestions there: Go Figure!

It won't really be as difficult as you think at this point. You won't have to depend on what you remember at all. I wouldn't even be concerned with doing a formal program with her at this point - anything she'd be learning from a program could be easily covered by an occasional game or just from normal conversation in the course of daily life. Lillian

[annmartina]

You can learn pretty much all the math you need to know to get into college in about 2 years. I was homeschooled and had friends who did that. I have seen it done in less time than that, too. Of course you can't start with a couch potato who has absolutely no life learning and make them a college student the next year -- I think it's a good idea to be curious, read a lot, pursue a variety of interests, etc. Especially establish a good foundation for critical thinking, because that is what true proficiency in math is derived from.

Kindergarten seems pretty early to me to be worried about math . . . I myself went into college way less than prepared in the formal math department and did fine. Just double a lot of recipes and cook together, invest a modest amount of money in stocks for your child and follow the earnings, have them calulate distances on maps when you travel . . . that kind of stuff.

[Needle in the Hay]

My advice is: Don't worry and explore Lillian's site.

Here are some fun books that involve math (these are all books my DS has or does enjoy):
Pigs Will Be Pigs: Fun with Math and Money
Give Me Half! (a mathstart book--simple introduction to fractions)
Leaping Lizards (mathstart book--counting by fives and tens)
Two Ways to Count to Ten (counting by twos)
Benny's Pennies
How Much Is a Million?
Telling Time
Usborne's First Numbers (counting, addition, subtraction, more/less, counting by twos, fives, tens, etc)

[pollyanna]

my sons only 4 so I'm not doing anything, but counting and answering questions about shapes. He seems to be picking up his counting very fast without doing anything much.

Pollyanna

[mommy68]

Originally Posted by annmartina

You can learn pretty much all the math you need to know to get into college in about 2 years. I was homeschooled and had friends who did that. I have seen it done in less time than that, too.

That's good to know. My son isn't that "in" to math but he does do well at the level he is at now. He just thinks it's boring. He is getting closer and closer to high school and it worries me.

I also wasn't good at math in school. I recently took a pre-algebra course as part of my college classes and it was tough. I barely passed it. I did better than I thought I would and can move on to college algebra now. Just about any college major you pick has to have math and I don't want to push my son to get good at math but I do want him to keep at it and get better. I feel it's imporant.

[homeschoolingmama]

We use Right Start Math. If my children ever don't want to do math (hasn't happened yet lol) we can just play a card game the provide you with. This program has a lot of manipulatives and games. My 4yo asked a while ago if we could "play" math today. I think that says it all. Haha.
I also like how it tells me everything to do and how to do it. I am not very good at math so it is reassuring to know that I am not missing anything or teaching it wrong. For ex. yesterday I was telling my daughter to find 2-ten five. (25-helps with place value) and she loved finding the answers on the abacus. I like to give the wrong answer or say something wrong on purpose and she picks up on it. This makes her think even more so she can tell me I am wrong.
I also like how my littler children can play with the manipulatives. They build houses with the math tiles or used the elastics to make buildings out of the geometrical shapes and tally sticks. It is nice to have something to keep them busy while helping Amelie learn. Or I can ask Ricky easier questions like show me 2 on the abacus. She likes to feel included.
Anyways now that you know our life story!! Enjoy your search. There are many wonderful programs out there.

[NoHiddenFees]

Originally Posted by homeschoolingmama

We use Right Start Math.

I would suggest right start as well. The OP could give herself the math education she deserves.