Help me figure out what to do with math before I go crazy!

[A home for their hearts]

I'm about to pull my hair out! I'm copying and pasting my post from my blog about the struggles I'm having. I keep asking myself, why am I making this harder than it is?! There is just too much to choose from and I just don't know what is the right answer. I want something that will be fun for my dc and will teach them to understand math not just do it. There are so many programs with differing views that my head is spinning. AGH!!

Trying to decide which way to go with math has been driving me crazy! I love the drill that my dc are getting with Rod & Staff. We are almost done with second grade math and we soon be moving on to multiplication. I think my dc may have trouble with this concept, although I could be completely wrong, so I won't a program that explains the why's behind math. I don't believe that Rod & Staff does this. So I started asking around on the WTM forum. Two of the first that I thought of were Math-U-See, and Bob Jones University Press. I don't know a lot about BJU but it was brought to my attention at the WTM forum so I thought I would look into it further. After doing a little research I'm not so sure it's for us. The price for one doesn't help, the TM is expensive but as I've come to find out most of the math programs I'm looking at aren't too cheap. I've never been crazy about Math-U-See. We did Miqoun math for awhile and my dc just never seemed to understand the rods. MUS uses rods as well so I figure why even go down that road.

Then there was a great thread about delaying formal math instruction. An article was quoted from Trivium Pursuit about how they waited until there dc were 10 to start formal, workbooky math. They still taught there dc math but not with a traditional program. And that got me thinking even further. Could we do this? Could we just use everyday life for math and not worry about a workbook? I don't know if I could just wing it so I started looking into math curriculums that might be similar. Math on the Level is one, but again way to expensive. Then there is Making Math Meaningful. Looks okay, but then I started reading that there were a few mistakes in it and I don't want to pay for something that has mistakes. Well, what about Moving with Math? Looks good, but then I started reading some reviews that said you have to do a lot of page turning in it during each lesson. Meaning you have to jump from book to book for one lessons. Somebody mentioned Systematic Mathematics, this one is doesn't cost that much and has DVD's that the kids would watch. I viewed a sample and wasn't too impressed with it but at the price I need to look into this further.

There is just so much out there and I am very overwhelmed trying to weed through everything and figure out what would be the best for me and my family. If I don't lose my mind over this it will be a miracle!

Any advice? Help, please!

[unsinkable]

Stacy,

If you like R&S math, I'd stick with it.

I'd supplement R&S with a different presentation of multiplication.

For that, I like Math Mammoth. I have the 3rd grade math book and it:

1. introduces the multiplication concept
2. talks about "many times the same group"
3. relates multip & addition
4. multip as an array
5. multip on a number line


HTH

[hischool]

I am a newbie here but I think you will get the same answers as your previous thread, i.e. Singapore, MUS, RightStart, Rod & Staff, BJU, CLE, Math Mammoth etc.

No curriculum is perfect. If choosing a new curriculum is giving you so much stress, maybe you can continue Rod & Staff while you do more research?

[Alana in Canada]

Buy a math program that makes sense to you.

Have you access to Cathy Duffy's 100 Picks for Homeschool curriculum? That way you can look at the top math programs "at a glance" as it were and pick what will work best for you. Yes, you. Not your kids. Once you know it, you can "tweak it" for your kids.

You can make anything "fun" for your kids--but only if you understand it.

You can present the "why's" --if YOU know them!

You can be as "real-life" and unwork-booky as you like IF, again, you know what you are doing!

(I love Peggy Kay's Math games book for reenforcing concepts!--and Box cars and one eyed jacks. The Home Instructor's guides for Singapore Math has lots of games and always first introduces a concept with manipulatives (which you may or may ot need)).

Good luck.
You can do this.

[Rosie_0801]

Math on the Level may be expensive to buy upfront, but remember that it is 8 or 9 years worth of maths, and you'll be using it with 4 kids. Take a look at the table at the bottom of this page: https://www.mathonthelevel.com/content/view/57/70/ Of course that is no consolation if you don't have the cash right now, but I think it is worth paying if it's going to resolve major stress problems, and you can always buy their starter pack and top up with the rest of the program as you can afford it. It's usually easier to find the right thing and figure out how to make it happen than to try and beat things that aren't really what you want into shape.

Rosie

[A home for their hearts]

I'm also wanting something that will help my dc understand place value and why we need to borrow or carry over. They don't seem to get this out all, they do do it when it is required but they don't seem to have any idea way the do it.

Does Math on the Level teach this? I'm really not too familar with it, I looked at the price and walked away. :lol:

[unsinkable]

I'm also wanting something that will help my dc understand place value and why we need to borrow or carry over. They don't seem to get this out all, they do do it when it is required but they don't seem to have any idea way the do it.

Does Math on the Level teach this? I'm really not too familar with it, I looked at the price and walked away. :lol:

Do you have base 10 blocks? Using these really helps explain the concept.

[Lovedtodeath]

I'm also wanting something that will help my dc understand place value and why we need to borrow or carry over. They don't seem to get this out all, they do do it when it is required but they don't seem to have any idea way the do it.

Does Math on the Level teach this? I'm really not too familar with it, I looked at the price and walked away. :lol:You need MUS for place value. Decimal street. It is the best. Each place can only hold 9.

MUS is nothing like Miquon. For one thing, it is not rods, it is blocks. Each block has squares that you can count. The ten block has ten squares. You can use the ten block, or you can use ten one blocks.

[Mommyfaithe]

If it ain't broke...don't fix it!

R&S is a fine program. The TM is good...plenty of drill and reinforcement. If your kids are doing fine with it...stick to it. the grass is always greener...and take it from someone who skipped around through too many math programs. My kids DID suffer for it and were very confused. I think I basically killed their love for math by jumping around trying to find out what would "fit," instead of sticking with ONE tried and true program and then sticking my fingersin my ears...and a blindfold on my eyes and not looking at what ANYONE else was doing that was the best program out there...kwim??

I happen to now be using BJU with my kids. I began with Year 2 w/ my dd and almost jumped ship this year...but caught myself. It seems when the concepts get harder, I want to change programs, because maybe something else will make it easier...or will explain it better. Nope.

I went back to our books and just determined to slow down when needed...make sure I was prepared to teach the concepts and made sure I was repeating as necessary. So far, it is working.

My dd who did Saxon all the way through is doing much better than my ds who skipped programs from here to there because of his frustration levels. i should have just backed up to where he was comfortably challenged and worked and supplemented from there without making so many complete changes.

Whatever math you are using...try to read through the teachers notes and portions well before teaching the lesson. Always have a few tricks up your sleeves...puzzles, cuisinaire rods...counting bears...pattern blocks...clock faces to draw hands on...stckers for counting...whatever you think may help put across the concept in as many ways as you can figure and then don't be afraid to go back lessons and review.

I also use a notebook method where we record rules, formulas, types of polygons, mult. tables etc that they can use as a reference WHENEVER they need to...even on a test.

Anyway, trying not to be windy, but I really encourage you to stick with your program if it is working good enough...and then try to find ways to teach the lessons. It is so much easier to teach a program that you are familiar with than to go back to scratch every few months (or even years).

Good Luck!!
Faithe

[Wee Pip]

For teaching Place Value, use my mat on my web site (hey, it's free!)

http://www.teachafish.com/Math/PlaceValueMat.xls

Use 10 base blocks, or pennies, dimes, & dollars (either will work).

Since you are interested in using natural learning methods, play some games:

Make 100
Kids roll dice and whatever number comes up, they use those counters on their Place Value Mat (get from above). When they get more than 9 in the ones column, they'll have to trade to make a 10 (moving 10 ones into the 1 ten column). Whoever gets to 100 first wins (or shorten the game by "whoever gets to 50).

Take from 100
Same concept as above, except you'll start with a 1 in your hundreds column, and you'll take away for each roll of the dice. You'll have to trade your 1-hundred for 10-tens, or trade 1-ten for 10-ones, and keep trading down that way. Whoever reaches 0, or 50, or whatever first, wins.

[A home for their hearts]

For teaching Place Value, use my mat on my web site (hey, it's free!)

http://www.teachafish.com/Math/PlaceValueMat.xls

Use 10 base blocks, or pennies, dimes, & dollars (either will work).

Since you are interested in using natural learning methods, play some games:

Make 100
Kids roll dice and whatever number comes up, they use those counters on their Place Value Mat (get from above). When they get more than 9 in the ones column, they'll have to trade to make a 10 (moving 10 ones into the 1 ten column). Whoever gets to 100 first wins (or shorten the game by "whoever gets to 50).

Take from 100
Same concept as above, except you'll start with a 1 in your hundreds column, and you'll take away for each roll of the dice. You'll have to trade your 1-hundred for 10-tens, or trade 1-ten for 10-ones, and keep trading down that way. Whoever reaches 0, or 50, or whatever first, wins.

I wasn't able to open the mat. Is there another way you can send it?

[Wee Pip]

One more idea...

What about using the Rod & Staff book to follow as a guideline, and then use that to teach naturally? If R&S is teaching multiplication, put that on your agenda and teach it daily. Make multiplication problems by laying out 5 rows of pennies in 4 columns, etc. Use toys, use pizza rolls at lunch time, use baking cookies, use whatever is at hand to make multiplication problems. If your ideas are running dry, post a question here on how to teach a topic naturally, or search for it online. You'd be amazed how the same basic philosophy of Math U See is also explained online in other places. Or, if YOU need a better teacher explanation, buy *just* the Math U See DVD for YOU to watch, and then apply to daily life.

All this is coming from a textbook hugging BJU Math fanatic, LOL. But I have been in your shoes, and have done it this natural way before, too. I just came to the conclusion that *I* needed my BJU Math:) I do still get tired of textbooks/workbooks and have been feeling the crush of that lately, with the cold weather and bored children, LOL. Good luck!

[A home for their hearts]

One more idea...

What about using the Rod & Staff book to follow as a guideline, and then use that to teach naturally? If R&S is teaching multiplication, put that on your agenda and teach it daily. Make multiplication problems by laying out 5 rows of pennies in 4 columns, etc. Use toys, use pizza rolls at lunch time, use baking cookies, use whatever is at hand to make multiplication problems. If your ideas are running dry, post a question here on how to teach a topic naturally, or search for it online. You'd be amazed how the same basic philosophy of Math U See is also explained online in other places. Or, if YOU need a better teacher explanation, buy *just* the Math U See DVD for YOU to watch, and then apply to daily life.

All this is coming from a textbook hugging BJU Math fanatic, LOL. But I have been in your shoes, and have done it this natural way before, too. I just came to the conclusion that *I* needed my BJU Math:) I do still get tired of textbooks/workbooks and have been feeling the crush of that lately, with the cold weather and bored children, LOL. Good luck!


I've thought about doing this as well. I'm still undecided and doing research but I'm trying my best not to get so stressed out about it. :tongue_smilie:

[Wee Pip]

sorry about being unable to open the file (it was .xls). Can you open PDF? If not, you can probably download a pdf viewer for free. Here is a link to it in PDF format:

http://www.teachafish.com/Math/PlaceValueMat.pdf

Hope that works!