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Talk to me LofF people! I need your help!


cheryl h
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Dd11 is currently up to her eyeballs in fractions/decimals/percents in her Abeka 6 book. She has been a A-/B+ student in math in the past, but this stuff is giving her a fit, she is not getting it and and as soon as it seems like we can move on, ugh...it's not sticking. I keep seeing people using LofF decimals/fractions/percents and it looks as if most are using it as a suppliment or is it a complete program. I know I could spend hours researching it, but your voices of experience are priceless...should I switch?

 

Thanks for your input!

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I am using LOF fractions with my son, but to be honest I don't think its all its cracked up to be. I can see that it brings a fun element to math and shows how math applies to real life. As for being compreshive--I don't really think so. For your situation, I would suggestion the Key to ... Series. I have found them to be helpful for cementing decimal, fraction, and percent concepts.

 

Okay everyone, please don't throw too many tomatoes at me!:001_smile:

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We're flying through the LoF fractions book right now, and I'm with the op. We already did plenty of fractions in our BJU 6 math, so this is totally review. I can't imagine it being enough if we hadn't nailed it in the math 6. I suggest you get the fractions puzzle from RightStart and go back at your math with some manipulatives.

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If she isn't getting it with A Beka, I wouldn't expect LoF to be significantly better for her. I think it requires a deeper level of thought to answer many of the questions. As much fun as it is (and we all enjoy Fred here!), I wouldn't use it as the main text for someone who struggled with A Beka.

 

Does she get the general concepts, but the practice problems in A Beka are too complex for her? If that might be the case, try going to mathusee.com and using their worksheet generator to print up sheets of problems in the areas she needs work. The problems will probably be much simpler than what she is doing now, but the concept practice will be there. (FYI - the answers on the fraction problem answer key sheets often need to be reduced to lowest terms.) Once she gets the process down cold, then move her back to the harder problems in the A Beka text.

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It would help me if we knew exactly what she wasn't getting. If she isn't retaining any of the fractions/decimals/percents at all, perhaps it is the curriculum. We found great success by combining Singapore 5 with LOF Fractions. (We will do LOF Decimals and Percents sometime this spring.) If he couldn't remember something from one, he could usually pull it out from the other. I really liked the way LOF explained why we need to have the denominators the same to compare fractions (and also to add and subtract them). I also like the humor ("when my daughter was a baby, her denominator was wet sometimes"). Both programs develop a really solid conceptual understanding of PARTS of things (fractions) and how this math enables us to work with them. Liquids, linear measurement, discrete objects (books, sandwiches, people), etc.

 

Hoo-boy, I'm tired now and not making sense. I wish your dd could at least look at the first three chapters of LOF and see if she can follow it. It is a really fun teaching method. Can you ask around your homeschooling community?

 

ETA: Oh, and we did find that some of the LOF stuff will not be taught in Singapore until Singapore 6. Too tired to remember what that was.

 

Julie

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She really does understand reducing fractions, how to add/subtract them, and decimals, and the general concepts of percents. The more I read your advice, the more I am convinced I have a more complex problem. She doesn't seem to see the point of learning it which makes her slightly defiant and unable to focus, sigh. Maybe the fact that they didn't do review or finish the book in 5th grade at private school last year is a component of the problem? Nonetheless, we will emerge from 6th grade math victorious in these areas if it kills me so I will try to change it up to make it more interesting, and see how that goes. We were almost all the way through percents when I stopped to do a review slam to make sure it was solid when this came to a head. We'll see how fun she thinks it is to do math into the summer because we didn't want to learn it when it was first presented. The hardest thing about hs'ing this first year has been the battle of the wills...I will take a deep breath...put on a smile...and say 'Game On'.

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She really does understand reducing fractions, how to add/subtract them, and decimals, and the general concepts of percents. The more I read your advice, the more I am convinced I have a more complex problem. She doesn't seem to see the point of learning it which makes her slightly defiant and unable to focus, sigh. Maybe the fact that they didn't do review or finish the book in 5th grade at private school last year is a component of the problem? Nonetheless, we will emerge from 6th grade math victorious in these areas if it kills me so I will try to change it up to make it more interesting, and see how that goes. We were almost all the way through percents when I stopped to do a review slam to make sure it was solid when this came to a head. We'll see how fun she thinks it is to do math into the summer because we didn't want to learn it when it was first presented. The hardest thing about hs'ing this first year has been the battle of the wills...I will take a deep breath...put on a smile...and say 'Game On'.

 

If it's an attitude problem or a not understanding the application to real life problem then Fred might be good. We've found it to be fun to read and Fred does a great job of putting math in a real-life-this-is-why-we-need-to-know-this-and-how-we'll-use-it-in-the-future program. I wouldn't use Fractions or Decimals/Percents as a stand-alone program. LoF can be used stand-alone at the upper levels (I think, we're not there yet). But, we've used Fractions and Decimals/Percents for fun with our TT math and LoF makes them laugh and not hate it.

 

FWIW. IMHO, it's a great supplement to help cure the "why do I have to learn this" problem.

 

HTH!

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If it's an attitude problem or a not understanding the application to real life problem then Fred might be good. We've found it to be fun to read and Fred does a great job of putting math in a real-life-this-is-why-we-need-to-know-this-and-how-we'll-use-it-in-the-future program. I wouldn't use Fractions or Decimals/Percents as a stand-alone program. LoF can be used stand-alone at the upper levels (I think, we're not there yet). But, we've used Fractions and Decimals/Percents for fun with our TT math and LoF makes them laugh and not hate it.

 

FWIW. IMHO, it's a great supplement to help cure the "why do I have to learn this" problem.

 

HTH!

 

Yes, LOF can be used alone starting with Pre-Algebra (they have a home companion for practice) I believe. For this your dd’s level, it’s a wonderful supplement; I highly recommend it.

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If it's an attitude problem or a not understanding the application to real life problem then Fred might be good. We've found it to be fun to read and Fred does a great job of putting math in a real-life-this-is-why-we-need-to-know-this-and-how-we'll-use-it-in-the-future program.

IMHO, it's a great supplement to help cure the "why do I have to learn this" problem.

:iagree:

It could be just the ticket if the problem is not understanding the point of learning fractions, as opposed to not understanding fractions. And the story is a hoot!

 

Jackie

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So I looked at LOF and I do think it would be a helpful supplement, especially since she is a mega reader. I am not sure how to do this and would love advise. I looked at all the topics covered in decimals/percents and it really doesn't only have that in it, there is quite a bit more than that. Has anyone used LOF as a supplement without going through it sequentially? Should we try to finish Abeka 6 first and then go systematically through LOF as review and affirmation of mastery? Or should we piece it together with the sequencing of Abeka? What to do, what to do?!

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I have a dd in ABeka 6 and we're supplementing with LOF Decimals & Percents. We did the fractions last year. I personally would not use LOF as our only program. IMO there is nowhere near enough review and I like more traditional programs for my main curriculum. Adding LOF after your daughter is comfortable with the fractions is a great idea because being able to do the problems without stress makes the story and essence of LOF much more enjoyable.

 

How are you using ABeka? We do every problem even though there is a lot of review. The ABeka Math moves quickly and is accelerated so I think the review they have is a good thing. You might consider backing up to where she began experiencing problems and take it slow and do lots of drill until she is comfortable. Maybe draw in some videos from the net that might make it clearer. Do you have UnitedStreaming? They have some great math videos.

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We are doing every problem in each lesson, and on stuff that she is not mastering, the homework section in the back of the book for each lesson as well. It seems like a lot, I know, but we have to get this done and I am not sure how else other than by repetition. We halted our math schedule last week, went back to where the problem seems to have started and reviewed. So. much. FUN.:tongue_smilie:And sadly I am still not sure how its going to go once we resume the daily lessons. I am going to pursue the LOF books and see if that doesn't bring some clarity to her somehow. I will definitely look into the online resources suggested as well. Thanks for all your support.

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