Tracy Posted June 1, 2013 Share Posted June 1, 2013 I have everything planned out for next year with both kids, with the exception of math for ds5. I have all the Miquon materials. But ds5 does not want anything to do with the C-Rods. He is not interested in me showing him anything. He wants to figure it out on his own. That was actually why I was attracted to Miquon. I thought it would encourage him to do just that. But it does require a bit of showing and suggesting. If I ask him to pick a page to do out of the Miquon book, he always chooses one that he can do without the C-Rods. As an example, ds5 likes to ask me math questions, like "What is 12 + 20?" Usually I just answer him, but in this instance, I got out the base 10 blocks to try to show him place value. He politely sat there, but I knew he was just waiting until I was done. A couple days later, I was doing math with dd8, and he saw 4 checkers on the 8-square of her CSMP minicomputer and told me that was 4 x 8 and proceeded to use the number line to figure out the answer, which he did so correctly. My other issue is that dd8 is very high maintenance academically. She is an advanced learner, but a slow processor. She learns best by discussion but takes a lot of time to get through things. She requires a lot of my time, and I find it very hard to sit down with ds5 when he doesn't really want to learn from me, and already seems to know what he needs to know for his age. I think ds5 is pretty clearly beyond the K programs. He likes math. He is good at math. Do I even need to assign math for K? Should I stick it out with Miquon? I have also been considering Singapore, because ds5 is good at just getting things done, and it would give him something to do more independently. Does this seem like a sound idea? Any thoughts or insights would be greatly appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted June 1, 2013 Share Posted June 1, 2013 My older was able to skip to SM 2A and do it on his own while after schooling in Kindergarten. He was 4 when he entered K. I did not get SM 1. You might want to let your son take the placement test and see. He skip to MEP 2 also. http://www.singaporemath.com/Placement_Test_s/86.htm I do test his understanding. I have never tried Miquon and both my boys dislike math manipulatives. We use Legos and real money instead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black-eyed Suzan Posted June 1, 2013 Share Posted June 1, 2013 My older was able to skip to SM 2A and do it on his own while after schooling in Kindergarten. He was 4 when he entered K. I did not get SM 1. You might want to let your son take the placement test and see. He skip to MEP 2 also. http://www.singapore...t_Test_s/86.htm I do test his understanding. I have never tried Miquon and both my boys dislike math manipulatives. We use Legos and real money instead. :iagree: My son has never liked math manipulatives, either. They just seem to slow him down. In K, we ended up doing LOF elementary series (orally or with me scribing) because I wanted to continue his math education while focusing on getting him reading. You may already know this, but don't do the placement test and buy the program until you are ready to use it. I have a SM1 that I got in the late spring to use in the fall...only to find he was already beyond it. Sigh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanikit Posted June 1, 2013 Share Posted June 1, 2013 I would agree with giving him the placement test for Singapore. My DD(5) has needed minimal teaching for Math so far, but I do still like to check that she is covering things. You could also try a computer Math program or games for him. 5 is a bit of a difficult age - many boys do not like being taught at that age and formal schooling doesn't work well for many of them, however I would still try to give him some of your time for teaching more to play games with him and also to find out somehow what level he is working at - you may find living math books are better for this and things that do not involve a curriculum. I guess its up to you to decide when you want to start some formal learning - I wouldn't just leave math now though (it is unlikely you will else how has he figured out what he knows.) If you do decide to stick with Miquon then see if you can get him to play with it properly - like build huge towers or a train set or a dinosaur out of the bricks first and then very subtly add in some Math just to check. We had cuisenaire rods as children in the 1980s and they did not work in our family - ALL we wanted to do was build towers and I am not sure my parents knew what to do with them as we didn't have the full program. Maybe he would like MEP better - I found with DD that a lot of it can be done independently despite the way it is supposed to be taught, but I do still have to be there to help every now and then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracy Posted June 1, 2013 Author Share Posted June 1, 2013 You may already know this, but don't do the placement test and buy the program until you are ready to use it. I have a SM1 that I got in the late spring to use in the fall...only to find he was already beyond it. Sigh. Oh my, I can't believe I hadn't thought of this. I have been so focused on getting ready for next year so I can "play" the rest of the summer. I can see how this would be a problem. I wouldn't just leave math now though (it is unlikely you will else how has he figured out what he knows.) Well, mostly he sits in on dd8's lessons. Verry occasionally, I "teach" her something I want him to learn. (She is amazingly patient about this.) Outside of that, he asks me math questions, and I answer them. I suspect he has a lot of gaps. He seems to understand multiplication, for example, better than subtraction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted June 1, 2013 Share Posted June 1, 2013 My DD didn't like manipulatives by the time she got to formal math instruction either. She loved them at age 2-3 when I had them around for my tutoring students, and she played with them a lot then, but by age 5, she was done. One caveat on SM with a young child-the writing may well be the limiting factor. DD really didn't start writing much until she was in SM 4, so she did a lot orally or using number stickers. I also think that one reason why she hated the bar diagrams so much (and Hands on equations and learning the algebraic notation worked better for her-HOE was about the only manipulative anything she's accepted, and even then she jumped quickly to skipping the pawns and going straight to the worksheet) was because she very literally simply couldn't draw accurately enough yet, and it was harder for her to draw the answer than to just answer it. Unfortunately, that means that it's also not going to be something independent that works in parallel with whatever the older child is doing. One possibility, depending on the DC, might be to look at some of the online programs and see if any click. They didn't with DD until about age 7, but some kids really like them younger, and that avoids some of the writing issues and may be more independent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracy Posted June 1, 2013 Author Share Posted June 1, 2013 One caveat on SM with a young child-the writing may well be the limiting factor. DD really didn't start writing much until she was in SM 4, so she did a lot orally or using number stickers. I also think that one reason why she hated the bar diagrams so much (and Hands on equations and learning the algebraic notation worked better for her-HOE was about the only manipulative anything she's accepted, and even then she jumped quickly to skipping the pawns and going straight to the worksheet) was because she very literally simply couldn't draw accurately enough yet, and it was harder for her to draw the answer than to just answer it. Unfortunately, that means that it's also not going to be something independent that works in parallel with whatever the older child is doing. One possibility, depending on the DC, might be to look at some of the online programs and see if any click. They didn't with DD until about age 7, but some kids really like them younger, and that avoids some of the writing issues and may be more independent. Yes, there is going to be somewhat of a writing issue. We have been working on writing for a whole year now. He is writing pretty well, but it still requires a lot of concentration for him. I like the idea of an online program. (Except that means that I am back to square one, as I don't even know what my options are there.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted June 1, 2013 Share Posted June 1, 2013 I like the idea of an online program. (Except that means that I am back to square one, as I don't even know what my options are there.) Dreambox is a good math "babysitter" online program. It goes up to grade 5. Go for the 14 days trial though as my kids were bored since they knew the stuff already when dream box launched. For your son it might work. However I don't know how the scope tally with state standards since I was using it for my kids as a fun game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracy Posted June 1, 2013 Author Share Posted June 1, 2013 Dreambox is a good math "babysitter" online program. It goes up to grade 5. Go for the 14 days trial though as my kids were bored since they knew the stuff already when dream box launched. For your son it might work. However I don't know how the scope tally with state standards since I was using it for my kids as a fun game. Thanks for this. I will check it out. :auto: I don't give a hoot about state standards. :tongue_smilie: Fun is good at 5yo. :biggrinjester: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barbara H Posted June 3, 2013 Share Posted June 3, 2013 Does he enjoy Miquon if you don't require use of the rods? If so, I'd just let him pick and choose and do what he wants. My very mathy kid (now a math major in college) didn't care for the rods, but really enjoyed Miquon and got a lot a very good foundation in mathematical thinking just from using the materials in the way he wanted to. We did some of the handwriting for him too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brendag Posted June 5, 2013 Share Posted June 5, 2013 My kids use Dreambox as a fun computer supplement as well. Another possible option if you like Singapore is the new online version called Math Buddies. I have not tried it so I can't say how it compares, but there is a 14 day free trial. http://www.mconline.us/LEAD/login/welcome.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracy Posted June 5, 2013 Author Share Posted June 5, 2013 My kids use Dreambox as a fun computer supplement as well. Another possible option if you like Singapore is the new online version called Math Buddies. I have not tried it so I can't say how it compares, but there is a 14 day free trial. http://www.mconline....in/welcome.html Thank you! I will look into this. Tracy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwik Posted June 7, 2013 Share Posted June 7, 2013 The verbal math lesson. Not self directed but quick and cheap on kindle. And no writing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracy Posted June 7, 2013 Author Share Posted June 7, 2013 The verbal math lesson. Not self directed but quick and cheap on kindle. And no writing. Sounds cool. Wish I had a kindle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blondeviolin Posted June 11, 2013 Share Posted June 11, 2013 I didn't read the other replies, but if he likes math on the number line, you should check out MEP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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