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Wanting out of public school -- virtual or homeschooling


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Anyone used online math courses only? We're going to try online math from home, my daughter's school is paying for it, and the rest of her schooling will still be physically at school (for now). This will give us a taste of virtual/home schooling (in her hardest subject, too) before possibly doing a complete virtual schooling for her next year. I'd like to transition to full homeschool once I'm comfortable with it.

 

Her abilities test at above average and superior (IQ, processing speed, perceptual reasoning...) but she struggles hard in Math. I think she has learning disabilities. She has numerous neurological disorders (Tourette syndrome, sensory processing dysfunction, migraines, and I'm pretty sure Dysgraphia), as well as severe anxiety, OCD, and sleeping problems. She's almost 9 and in 3rd grade, but her Math has gaps starting in 2nd grade curriculum. Her school switched to Everyday Math in 2nd grade and we HATE it!!!

 

Looking at Calvert, K12, Jedi, and Connections Academy. It seems like most online virtual are full enrollment and we just need math right now, to "test the waters".

 

Also, I think she'd do better with a more mastery type program than spiral. Some review would be good, but she works better with mastering topic by topic rather than dipping into multiple topics and then coming back to expand them.

 

What about Singapore math? Any reviews on "Math in Focus" from Calvert? Math Mammoth?

 

My hope is to get her fully home, either with (free) virtual public, or homeschooling (if I can afford to start it).

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Crimsonwife just recommended Math Buddies to me on another thread. You can use it for Singapore math, either Math in Focus or Standards edition.

 

Can you do only math through K12?

 

I would also consider Math U See. I think the format of Math U See is very helpful for kids whose brains aren't very efficient at organizing stimuli. I would also recommend using a using a big whiteboard for math instead of working out of a textbook.

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They gave me a few suggestions that they use or have used, but told me to feel free to research other ones as well. Basically they're very flexible due to a state complaint for failure to provide FAPE. They're now willing to be cooperative.

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How much is she struggling?  How well can she subitize?  If she is struggling with basic math concepts she might be better off going way, way back to basic math patterns for a couple of months or so, before attempting to move forward.  It helped us tremendously to do that.  Dynamo Math just 20 minutes a day, along with an activity or two from Ronit Bird might help considerably to help her really get what she is doing and improve her recall. Dynamo Math is an on-line British program for remediating math.  There is an activity the parent does with the child first, to introduce the concept kinesthetically, auditorally, and visually.  Prep is usually pretty quick.  After the activity with the parent/teacher the child does a series of problems on-line.  After the on-line math problem the student does 10 problems on a worksheet.  You can generate as many worksheets as you need and they change a bit each time you print one out so it isn't repeating.  Progress is tracked for the on-line problems.  There is great customer support, too.  DD struggled terribly in math all the way through 5th grade.  Going back and moving her through Dynamo math with Ronit Bird books has finally helped her see patterns I didn't even know she was missing.  And except for the activity done with the parent/teacher she was finally able to operate independently on her DM problems.  Ronit Bird is highly respected and has published a lot of great books on remediating math.  Her books/activities paired with Dynamo Math might help a lot.

 

As others have mentioned, Khan Academy may also help.

 

My DS is using Math in Focus.  I really like MiF a lot.  If your child is struggling, though, I would suggest that you go back to at least the 2nd grade material.  They teach a lot of mental math and you need the basic early steps to really be able to function well in the higher levels.  Someone struggling with math may not be able to just leap in.  I really like Math in Focus, though.  I have found the Teacher's Manual extremely helpful.  Others have said they just used the textbooks, but I needed the TM to help with pacing and extra ideas for when he struggles or needs a fun puzzle/challenge to hold his interest.  I bought the textbooks used at Amazon, the workbooks new at Rainbow Resources, and the TM through an Amazon third party seller.  The TM can be pricey, though, even used.  I keep looking for good buys on the next set I will need.

 

Oh, one thing I just found out is that the newest MiF textbooks have been revised to follow Common Core.  The layout looks a bit different (more on the page) and I don't think the sequence is exactly the same.  Unfortunately, this program has a textbook for one half of the year (Textbook A) then Textbook B for the other half...and I have the original for the first half and the Common Core version for the 2nd half.  The 2nd half of the year textbook just got here yesterday so I haven't had time to go through it with a fine tooth comb but I do think they switched some things around.  If you decide to go this route, make sure you get the same version for both texts...

 

Good luck!

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Thanks!! I'll check those out as well! I've been looking the hardest at Math in Focus and Math U See, but still have a ton to research on them.

 

She has a lot of 3rd grade knowledge, but gaps starting in 2nd grade. She struggles hard with place values, and of course this carries over--even into just addition. Last year the school changed over to Everyday Math and that's when the struggles started. She has spotty attendance due to health reasons and the school never did anything to help her. I had no idea about IEPs or any legal rights that I had until the end of last school year, so she went through the entire 2nd grade falling further and further behind. She has grasped a lot of this year's 3rd grade math, but still has the holes and struggles from what she missed last year, and the school's "remediation" sucks.

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MiF does a lot with place value.  I didn't use much of Math U See but I hear it is pretty good for place value.  I started DS with 3rd grade MiF a couple of months ago, after he had worked through half of Dynamo Math.  Technically he is a 4th grader.  I knew he had gaps, though, and I wanted to really solidify those.  Turns out the system is different enough from his previous math programs that I went a head and ordered the textbooks for 2nd grade, too.  I got them used at Amazon and they honestly look brand new.  I didn't get the workbooks or the TM for the 2nd grade level material.  We have been reviewing certain areas on the dry erase.  I have the TM for 3rd grade and it clearly shows which pages in the 2nd grade student text tie to which material in the third grade student text.  Makes it a LOT easier for me to target the areas he is a little weak in from 2nd grade material while still moving forward with the 3rd grade material.  I am not rushing.  I want to make certain he is truly solid on his math. But we are supplementing with stuff from Beast Academy and Challenge math problems upon occassion, along with math games, so that it doesn't seem like drill and kill.  He likes the differences in approach.  We usually do something other than MiF on Fridays.   MiF he does M-Th.  There is a lot of mental math.  DS gets some of it lightening quick.  But he will suddenly trip up on something odd so I pull out the 2nd grade stuff and review at a more basic level before continuing with the 3rd grade stuff again.  So far it is working really well.

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Very cool, this sounds a lot like what my approach would be as well. I keep seeing Calvert, is that any good? There's a virtual school here that is very homeschool based while still being a public charter (which is free) and they use primarily Calvert with tons of others as well. I know MUS is on the list, Little Lincoln, Verticy, and a ton more.

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I have friends who have been very happy with Calvert over many years and several children. With Calvert you many be able to get some guidance from the teachers when it comes to having to make any adjustments to the curriculum.

 

Calvert has also changed with Common Core and they now use MIF, too, which has disappointed long time satisfied users..

 

I'm surprised your ps in now changing to EM. Our local schools have began switching away from it a few years ago. I have one dd who went through five years of EM. It was hard when we started hsing because of the gaps, but I think it did actually give her a good conceptual understanding. With EM, you really have to drill the basics at home.

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My son does Math in Focus at school, and it is good for him.  But, it is good for him because he is a hands-on learner and they use a lot of manipulatives.  He also does well with oral math and using a white board -- that is also part of how they do math in his school. 

 

So I think that those little details matter a lot.  I worry that using a digital only, without hands-on, is not going to give the same experience to some kids.  For some kids I think it does not matter or digital can be even better (easier to focus on, fewer distractions).  But my son has shown he does well with hands-on. 

 

My nieces do Everyday Math and they do very well with it, but I think my son would be lost. 

 

Math in Focus is very mastery based, it is very clear, it is very simple, from what I see.  However -- there are hard parts in it, too, I have had to work with my son her and there.  BUT when he has had trouble, at least he has stayed on that topic for another two weeks, so he can have a chance to have it click for him! 

 

My son is doing extended-day learning right now for his math facts.  He is doing that on computer and it is going well.  He is doing better than I have ever been able to do with him at home ---- but he has a very hard time with rote memorization in all areas. 

 

I think computer or a dry erase board are very good for my son, as far as handwriting.  Both are a lot better for him than using paper and pencil. 

 

He has started "bar models" but a lot of the worksheets I see have the bars already drawn, so he is writing the numbers down in blanks next to the bars.  I have seen him have 2 problems or 4 problems where he is drawing the bars himself also, but not a huge number in a row.  He is able to draw the bars "good enough" but I see that after he has done 2, they look rougher, he is having a hard time drawing them as he gets tired.  

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Calvert has also changed with Common Core and they now use MIF, too, which has disappointed long time satisfied users..

 

 

Partially true.  They offer Math in Focus (which is Singapore Math and Common Core aligned) OR Calvert Math (that they've used for years and is NOT Common Core aligned).

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Partially true.  They offer Math in Focus (which is Singapore Math and Common Core aligned) OR Calvert Math (that they've used for years and is NOT Common Core aligned).

 

Correct. After the Calvert families fought to have a right to continue Calvert math that they knew had worked very successfully with older siblings. :)

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We used Math U See.. You might also want to look at Touch Math.  It's good for a child with math LDs.  Also, research shows a combined direct teaching program AND computer-based mastery practice works best for making academic progress.  You might check out Reflex Math 20-30 minutes per day to help her practice her math fluency skills, then use MUS, Math in Focus, or Touch Math for her main math program.

Thanks!! I'll check those out as well! I've been looking the hardest at Math in Focus and Math U See, but still have a ton to research on them.

She has a lot of 3rd grade knowledge, but gaps starting in 2nd grade. She struggles hard with place values, and of course this carries over--even into just addition. Last year the school changed over to Everyday Math and that's when the struggles started. She has spotty attendance due to health reasons and the school never did anything to help her. I had no idea about IEPs or any legal rights that I had until the end of last school year, so she went through the entire 2nd grade falling further and further behind. She has grasped a lot of this year's 3rd grade math, but still has the holes and struggles from what she missed last year, and the school's "remediation" sucks.

 

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O.k. I would like to make a correction to what I said about there being a difference between the MiF textbooks that are not labeled "Common Core" and the more recent ones that are.  They are exactly identical (at least 3b is).  Absolutely no difference whatsoever.  I thought they were different because things looked a little different from 3a to 3b.  Well, there is a bit of a difference simply because they are doing different things.  I now have both versions of 3b and absolutely I cannot see one iota of difference. (I ordered the second book, used, for a penny just so I could confirm one way or another whether I would run into problems if I got workbooks labeled "common core" and textbooks that were not).  I apologize for any confusion I may have created.

 

I am disappointed and excited about Math Buddies.  Glad that they have a homeschool version but a bit sad that they don't offer access at multiple age levels.  DS is moving through third grade and 2nd grade material kind of simultaneously and in certain areas I may bump him up to 4a because he already knows the concepts well for certain parts.  But I will look into it anyway.  Thanks for the heads up Timberly.

 

Good luck candicane, in your decision making process.  You have gotten some good advice here, and  I am certain you will find the path that works best for you and your child.

 

Best wishes!

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