I'm a former elementary school teacher who was trained in Constructivsm. It's the main approach I use when teaching my son Bruce math. http://teachingmybabytoread.blog.com/2011/03/15/subtraction/ The other posters have been right on about the heart of Constructivsm being to help kids create and understand their own strategies for solving problems, instead of just blinding teaching traditional algorithms. I'd go further and say that one of the key goals of Constructivism is for kids to develop a strong conceptual understanding. Some programs, like Right Start, have a lot of Constructivist approachs in them, but then throw in some traditional algortihm zingers that I try to stay clear of. If you really commit to the Constructivist approach, it's amazing. My six year old could not tell you what borrowing or carrying is, but he can now add 4 digit numbers and subtract 3 digit numbers with regrouping in his head faster than I can.

It's different in every state. Back in California when I taught elementary school, it was called the STAR test, but now it's something different. In Washington it's called the WASL. Typically students take the test in spring, around May. The tests usually last about 2 hours a day, for a whole week, depending on age. For public schools, it's a really big deal because $ is tied to scores. It's really a bad situation for everyone. I taught at an inner city school in CA where all of my students were English Language Learners and 100% of them were on free and reduced lunch. I had kids enter my classroom directly from Mexico a week before the STAR test, and yet their scores counted against my "total" score as a teacher. That's why the issue of salary being tied to teacher performance as measured by test scores is really scary. I'm all for a pay for performance model, but that's a whole big can of worms.

My 6 year old LOVES Stack the States. It was the best $2 spent ever. I also think it would be good for 7 or eight year olds. Bruce also really likes Oregon Train on the Ipod. That's not nearly as educational, but it good to use as a motivational reward, or for traveling. He has learned a bit from Oregon Trail though. It prompted him to check out a biograph on Annie Oakley. Here's more of my review at: http://teachingmybabytoread.blog.com/2011/05/03/this-looks-like-new-hampshire/

That's a good idea! Maybe I could use a meter stick to be the fraction line.

My son and I just finished chapter 26 or 27 of LOF Fractions, and it was about the rules of cancelling fractions when you are multiplying them. Does anyone know of a way to teach this in a hands-on, manipulative way?

We play a game my own third grade teacher invented called "Magic Word". You introduce a new vocab word each night at dinner, and then at some point that night slip the word into the converstaion. The first person who calls out "Magic Word" and can tell you what the word means, wins a prize. Right now we are pulling from an SAT word box. I explain the game in more detail here: http://teachingmybabytoread.blog.com/2011/03/03/magic-word/ This game works for all ages. We have played it with my son since he was three or four.

My son is on chapter 27 of LOF fractions, and I am also a former elementary school teacher. I'm impressed with LOF, but I think it should just be used as a supplement. There is too much curriculum compaction, and the author seems to rely on traditional algorithms, without enough conceptual undertstanding. I think the other posters' suggestion about using both programs sound like good ideas. You could aslo supplement with Right Start. Here's more about our experience with LOF Fractions: http://teachingmybabytoread.blog.com/2011/06/06/too-many-algorithims-in-life-of-fred/

I'm a former elementary school teacher, who is using Life of Fred Fractions with my son at home. I think that LOF is wonderful as a supplement, but could not be a stand alone curriculum because there is too much curriculum compaction. Kids would not get enough practice, and there is not hands on manipulative part. Even all the way up to algebra, there are ways to incoporate a hands on approach, and that is an important part of learning. I review LOF in more detail at http://teachingmybabytoread.blog.com/2011/05/27/life-of-fred-further-thoughts/

I have done square foot gardening for four years. Here's a picture: http://teachingmybabytoread.blog.com/2011/05/18/learning-in-the-garden/ I would suggest laying down giant pieces of gardboard over your grass, and then putting down a truckload of good quality compost. Don't buy it in bags at Lowes, that would be too expensive! Have it delivered from a compost dealer. It will be about $20 a square yard. The first year of a vegetable garden is really expensive (and hard to talk your husband into!) But in later years it is really cheap. If you have bad soil in your area, I would also suggest making your own compost. All of the other ideas people have posted are really good. An herb garden is a great idea.

You could lay straw down as a mulch, but you still need cages if you are planting indeterminite plants. Determinate tomato plants, would not need cages, but would grow up small, like patio tomatoes. Here's a picture of my garden, and how I involve my kids in our garden: http://teachingmybabytoread.blog.com/2011/05/18/learning-in-the-garden/

I tried for two years to teach my child to speak Spanish at that age. He could do it, but just wouldn't. Here's more detail about what happened. http://teachingmybabytoread.blog.com/2011/05/06/bilingual-education/

Here's one of our favorites: http://teachingmybabytoread.blog.com/2011/03/15/the-odyssey-for-children/

Yeah, I don't think Geln Doman works very well either. Here's my review: http://teachingmybabytoread.blog.com/2011/02/28/glen-doman-and-magical-thinking/