Eh... unfortunately it really depends on the individual and institution. We had two math ed profs for my degree. One did actually know what he was talking about. The other one... not so much.

I'll likely have a bunch of disagreement, but I'm a strong proponent of "overlearning"... especially in math. I use the analogy that I understood how to parallel park a car perfectly. Likewise, I understood how to drive clutch. Very very different in practice. I didn't think there were many pages in Miquon that had too many problems. Sometimes in Singapore Standards text, I will skip some of the problems when my son has demonstrated that he can do more challenging problems in the section (thinking of decimal arithmetic in particular). Maybe do 15 min of "drill" daily (depending on the topics you're doing), then 15 min (or more) of more "fun" math (word problems, Zacarro, etc). The IP or CWP from Singapore could be a good addition as well. You could also not give her a full page of problems... just write a few at a time on paper or a white board for her to do, then give a few more.

Here's the link :)

I carry a couple of Chico bags in my purse (I carry a large purse). They fold up small, wash well (toss in washer, let air dry), and they can carry a good amount.

You could also copy the figure, cut it out, then tear of angles so she can see that the angles are the same. You could also do the measuring with her looking over as you demonstrate. It's also a good opportunity to discuss error of measurement :) We're doing a similar exercise now. My son broke one protractor by putting it on his thumb. Sigh. Our other protractor is more difficult to measure with, but he's managing.

I understand this. However, if you've had a neighbor have a water removal company over for a burst washing machine hose, you're going to think twice about letting the washer run while you're out of the house. How likely is it to happen to you? Not very. But I can guarantee if it happens here, the damage won't be nearly as bad since I'm home to shut off the water. I also have had a bit of lint in the drier against the Heating element. I was glad I was home and DS and I were able to figure out quickly what that burning smell was before it progressed any further. Could have been much worse if I weren't home....

I don't even leave our electric oven on when we're out. My sister was home alone as a child when the toaster oven caught on fire. She was able to put it out. We grew up with a gas oven. I remember leaving the house due to gas leaks if the pilot light went out. That's part of why I wanted a house without gas at all.

This is exactly how you'd multiply two polynomials (x-3)(x^2 + 5x -8) ... distribution! :) You might show when one approach is "better" than another, but as long as he can get the correct answer without it taking "too long", cool! :) (As to the original question... both have benefits & I agree most with the pp who said write carried digits when doing vertical arithmetic & hold it mentally with horizontal.)

We did all of WWE 2 and 3. We did the textbook for WWE 4 (so just 4 or 5 weeks, skipping through the year). Then we started WWS. It's been fine here. We don't cover a week in a week... it does take longer, especially with the writing assignments which we generally spread over 2-3 days, especially because I have my son write his essay one day, then type and revise it the next day before submitting it to me. He's 10.

Hugs.

My son says he has sympathy for your kids :)

Sorry. :grouphug: Hope the sun helps some. :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug:

Expanding slightly (or really overexplaining) now that I'm at a keyboard... I find it helpful (some) to think about what is the point we're trying to make with an assignment. With an essay, it's not just to whip out something and hand it in. I want my son to have the experience of revision. I want him to know that writing is about a process. With math, I want him to have the skills at the elementary level, but I also want him to be getting training for later levels in how to think. Showing steps is crucial for someone reading his work. Math has conventions and notations just like English does. Just the correct answer is meaningless unless it can also be explained. I don't stress this for every problem... some can be done mentally, but I do require work to be shown regularly. Math isn't just about getting the correct answer. It's about struggling with a problem, trying different approaches, and maybe never figuring out a problem. Not at the arithmetic level... but that's where CWP and IP with Singapore is so great for providing the challenge of math. These are where I'll give him 5-10 min on a problem and then just set it aside for another day. Yeah, I could show him how to do it, but he wouldn't have the experience of struggle that I find crucial for later math experiences. I want him to be able to go back and check his work - just like revising an English paper - and catch his silly arithmetic errors. I want his work to be clear enough that he can follow his thought process looking back at it days later. I want him motivated enough to do the work right the first time (that's when I'll say "Two errors on this page. Fix them.") When he shows clear work on a word problem, that's where I may say, "Your error is here," but if there isn't work clearly shown, he just gets, "This problem is wrong."

Yes. And you lose chocolate too. That one was tough! Enjoy Life is a brand that has dairy free chocolate chips that are great. Namaste brownie mix, although very expensive, is a really good tasting brownie. Earth Balance is safe margarine. The come in tubs and cubes. Good luck!

I'll hand back the work immediately with wrong answers marked. He has to correct the errors. If it's something that was a really silly mistake or something he goofed because of sloppiness, sometimes I'll just tell him he has two errors on the page and he has to find them and fix them. I want him to be able to check his work with math and find errors. Just being told what's wrong doesn't reinforce the importance of doing the work correctly. There are some word problems where I'll have him work on it for a couple of days. If he doesn't see how to do the problem after working with it for a bit, rathere than giving him the answer, we'll set it aside until the next day when he tries again.

The self paced course was real time. Students were required to be in class on campus, but the course was contained and self-paced with online software in a computer lab. I was there to answer questions. What happened was I repeated myself at points where students got stuck...much like tutoring. Very annoying to repeat the same problems five times over three different days. I can understand the benefit to some students who just need to brush up on material, but I found it very boring as a teacher. Interestingly, I think I prefer complete online courses.

:grouphug: So glad they're safe. Give yourself time to get through the terror. You'll be reliving it for a bit. Lots of hugs.

:grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug:

I'm a major introvert and I completely agree about teaching. I did a self-paced course last year and it was boring beyond belief for me. I wasn't teaching; heck, I was barely "facilitating" (hate that term). I've done internet courses before. Very very little teaching going on there. There's also more talk about going to even more canned courses for our basic math classes. When that happens, I'm probably gone.

Welcome! In retrospect, I very likely pushed too hard when we were starting out. (I may well still be doing it.) My son is 10 now. From K-2, in my opinion, as long as your child isn't pulling you for more (in which case, meet his needs), I'd spend a lot of time reading books aloud.... all types of books... history, poetry, biography, fiction. I'd be working a lot on handwriting. Pick the style you want to teach, spend time on proper pencil grip, proper letter formation, and legibility. It's tough going back and making corrections (although I got active resistance with handwriting the whole time). For math, I'd do a lot of discovery. Miquon is wonderful for that, along with Cuisinaire rods. If you get it, you need to be sure to get the Lab Sheet Annotations. I had looked at the books but didn't understand how to use them until reading the Annotations. The Notes to Teachers and First Grade Diary are really good too. I also like how Miquon does division better than any other curriculum. (If you divide two numbers, you get one number as an answer, not a quotient and a remainder.) For science, I'd spend a bit of time looking at BFSU (Building Foundations for Scientific Understanding). Good luck!

I really really really hate it when authors disappoint you. Just finished Dana Stabenow's latest, Bad Blood. Really really ticked off. Very glad I didn't buy it and I think she's moving into the ranks of authors I'll read if I have nothing else to read. Blech!

You are not alone!!

My idea...me first! (shoves Wendy aside)

Regentrude needs people too...I imagine she'll need people to test her material and have discussions on what works and what doesn't...I think she can find some volunteers fairly easily....

There's definitely a need for good solid science programs at all levels for the homeschool market... Get to writing! :)