CarolynD Posted August 5, 2009 Share Posted August 5, 2009 If you have used Abeka's Arith. 1, did you use the teachers manual? Did you only use the Teacher Edition Worktext to teach from? I'm looking through the teachers manual for Abeka's Arth. 1 and I'm wondering if it would be okay if I didn't use all of their suggestions in the beginning? I don't want to miss anything but yet alot of what they are asking the parent to do seems more geared towards a PreK or Kindergarten student. More like busy work for the teacher. Would it be wrong to let her work through the math in the workbook and if she has a problem, then pull out the manipulatives, felt animals, etc? It seems a little too scripted and time consuming. Maybe it's just me. I appreciate any advice! Carolyn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MariannNOVA Posted August 5, 2009 Share Posted August 5, 2009 I found that much of what was in the TM could be used 'a la carte' -- if it was a concept that needed reinforcement or follow-up in addition to what the curriculum would typically provide, I would do it; if not, probably not. I did think that alot of it was 'busy work' and that is anathema to me. No one knows your child like you -- trust your instincts.:001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cslbda Posted August 5, 2009 Share Posted August 5, 2009 We've used Abeka 1 through 7 and never used a teacher's manual. We just expounded on whatever was presented as the main lesson. I'm sure it helps that both my husband and I are "mathy" types but I think the average person could easily teach book 1 w/o a manual- HTH. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarolynD Posted August 5, 2009 Author Share Posted August 5, 2009 Thanks ladies! I truly appreciate you taking the time to give me feedback. That's what I needed to hear. Mariann, I can relate to your signature. I make everything too complicated! Who would have thought I would stress over 1st grade math but not 4th grade? Maybe that is yet to come! Carolyn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CookieMonster Posted August 6, 2009 Share Posted August 6, 2009 If you have used Abeka's Arith. 1, did you use the teachers manual? Did you only use the Teacher Edition Worktext to teach from? I'm looking through the teachers manual for Abeka's Arth. 1 and I'm wondering if it would be okay if I didn't use all of their suggestions in the beginning? In my experience the beauty of A Beka, and why it works so well, is the five-minutes-of-this and five-minutes-of-that built in for the teacher to do at the beginning of every lesson. That daily 10-15 minutes of review and drill is what keeps a student from ending up struggling. It's also what makes math seem 'so easy' for many students. So, in essense, I would not skip it. Also, in my narrow experience, it's those that 'just do the worksheets' who end up finding A Beka "too hard". Abeka is designed to work as a whole. The worksheets are just one part of the program. As a matter of fact, their supposed to be the reinforcement of what is taught, by the teacher, in the first part of the math lesson. They are not supposed to be the math lesson. Now, having said that, we are talking about first grade here. And you're talking about the beginning of the year. Keeping in mind the fact that the text will start off with six weeks (or so) of review, it would stand to reason that you feel you are doing preschool level stuff right now. That will change. I could go two ways with this. If you feel this stuff, right now, is waaaaay too easy, read through lesson by lesson for the first four to six weeks. See if it gets better. If it does, skip those first four weeks or so if that floats your boat. I could also recommend that you continue to do these super easy days to establish a rhythm to the math lesson. Although the work will be a no-brainer, you'll be laying a foundation of expectations for later math lessons. When the work gets challenging you'll still be able to do each part of the lesson without too much complaint because she'll be used to it. That's just my take on things. ymmv Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wendy Inman Posted August 6, 2009 Share Posted August 6, 2009 We've done Abeka math 1 & 2 (starting 3 in a couple of weeks). I don't usually do *everything* they list but pick and choose. If it's something that my son has down pat, then we skip it. Or just review it when I feel we need to. I agree that the 5 min of this and that really is great and introduced lots of things that aren't on the sheets that i wouldn't have known to practice with him. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DianeJM Posted August 6, 2009 Share Posted August 6, 2009 You will quickly notice that the first several lessons in the book are way too easy, and after that it speeds up pretty fast. So, I always skipped the first section of lessons, say, up to the first test. Didn't need them. That made my kids think they were getting a super deal, they felt good about it. (I also didn't get to the last 20 or so lessons either, but only b/c we never finish any books, but the last several lessons, imo, are unnecessary for the average kid, so I felt fine skipping those. But your question is about the TM. You are right, at the beginning of the book it's more like busy work. She probably knows all the stuff already. If you want to do those lessons, just let her do what she can of them and don't worry about "teaching" it. Fairly soon you will have to do some teaching, so that's when I would follow the TM more closely. Also, I never followed it verbatim, but I used their sequence, and sort of did my own thing. I was glad to have the TM, I thought it was helpful. And, there is a lot of oral stuff in the TM that you wouldn't get if you didn't have it. So, imo, it's useful, but there's no need to be shackled by it. Make it work for you. Have a great year! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarolynD Posted August 6, 2009 Author Share Posted August 6, 2009 I appreciate all the feedback on this. Do you all buy the recommended posters and flash cards to go with the curriculum and can you make due without them? Thanks, Carolyn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CookieMonster Posted August 6, 2009 Share Posted August 6, 2009 (edited) I appreciate all the feedback on this. Do you all buy the recommended posters and flash cards to go with the curriculum and can you make due without them?Thanks, Carolyn Yes, I buy all the recommended flash cards and speed drills. The teach a coin set is probably negotiable. Some of the flash cards you could just make yourself, but I prefer to be spared the trouble. It's through these teaching times with the flashcards that your student is able to complete the worksheets. ETA: I forgot to mention that the recommended flash cards are used for second and third grades as well - so you get three year's use out of them. For me, I'm also using them for three children, so I get that much more use out of them. I do think you could make most of the flashcards yourself, now that I think about it. Edited August 6, 2009 by CookieMonster Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.