Irishmommy Posted October 9, 2010 Share Posted October 9, 2010 Just wanted to offer another note of gratitude to those who suggested Miquon to me. I was very leary at first (as I am of the box checker variety), but after two months of it, we are still going strong. My dd has been introduced to addition and subtraction and we have just enjoyed so much playing games with the rods. I love this natural approach to the introduction of math. I couldn't be happier with my choice. Even my 2.5 yo played a math game with us yesterday! I think that by the time he's in kinder, he'll be doing multiplecation! Thanks again to those who suggested it and I hope others will be encouraged to give this program a try. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nansk Posted October 9, 2010 Share Posted October 9, 2010 Thank you for sharing that :-) How many pages do your kids do every day? We have been doing Miquon (multiplication) this week and while my dd likes it, she protests at/barely finishes one page a day. With Math Mammoth, she doesn't even do one page a day :-( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted October 9, 2010 Share Posted October 9, 2010 Good news! Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FO4UR Posted October 9, 2010 Share Posted October 9, 2010 :001_smile: and while my dd likes it, she protests at/barely finishes one page a day. With Math Mammoth, she doesn't even do one page a day :-( Take away the "worksheet" and put the math up on a white board or do it orally. If it's the writing, act as her scribe for some or all of the work. Let her answer by placing a rod in the blank for an answer (or a number tile or sticker). Better yet, do the work first outside of the worksheet and then the next day pull out the worksheet to do with her (answering with rods/tiles/stickers or with mom as a scribe). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TracyP Posted October 9, 2010 Share Posted October 9, 2010 Irishmommy, how much of a learning curve was Miquon for you as teacher? I have heard it can be hard to wrap your head around and that has me a little scared off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danivdp Posted October 9, 2010 Share Posted October 9, 2010 Not irishmommy, but sometimes the Miquon workbooks were pretty obvious, sometimes I was like "Huh??" and referred to the Labsheet Annotations. If I didn't figure it out with the Annotations, we skipped the page :D DD did Miquon for 1st, 2nd and 3rd. We got thru the green book, and she's doing fine now in Saxon 5/4 for 4th grade. my 2 ds's hate it, so they are doing abeka workbooks. they only got thru the first 15ish pgs of orange. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted October 9, 2010 Share Posted October 9, 2010 :001_smile: Take away the "worksheet" and put the math up on a white board or do it orally. If it's the writing, act as her scribe for some or all of the work. Let her answer by placing a rod in the blank for an answer (or a number tile or sticker). Better yet, do the work first outside of the worksheet and then the next day pull out the worksheet to do with her (answering with rods/tiles/stickers or with mom as a scribe). I'm thinking the same way. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted October 9, 2010 Share Posted October 9, 2010 Irishmommy, how much of a learning curve was Miquon for you azs teacher? I have heard it can be hard to wrap your head around and that has me a little scared off. I think many of us have opened the first pages of Miquon Orange and had heart-attacks :D What is this??? No need to panic. Honest. If you imagine the alien-shapes you see are bunnies and birds and that you are simply looking at a number of objects that make up a set, you will be fine. The "weirdest" couple pages are first. Some people run screaming in fright and never come back...but the "fear" is unwarranted. And the "weirdness" decreases. Miquon is actually a really simple and natural way to teach and learn. The author, Lore Rasmussen, makes the method really understandable. She was a gifted teacher for students and parents alike. A person does have to invest a little time to apsorb the Miquon way. But for me this was incredibly rewarding and inspiring time. By mind filled with ideas for how I would like to teach. How I could "break down" ideas for my son in ways I wish they had been shown to me, and to set up situations where he could learn through doing. I would not be scared off by concerns you won't get it if you are willing to open your mind to something a little different that the ordinary. Make of herb-tea and spend a few evenings before bed reading the First Grade Diary. Let the children play with the rods (ideas for than in Notes to Teachers) and then use Miquon as you will. The a Lab Annotations will be a "gold mine" for years to come. The water is warm, jump in :001_smile: Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadsandLilysMom Posted October 9, 2010 Share Posted October 9, 2010 I think many of us have opened the first pages of Miquon Orange and had heart-attacks :D What is this??? No need to panic. Honest. If you imagine the alien-shapes you see are bunnies and birds and that you are simply looking at a number of objects that make up a set, you will be fine. The "weirdest" couple pages are first. Some people run screaming in fright and never come back...but the "fear" is unwarranted. And the "weirdness" decreases. Miquon is actually a really simple and natural way to teach and learn. The author, Lore Rasmussen, makes the method really understandable. She was a gifted teacher for students and parents alike. A person does have to invest a little time to apsorb the Miquon way. But for me this was incredibly rewarding and inspiring time. By mind filled with ideas for how I would like to teach. How I could "break down" ideas for my son in ways I wish they had been shown to me, and to set up situations where he could learn through doing. I would not be scared off by concerns you won't get it if you are willing to open your mind to something a little different that the ordinary. Make of herb-tea and spend a few evenings before bed reading the First Grade Diary. Let the children play with the rods (ideas for than in Notes to Teachers) and then use Miquon as you will. The a Lab Annotations will be a "gold mine" for years to come. The water is warm, jump in :001_smile: Bill I have to say Bill your wonderful, thoughtful posts sold me on Miquon. It should arrive this week and I am so excited to start using it! My daughter is 4, but loves math and I think she will enjoy this. She is in a private pre-K 3 days a week, but we homeschool the other two days. We will be moving to HS 5 days next year, but she wants to get started now. I can't wait to dive in! Laura Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted October 9, 2010 Share Posted October 9, 2010 I have to say Bill your wonderful, thoughtful posts sold me on Miquon. It should arrive this week and I am so excited to start using it! My daughter is 4, but loves math and I think she will enjoy this. She is in a private pre-K 3 days a week, but we homeschool the other two days. We will be moving to HS 5 days next year, but she wants to get started now. I can't wait to dive in! Laura I truly hope it enriches your daughter's life Laura, it has made all the difference in helping me teach my boy. Enjoy this time! Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nansk Posted October 10, 2010 Share Posted October 10, 2010 It was Bill's posts that convinced me to buy Miquon too. BTW I only read the Notes to Teachers when it first arrived, but after that I didn't have the time to read tje First Grade Diary or Lab Sheet Annotations. It had been lying around for months, but we have used the C-rods with MM, MEP, SM and DIY math. (DD likes the C-rods best of all our math manipulatives.) Finally, this month, I just pulled out the Orange book and started doing it. *I* atleast don't think the teacher's books are wholly necessary. I let dd choose which worksheet she wants to do. It is going okay except the reluctance to do more than 3 problems at a time(!) It is not the writing, I am sure. There is not much writing in the Miquon lab sheets. I guess it is sheer laziness and I need to push her to do more. Thanks all the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FO4UR Posted October 10, 2010 Share Posted October 10, 2010 It was Bill's posts that convinced me to buy Miquon too. BTW I only read the Notes to Teachers when it first arrived, but after that I didn't have the time to read tje First Grade Diary or Lab Sheet Annotations. It had been lying around for months, but we have used the C-rods with MM, MEP, SM and DIY math. (DD likes the C-rods best of all our math manipulatives.) Finally, this month, I just pulled out the Orange book and started doing it. *I* atleast don't think the teacher's books are wholly necessary. I let dd choose which worksheet she wants to do. It is going okay except the reluctance to do more than 3 problems at a time(!) It is not the writing, I am sure. There is not much writing in the Miquon lab sheets. I guess it is sheer laziness and I need to push her to do more. Thanks all the same. Read the 1st Grade Dairy! Declare math to be making rod designs for a week so you can have the time to read it, if need be. To the bolded sentence: She's 5yo. She's not lazy. Don't push. Entice. Challenge. Provide problems to solve with real life things/situations...and give her space/time to solve them. Play games. Just don't "push!" If she only wants to do 3 problems at a time, let her. She's 5yo! 3 problems a day and then some rod time with Mommy (or some games;)) will take her far. I use those lab sheets (worksheets) kind of like an assessment. If my dc moan and groan over a math page it's either b/c the math is too easy (not again MOM!!!) or they aren't quite sure of themselves (and need more time working with the concept with me) or the font/layout of the page is too busy. Her wanting to leave the page after 3 problems is telling you something...listen and end the lesson on a positive note...use what you learned about her today to make an informed lesson for tomorrow. I often - OFTEN - ask my dc "Would you rather do one more or work on a different page?" It's not like we can't finish the rest tomorrow... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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