Confessions of an arithmophob

[KristenR]

My oldest daughter will be 5 this summer. I have been putting off thinking about math because- well . . . it scares me. Seriously. Math was one of the main cons when I considered homeschooling.

I got my first D in math in the third grade. Yes. Third. It probably didn't help that the public school I attended took me out of class two times a week before lunch for "speech therapy". Sounds like a good positive thing, huh? Speech therapy. Unfortunately the period right before lunch was math. And 2 out of 5 days a week I missed it. Not too ironic that I got my first D in math that year. Sadly, they kept me in speech therapy for 2 years and it always coincided with math. I never even really had that bad of a speech problem either....At the time I was happy to leave math. I hated the subject and thought I was getting off easy.

Fast forward and I had a MISERABLE, (stress) MISERABLE time fighting with math and numbers. To this day I shudder at the sight of a fraction. My stomach lurches and heaves when someone throws even the easiest math problem my way. I. Hate. Math.

Now here I am trying to figure out how NOT to let my children pick up on this fear and loathing I harbor.

I have been researching curriculum but I honestly have such a nervousness rush over me- what if I screw up my kids mathematically forever!

A found a complete box set of the Saxon 1 math curriculum in a local book store on sale for $14. Literally the Teacher's manual and the workbooks, the meeting book, and the student materials.

I can't even print all the free MEP curriculum at home for that cheap.

I like the "script" of the Saxon approach. I need that. But I have read so many negative reviews of Saxon that i am worried about starting and stopping different curriculum. We have only been using it for 1 week now and I can't complain. I don't hate it; but I'm not exactly skipping my way to the table to teach it either.

Now, I see Math Mammoth is on sale. I wonder if I should invest in supplementing with this. Or ditching Saxon and trying the full Mammoth.

Or is Singapore even a possibility for someone as mathematically-challenged as me. I would love for my children to love math. I would love for them to be strong in math and science.

I hope to give that to them.

After reading the recent post on the Khan Academy, I am thinking that it is about time I try to rectify the poor basis in mathematics I was given and teach myself.

I am open to trying to learn anew as I teach my children. I just don't want to jump into a curriculum that is too difficult and have myself and my children flounder.

HELP!

Edited March 3, 2011 by KristenR

[AnointedHsMom]

I am/was the same as you. Had a horrible time in school with math. Stink at it to this day. Went to my first curriculum fair when my oldest was 3 to find....you guessed it.....dvd/computer based math! so I didn't have to teach it to him myself in a few years. :001_huh:

 

I was going to recommend Saxon to you after reading your post. Only I was going to say use the K program. It's very gentle and manipulative based only. No worksheets. It's also scripted for you. In my experience I've learned to either let someone else teach it or use a highly scripted math curriculum. ;)We use Saxon :D just so you know. My 4 year old son turns 5 next month. We'll be starting him on Saxon K in the fall. Edited to add that even though I use Saxon I use dvd's for that too. LOL

 

This is my experience as an arithmaphob!!

 

Hope that helps.

Edited March 3, 2011 by AnointedHsMom
edited to add

[mom2bee]

I feel your pain! I stress over this myself and I'm not even pregnant with my first child...I wan't my kids to 'get' math, I want them to find it easy if not down right enjoyable.

 

I'm looking at the best curriculums now, and constantly trying to order the concepts in the most logical order. I'm fretting over whether I should 'layer' quality curriculum and methods. I know there are a few non-mainstream skills I definitely want them to learn (Abacus, Chisenbop and Mental Math).

 

I'm doing my best to learn more and truly understand math, I want to get over my hatred of mathematics. I'm taking Trig and PreCalc this semester and will hopefully take Stats in the summer, then, hopefully, I'll be done with required math classes. But I am determined to master Arithmetic, and Algebra and get a grip on Calculus and have an epiphany in Trigonometry!!!

 

You may look at some reviews for MUS, since it's mastery based, your students could work on 1 skill for a long time and cement it. You could mix MUS with a living math approach and do a bit of self study on your own (I recommend Contemporarys Number Power Series) as you become more confident in your own abilities, you'll get a chance to cement the knowledge by teaching it.

 

(In my experience, teaching is the best way to really learn something. :) )

[kiana]

You may not be able to do something about the loathing, but you may be able to do something about the fear.

 

Learn math yourself. Seriously. Go as far back as you need to. If you need to, go back to first grade. Find the point where you stopped understanding, start over, and build the foundation properly this time. You *can* do math, and it was your elementary school which really, really let you down.

 

The curriculum you use for your children is far less important (okay, assuming it's not TERC or some similar abomination) than the fact that you model the behaviour you expect of them. Appear enthusiastic about mathematics and work seriously at learning it. Find some living math books (livingmath.net has lists, murderous maths are fun, and marilyn burns books are wonderful) and read them and discuss them. Play games which enhance the teaching of mathematics, such as RightStart. etc.

 

I really hope I'm not sounding like a pretentious twerp here :/

[Jay3fer]

First, I'd recommend you read John Mighton's The Myth of Ability. He says that, like you, most of us get a raw deal in the math department in ways that simply don't happen in other subjects. And then we blame ourselves and feel dumb for a lifetime. He has some positive ways of thinking about math that may help you get a fresh start - he didn't do well in math until university, he says, and now he has authored an entire curriculum.

 

Second, I'd recommend you go at it REALLY low-key and just get yourself some fun manipulatives. We have funtastic frogs, but any of those colourful plastic multi-size, multi-shape, multi-colour counters would work. Those plus a cheap bucket balance scale and a big bag of grocery-store split peas (dry) were a great starting point for both math and science. My dd was a bit younger (4) when we started, but these simple, cheap manipulatives were a great way to warm us both up to the idea of learning math together.

 

Counters: put them in order of size, group them by size, colour, shape, etc, weigh them on the scale; create patterns and guess what might come next

Peas: spell words in them, hide counters in them, use measuring cups and spoons and see how many of whatever goes into whatever.

Water: pour it, measure it, turn it colours (count the drops of colouring as they go in); have fun, make a mess.

Estimate! Cram some dollar-store dinosaurs into a jar, or socks, or fake flowers, and make everybody you know guess how many there are.

Read: Math stories from living books like the "lost Button" story from "Frog and Toad."

Date/Time: Talk about the date every day, day, month, year. Look at clocks, both kinds, and tell time occasionally throughout the day.

 

If you were going to invest a bit more, I found Cuisenaire rods, just for free play, without even doing any of the activities, to be very valuable. Kids just make them into trains, line them up side by side, and the learning happens automatically - probably for BOTH of you. (don't buy Miquon to go with the rods, whatever you do; you won't need it anyway.)

 

Third: There's got to be some "math" that you don't hate. Do you cook? That's math. What about measuring, or estimating? Driving? (how fast do you drive?) Even spotting numbers while you're out walking around with your kids... that COUNTS as math, so chances are, you're already doing it. Count steps as you go up and down them. Recite your phone number. Pin up a 100s chart and use it to skip-count by 2's and 5's and 10's, or any other number you want.

 

Here are tons of fun, free, and VERY non-threatening math activities you can do at home. (read through the Early Years Resource Book and download the free music selections if you like them) There are lots of suggestions for good "math books" in the early years resource packet.

 

My kids doing Split Pea Math! Patterns with frogs! Early Cuisenaire Rod experimentation!

 

Math doesn't have to need a textbook - my final suggestion would be waiting 'till you're all more comfortable before you even THINK about curriculum any further. If you're doing even some of this stuff, she will probably not be as far behind grade level as you'd think.

 

Hope you don't think I'm being too bossy or overstepping here... ;-)))

[Celia]

I don't have much advice to give you on the curriculum side of things (other to say that we've used RS A and B and loved them, which I think is a common theme on these forums), but I do want to say that you shouldn't fear math. You had a really raw deal with your education on it, but I think that a lot of us have had that in one area or another. I missed out almost completely on grammar as well as history. It's not going to stop me from learning it along side my kids! I'll just stay a few steps ahead of them, taking time while their young to learn these things. For example, you could start your kids on RightStart A, while you go through level B. You'll pick it up more quickly, and can advance more quickly.

 

You can nail this one.

[LillyMama]

I have found success using Kathy Richardson's books on math activities and games. She doesn't write curricula, but she has developed many different manipulative and other kinestheitc tools for teaching a math skill that are really fun for kids. (People are going to start thinking I am KR if I keep posting about this... haha...) We have days when "math" feels like an ugly word and my kids whine. But if I ever say "Let's play a math game with the Unifix cubes and the big foam dice!" my kids are all over it. When we are done with that, they are happy to jump into the "work" I had planned for them. It sometimes extends our teaching day, but it also provides a nice fun break in the middle of the day. Since her books (her theories) are not curriculum-specific, no matter which way we decide to go with curricula, I can always find an activity in her books to match whatever it is we're learning that day.

 

I wouldn't say to run out and get those books. But as you get going, if you do find yourself, and your kids dreading math, I'd keep this in the back of your mind. A well-designed and well-timed math game can sometimes be all you need.

 

Good Luck!

[KristenR]

Thank you all so VERY much! As always, this forum is so motivating and empowering. This place is more addicting than Facebook. I CAN do this. Even if I never learn to love math, I will sure fake it for my children. :)

I will start researching all your suggestions. There were quite a few I haven't heard of myself. Thanks!