Miquon Questions (....&%@ S P Y *$#$ C A R *&@ ...)(<----it's subliminal)

[BethG]

I have a few Miquon Questions for those of you who are familiar with it.

(Read many of Spy Car's :auto:entries on it thus my hope that Spy Car will catch the subliminal invite.......:lol:).

 

Firstly.....how does one pronounce MIQUON? (MY-quon) (me-quon) (MY'-quon) (my-'QUON), (MICK-wan), ?

 

At what age could you start Miquon and at what pace does one go?

 

I've never put my hands on it but am considering ordering it but am curious about its implementation.

 

Does one do a lesson a day or for x number of minutes per day?

 

How long does it take one to finish one of its books (orange, red, etc.)?

 

Can someone shed some light on implentation/employment of this series?

 

Thanks.

[Lots of boys]

I'm sure Spy Car will jump in (hopefully as he was the reason we tried Miquon) but I will try my best to share our experience with you as well.

 

We pronounce it MIGwen - this is how the distributor pronounced it at a cirriculum fair so we have just followed - I have no idea if it is correct.

 

We LOVE this - and in fact my kids love it so much they are relatively negative about any other math program (which is becomming an issue for us).

 

My Gr. 2 ds started with this late so moved through orange in about 2 months and is now in the Red book. I think the program is designed for one book to take about 3-4 months = two books a year (O/R for gr. 1, B/G for gr. 2, Y/P for Gr. 3).

 

My K'er ds is just starting the orange book because he flew through Singapore K and I don't wnat to move him into Singapore 1A yet (I may never as he LOVES Miquon)

 

We do about two sheets per day/ 5 days a week.

 

Have fun with the program - my boys love the flexibility it has to just figure things out with out being told how to do it. They love the look of the sheets (not at all like a regular textbook) and love how it jumps around touching on lots of topics to keep them interested.

Edited October 5, 2011 by agarnett

[BethG]

I wanted to hear from others too, so it wasn't just for SpyCar:D.

 

That's one of my concerns ----- how they'll transition from a funner "Math Lab" to a less fun program.

 

How long do the 2 pages a day take you?

[Lots of boys]

I wanted to hear from others too, so it wasn't just for SpyCar:D.

 

That's one of my concerns ----- how they'll transition from a funner "Math Lab" to a less fun program.

 

How long do the 2 pages a day take you?

 

 

Depending on the material - it takes about 20 minutes for my K'er (he is on simple adding right now). It takes my Gr. 2 ds about 30 minutes or so to do 2 pages.

 

For my Gr. 2 - we started pairing this with Singapore and he really resisted the workbook aspect of it. So after weeks of struggle, we have him doing Teaching Textbooks 3. This way he learns the concepts in Miquon first and uses TT for review. Because TT isn't structured like a traditional workbook he is happy. So right now we do one lesson a day in TT3 (20 minutes) and two pages of Miquon. Hopegully when he is done Miquon he will be happy to continue on with TT alone.

[Spy Car]

I have a few Miquon Questions for those of you who are familiar with it.

(Read many of Spy Car's :auto:entries on it thus my hope that Spy Car will catch the subliminal invite.......:lol:).

 

Firstly.....how does one pronounce MIQUON? (MY-quon) (me-quon) (MY'-quon) (my-'QUON), (MICK-wan), ?

 

It is pronounced ME-kwan. It is Native American name, and the name of the Town and School where the program was originally used. I originally thought it was MICK-wan, but (being curious myself) I called the school and was set straight.

 

At what age could you start Miquon and at what pace does one go?

 

There is no definitive answer to this question. When the program was developed in 1964 there was no real math instruction until 1st Grade, so this was written as a 1st-3rd Grade Program.

 

My feeling is that Miquon is especially valuable as an introductory exposure to math because of its strongly developmental and concrete nature. We started with in when my son just turned 4. That was very good timing for him, and if anything I would have started informal rod-play even earlier if I had a do-over.

 

Miquon expose opens up the "big picture" of whole-parts math an easy to understand way, and because it is a "discovery" program it is important to start with it (as opposed to more traditional "direct instruction") if you want to get the most out of it. As a side-note, I added "direct instruction" to elements of our Math-Lab at times, as direct instruction can be vital. It is just that "discovery" has its rewards too.

 

And it is in the early years when Miquon is magical. With rods they can "play" with math and learn amazing amounts in a way that is all good fun and avoids criticized aspects of early "formal" academics.

 

I've never put my hands on it but am considering ordering it but am curious about its implementation.

 

The curiosity over how to implement Miquon will likely magnify when/if you order the books. Be prepared for a "shock of the new." On first glance Miquon looks "weird." I think many people take one look an think: "I don't get it." and they are done.

 

In truth the "weirdness" is very superficial (but I had my "panic moment too). But really it is a very natural way to teach and learn math.

 

The First Grade Diary (think "First Year Diary)is essential reading. A quick read through a year in the life of the author teaching children really encapsulated the Miquon Math-Lab approach. And it is this Math-Lab approach that is the key to the series.

 

Does one do a lesson a day or for x number of minutes per day?

 

Impossible to say. Miquon is unorthodox. One can use it in a linear way (which for lack of a better term gives one "spiral" exposure) or according to a topic code (that makes it more mastery) or simply follow a child's (or parent's) interest. The "looseness" of Miquon is an aspect one needs to embrace or one may have discontents.

 

Plus parent/teachers are encouraged to make up Lab-Sheets and activities of their own. Children too. At least half of what I would call "Miquon" in our home consisted of things we made up or stole from other resources and "Miquonized."

 

It was very inspiring for me as a parent/teacher to feel "unleashed." those looking for a schedule and "open-and-go" might be less delighted.

 

How long does it take one to finish one of its books (orange, red, etc.)?

 

They are designed as two books per year, but otherwise I will dodge the question as it depends too much on the child (and parent) and what else the Miquon experience provokes in terms of Math exploration.

 

The materials pack a lot of punch but lean towards "exposure." it is not an overwhelming about of material.

 

Can someone shed some light on implentation/employment of this series?

 

As I said, while there is a book (Lab Sheet Annotations) that has notes on every Lab-Sheet page, and (to my mind brilliant notes on topics like Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication, Division and Fractions) there is a deliberate "freedom" given to parent/teachers to implement the ideas according to the child's developmental readiness rather than according to a "schedule."

 

This runs counter to many programs (especially ones written for use in schools). Those who love to adapt and customize learning around their child's understanding will likely be excited by the Miquon approach, and those who want a set-in-stone schedule with scripted implementation may not find Miquon to be their cup of tea.

 

I hope that helps.

 

Bill

[Spy Car]

I'm sure Spy Car will jump in (hopefully as he was the reason we tried Miquon) but I will try my best to share our experience with you as well.

 

I'm glad you are enjoying it :001_smile:

 

Bill

[BethG]

Depending on the material - it takes about 20 minutes for my K'er (he is on simple adding right now). It takes my Gr. 2 ds about 30 minutes or so to do 2 pages.

 

For my Gr. 2 - we started pairing this with Singapore and he really resisted the workbook aspect of it. So after weeks of struggle, we have him doing Teaching Textbooks 3. This way he learns the concepts in Miquon first and uses TT for review. Because TT isn't structured like a traditional workbook he is happy. So right now we do one lesson a day in TT3 (20 minutes) and two pages of Miquon. Hopegully when he is done Miquon he will be happy to continue on with TT alone.

 

Thanks. This will help me on my time budgeting.

[BethG]

I'm glad you are enjoying it :001_smile:

 

Bill

 

 

Thanks for responding to my "subtle" request. You've officially sold me on putting in an order. Sounds like it'll be right up my alley and mesh well with my style. I haven't seen the "Diary" but will find it as well.

 

Thanks SOOOOOOOOO very much.

[Spy Car]

Thanks for responding to my "subtle" request. You've officially sold me on putting in an order. Sounds like it'll be right up my alley and mesh well with my style. I haven't seen the "Diary" but will find it as well.

 

Thanks SOOOOOOOOO very much.

 

You are very welcome.

 

I would strongly suggest getting all 3 teachers books: Lab Sheet Annotations; Notes to Teachers; and The First Grade Diary.

 

"Notes" is the slightest of the three, but has good information for starting out.

 

My advice is to read Notes and get the child playing with the C Rods. Then "pleasure read" the Diary to get a quick overview of how Miquon works. After you may want another pass at the Diary to pick out individual ideas. at least this worked well for me. The Diary gave me lots of "ah ha!" moments, and made the idea "click."

 

There was a transition from "I don't get it" to "click, I totally get it" that I experienced and I think it is not an uncommon experience. Once one gets the method it seems silly that looked so intimidating at the outset.

 

I hope you love it!

 

Bill

[BethG]

I'll get this set and read them in this order.

Thanks Spy Car.

[Spy Car]

I'll get this set and read them in this order.

Thanks Spy Car.

 

Here is a link to a pre-Miquon activity book a Miquon Mom named Miranda Hughes made. I found it too late for us to use, but many people have enjoyed it.

 

http://smartkids.ru/index2.php?option=com_k2&view=item&task=download&id=498

 

Bill

[OnTheBrink]

We used Miquon. Our math progression had some bumps in the road, but if I had to do it all over again, I'd go like this:

 

Miquon, Math U See until pre-algebra, then VideoText.

 

What we actually did was:

 

Rod and Staff (running, screaming into the streets)

Singapore combined with Miquon (overkill)

Miquon (LOVED IT! Dd cried when she finished the last book)

Making Math Meaningful (should be renamed Making Math Stressful)

Math U See (which was wonderful for up to pre-algebra, I personally feel it's weak past Zeta)

VideoText

 

I think going from Miquon to MUS is a good progression. MUS still uses rods and manipulatives but is more concrete. When my dd was doing Miquon, she really felt she was only doing fun puzzles. R&S made "math" a bad word in our house, so Miquon was really a soothing balm for her, math-wise. MUS got more "mathy" but was close enough that she could connect Miquon and MUS without it being a huge leap from one program to the other. MUS was a disappointment in pre-algebra. Dd didn't think it explained things enough and it rarely, if ever, explains WHY. VideoText does.

 

So, our math journey may not fit everyone, but I think if you're using Miquon and liking it, a good program to look at afterwards would be MUS, followed by VT starting at pre-algebra. Naturally, YMMV.

 

Oh, and a word about Singapore: It's fine, we had no issues with it, but dd preferred Miquon and doing both was too much. I know many combine the two successfully.

[boscopup]

My feeling is that Miquon is especially valuable as an introductory exposure to math because of its strongly developmental and concrete nature. We started with in when my son just turned 4. That was very good timing for him, and if anything I would have started informal rod-play even earlier if I had a do-over.

 

A friend and I were talking this week about C-rods. She just got a set for her 4 year old to play with, and I've been using them with my 4 year old recently. I was talking about how it just floors me that DS can put two rods next to each other and automatically tell which one needs to go in the empty space to make both sides the same length. With just a few sessions of "play", he figured out which ones go where. I found that amazing. My friend had noticed the same thing with her 4 year old - figuring that out after just a couple sessions of play. OTOH, her older DD, a 9 year old, is taking a lot longer to figure that part out. There seems to be something about that tender age of 4 that opens up some doors to understanding the rods (perhaps that's why we adults often are confused still while the kid has figured it all out :lol:).

 

We've been using the rods with Singapore EM and I LOVE THEM. We just started doing things like "6 is ___ more than 4", and I just tell him to use the rods. He figures it out very quickly! We don't even have to count. :D

[Five More Minutes]

We've been using the rods with Singapore EM and I LOVE THEM. We just started doing things like "6 is ___ more than 4", and I just tell him to use the rods. He figures it out very quickly! We don't even have to count. :D

 

Same here! Love, love, love cuisenaire rods.

[JessieC]

I'm wondering, could you combine Miquon with Math Mammoth, or is that nutty?

[Spy Car]

A friend and I were talking this week about C-rods. She just got a set for her 4 year old to play with, and I've been using them with my 4 year old recently. I was talking about how it just floors me that DS can put two rods next to each other and automatically tell which one needs to go in the empty space to make both sides the same length. With just a few sessions of "play", he figured out which ones go where. I found that amazing. My friend had noticed the same thing with her 4 year old - figuring that out after just a couple sessions of play. OTOH, her older DD, a 9 year old, is taking a lot longer to figure that part out. There seems to be something about that tender age of 4 that opens up some doors to understanding the rods (perhaps that's why we adults often are confused still while the kid has figured it all out :lol:).

 

We've been using the rods with Singapore EM and I LOVE THEM. We just started doing things like "6 is ___ more than 4", and I just tell him to use the rods. He figures it out very quickly! We don't even have to count. :D

 

What have I been telling you!!!???

 

After several thousand posts on the subject, my work is finally done :D

 

Bill

[boscopup]

What have I been telling you!!!???

 

After several thousand posts on the subject, my work is finally done :D

 

Bill

 

I know! :lol:

[ALove]

I've got a C-rod question. We did MUS for one year before we switched to Miquon/Singapore so we have the MUS blocks with the delineation of the units. These blocks seem to make sense to me to use at early ages because the C-rods seem to add an extra abstraction for little brains that don't really "do" abstraction. Orange=10 seems odd to me when you can just have a block that actual shows 10 units joined together, also using a particular color.

Would "playing" with the MUS blocks do a similar thing for a child's development that C-rods are credited for, or is the delineation of the units a negative? If so, why?

[Amie]

This morning I was reading about/exploring algebra with the c-rods. They aren't just for 4 year olds! ;)

[boscopup]

These blocks seem to make sense to me to use at early ages because the C-rods seem to add an extra abstraction for little brains that don't really "do" abstraction. Orange=10 seems odd to me when you can just have a block that actual shows 10 units joined together, also using a particular color.

 

4 year olds pick up this "abstraction" incredibly easily. Did you read my PP? My friend and I both have 4 year olds who played with the rods a few times and were able to immediately figure out which rod was missing when putting two different rods together. My 4 year old also can say the numbers associated with the rods. You build a staircase and it's not abstract. They can see clearly which ones are 1, 2, 3, etc. That's a typical part of early C-rod play, one of the first things you do. :)

 

As far as whether it's bad to have the lines... There was a thread recently on this. I don't know that it matters that much for most things, BUT... If you want to call things by a different name to practice something like fractions, you would have trouble if using the ones with lines. Without lines, they can be anything.

 

But really, 4 year olds don't need the lines. They're perfectly capable of figuring it out. It's our adult brains that take longer. :tongue_smilie: