Familyties Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 My son is 9 yrs old (4th grade) and this is out first year HSing. I selected Singapore Math and although I love, it I don't know if it is the best fit for my son. He was diagnosed with ADHD last year (he was in public school :glare:). He has the inattentive type, meaning he is unable to focus on certain tasks (we don't medicate though). I try as much as I can to make math hands-ons and play games when we can, but I am still not convinced that Singapore is a good fit for him. So, please give me some suggestions on what math program might work better for him. Thanks in advance! Jacque Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LittleIzumi Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 I switched my ADHD girl from Singapore to Miquon. It's a MUCH better fit. Sometimes we add in MEP problems, and we do our fact practice through games (Math Bingo, Math Rider). :grouphug: ADHD homeschool is one heck of a ride, lol! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mandylubug Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 My son has inattentive/non medicated ADHD as well. I can't praise Teaching Textbooks enough! It is interactive enough during the "lecture" for him to pay attention (even if he is wiggling a foot while listening!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Familyties Posted February 22, 2012 Author Share Posted February 22, 2012 I will have to look into both ~ thanks! He really is a smart kiddo, but he needs to be taught differently...one of the many reasons we pulled him from public school. I want learning to be fun and since math is important, I want him to enjoy it, but most importantly learn from it!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mandylubug Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 I will have to look into both ~ thanks! He really is a smart kiddo, but he needs to be taught differently...one of the many reasons we pulled him from public school. I want learning to be fun and since math is important, I want him to enjoy it, but most importantly learn from it!! :iagree: absolutely. Teaching Textbooks has a decent sample online. My ADHD boy "played" with it for an hour.. I knew it was meant for us and bought it the next morning. We started in January and he has made all A's in the gradebook :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Familyties Posted February 22, 2012 Author Share Posted February 22, 2012 I remember a friend of mine who was considering using TT, was discouraged when someone told her that anyone who uses it will have A LOT of gaps in their math ~ meaning it is too easy and not a solid math program. I know all math curr. will have some sort of "gap" per say, but I want something challenging. Sometimes word of mouth isn't the best...yikes! I still plan to check it out! Thank you :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mandylubug Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 (edited) I remember a friend of mine who was considering using TT, was discouraged when someone told her that anyone who uses it will have A LOT of gaps in their math ~ meaning it is too easy and not a solid math program. I know all math curr. will have some sort of "gap" per say, but I want something challenging. Sometimes word of mouth isn't the best...yikes! I still plan to check it out! Thank you :) well, IMO when a child is struggling to concentrate with even simple mental math; it doesn't matter how good and challenging a curriculum is if they aren't paying attention to learn it. Not saying TT is the answer but just stating the fact with ADHD kids, you have to find a means of reaching them in a way that accomplishes your task of teaching. I do know my boys have soared with this curriculum and I am seeing their mental math skills multiply. They had gaps in their math knowledge from changing schools three times in four years within two states (military) and were very unmotivated for math. I do think TT may be accomplishing some tasks later on the scope and sequence of others but there is so much built in review and it gradually adds new information. Its what I would call a "gentle math" curriculum. Its not one that would leave a child behind if they bombed one lesson. It would be one where you would want to accurately pick the correct level to ensure it isn't too easy. For mine, needing to fill in some gaps, its been wonderful! Its easy to just pick the next "grade" up if need be :) I hope you find a great curriculum for your adhd one :) They are complex little souls but are so much fun to be around! My husband is an adult with adhd and I tell ya; its never a dull moment in this household ha ha! ETA: IF we weren't using TT, I would consider any thing like Miquon, etc with TONS TONS TONS of hands on activities and math labs. Memorizing facts with no visual was never a great fit for us! Edited February 22, 2012 by Mandylubug Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pen Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 I don't know much about ADHD...it seems from OP and PPs that the goal is to keep the wandering attention busy, so you want a busy sort of program? I would have guessed the exact opposite, that one would want clean, neat, non distracting visuals, etc., so as to allow the focus to stay where it needs to be--that is on the math. If it should happen that the latter is actually useful, then I'd suggest looking at MUS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3Blessings Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 I don't use Math U See, but when I was investigating math for my son who has an ADHD diagnosis, I really looked hard at MUS. I thought that the visual lessons would be a huge advantage for him. He, like so many other ADHD kids, is so visual! I have purchased Miquon, but haven't used it yet. I am hoping that it will be helpful for all the kids. I can't help but think that it will be since it seems quite visual, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2boysmom Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 We've had success with CLE Math (Christian LIght Education). Very Straightforward. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomatHWTK Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 For my very ADHD guy, the more interactive computer-based learning I can provide, the better. He works well with the constant prompting that the computer programs have the patience to give him. ;) We use PLATO Learning System for math and several other subjects. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shellers Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 ...Teaching Textbooks has a decent sample online. My ADHD boy "played" with it for an hour.. I knew it was meant for us and bought it the next morning. We started in January and he has made all A's in the gradebook :) :iagree: Teaching Textbooks is the way to go. My DS11 has ADHD and dyslexia. He's doing great with TT, it's the perfect fit for him. To the OP: You should really check out this thread, this thread, or this thread if you are on the fence about TT. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alte Veste Academy Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 My son is 9 yrs old (4th grade) and this is out first year HSing. I selected Singapore Math and although I love, it I don't know if it is the best fit for my son. He was diagnosed with ADHD last year (he was in public school :glare:). He has the inattentive type, meaning he is unable to focus on certain tasks (we don't medicate though). I try as much as I can to make math hands-ons and play games when we can, but I am still not convinced that Singapore is a good fit for him. So, please give me some suggestions on what math program might work better for him. Thanks in advance! Jacque I am curious. Do you use the HIG with Singapore? If not, I would encourage you to get your hands on one before you decide to leave SM. Using the HIG, SM can be a very hands-on program. I am not trying to sway you either way, as you obviously know your son best. I just wanted to throw that out there just in case. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Familyties Posted February 23, 2012 Author Share Posted February 23, 2012 I am using the HIG and I do every hands-on activity that I can. It just doesn't seem like it is working for him. I really love SM and wish it was the best fit, but I think I need to switch. The wonderful thing about HSing is that I can switch his curr. to something that would better suit him. I think a computer based program would work well as he does his spelling and vocabulary online. Thanks again everyone for all your advice. I really do appreciate it!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spryte Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 My DS sounds a bit like your guy. He is not diagnosed ADHD - but the evaluator said he has a lot of ADHD tendencies, and I certainly see those. We both suspect that if he were in PS, he'd have been shuffled into the ADHD camp. Since we've always home schooled, though, I just keep trying to be creative. He is wiggly, and can selectively focus - meaning that he'll focus for hours on something he *wants* to do, but when it comes to something he doesn't want to do... eh, not so much. It's a challenge. Math has been a struggle. We tried Math-U-See, Right Start, and then Math Mammoth. None were a fit. It was miserable for both of us. Of course, we were also using a lot of games and math readers to keep things interesting, lots of hands on activities from the Living Math website, lots of real life math, and reading Life of Fred. I'd heard that TT would leave gaps, that it wasn't rigorous, that it wouldn't cut it, long-term. So I avoided TT. But ... Finally ... I couldn't face the agony of math every day. We checked out Dreambox math and TT. DS didn't like Dreambox (but your DS might like it) but he loved TT. He was actually excited about it! At that point, I dove into TT. DS is working one grade ahead in TT, since the consensus here seems to be that the TT levels are one grade off. He flies through the lessons, and there are very few complaints. We do a lot of supplementing, as I mentioned above, so I'm hoping to fill any gaps that way. And as DS matures, we'll hopefully be able to switch programs. But for now - TT gets the job done every day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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