So I have a friend who has unschooled her child and now?

[dancer67]

Her son would be grade 7(he is the same age as my daughter, they met at a homeschool ice skating get together on Fridays). She has unschooled him from the beginning.

She tells me today that he is going back to public school for grade 8. She has to go back to work full time, and he has been begging to go to school now. Here lies the problem she tells me. He can only do addition, subtraction, and very simple multiplication. He does not know his times table by heart. He does not know fractions other then 1/4, 1/2, and 1. He cannot do any division. Short, or long. Cannot do mixed fractions. Basically he is at about a third grade level in Math. She is panicking because he starts school in September, and knows now, that unschooling didn't work for "her", and she wants to get him caught up by September.

How in the world is she going to do THAT? I told her that maybe she could pick up a Lials Basic College Math book. I don't know. But it sounds like he is going to be on an IEP for math. He is an excellent reader/speller/writer. He has a large vocabulary. He also has not had any formal History or Science other then the Pilgrims, and Nature.

 

If you were me, what kind of advice would you give her?

[Starr]

I would put him in 7th grade to give him a year to catch up at school and with tutoring after school. Hopefully he'll be on track by 8th grade when they often start the high school tracking. He should be able to get through basic math if he works at it this summer.

[WIS0320]

To be honest, I think I would just stay out of it. If the boy wants to be mainstreamed back into school one Hallelujah summer isn't going to get him caught up no matter what she uses and no matter how fast he works. Or maybe I shouldn't say that - perhaps it could be done but I think he'd need more than a math program, I think he'd need a full time math tutor.

[fhjmom]

He will not be given an IEP unless he has a qualifying disability that causes an education need. Unless there are other issues, I don't know that lack of instruction on his parent's part qualifies as a disability.

 

Since she has not been able to provide the instruction he needed in the past and he obviously needs some intensive remediation, I would recommend her finding a tutor.

[Blueridge]

TT Pre-Algebra is actually a wonderful course for catching up on topics forgotten or misunderstood. It starts at *the beginning*. Our dd18 was behind in her math and after this course she gained so much confidence and caught right up to where she needed to be for 9th grade. This was our experience anyway. Your mileage may vary. :) There is also the Khan Academy with is free and he can start immediately.

Edited April 12, 2012 by Blueridge

[freesia]

I think if she buckles down they can get a lot of math done. I would recommend something like Aleks which will target what he needs to learn. Alternately something like Math Mammoth's Blue Books. She really needs to be diligent and they should work hard but I think a bright 12 year old can go through a lot of arithmetic quickly.

 

You could also encourage her to have him read widely across science topics and perhaps have him read Story of the World for a general overview of history.

 

I also would consider putting him in seventh grade and giving him an extra year before high school.

[Ellie]

I think if she buckles down they can get a lot of math done. I would recommend something like Aleks which will target what he needs to learn. Alternately something like Math Mammoth's Blue Books. She really needs to be diligent and they should work hard but I think a bright 12 year old can go through a lot of arithmetic quickly.

 

You could also encourage her to have him read widely across science topics and perhaps have him read Story of the World for a general overview of history.

 

I also would consider putting him in seventh grade and giving him an extra year before high school.

:iagree:

 

And it really isn't possible to know if unschooling "worked" for them, since the ds is going back to school now instead of finishing up at home. It is likely that he'd have figured out on his own that he needed to know more math and would have worked on it.

[Danestress]

Is she going back to work right away, or is she waiting until he starts school in the fall?

 

Because I would think that if he just did a few hours a day of math five days a week all summer and some review on weekends, he could get much further along than he is, and even if he doesn't catch up to where she would like him, that will be five months of hard work better.

 

Some 8th graders take Algebra or Geometry and a few are even more advanced. But many 8th graders take PreAlgebra, which is basically an advanced review of all those elementary skills - fractions, percents, long division, etc.

 

So I would work hard with him on a really systematic program and just see where we get.

 

He may end up in remedial math. Not the end of the world. My local junior highs have kids who are so behind that it's not even remedial, and also has 8th graders taking Calculus. He will find his place.

[Guest submarines]

Is she going back to work right away, or is she waiting until he starts school in the fall?

 

Because I would think that if he just did a few hours a day of math five days a week all summer and some review on weekends, he could get much further along than he is, and even if he doesn't catch up to where she would like him, that will be five months of hard work better.

 

Some 8th graders take Algebra or Geometry and a few are even more advanced. But many 8th graders take PreAlgebra, which is basically an advanced review of all those elementary skills - fractions, percents, long division, etc.

 

So I would work hard with him on a really systematic program and just see where we get.

 

He may end up in remedial math. Not the end of the world. My local junior highs have kids who are so behind that it's not even remedial, and also has 8th graders taking Calculus. He will find his place.

 

:iagree:Absolutely not the end of the world, and also doesn't mean that unschooling didn't work for him. There are even classically homeschooled children who are behind in math, never mind public school students.

[Mommyof4ks]

KhanAcademy.com

 

Have her set up an account for him, and she needs to work with him daily from the beginning to where he needs to be. This will be an every day activity, even weekends. It will be hard, but it can be done. My dd struggled to grasp how numbers worked together, and memorizing the facts was all we could manage until 5th grade, but something clicked last year, and thanks to a very sweet friend who shared that site with me, she is now working above grade level in math. He will likely not be ready for algebra, but basic pre-algreba

might go ok for him if she gets a tutor next year or continues with Khan Academy.

 

He will only get an IEP if he has a disability, a mama who is willing to fight for his needs, and possibly an advocate, but even with that it will take months to get it going unless she starts now before this school year ends.

 

:grouphug: You are sweet for helping her.

[Jennifer in MI]

Can she send him to Sylvan or another learning center a few hours a day to catch him up? I bet he'd catch on pretty fast - especially with this deadline looming ahead!

 

Unschooling didn't necessarily not work. If she created an environment where a child could learn if he were motivated, it could still work. If said child wants to catch up to his peers, he can! I had a friend who unschooled her kids. One girl, in particular was not motivated in math. She decided she wanted to be a nurse in 9th grade and knew she'd need math and science and need to do well on her SATs. She buckled down and learned it all! By herself. They are the neatest family - and the daughter in question ended up staying home after high school to help nurse her mom back to health while she was going through chemo. She is now an oncology nurse.

[AdventureMoms]

My advice would be to hire a math tutor if at all possible. Given the time constraints, this may not be the best time for her to learn how to teach math. I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that she's not mathy (or he would probably have picked up more). I'm sure non-mathy parents can do a great job teaching math, but the kind of crazy crash course that he's looking for would benefit greatly from having an experienced math teacher work with him on a regular basis. He may not be able to fully catch up, but depending on his ability, he could make great strides in that direction if he is willing to focus intensively on it.

 

I'd keep the tutor for awhile after he starts school. If he had a good tutor for that whole first year, he might have a decent chance of getting caught up on the "background" stuff while not falling behind on his classwork.

 

I second the idea of putting him in 7th if she can. A year to catch up and adjust before things get more important would be valuable. Plus that would mean she's only trying to cram 3 years of math into 5 months rather than 4 years of math. :-D

[dancer67]

Well, she asked me my opinion on what types of programs he could use to "catch up". No, I guess I don't know if unschooling would work since she is not continuing all the way through.

 

She is starting her new job in three weeks. So a lot of things will have to be done independently.

 

Holding him back a year could be beneficial. She is just stressed out, and now she is saying she wishes she never unschooled. I just feel so bad because I didn't know what kind of advice to give her.

[NotSoObvious]

As long as he can read, write and spell, I wouldn't worry about English, History, or Science.

 

I would hate to see him be in remedial math for the next 5 years though.

 

There was an article going around a while ago about an unschooling school (Sudsbury, maybe?) having a guy come in and teach ALL of elementary math in 6 weeks. I can't remember where I saw it.

 

Anyhow, if he is a bright kid, there is NO reason he shouldn't be able to learn long multiplication, division, fractions, and some basic pre-algebra before the fall. Really, he's what, 12 or 13? He should have a decent grasp of numbers just by living life. Someone just needs to show him "school math."

 

Barring any disability or severe lack of motivation, he should do very well with a motivated and prepared parent, or a very structured tutor. But she needs a plan! I also wouldn't use any curriculum. I'd go through concept by concept, spending time as needed.

[NotSoObvious]

Well, she asked me my opinion on what types of programs he could use to "catch up". No, I guess I don't know if unschooling would work since she is not continuing all the way through.

 

She is starting her new job in three weeks. So a lot of things will have to be done independently.

 

Holding him back a year could be beneficial. She is just stressed out, and now she is saying she wishes she never unschooled. I just feel so bad because I didn't know what kind of advice to give her.

 

 

This is NOT FAIR to this child. I really hope she doesn't expect this. He needs intense, one-on-one help!

[Stacy in NJ]

:iagree:Absolutely not the end of the world, and also doesn't mean that unschooling didn't work for him. There are even classically homeschooled children who are behind in math, never mind public school students.

 

:iagree:

 

I get a math tutor to work with him over the summer. Actually, I'd start right now.

[bettyandbob]

since she's not going to be home to supervise and help him, would going to a place like kumon a few days a weeks, plus something to do at home like teaching textbooks.

[2cents]

I actually believe that given the right amount of motivation and organization she could bring him up to an acceptable level in a summer. HOWEVER, that is probably an unlikely outcome.

 

I have known a few unschoolers and their children are not having these drastic math deficiencies. In this case, IMO it is more a parental lack of attention than a condition brought on by unschooling. So it would probably be a lot to ask of that parent to be able to tackle an intense and regimented math plan in a summer.

 

I'm not a huge proponent of unschooling but it irks me that it is so easy to blame a parental lack of attention on 'unschooling'. I think the best advice that might be given to the mom is to take responsibility for that math deficiency and work like crazy to make up for it. It isn't the unschooling-it was the way the mom applied the unschooling.

[butterflymommy]

There are students in my DD's grade 7 class who don't understand fractions and can't do division-- and they've been in school since pre K.

 

Chances are he won't be the worst student in the class, and if he's motivated, and doesn't have a LD or serious issues with math comprehension, he will be able to get by. He should be working his tail off this summer though. He could take the Saxon placement test online and go from there. He might be able to do it self taught unless there is an LD.

 

Oh, and btw, calculators are REQUIRED in DD's class and the kids still get stuff wrong all the time! DD (who entered school way behind in math) gets 70-80s on her tests and is in the top third of her math class. :eek:

[Celia]

A friend in my community had a child she unschooled, who decided to go to school in grade 8 without a lick of math instruction. She caught herself up over the summer, and ended up being an A student in math in p.s. So, it can be done, I've seen it. And her dd did it independantly. I don't know what program she used, but perhaps something like Math Mammoth would be cost effectivei, as she could buy grades 1-6 as use as needed. She could mark in the evenings, and he could use Khan as needed if he needs another perspective.

[dancer67]

I am going to be meeting with her on Friday at skate. I think that many of you are right in that she should probably get a tutor for him, or maybe even Sylvan might help.

 

I also agree with the poster that said that it probably wasn't due to the "unschooling", but possibly a lack of parental supervision on her part.

 

I know there are many kids who attend PS who are still very behind in math. Especially with that new math they have been teaching.

 

All of you have given me plenty to discuss with her as far as options. I appreciate all of your input.:grouphug:

[Celia]

A friend in my community had a child she unschooled, who decided to go to school in grade 8 without a lick of math instruction. She caught herself up over the summer, and ended up being an A student in math in p.s. So, it can be done, I've seen it. And her dd did it independantly. I don't know what program she used, but perhaps something like Math Mammoth would be cost effectivei, as she could buy grades 1-6 as use as needed. She could mark in the evenings, and he could use Khan as needed if he needs another perspective.

[kitten18]

As long as he can read, write and spell, I wouldn't worry about English, History, or Science.

 

I would hate to see him be in remedial math for the next 5 years though.

 

There was an article going around a while ago about an unschooling school (Sudsbury, maybe?) having a guy come in and teach ALL of elementary math in 6 weeks. I can't remember where I saw it.

 

Anyhow, if he is a bright kid, there is NO reason he shouldn't be able to learn long multiplication, division, fractions, and some basic pre-algebra before the fall. Really, he's what, 12 or 13? He should have a decent grasp of numbers just by living life. Someone just needs to show him "school math."

 

Barring any disability or severe lack of motivation, he should do very well with a motivated and prepared parent, or a very structured tutor. But she needs a plan! I also wouldn't use any curriculum. I'd go through concept by concept, spending time as needed.

I agree, except I would suggest Math Mammoth (probably starting at 3rd grade, it's written to the student I think he could do quite well with it) and/or Khan (get an account and start at the beginning).

[dancer67]

You could also encourage her to have him read widely across science topics and perhaps have him read Story of the World for a general overview of history.

 

 

 

 

There are 4 books in SOTW, correct? Do you think he should read all 4? He loves to read. Is it doable if he starts doing this next week? He wouldnt need the activity books would he?

 

Also, (I am writing all of this down), I am going to mention Khan Academy. I have never used it. Actually I may look at it to see what it's about.

[LeslieAnneLevine]

Maybe she could get a college student (or even high school) who is strong in math to work with him. I know around here there was a young man (math major) doing this for $10 an hour, which is a lot less than Kumon or Sylvan.

 

I think a few hours a week could do wonders to catch him up and just make the transition to PS easier for him, which is really the goal here.

[laundrycrisis]

Mastering Mathematics is very concise, efficient (if you skip assembling all the dice and fact wheels) and it builds in a methodical way that would be good for someone who needs to cover so much material in such a short time. It goes through the main operations, and decimals and fractions. The lessons build in small steps with a lot of practice for each lesson. It is helping our son finally get his math facts down. An older student could use it independently.

[freesia]

There are 4 books in SOTW, correct? Do you think he should read all 4? He loves to read. Is it doable if he starts doing this next week? He wouldnt need the activity books would he?

 

Also, (I am writing all of this down), I am going to mention Khan Academy. I have never used it. Actually I may look at it to see what it's about.

Yes, there are 4. They would be easy for him to read--or listen to on the CD. I wouldn't bother with the Activity Guide.

 

Don't forget Aleks--it's an online subscription. You are tested on what you do know and it targets instruction to teach you what you need to know. It goes at the students pace. They are having a 2 month free trial right now. I think there was a thread about it yesterday.

[ktgrok]

Well, she asked me my opinion on what types of programs he could use to "catch up". No, I guess I don't know if unschooling would work since she is not continuing all the way through.

 

She is starting her new job in three weeks. So a lot of things will have to be done independently.

 

Holding him back a year could be beneficial. She is just stressed out, and now she is saying she wishes she never unschooled. I just feel so bad because I didn't know what kind of advice to give her.

 

Khan academy or Aleks. He can start from the beginning and see how far he gets.

[Carol in Cal.]

1. He should go into 7th grade if at all possible.

2. They should buy Quartermile Math immediately for facts practice, and he should use it at least an hour per day, broken up into 2 or 3 segments

3. They are going to need a tutor or Kumon to teach and enable practice with concepts.

4. I would not worry about history. Maybe he can listen to SOTW on his earphones while running or something, but I don't see that that is a big important issue. The big important issue is math remediation. He is going to need very intensive practice, separate from the facts learning, at least 3 hours per day.

[KungFuPanda]

Can she send him to public summer school for 7th Grade math? I think that would be the most realistic thing to do. It's affordable, there's accountability, and he'd get experience in the math program he'd be using for 8th Grade. Not every 7th grader is doing algebra. This is NOT the end od the world. It's not like he's 17 and just realizing this. If they don't panic and work their way through a respectable overview of basic arithmetic he'll be fine as long as HE'S motivated to learn.

 

What about a subscription to Aleks.com?

[JennifersLost]

I wouldn't panic at all. I've seen kids who have done no formal math before High School suddenly decide they want to get into a particular college and cram ALL of it into one year.

 

A seventh grader will catch up fast. If I was his mom I'd get him a stack of those math workbooks you can get at any school supply store, start with grade 3 and just have him work through. Same with the Spelling Workout series. Let him read all the magic treehouse books - he'll retain about as much history as most seventh graders....:)

 

And then he'll move forward with everyone else.

[Rosy]

Is he motivated to get caught up? If so, I think a reasonably intelligent kid, working 2-3 hours a day, could probably get to a 6th or 7th grade level from where this boy is now, maybe even higher. Motivation and maturity are huge factors--IF he has both of those going for him I think he'll be ok. Also, it's possible that the school will let him take a lower level of math, or that he can get help after school.

 

I would advise her to consider getting Math U See Gamma, Delta, and Epsilon or some other mastery-based program and provide whatever incentives are necessary to motivate him to work hard.

 

I would not worry about science or history at all. Even with no education in those areas, he will not be far behind his classmates (if at all). If he's a strong reader he'll have no problem falling right into place, based on what I've seen in our district.

[ocelotmom]

There are 4 books in SOTW, correct? Do you think he should read all 4? He loves to read. Is it doable if he starts doing this next week? He wouldnt need the activity books would he?

Yes, he can very easily read all four volumes if he reads at all well. They're not difficult or particularly long, and pretty readable. I mean, I expect a good, motivated reader would finish a volume in a day or two, though retention might be an issue there. Breaking it up into chunks and assigning some associated reading/web searching/report/activities of some sort, especially about periods that are likely to be emphasized in PS (Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, US history), would probably increase retention.

 

At his age, the activity books are kind of useless - the activities are really aimed at lower grades. The supplemental readings are the only thing that might be useful, and most of those are still not going to be age appropriate. Going and locating things on a map (there are a lot of blank maps included in the activity books) wouldn't hurt.

 

The Story of Mankind and A Little History of the World are two other history overviews that he might want to read for reinforcement and a slightly different perspective. Both are relatively short, and written more at a middle grade level.

 

(I agree that math is more important than an in-depth study of world history. I just get geeky about history.)

Edited April 12, 2012 by ocelotmom

[kitten18]

Here's a recent thread about Khan. I signed up for an account after I read this thread and started working from the beginning. It's great.

 

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=364001&highlight=khan

 

Hope that worked, I'm having keyboard issues.

[Pamela H in Texas]

Assuming he doesn't have a math disability (in which case, he legitimately needs specialized help), he most certainly can do Lial's BCM between now and school starting. It is only 70some lessons though some will take a couple days. She might also sign him up for ALEKs for some extra practice. Some other programs like Reflex math would be more fun while he practices also. He'll likely be put into a basic math class or pre-algebra class which is fine enough for him to catch up. Again, that is assuming he simply needs some instruction. But I wouldn't be worried in the least assuming he's of average or so intelligence. It really doesn't take 8 years to do K-8 math. 6-12months if someone is ready and motivated would work fine.

[Pamela H in Texas]

I don't know that lack of instruction on his parent's part qualifies as a disability.

 

It doesn't. It doesn't even qualify if the SCHOOL is the one who failed to teach a child, if they move a LOT (like foster kids), etc. It *has* to be a disability, not lack of exposure/instruction. You can't just be 2 or 5 years behind.

[thefragile7393]

I actually believe that given the right amount of motivation and organization she could bring him up to an acceptable level in a summer. HOWEVER, that is probably an unlikely outcome.

 

I have known a few unschoolers and their children are not having these drastic math deficiencies. In this case, IMO it is more a parental lack of attention than a condition brought on by unschooling. So it would probably be a lot to ask of that parent to be able to tackle an intense and regimented math plan in a summer.

 

I'm not a huge proponent of unschooling but it irks me that it is so easy to blame a parental lack of attention on 'unschooling'. I think the best advice that might be given to the mom is to take responsibility for that math deficiency and work like crazy to make up for it. It isn't the unschooling-it was the way the mom applied the unschooling.

 

:iagree:

[cjzimmer1]

Even if he is only do 3rd grade math, there is not that much to learn. Math up to 6th grade is mind numbingly repetitive. He also has the advantage of having a more mature mind than a 3rd grader so it should be much easier and faster to learn the stuff he doesn't know yet. If he has any desire to catch himself up, it can be done but the catch is that he has to be motivated. I would guess if he worked on it every day, in a month he could have mastered the basics up to 6th grade and then spend the rest of the summer on pre-algebra stuff.

 

I would agree with the posters who mention Khan Academy or Alecs. I haven't used Khan but Alecs was a great way to monitor what skill sets my son was strong on and what he was weak on. He also enjoyed tracking his progress on the chart which could also be a good motivation tool.

 

While things might seem scary for his mom now, I don't really think she needs to panic yet.

[wapiti]

There are 4 books in SOTW, correct? Do you think he should read all 4? He loves to read. Is it doable if he starts doing this next week? He wouldnt need the activity books would he?

 

4. I would not worry about history. Maybe he can listen to SOTW on his earphones while running or something, but I don't see that that is a big important issue. The big important issue is math remediation. He is going to need very intensive practice, separate from the facts learning, at least 3 hours per day.

 

:iagree: I'd forget about history unless he wants to read it in his spare time. I'd keep up with LA, but focus hours per day on math, preferrably with a tutor.

 

I vote for Lial's BCM, or MM (which is easy to accelerate through; either the Blue topic books, which might be easier to accelerate through than the grade-level curriculum). If he got through MM ok, he'd be prepared to take prealgebra in PS in 8th.

[SKL]

You might be surprised to find that many kids going into the 8th grade aren't much ahead of what you have described. My brother, who attended regular school, somehow managed to learn very little math through Jr. High and nobody seemed to notice it. He asked me to help him with 9th grade Algebra and I realized how little he knew. But a few targeted lessons got him caught up.

 

I agree with recommendations for a math tutor starting immediately. He sounds like a bright kid and may catch up, or come close to it.

 

I do not agree with starting him in a younger grade, because that can't be easily undone. Sounds like he's doing great in language arts. He may also do well in the other subject areas (excluding math) since he may have absorbed knowledge comparable to what is taught in school. Classes other than the three Rs can be understood by a bright kid / good reader regardless of what classes they studied before. So I'd focus on getting him caught up in math and continue to help him with math (as needed) after the school year starts.

[justasque]

I do math tutoring, and over the years I've tutored a bunch of older kids who came to me not knowing times tables, division, etc., and sometimes even multi-digit addition and subtraction. In general, they have been motivated, willing to do homework, and have good conceptual backgrounds from using money, playing games, constructing with LEGO, and generally experiencing the world (which unschoolers often/usually do). We meet twice a week (once if they are getting math elsewhere or have a math-savvy person at home to help), and I take them through the basic operation, plus decimals, fractions, percents, integers, basic equation-solving, and as much other stuff as we can cram in. I focus on building good habits, and on understanding the WHY of everything we do.

 

The homework I give has them practicing new things while also doing a lot of mixed problems reviewing/practicing things we've already done. I pull from a bunch of different places; some of my current students have three different textbooks (I loan them) and I am forever making up special packets of worksheets.

 

I teach division by repeated subtraction at first, to give them a tool to use when division is needed in other contexts (like reducing fractions). Once they've got a better handle on the basic multiplication/division facts and have done enough repeated subtraction division problems to see how they work, they are naturally taking bigger chunks at a time and it's an easy transition to normal long division.

 

The multiplication facts come through use, not rote memorization. Working on reducing fractions really helps tremendously with this (as well as a variety of other math work). I allow them to take as many steps as necessary to reduce a fraction to simplest terms, again with an eye towards working with basic facts.

 

We use manipulatives a lot, and I encourage them to use them when doing homework. I also teach a lot of ways to figure things out if you don't know them and need to use them in a problem. Like if you're dividing by a number where you're not sure of the times tables (say 13), you can use addition (or skip counting) to jot down a basic table for yourself that you can then use to do the problem. So 13, 26, 39, etc. Of course that gets the student doing some adding, and really thinking about & using the relationship between addition and multiplication. And so on...

 

We also use physical movement when it helps, like a dance we do for least common multiple, and a "walking the number line" exercise for adding and subtracting integers (positive and negative numbers). These things really help with understanding the concepts, which is key to effective cramming.

 

If your friend can find a tutor for her son, who is willing to create a custom curriculum for him, it's possible he can enter school with quite a few more skills than he has now. It's not the same as having many years of regular practice under his belt, but it will get him enough up to speed that they will at least have an appropriate class placement for him. It may also be wise to continue a bit of tutoring as he transitions into schoolwork.

 

Tutoring isn't cheap, especially when it involves this kind of custom work. But IMHO it would be very much worth it in a case like this. I would not expect the boy to teach himself under the circumstances and on such a tight deadline. If mom can find a tutor who is respectful of unschooling and appreciative of the conceptual understanding and motivation that such students often bring to the table, all the better - you don't want someone who will obsess about him being "behind", you want someone who has a "can do" attitude and an infectious enthusiasm about math. I'd look for someone who is comfortable going "off book" and pulling from different texts as needed, as well as someone who is more about the conceptual, understanding-why perspective than someone who is more about rote learning, unless his learning style would require the latter (in which case he may need significantly more work than can be offered in the time available).

 

(Yes, there is a story from Summerhill about kids learning a ton of math in very little time. As I understand it, they learned with ongoing instruction/help of a Summerhill teacher who had a significant background in mathematics and teaching; they were not self-taught. In addition, the story, as retold by many, often glosses over the financial price of such instruction. Again, tutoring doesn't come cheap. I've also seen the story extrapolated from learning grades K-6ish math in a short period of time, to learning 6-12 math in a similarly short period of time. Despite my experience and success with the former, I'm not convinced that extrapolation to the latter is valid.)

 

As to other subjects - I would suggest History of US by Hakim on audio, as well as some Horrible Histories to get a basic framework going. It would be nice to have some practice in reading passages and answering questions about them; content could be literary or scientific. A basic geography workbook would perhaps be useful. In science, I'd focus on getting some familiarity with basic vocab and broad concepts; library books may be the best approach there.

[kitten18]

As to other subjects - I would suggest History of US by Hakim on audio, as well as some Horrible Histories to get a basic framework going.

FWIW - the Hakim audio books are available for download from my library, that would be worth checking out.

[Amy loves Bud]

Sounds like a bright kid who hasn't learned arithmetic. If he really is a bright as you say, he can probably catch up quickly if he goes systematically through something like Lial's BCM or Khan videos. It doesn't sound like a terrible disaster to me.

[chepyl]

The 7th graders in pre algebra here cannot do multiplication or ling division. They use everyday math and know lattice and calculators. She should funs out what curriculun they use and see how far behind he really is. He has 4-5 months to catch up. That is plenty of time.

 

My experience is that they don't do much real history until 7th grade anyway. We did us history in 7th and that was our first history class.

[nansk]

I didn't read all the replies, but just remembered that a free 4-month subscription to YourTeacher.com is available via the HomeSchool Buyers' Co-op. It seems to me that this student can do just the pre-algebra lessons in the 4 months and be ready for 7th grade.

 

Lial's Basic College Math also sounds like a good idea for extra practice. It is available used very cheaply on Amazon.

[dancer67]

All of you have given me encouraging news so I can relay all of this to her.

 

I went to Khan Academy as many of you suggested. Is there plenty of pratice and automatic grading in this program?

 

Aleks sounds good as well. And, if nothing else, possibly a tutor.

 

I also looked at Teaching Textbooks pre-algebra. I liked the scope and sequence as it gives a brief overview of simple facts, and then moves on. Plus, that also can be done independently. But it is costly unlike Khan which is free. Just not sure Khan covers all he would need, and provide lots of practice and have quizzes and tests?

 

He also hates math, which I guess contributes to him being behind and the mom possible just letting it go, figuring once he was old enough, would determine he needed math. At least in the high school years.

 

Thank you ladies for taking the time to help me out here. I have a lot to talk about with her when I see her.:grouphug:

[DawnM]

I signed my kids up and hope to get my oldest to understand Algebra better.

 

I second this suggestion.

 

I didn't read all the replies, but just remembered that a free 4-month subscription to YourTeacher.com is available via the HomeSchool Buyers' Co-op. It seems to me that this student can do just the pre-algebra lessons in the 4 months and be ready for 7th grade.

 

Lial's Basic College Math also sounds like a good idea for extra practice. It is available used very cheaply on Amazon.

[FairyMom]

KhanAcademy.com

 

Have her set up an account for him, and she needs to work with him daily from the beginning to where he needs to be. This will be an every day activity, even weekends. It will be hard, but it can be done. My dd struggled to grasp how numbers worked together, and memorizing the facts was all we could manage until 5th grade, but something clicked last year, and thanks to a very sweet friend who shared that site with me, she is now working above grade level in math. He will likely not be ready for algebra, but basic pre-algreba

might go ok for him if she gets a tutor next year or continues with Khan Academy.

 

:iagree: Although, it's http://www.khanacademy.org

[Carol in Cal.]

Didn't we hear that the mom is returning to work in 3 weeks? She is not going to be able to provide the kind of intensive, focussed help with math that this child needs. Also, I wonder about his buy in. He already hates math. It sounds like he is going to school pretty much without any input about that decision. Is he going to buckle down and study on his own, knowing that he is already profoundly behind? Also, and I say this gingerly, unschooling parents tend to be habitually and as a matter of principle uninsistent. I wonder whether the mom will be able to insist that he learn this stuff--I doubt it--I think that it will go against the grain too much. That's why I think that a math tutor will be crucial--because someone insisting from outside of the family would be better.

[dancer67]

Didn't we hear that the mom is returning to work in 3 weeks? She is not going to be able to provide the kind of intensive, focussed help with math that this child needs. Also, I wonder about his buy in. He already hates math. It sounds like he is going to school pretty much without any input about that decision. Is he going to buckle down and study on his own, knowing that he is already profoundly behind? Also, and I say this gingerly, unschooling parents tend to be habitually and as a matter of principle uninsistent. I wonder whether the mom will be able to insist that he learn this stuff--I doubt it--I think that it will go against the grain too much. That's why I think that a math tutor will be crucial--because someone insisting from outside of the family would be better.

 

Yes she is going back to work in three weeks, and yes her son hates math.

 

I am definitely thinking about mentioning getting a high schooler in to tutor him. I am not so sure how motivated this child is going to be to get caught up. Especially when his mother is working. And I am not so sure if she is going to be disciplined enough to stay on his case, and check his work to make sure it is getting done. Her DH doesn't really get involved in her homeschooling techniques. Actually, I don't think her and her DH are doing that well. (Going by the way she talks about him)