Runningmom80 Posted January 27, 2013 Share Posted January 27, 2013 http://www.mathbyhand.com/ I have asked about this on the k-8 board, and only one other poster has used it. (she gave it a favorable review) What do you think of this for an HG+ 6 year old? I've pretty much come to the conclusion that it's not going to be worth the money because of the amount of time DS has been spending on a grade level. But I'm being wooed by all of those pretty colors and handy craft type activities. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiana Posted January 27, 2013 Share Posted January 27, 2013 Gosh, it does look expensive. It might be worth it if he looooves arts and crafts and haaaates math, but unless HE (not you) is really into the crafty stuff it might just seem like a way to make math take even longer. Does he do any better when math is integrated into real-life activities? or does he say 'That's MATH!' and shut down when you ask him to cook? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted January 27, 2013 Share Posted January 27, 2013 For a highly gifted child??? From what I have seen in the samples, no way. It would have had my gifted children running and screaming: having simple math concepts drawn out by craft activities and fables would have been the last thing they'd want. The program looks more like a good fit for weak students who need their math diluted by "activities" as to make it palatable. I generally do not consider Waldorf education a good fit for gifted students. Stuff like this makes my brain hurt: After the numbers 1-12 have been formally introduced with a story that is fitting to each one, it’s time to bring the numbers together. Relationships are now formed and the numbers’ interactions can be characterized. If all 4 processes are presented together, from the very beginning, it makes this sort of lively exploration possible. One of the most effective vehicles for this is storytelling, costumes, and plays. When the children are encouraged to role-play the very different nature of each of the 4 processes, math takes on a much deeper value than if the various problems are presented abstractly and the children expected to learn by memorization and drill. The most commonly used method of characterization for the 4 processes is applying the 4 classical temperaments to each of them, while naming them accordingly and attributing traits, personalities, and appearances that exemplify each of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Runningmom80 Posted January 27, 2013 Author Share Posted January 27, 2013 Ha! I didn't see that stuff, I only looked at the 2nd and 3rd grade levels. I figured it would end up a waste, but the hippie unschooler in me couldn't let it go. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiana Posted January 27, 2013 Share Posted January 27, 2013 Ha! I didn't see that stuff, I only looked at the 2nd and 3rd grade levels. I figured it would end up a waste, but the hippie unschooler in me couldn't let it go. :) Honestly I think you'd be better off getting a book like kitchen table math (sold by the AOPS people) and working out your own games/crafts based on what your son actually likes. It would be one heckuva lot cheaper, cover more grades and probably be more useful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Runningmom80 Posted January 27, 2013 Author Share Posted January 27, 2013 Honestly I think you'd be better off getting a book like kitchen table math (sold by the AOPS people) and working out your own games/crafts based on what your son actually likes. It would be one heckuva lot cheaper, cover more grades and probably be more useful. This is a good idea. I *knew* it wasn't anything that would work for us long term, but I still wanted it. Lol. I needed you rational adults to confirm it. ;) I ended up ordering the next few LoF books we needed and more C-rods. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greenmama2 Posted January 27, 2013 Share Posted January 27, 2013 It looks very Steiner/Waldorf actually. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted January 27, 2013 Share Posted January 27, 2013 It looks very Steiner/Waldorf actually. The developer has a degree in Waldorf education and refers frequently to Waldorf principles in her blog. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alte Veste Academy Posted January 27, 2013 Share Posted January 27, 2013 Well, and there are lots of non-fluffy, naturally occurring relationships between math and art, nature, science, etc. that could be a ball to explore. I have posted before about all the math art resources we use here (DD loves art and immensely enjoys the connection with math). I don't have time to hunt my posts down now but they are here somewhere on the boards if you want to hunt. Now, some of the stuff is going to be just fun (like when DD illustrated her own flash cards) but other stuff is genuine math at its best. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Runningmom80 Posted January 28, 2013 Author Share Posted January 28, 2013 Well, and there are lots of non-fluffy, naturally occurring relationships between math and art, nature, science, etc. that could be a ball to explore. I have posted before about all the math art resources we use here (DD loves art and immensely enjoys the connection with math). I don't have time to hunt my posts down now but they are here somewhere on the boards if you want to hunt. Now, some of the stuff is going to be just fun (like when DD illustrated her own flash cards) but other stuff is genuine math at its best. I will hunt them down! Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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