abrightmom Posted March 25, 2013 Share Posted March 25, 2013 My DS 10 has been dragging, dragging, dragging thru MM 4. We have always used MM with him and he has liked it and has not desired to change. The past couple of months have been tense, slow, frustrating, etc. I can't pinpoint why but I think we need a respite from MM though I don't intend to drop it long term. We seem to need to disengage from one another and I need to diffuse our math block each day. Perhaps you know what I mean when I say that. :) Basically, I want to take a break from the intensity for a few months but still require regular attention to math. I no longer care if we "finish on time". CLE works very well with my middlers and is fairly easy on me. I am considering asking my oldest to work through some CLE awhile, giving him time to review, master facts with the built in drill work, and lighten the heaviness of our days in math. Thoughts? Math is not my strong suit and it isn't realistic for me to devote large blocks of time *right now* to walking thru every lesson with him. I will be able to again in a few months but I am at my limit each day and simply can do no more. :) I think he needs a change also.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spryte Posted March 25, 2013 Share Posted March 25, 2013 When we have bogged down in our regularly scheduled math program, we take a Life of Fred break. Fred is fun, engaging, and a different style. We will fly through a bunch of books, doing the practice rows and the "your turn to play" at the end of each chapter. It keeps math fun and meaningful. When we are doing this, we also add in more math games, and I get ideas for appropriate math readers, etc from the living math site. We've added math apps in, and computer games - though in our house, those don't go over very well, as my kiddo seems to be the only one on the planet who doesn't care for video games. We also use Beast Academy during these "breaks" which aren't really breaks (shhhh, don't tell DS, he just thinks it's fun!). We are actually coming out of this phase right now, and are just getting back to our regular math (In our case, TT). We're doing both LOF and TT now, with a sprinkling of Beast. Maybe some of those ideas will help. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunter Posted March 25, 2013 Share Posted March 25, 2013 Often the problem is several steps back, not the current topic, or even the topic right below this one. I'd spend some time focusing on making neat papers and going over the handwriting of the numbers. You can review some easy topics while doing this. Math facts written vertically and horizontally the associative property. Copy charts and tables. Copy and review math vocabulary and rules. Use drill software. Then restart the year over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abrightmom Posted March 25, 2013 Author Share Posted March 25, 2013 When we have bogged down in our regularly scheduled math program, we take a Life of Fred break. Fred is fun, engaging, and a different style. We will fly through a bunch of books, doing the practice rows and the "your turn to play" at the end of each chapter. It keeps math fun and meaningful. When we are doing this, we also add in more math games, and I get ideas for appropriate math readers, etc from the living math site. We've added math apps in, and computer games - though in our house, those don't go over very well, as my kiddo seems to be the only one on the planet who doesn't care for video games. We also use Beast Academy during these "breaks" which aren't really breaks (shhhh, don't tell DS, he just thinks it's fun!). We are actually coming out of this phase right now, and are just getting back to our regular math (In our case, TT). We're doing both LOF and TT now, with a sprinkling of Beast. Maybe some of those ideas will help. :) Spryte, How old is your DS and what is your usual math? LOF looks fun and I'd like to know if it can be used semi-independently? Will I be able to check his work easily? Where do I start? We have considered it for him in the past. Perhaps I should invest in the series and make it available to all of the kids. :) Beast also interests me and I have been considering that as an opportunity to work sideways and more in depth with him. Again, can BA be worked semi-independently by him? We just need to disengage but still maintain math skills. My draw to CLE is my familiarity with and love for the format. I know he can work semi-independently and that it will exercise his arithmetic skills. It will also alleviate pressures in our relationship and give us time to breathe before starting MM5. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fourisenough Posted March 25, 2013 Share Posted March 25, 2013 I think you're on the right track. When we've gotten bogged-down with math a few times (with my older two girls), we've done just as you've suggested - taken a break from the current path and pursued something different, either at the same level or back a level. We've taken time to review what she knows well (and, therefore, feels confident doing) before progressing ahead or sometimes even sideways. We've used MM for this (while Saxon was the main program), Live Online Math, and, once, a math tutor to just present things a different way. I think I'd be tempted to move him over to CLE since you're familiar with it/comfortable using it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spryte Posted March 25, 2013 Share Posted March 25, 2013 Spryte, How old is your DS and what is your usual math? LOF looks fun and I'd like to know if it can be used semi-independently? Will I be able to check his work easily? Where do I start? We have considered it for him in the past. Perhaps I should invest in the series and make it available to all of the kids. :) Beast also interests me and I have been considering that as an opportunity to work sideways and more in depth with him. Again, can BA be worked semi-independently by him? We just need to disengage but still maintain math skills. My draw to CLE is my familiarity with and love for the format. I know he can work semi-independently and that it will exercise his arithmetic skills. It will also alleviate pressures in our relationship and give us time to breathe before starting MM5. DS just turned 9, and is in 3rd grade (according to our local school district). Our usual math is TT (Teaching Textbooks). Ironically, we settled on it because it was more independent for DS, and less like mom teaching math, which made us both want to pull our hair out. But during our breaks, DS and I really get into math together. So the breaks are a big change of pace. LOF independently - hmmm, some people probably do that, and do it well. But we don't. :) We read the chapters together, giggling throughout. We do the problems together, though I'd imagine that you could have your kiddo do the problems, show his work and check them fairly easily. BA - we also do that one together, during our math "breaks". I think there are samples online, you might check them out. Your kiddo could definitely work on that independently or semi-independently, with you checking work afterward. I think we do it together to emphasize that change of pace, in a way, since our usual math is more hands off for me (DH oversees the TT lessons). Are you a member or the living math yahoo group? We've gotten lots of ideas for books, games, and more from the email list, and also the site itself. What about backing up and playing games for a while? Maybe even one day a week would help - designate a game day? Not sure how old your kiddo is, or if any of this is helpful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skeeterbug Posted March 26, 2013 Share Posted March 26, 2013 Beast Academy? It's so visually engaging and would be a great break from MM. I've just signed up for a free trial from Dreambox, online math games, that so far we are liking. It's on HSBC through the end of the month. Also, taking a math holiday for a week or so won't hurt! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kwg Posted March 26, 2013 Share Posted March 26, 2013 We took a break from MM. We just started it back up last week and I am pleased at how quickly we are flying through it. He was able to "test out" of some chapters and others we are able to just go over briefly. I would recommend it! If nothing else, it is reminding me why I ever liked the program in the first place (which wasn't so clear by the time we gave it up for a bit..lol) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abrightmom Posted March 26, 2013 Author Share Posted March 26, 2013 I am narrowed down to Beast and Crewton Ramone .... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sueh16 Posted March 26, 2013 Share Posted March 26, 2013 My DS 10 has been dragging, dragging, dragging thru MM 4. We have always used MM with him and he has liked it and has not desired to change. The past couple of months have been tense, slow, frustrating, etc. I can't pinpoint why but I think we need a respite from MM though I don't intend to drop it long term. We seem to need to disengage from one another and I need to diffuse our math block each day. Perhaps you know what I mean when I say that. :) Basically, I want to take a break from the intensity for a few months but still require regular attention to math. I no longer care if we "finish on time We hit a wall this year with MM4, too. For my dd it was the # of problems and the time it took to complete each assignment. I don't know why it didn't occur to me to just have her do all of the evens or all the odds instead of the entire page. I ended up buying TT5 for her because I needed a break from having to stand over her. The first few lessons were really easy, which was good because she needed to get her confidence back. She is able to work independently and she finishes her lessons more quickly than before. She's on Lesson 43 right now, and so far so good. HTH, Sue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarlaS Posted March 26, 2013 Share Posted March 26, 2013 You wouldn't be in the middle of that long division section by any chance would you? It was really long. Really really long.I did MM4 with my dd a couple years back, and am dreading that section with my now 4th grade ds. I'm definitely planning to break it up a bit this time. I'll have him alternate it with Primary Challenge Math. (It was something like 70 pages or so on division. Enough already! LOL!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fourisenough Posted March 26, 2013 Share Posted March 26, 2013 Ah! Thanks for the head's up on the long-division chapter. We just finished MM4A and decided to take a Beast Academy break. My youngish 3rd grader just slogged through the measurement chapter; she handled it well-enough, but I think based on the warning about the long division chapter (which is next), we'll take our time getting back to MM and then also be prepared to take breaks during that marathon of division. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abrightmom Posted March 26, 2013 Author Share Posted March 26, 2013 You wouldn't be in the middle of that long division section by any chance would you? It was really long. Really really long.I did MM4 with my dd a couple years back, and am dreading that section with my now 4th grade ds. I'm definitely planning to break it up a bit this time. I'll have him alternate it with Primary Challenge Math. (It was something like 70 pages or so on division. Enough already! LOL!) We have been in LD though it isn't hard, just slow going. He is working between that and geometry. He expected to enjoy geometry but presently does NOT. The measuring of angles and drawing has become extremely overwhelming to him at times and I dislike trying to *correct* his measuring and drawing. It is difficult to explain.... My son is a 10.5yo 4th grader. He really needs to move on but it isnt easy to decide what to skip over. I am dropping the rest of geometry for now. I hear that BA has good geometry lessons and so that tempts me. I don't want to see him succumb to the temptation to hate math. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walkermamaof4 Posted March 28, 2013 Share Posted March 28, 2013 This is right about when we bought Beast. I had my ds continue at a slow pace through MM, but do Beast. Loved it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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