A home for their hearts Posted April 23, 2013 Share Posted April 23, 2013 My two oldest have struggled with math and are very far behind. We have been using Math Mammoth blue which has helped but is time consuming getting through everything. I've looked at other math programs but I'm afraid I'd have to place them at a 3rd or 4th grade level which would be probably hurt their self-esteem. I really wish there was a remedial math program that would cover the basics for them in about one or two years.My freshman year of high school I took a remedial math class, and it covered the four basic operations. Does something like this exist for homeschoolers? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiana Posted April 23, 2013 Share Posted April 23, 2013 Basic math -- if they cannot do the four basic operations (add, subtract, multiply, divide) I would look into Power Basics Basic Math book. If they are a little more advanced you could consider Lial's Basic College Mathematics. Both of these books contain a thorough review of arithmetic and are designed for developmental learners. Lial's covers a bit more pre-algebra. ETA: This is assuming that the reason they're behind in math is primarily due to lack of time put in. If the reason is learning differences then these may not be suitable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deannajo Posted April 23, 2013 Share Posted April 23, 2013 we're using Mastering Essential Math Skills Book One (no grades - I copy the pages, so they don't really notice that it says for grades 4&5 on the cover) and its been such a fantastic move for us - I'm remediating a 8th grader and a 5th grader (both at the same level of math) and this is working SO well. Book two, for middle grades uses the exact same format, the problems are just a bit more challenging and detailed (I have both books - I thought I'd use book two after book one, but really they are essentially the same, and to build confidence and keep them on board, I went with book one - I may pull out pages from book two for review when we're done here and moved into prealgebra) The lessons are super quick - some warm up problems (usually four) which are a review of previous material, a quick speed drill for both addition and multiplication, two sample problems that we work through together, and then ten problems, plus one word problem that they do - I never thought something so quick would be so effective, but it truly is! I stay with them the entire time they are working so if they have questions or get frustrated, I'm there (they both deal with frustration in very different, but nonproductive ways) and if I see them struggling as I watch them over their shoulder, I stop them right there and help them out - then we check the work all together, and if they miss any, we go over it all together - figure even if one girl got it right, it won't hurt them to see us work through it together - but honestly, they rarely miss any, which blows me away, based on our previous attempts at math programs. I fully expect them to be ready for prealgebra by next year - that will put my 5th (6th next year) grader on target for where I'd like for her to be for her grade, and put my 8th (9th next year) just a year behind, and considering our goals for highschool math, I think she'll be fine (she's NOT mathy - I just want her ready for college algebra before she graduates highschool - I will consider that a success) - When I bought this, I fully intended on using it with something else - Aleks, Khan, or Math Mammoth, but I've been so delighted at their progress, and their lack of complaining, etc., that I'm fine with just this for now! My 5th grader is doing Life of Fred in addition to this, but she's doing that through a co-op, and its just once a week. When we're done, I think the girls will be ready for a (perhaps light) pre-algebra course - I'm thinking they'll be fine moving into Teaching Textbooks, but since they've done so well with this format of instruction, we'll consider our options. The same author has books on individual topics, like Fractions, geometry, etc. as well, but I haven't looked at those. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mama25angels Posted April 23, 2013 Share Posted April 23, 2013 I would also consider using Mastering Mathmatics, it's 6 workbooks and your child would use the placement test at the front of the book and test into the book. There is TM with answers, but most of the teaching for the workbook is done on the actual worksheet page. It has different sequences that you can used if you're not fond of mastery programs or your students will have to take standardized tests. It also comes with games to help the student become proficient with the math facts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deannajo Posted April 23, 2013 Share Posted April 23, 2013 deannajo, thanks for the resource. I have one woefully behind in math. Do the books provide any kind of teacher guidence/notes on how to teach the concepts? Its very self-contained. There's a section on each page with instruction notes - nearly every day adds a new skill to previous instruction - the book moves quickly, but in pretty small increments with constant review, so the instruction is brief, but I've found it to be very clear and helpful, and we've done really well with it so far - a few times I've pulled up a Khan video for my 5th grader - in fractions - she really likes to completely understand a concept - the whys as well as the hows, and the Khan videos helped when she wasn't understanding what I was saying. My 8th grader just wants to understand how to work a problem. I don't see her with a career in mathematics ;-) Since I am with the girls the entire time they do a lesson, and we do the first two sample problems together, it really has been fine. It starts at the very very basics, but doesn't contain any fluff, or any childish stuff - doesn't talk down. Just to the bones instruction, practice, and constant review, and its really getting the job done - and quickly and with a minimum of work each day. My 8th grader really didn't care, but my 5th grader was bothered by feelings that she was "behind" - but after working through this for the past few months, her confidence is soaring - so much that she joined that Life of Fred co-op class that I mentioned - before she was too embarrassed about her math skills to join any outside math things. And she's doing great, and can't wait for prealgebra. Again, my 8th grader really could care less - I've told her that once she takes a college algebra class, I will never again ask her to do math if that's what she wants. So her goal is just to get to where she can enroll in a CC college algebra class, and be done forever ;-) The younger one cares more - this program seems to work well for both - getting the job done for the kid who could care less, and instilling understanding and confidence in the kid that does care. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A home for their hearts Posted April 23, 2013 Author Share Posted April 23, 2013 I would also consider using Mastering Mathmatics, it's 6 workbooks and your child would use the placement test at the front of the book and test into the book. There is TM with answers, but most of the teaching for the workbook is done on the actual worksheet page. It has different sequences that you can used if you're not fond of mastery programs or your students will have to take standardized tests. It also comes with games to help the student become proficient with the math facts. Are you referring to the workbooks that deannago mentioned above? Its very self-contained. There's a section on each page with instruction notes - nearly every day adds a new skill to previous instruction - the book moves quickly, but in pretty small increments with constant review, so the instruction is brief, but I've found it to be very clear and helpful, and we've done really well with it so far - a few times I've pulled up a Khan video for my 5th grader - in fractions - she really likes to completely understand a concept - the whys as well as the hows, and the Khan videos helped when she wasn't understanding what I was saying. My 8th grader just wants to understand how to work a problem. I don't see her with a career in mathematics ;-) Since I am with the girls the entire time they do a lesson, and we do the first two sample problems together, it really has been fine. It starts at the very very basics, but doesn't contain any fluff, or any childish stuff - doesn't talk down. Just to the bones instruction, practice, and constant review, and its really getting the job done - and quickly and with a minimum of work each day. My 8th grader really didn't care, but my 5th grader was bothered by feelings that she was "behind" - but after working through this for the past few months, her confidence is soaring - so much that she joined that Life of Fred co-op class that I mentioned - before she was too embarrassed about her math skills to join any outside math things. And she's doing great, and can't wait for prealgebra. Again, my 8th grader really could care less - I've told her that once she takes a college algebra class, I will never again ask her to do math if that's what she wants. So her goal is just to get to where she can enroll in a CC college algebra class, and be done forever ;-) The younger one cares more - this program seems to work well for both - getting the job done for the kid who could care less, and instilling understanding and confidence in the kid that does care. I was also wondering if there is enough explaintion in these. A lot of the reviews online say that there isn't. I would need something that either explains the concept directly to the student or tells me how to explain it to them. I'm okay with math but when it comes to explains concepts when they don't understand I struggle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deannajo Posted April 23, 2013 Share Posted April 23, 2013 I was also wondering if there is enough explaintion in these. A lot of the reviews online say that there isn't. I would need something that either explains the concept directly to the student or tells me how to explain it to them. I'm okay with math but when it comes to explains concepts when they don't understand I struggle. You can find sample pages on amazon - there's review questions at the top of each page, with circular speed drills next to them, and under that is the instruction, before the practice problems - its not a lot, but each day is another increment, so really each day you aren't introducing a ton of new stuff anyway - like for fractions - one day it introduced finding the least common denominator and the next it talked about adding fractions with different denominators so it built on the previous day's instruction. I'm not mathy at all, and I've found it to be fine for me and my girls, and the girls were way behind - but like I said, I have pulled up a khan video for my 5th grader a few times... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mama25angels Posted April 23, 2013 Share Posted April 23, 2013 Are you referring to the workbooks that deannago mentioned above? No, the program i'm talking about is Letz Farmer and you can see samples of it at Rainbow Resource Center. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A home for their hearts Posted April 23, 2013 Author Share Posted April 23, 2013 No, the program i'm talking about is Letz Farmer and you can see samples of it at Rainbow Resource Center. I couldn't find these, maybe RR doesn't sale them anymore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mama25angels Posted April 23, 2013 Share Posted April 23, 2013 http://www.rainbowresource.com/prodlist.php?subject=10&category=2245 here's the link, I didn't spell it correctly. I'm so sorry about that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MunRoLy Posted May 15, 2013 Share Posted May 15, 2013 we're using Mastering Essential Math Skills Book One (no grades - I copy the pages, so they don't really notice that it says for grades 4&5 on the cover) and its been such a fantastic move for us - I'm remediating a 8th grader and a 5th grader (both at the same level of math) and this is working SO well. Book two, for middle grades uses the exact same format, the problems are just a bit more challenging and detailed (I have both books - I thought I'd use book two after book one, but really they are essentially the same, and to build confidence and keep them on board, I went with book one - I may pull out pages from book two for review when we're done here and moved into prealgebra) The lessons are super quick - some warm up problems (usually four) which are a review of previous material, a quick speed drill for both addition and multiplication, two sample problems that we work through together, and then ten problems, plus one word problem that they do - I never thought something so quick would be so effective, but it truly is! I stay with them the entire time they are working so if they have questions or get frustrated, I'm there (they both deal with frustration in very different, but nonproductive ways) and if I see them struggling as I watch them over their shoulder, I stop them right there and help them out - then we check the work all together, and if they miss any, we go over it all together - figure even if one girl got it right, it won't hurt them to see us work through it together - but honestly, they rarely miss any, which blows me away, based on our previous attempts at math programs. I fully expect them to be ready for prealgebra by next year - that will put my 5th (6th next year) grader on target for where I'd like for her to be for her grade, and put my 8th (9th next year) just a year behind, and considering our goals for highschool math, I think she'll be fine (she's NOT mathy - I just want her ready for college algebra before she graduates highschool - I will consider that a success) - When I bought this, I fully intended on using it with something else - Aleks, Khan, or Math Mammoth, but I've been so delighted at their progress, and their lack of complaining, etc., that I'm fine with just this for now! My 5th grader is doing Life of Fred in addition to this, but she's doing that through a co-op, and its just once a week. When we're done, I think the girls will be ready for a (perhaps light) pre-algebra course - I'm thinking they'll be fine moving into Teaching Textbooks, but since they've done so well with this format of instruction, we'll consider our options. The same author has books on individual topics, like Fractions, geometry, etc. as well, but I haven't looked at those. I'm so glad I came across this thread....this book will be perfect for dd10 this summer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A home for their hearts Posted May 24, 2013 Author Share Posted May 24, 2013 Basic math -- if they cannot do the four basic operations (add, subtract, multiply, divide) I would look into Power Basics Basic Math book. If they are a little more advanced you could consider Lial's Basic College Mathematics. Both of these books contain a thorough review of arithmetic and are designed for developmental learners. Lial's covers a bit more pre-algebra. ETA: This is assuming that the reason they're behind in math is primarily due to lack of time put in. If the reason is learning differences then these may not be suitable. I've been trying to decide what to use since I posted this thread and I'm still not sure. They can add, subtract, multiply but there knowledge of division is little. Could you give me a list of topics covered in Lial's Basic College Mathematics? I can't find any samples online. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BatmansWife Posted May 24, 2013 Share Posted May 24, 2013 I just bought Math Tutor Basic Math w/ the world problems and the Pre-Algebra. I really like how he teaches (I'm hoping to learn with this too, since the extent of my math in school was General Math in 9th grade). I also will be getting Math Rescue (he has other programs too) for my ds and possibly Math Tutor Mental Math. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
birchbark Posted May 25, 2013 Share Posted May 25, 2013 I was also going to suggest Math Rescue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happybeachbum Posted September 17, 2013 Share Posted September 17, 2013 The Practical Arithmetics Strayer-Upton book series are good too. So is Ray's Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MamaSprout Posted September 17, 2013 Share Posted September 17, 2013 I just bought JUMP at Home Math Grade 7 for a really behind 14 year old (he tested into grade 4 MM). I do have him doing the first chapter of grade 4 MM (with grade identifying pages removed) because it touches on some subjects he needs. I think the Jump math might work in your situation. Their website is a little hard to follow, but the answer keys and a free "confidence building unit" are there. You can buy the books from Christianbook and other places: http://jumpmath.org/cms/ http://www.christianbook.com/jump-at-home-grade-7/johjn-mighton/9780887849657/pd/8479657?product_redirect=1&Ntt=8479657&item_code=&Ntk=keywords&event=ESRCP Because I'm also teaching an ahead-in-math 4th grader, the number on the book mattered. I've only started teaching the confidence building unit with my 8th grader, but it is serving it's purpose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momto2Cs Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 I've been trying to decide what to use since I posted this thread and I'm still not sure. They can add, subtract, multiply but there knowledge of division is little. Could you give me a list of topics covered in Lial's Basic College Mathematics? I can't find any samples online. Thanks! You can find liks to the table of contents, and much more, here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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