If you use a math "video" program for HiSch, are you tempted to switch youngers too?

[74Heaven]

Hi, I am a busy mom of 5, teaching grades K,3,6,9/10,11.

 

I have really enjoyed the Chalkdust and Videotext high school math programs we have used iwth my two high schoolers. Prior to this - with my oldest two, I taught math about about 3x a week for 20min or so with each child at my desk/white board, mental exercises, etc. I am finding it very difficult fitting that in anymore - I am wondering about moving the 6th grader to a video program.

 

Some background: I love math and the children have done well with this approach. Math is a struggle for some of the kids but they do "get" it with the tutoring. I like knowing "where" they are in their understanding, facts mastery, new concepts, etc. OTOH, I have plenty of other subjects I enjoy and teach and I wouldn't "miss" having one less thing to do every day.

 

I wonder if anyone has been "here" and can tell me whether they moved their youngers to math video instruction even tho they taught their olders one-on-one - whether they regretted it? Found it a great solution?

 

Btw, I think the 6th grader would like the novelty and the "big kid" aspect of having a video curriculum.

 

Thanks for your thoughts? Advice?

Lisaj, teaching K,3,6,9/10,11

[Jan P.]

Lisaj,

 

I haven't used a math video series with a 6th grader, but I have used Latin ones. I think if you stay on top of how your dc is doing then perhaps a math video series might be worth having. If you keep up with daily grading of papers, or at least looking at them if your child does the corrections then you should have a handle on how well your child is doing. If you see that the child is not doing well, then you can step in and have the child rewatch the video or teach the concept yourself. I have learned the hard way when my youngest wants to "self-teach" herself math that I need to stay on top of her grades. I found that she was making big errors, so I had to put an end to the "self-teaching". I also have to stay on top of my high school students to make sure they are "getting it" too.

 

HTH,

[74Heaven]

Thank you, Jan. I find myself behind sometimes and we've ran into big errors not being corrected and leading to bad habits too. I try to teach the kids a few times a week but sometimes it ends up being only once a week and then we have probleems.

 

I hope we hear from more people who have tried a video math program in the younger years as well as the high school ones.

Lisaj

[Kate CA]

I use Math U See for my younger ones and it helps me immensely. I will say that you have to be present and it is helpful if you are watching the video with your child so you understand it enough to help them work through any problems, but wow, it is so helpful to have it! I also feel it is the best early math program out there for teaching real true math understanding.

 

HTH!

[Quiver0f10]

We are switching to chalk dust this year and I was going to use the 3-5 grade math too, but my 5th grader didn't want to do math on the PC. So we are waiting and will switch in grade 6 with CD basic math.

 

I am not a mathy person and am really looking forward to having the math instruction being done for me.

[Laurie in CA]

Lisa,

I think videos for the younger ones esp. if they're independent will save you a ton of time. You can just be there for questions. Chalkdust is great isn't it? You will also get your money's worth being able to use the videos more than once. I even watched Chalkdust with my oldest son and it saved me time.

[love2read]

We use Teaching Textbooks for high school and while I have considered switching for the lower grades, I know we'll miss the workbook feature of Horizon. Writing out the problems always slowed them down with Saxon and the workbook makes quicker work for me. I would like to switch for junior high, but with just 2 children left to work through that program I don't want to mess with something that I know works.

[FloridaLisa]

. . . and the children have done well with this approach. Math is a struggle for some of the kids but they do "get" it with the tutoring. I like knowing "where" they are in their understanding, facts mastery, new concepts, etc. OTOH, I have plenty of other subjects I enjoy and teach and I wouldn't "miss" having one less thing to do every day.

 

I do use DVD instruction for my olders, when they reach Alg. I or II, but I've resisted using it any earlier. And for the exact reasons you cited. I like knowing that they get the concept, how they arrived at the answer, how quickly or slowly they can mentally calculate and whether there are any steps we need to back up and review. That's happened many times over the years. And it's usually a 5-minute review if we are sitting side-by-side and I catch it. When I've relied too heavily on DVD instruction without my oversight, I have discovered to my utter surprise that my child is completely lost and has been faking their way through many lessons. HUGE problem. Where to back up? Where is the root of misunderstanding?

 

Because of that I'm not really crazy about outsourcing my daily math instruction for my olders. But, it's a compromise I've had to make, it's given us some problems and in the best of all worlds, I would either teach it or hire a tutor.

 

So, for me, early one-on-one math instruction is a non-negotiable. I value it so highly that I'm willing to hand them the history book or science book and have them follow with a written narration. But the time I invest in my dc's early math years laying that foundation will, I pray, reap dividends later when they transition to upper math.

 

My 2 cents. YMMV. :tongue_smilie:

Lisa

 

P.S. Even when my older's use DVD instruction I correct their work and review any missed problems. Yes, it is simply a humongous task and it gets bigger every year! I do hope to use some free library tutoring this year. OR pay my oldest to tutor a couple dc. But we've been burned badly by the myth that the child was *independent* even in the high school years and I wouldn't even venture it earlier.

[Kate CA]

I like knowing that they get the concept, how they arrived at the answer, how quickly or slowly they can mentally calculate and whether there are any steps we need to back up and review.

 

As the parent we are supposed to do this with MUS, but not everyone does. I have not *always* done it, but I try to. :001_smile: I think you are right that it makes it easier not to do it with the video, but really that is a parental issue and not a program one. MUS is truly a superb program that does a great job. It is me that has the failings. :001_smile: