which program to help daughter "catch up"

[pjssully]

My daughter is 9 years old and has a difficulty in math. I have suspected learning disability at times. She is behind in math, mainly due to my health over the last few years (i had to stop HOmeschooling for a few m onths each year) and changing curriculums trying to find one that she "likes" I am sure no matter what we choose, she will complain. We hit a brick wall last year with singapore and just quit. Tried to pick up saxon three this year and i hate it and she hates it. We are doing My Father's World for history and many of the other subjects and their recommendation is to go back and start at 1a for singapore. I am thinking that Right Start might also work but i truly am STUCK!! What should i use--i am driving myself nuts. we have the card games for RS and i have used portions of RS so i am familiar with it. I guess i don't care what we use, just need to know if anyone has any advice at to which would help us catch up faster.

thanks for any input

pam

[emeraldjoy]

I don't really have any great advice. I noticed there were no responses so I thought I would bump it up for awhile.

 

I can empathize though; mine is 9 as well. It is only in the last few weeks that I feel like we are finally making it somewhere....thank goodness.

We use Saxon, though. It has worked okay, but I have had to cater it to her...when I stopped forcing her into doing things she hated; like flashcards, for example, and came up with other ideas she started learning the stuff very quickly....amazing how, once I changed it up a bit, she started learning.

Small successes matter a lot!! Self efficacy; the ability to believe in one's own ability, is pretty darned powerful and if they can succeed even in small ways, it somehow makes it easier for them to face the bigger challenges.

 

I hope you get some good advice on here.

blessings.

e

Edited September 30, 2008 by emeraldjoy
spelling

[Alana in Canada]

What is your daughter's learning style?

 

I'm thinking of Cathy Duffy's classifications of learning styles here:

 

Sociable Sue: does she like to chat and play games? Is she better at general concepts rather than details? Do things have to be changed about in order to keep her interested and motivated?

 

Competent Carl: Is she logical? Does she ask "why?" a lot? Does she become confused if steps in an explanation are missing? Does she like to work alone and be independant?

 

Wiggly Willy: Does she do best with hands-on activities? Does she need to feel and touch things? Does her body have to get involved before she can learn?

 

Perfect Paula: Does she like to follow a schedule? Is she uncomfortable with coming up with creative ideas? Does she like to memorrize? Is she OK with drill or does she run screaming from the room?

 

My advice would be to find a math program which fits your daughter's major learning style and then supplement if you need too--more hands on for a Wiggly, a variety of games and activities as rewards and supplements for a "sue" etc.

 

hth.

[newlifemom]

I too really have no experience with this, but wanted to throw Math-U-See out there for you. I have never used it myself. (Saxon girl all the way :001_smile:) However, I have heard nothing but good things about it from lots of people I know who are using it. Plus, I think the stages are set up so maybe your dd wouldn't feel like she's behind. HTH

[Catherine]

But, the lessons are very long. My child, who is not very math oriented, has not liked this curriculum at all, despite that fact that it has worked very well for him and he has an excellent understanding of place value, numeration, geometry and even of multiplication, as a concept.

 

Rightstart is an investment too, though if it works, it is worth it. Just remember that any program has to be adapted to the needs and learning style of the child.

[dtsmamtj]

We went with MUS for a similar situation. We skipped the assignments that my son was strong in.

 

 

T

[threetreasurs]

We found ALEKS great for catching up.

[Lori D.]

- It is very visual/hands-on, and not an overwhelming number of problems on a page, which works for many students who do not connect with traditional math programs such as Saxon.

 

- It is very simple to use -- both of you watch the video lesson, use the manipulatives as needed, and then do a short workbook page. (I'm thinking of the health problems you mentioned -- MUS would be very easy to keep going even when you are not well.)

 

- It really shows the "why" behind the math concepts, which is critical for laying that foundation for later math.

 

I would recommend "backing up" and starting at the beginning with MUS, both to get used to how it is taught and to lay that solid "gap-less" foundation in math with your DD. You could use either the newer editions of MUS levels of Alpha, Beta and Gamma, moving more quickly through concepts already understood and slower through those not yet understood. Or, you could look for the older "classic" MUS Foundation, which covereds gr. 1, 2, 3 concepts all in one book.

 

One last thought: children develop "brain maturity" for math at different ages; girls in general develop earlier with language arts but later with math. Often a child who struggled earlier, will finally "click" with that "tough" subject along about age 9-10, or even age 12. And if learning disability is a concern, you would want to get that checked out about this age to have that diagnosis either confirmed/dismissed; if there is a learning issue it's helpful to know exactly what you're dealing with so you can find tutoring, special needs program, or a math curriculum that work with you.

 

Just to encourage you: our younger son is a very visual-spatial learner with mild dyslexia and he struggled with math through 4th grade, until we found MUS in 5th grade. I think it was a combination of brain maturity and finding the program that clicked for him, but we have not had math issues since then. He is in 9th grade and doing algebra now. By the way, we also supplemented the MUS with Singapore (using workbooks 1-2 levels below his grade level) for those great Singapore word problems. We had tried Singapore alone for math in 2nd grade and that bombed miserably for him. In 6th grade, he used Singapore 4A/B for supplement and that was a good match-up for him.

 

Consistency, patience and perseverance, and you'll get there! BEST of luck with both your health situation, and in finding what works math-wise for your family! Warmest regards, Lori D.

[Once]

:iagree: with all the MUS suggestions.

 

My dd sounds very similar to yours. I tried everything to get her to do math but nothing ever seemed to click. At the beginning of the year (Jan) I decided that it did not matter if she was behind. My goal was to give her a strong foundation in math that would give her a place to start. We had been using MUS for a year before that but it was still a struggle. In a less than heartless way, I decided that there would be no math program that would make her happy about math. I choose to stay with MUS (and I would reccomend you switch to it) and I told her she needed to do one page a day, no more no less. There were a few tough days to start with but they were mild compared to the previous ones.

Now, I can happily say, she loves the challenge of math and is on grade level in just 10 months of work. She did 4 pages yestarday on her own. She feels confident about math and really likes it. There is something about the program that is appealing to her. It is a good one for reluctant math students and it is *easy* to implement for a 180 day school year. Slow and steady gets the job done. I would reccomend picking a cirr and not changing, doing one day at a time and getting her use to the rhythm. It is a good life skill that she needs and it is hill worth dying on.

All the best! You can do it!

[Rosie_0801]

Math on the Level might be a good choice. The lessons are short and sweet. You do 5 review problems per day, then a teaching lesson. If the lesson doesn't stick, you can re-reach it a different way (book explains how) and when you think she's got the hang of it, that concept gets put onto the "5 a day" review. If she forgets it again, you can re-teach it. You don't have to stick to any particular schedule, but can jump around different topics whenever it seems the right thing to do. She is still doing her "5 a day" to review past topics. It's also a very hands on. I'm a firm believer that everyone is better at maths if the numbers have a $ in front, or there's food to be shared out.

:)

Rosie

[mycalling]

I second Math on the Level. The 5-A-Days can also be used to test every concept to see what she knows or doesn't know. I haven't found another program that will do this for remedial math learners. My sons are doing great with Math on the Level and I am considering using the 5-A-Day review for my public-schooled math-delayed 10yo.

[Peela]

Don't feel bad about Singapore- my son has trouble with Maths and he was fine with Singapore up until 4 then he just freaked. I have also tried various programs with him, because he balked at them all. I do think Saxon can be very challenging for kids who are slow at maths- even though it is designed for them to some extent- because of the sheer quantity of daily math. It also just doesn't suit some types of brains. So don't feel bad about that, either.

I ended up with an Australian program that is designed for less academic students- it eliminates anything not completely relevant, and the way it is set out on the page is clear, one topic per page. It is working quite well- but, my ds12 still needs me most days to walk him through his maths. Finally, he IS getting it. At 9- I basically had to sit with him all the time. It frustrated me no end, but i think it is worth it.

If the program we are currently using didn't work, I would use MUS because I have heard so many good things about it.

And, can I say it again, dont worry, at 9 she still has plenty of time. Better she cement those topics now than skim them and keep moving on. I made the mistake of trying to push through programs by the end of the year in order to get my son caught up. It would have been better to stop and really make sure he understood things before moving on, even if we were a couple of years behind. Better that than end up on grade level, failing.

[Sweetpeach]

At 9- I basically had to sit with him all the time.

 

 

This is my experience with my 8 year old - we are finishing up MEP YR 2 but I still have to be right there with him. His brain can do the work, but add in the extra layer of having a pencil in his hand and he mostly stalls.

 

I guess I'm saying that any math curr. might give difficulty if her brain and pencil haven't forged an alliance. You might have to be the scribe until she can do both. Since I've started helping with the pencil, our math lessons are much less frustrating.

 

(Passing along credit for this little tip to Laura in China)

 

T

[Camy-7 boybarians 1 lady]

I think all of the suggestions you've received are practical and good, as far as curriculum recommendations (MUS..I haven't seen ALEKS, personally).

 

The "late-bloomer" phenomena didn't hit me until I read the Bluedorn's Teaching the Trivium. It's not the gospel of homeschooling for us, but it did bring to light some information about those who tend to lag or struggle w/ some learning and behavioral issues.

 

You may want to check out the chapter in the book that discusses this. It may encourage you. My late-bloomer son is doing better each year as we persevere (he is now 9 1/2 yo).

 

Blessings :o)

[Lizzie in Ma]

We are thrilled with it. I do also have Lial's BCM for more practice as needed but LOF has revolutionized how dd and I feel about math.

You can see samples and read about it here.

[Laura Corin]

You might have to be the scribe until she can do both. Since I've started helping with the pencil, our math lessons are much less frustrating.

 

(Passing along credit for this little tip to Laura in China)

 

T

 

Calvin now does all his own writing. I get him to set himself a time limit before each maths exercise, otherwise he dawdles terribly, but he grew into using his own pen in the end.

 

Laura