Math help please?

[channell07]

((sorry this got so long but I really appreciate any help you may have!))

I think I just realized that I made a huge homeschool momma mistake. I have been using a math curriculum that *I* love for my kids but now that we are deeper into it, I am not 100% certain it is what is best for them or that even the *same* curriculum is right for them. Maybe you guys have some suggestions for me =)

Until now we have been using Horizons. The religion mention is almost non-existent and I liked that it was a bit accelerated. DS8 has worked through K-3 and DS6 has worked through K- part of 2 at this point.

DS is a quick learner. There have been very rare occasions where I have to do explain a concept more than a couple of times before he has it. Then we end up skipping a ton of the review. If I feel like he has the concept, I will only have him do 1-3 of them when a review pops up just to keep it fresh in his mind. So far the only thing that has taken any longer to teach is long division but after 2 days he has it under control.

DD loves to do math and does pretty well with it but it takes her longer to cement concepts in her mind. Many times when she sits down to do something I have to remind her how to do it and then she is fine and generally flies through the work. She just can't seem to remember how to get started. She is a very sensitive little girl and sometimes I get frustrated because I feel like she is just not paying attention the many times we have gone over it but now I am thinking its a matter of the way it is being presented?

Anyway, I would appreciate any suggestions you may have.

[HomeAgain]

I do not think there is a magic curriculum.

 

That said, some do work better for some children than others, but a lot of times you can simply adapt the work.  I think what your dd is missing is the three-part lesson.  She should have material presented, then be able to work the material, and THEN be able to teach it back to you.  I'd add in that last step towards the end of work every single day.  She needs to talk through her methods and cement it in her brain.  Have her work it a couple of different ways, play school where she is the teacher...let her start taking little leads on it.

[smarson]

We use Horizons too.  One thing I noticed with my daughter was that I'd just teach the concept through the workbook problems vs. teaching it to her on the dry erase board or something, then having her apply what she learned through doing the problems in the workbook.  Once I started using the teacher manual and actually teaching the material she seemed to do better.  Also, Horizons moves quickly - they assume kids can do various things that have only been introduced but not really drilled.... and that's because it's in the teacher's manual.  All the skip counting, all the flash cards, etc.  So I found that by originally skipping these things, while she could move on to the more advanced issues, she still struggled to do some of her basic addition/subtraction functions because I wasn't drilling them.  Early elementary math is easy and it's easy to think you wouldn't need the teacher manual.  But I've learned that the additional information included in it has proven helpful.  

 

All that said, I have considered switching her to MM.  But I'm concerned because for us Horizons works.  She's used the spiral method, which I like that she revisits concepts over and over again to solidify them and honestly, I like the colorful-ness of it.   So while I don't really have any solutions for you, I am right there with you.  I have a rising K'er this fall and his brain just works so differently than his sister's, that I have chosen to use RightStart with him.  It's a stretch for me, as it's not what I'm familiar with or comfortable with but I'm thinking it may work better with his brain.  And I think he'd go crazy with the spiral method.  I guess you never really know until you try. :)

[8filltheheart]

First, if that is the biggest mistake you make as a homeschooler, you will be homeschool queen. :)

 

I don't really see the mistake. You say your oldest has mastered the concepts and Kers honestly cannot be behind.

 

If you want to change for next year, that would be the time to do it. The main thing would be to not switch again until alg for the older child bc curriculum hopping in math is not a good idea.

 

Fwiw, I have had kids finish all the books through the 6th grade book in 4th grade with no struggling and quick mastery. That was not a bad thing. :) My kids have had no problem going from Horizons into high level challenging math in high school. One thing I have added is Hands on Equations.

 

For your Ker, mastery might be a better approach.

[Vintage81]

We've been using Math in Focus (a Singapore style program) for the past two years and while I like it, I'm switching to Math Mammoth next year. My girls are kinder and 2nd grade right now.  

 

My 2nd grader does not like math, but she does really well with it. Her biggest struggle is word problems and I mainly think she struggles because she doesn't want to take the time to think about it. She'd rather be drawing or talking about Science, not thinking about how to solve word problems. It's also hard for me because I love math....I have a math degree, so to hear her say she hates it creates a bit of a battle between us. My kindergartner loves math so far, but we'll see what happens when she starts doing multiplication and the dreaded long division!!

 

I'm sticking with a mastery approach because I prefer it. I'm switching to Math Mammoth for a few reasons...price and because it's a worktext format.  No more teacher manuals and textbooks.  I'm sort of thinking that at this point I can't make my daughter love math the way I do, but seeing her enthusiasm when she finally gets a concept still gives me hope. I'm just not ready to abandon the mastery style yet.  

 

Math Mammoth has a section on their website comparing it to other curriculums. While it's obviously geared to make you like Math Mammoth, I think it still provides some good info. Here you go:

 

http://www.mathmammoth.com/comparisons.php

 

P.S. Based on what you wrote, I don't think you made any mistakes. This will not be the first time you question the curriculum you're using!  :)

[Janeway]

((sorry this got so long but I really appreciate any help you may have!))

 

I think I just realized that I made a huge homeschool momma mistake. I have been using a math curriculum that *I* love for my kids but now that we are deeper into it, I am not 100% certain it is what is best for them or that even the *same* curriculum is right for them. Maybe you guys have some suggestions for me =)

 

Until now we have been using Horizons. The religion mention is almost non-existent and I liked that it was a bit accelerated. DS8 has worked through K-3 and DS6 has worked through K- part of 2 at this point.

 

DS is a quick learner. There have been very rare occasions where I have to do explain a concept more than a couple of times before he has it. Then we end up skipping a ton of the review. If I feel like he has the concept, I will only have him do 1-3 of them when a review pops up just to keep it fresh in his mind. So far the only thing that has taken any longer to teach is long division but after 2 days he has it under control.

 

DD loves to do math and does pretty well with it but it takes her longer to cement concepts in her mind. Many times when she sits down to do something I have to remind her how to do it and then she is fine and generally flies through the work. She just can't seem to remember how to get started. She is a very sensitive little girl and sometimes I get frustrated because I feel like she is just not paying attention the many times we have gone over it but now I am thinking its a matter of the way it is being presented?

 

Anyway, I would appreciate any suggestions you may have.

My children are opposites. For the oldest, Horizons was perfect. My second, he needed Singapore Math. They both just think different.