If you combine kids for math...

[jkl]

Can you give me some details about how this works, what you use, etc.  Early next school year, dd will turn 8.  She is a bit behind grade level.  We are doing a bunch of different things for math this year, and she places in MM1.  We've been trying it out for a few weeks, and it's a good fit.  My other daughter turned 5 a few months ago, and she is ahead of grade level.  She is currently on Chapter 4 in MIF.  So, basically, they are both learning about addition and subtraction.  It seems almost silly not to teach them together, but something is holding me back.  I think MM would not be a good fit for my 5 year old (she likes color).  I could switch the older one to MIF, but she'd have to learn the whole number bond thing...  Anyway, I'm rambling.  Can anyone share how they combine for math?

Edited May 22, 2016 by jkl

[EKS]

Aside from the fact the the 8yo is probably going to feel not so good about doing math with her younger sister, the bigger problem is that the type of instruction and materials that are good for a struggling learner are not appropriate for an accelerated/gifted learner, and vice versa.

[boscopup]

I would not combine in this situation.

 

I have a similar spread in age and ability here, except it's reading. My younger child progresses so much faster than the older child that they were only at the same spot for a very short time when younger was in K. I purposely used different materials with them so it wouldn't be in the older child's face every day. He knows his younger brother is a better reader, but using the same curricula would have just rubbed it in, and again, they wouldn't have been together for long. Younger has far surpassed older in reading ability now at the end of 1st and 3rd grades. Older has made huge progress, and I've praised him for working so hard. He feels good about his reading usually... Until he tries to read Harry Potter and just doesn't have the stamina, while younger brother has read the whole series 3 times since Christmas. [emoji14]

 

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[Hypatia.]

I'm currently combining my 7 year old and 5 year olds for math with Right Start. My 5 year old is a natural with math and my 7 year old has some delays (dyslexia and some suspected processing delays) and it is working out well. They both enjoy Right Start, and they like working together and playing the card games together.

[jkl]

Thanks guys.  I guess the only reason I'm considering it is because I combine them (sort of ) for phonics lessons.  dd7 is doing LOE C and dd5 is in B.  They both read at the same level, but I started dd5 in the program later and wanted her to have a solid phonics background since she taught herself to to read somehow. Anyway, I merge the lessons over the weekend and it works nicely because dd7 gets a review and dd5 gets a preview and they do all of the games together.  I guess it's not exactly the same as the math situation though...

 

We have had lots of discussions as a family about how different people learn to do things at different ages (swim, read, walk, potty train, etc.) so dd7 doesn't seem to feel bad that her younger sister is working at the same level as she is, but maybe that will change?  The last thing i would want is for her to feel bad about this.  (She struggles already with some sensory and anxiety issues as well).  Maybe the best thing to do would be to keep them apart and combine only  for games weekly, or maybe they could do the hands-on only chapters together (measurement, weight, shapes).  Still thinking...

[sweetpea3829]

I combine my kids wherever and whenever I can....but TBH, in this particular situation, I would not combine.  The working level may be similar, but the age difference and maturity difference are a big deal.  And while your 8 yr old might not feel bad about the difference now...or at least isn't showing that she feels bad about it...chances are pretty good she may in the near future, as she becomes more aware that she's not learning as fast as her younger sister.  

 

 

[aelllc]

I would keep them in totally separate math curriculum programs,so as not to foster bad feelings amongst siblings.  Have them play some math games together though for practice, maybe the Right Start card games set?

 

[Sahamamama]

Well, we do combine for math, but... twins. ;)

 

Seriously, though, I don't see a reason not to at least give it a try. Finding the right fit, materials, and pacing in math is always going to be trial and error, anyway, so what do you have to lose? You may have much to gain by combining the girls for at least part of math, or certain "pieces" of math (e.g., math fact practice, work with manipulatives), even if it doesn't work out to utilize the same materials or completely combine them for each lesson. One possible benefit is that math may feel less "lonely," a common complaint about math for some students.

 

If MM works best for one student, and MIF works best for another, you might still consider occasionally teaching the girls new concepts together, then have them work through their own specific materials for practice. If one student pulls ahead of the other, that also is not a problem (no matter who it is)! I think that sometimes my twins have benefited from hearing things "ahead of time" from their big sister's lessons. On the other hand, she benefits from hearing things from their lessons that are (to her) review. Of course, I don't know how that would work if the younger student(s) pulled ahead of the older one, but I still think that it's good to keep students who are close in levels within earshot of each others' lessons, because they get this reinforcement from the overlap.

 

With my twins, who are working on exactly the same level, there have been a few times when one student needed a tiny bit more time on a certain concept than the other. For them, it often only involves 5 or 15 minutes of one-on-one instruction, not days or weeks of separate lessons. What I'm saying is that, regardless of age, if they are learning the same concepts, I would teach those concepts to them simultaneously, then split them out (if necessary) for their own practice, and re-teach/reinforce whatever one student needed more time on. For example, if you are teaching "telling time to 15 minute increments," I don't think it matters if the student is 4, 6, 8, or 10 -- the introductory basics are going to be the same. What follows the initial instruction may need to be differentiated. So, why not give it a shot?

Edited May 22, 2016 by Sahamamama

[LindaOz]

I combined two of mine for some math last year using Life of Fred. It was great for combining and they learnt a lot. Having said that though, they still had their own level math as well but just didn't do as much of it as they would have if we weren't doing Fred too.

 

if you wanted to combine you could start at LOF Apples and work through together. Because of the fun storyline it doesn't feel so much like they are competing.

[jkl]

Thanks everyone.  i like the idea of combining them for the introduction of new material and then having them practice in their own curriculum.  Also, they will be playing games together for sure!

[Caviar]

I was thinking of combining my two dd for math just for the summer.  We use CLE and the thought going through my head was to have one dd do the even numbered problems, and the other could do the odd numbered problems.  (This also helps me save money, because then I don't have to buy two sets of workbooks for them!)

[AimeeM]

Aside from the fact the the 8yo is probably going to feel not so good about doing math with her younger sister, the bigger problem is that the type of instruction and materials that are good for a struggling learner are not appropriate for an accelerated/gifted learner, and vice versa.

What she said :)

Long-term focus here. You want your 8 year old to progress and you aren't going to do that teaching her alongside the 5 year old sibling. You don't always want them to be at the same level. Promise.

 

I have one struggling reader and one who is more advanced, phonetically. I wouldn't dream of teaching my 7 year old phonics alongside my 4 year old, however, no matter how quickly my 4 year old learns - because he learns so differently compared to my 7 year old.

[Slache]

What about Math On The Level? Isn't that supposed to do this?