Math that really teaches mathematical reasoning??

[Misha]

We have a math saga, not story (we've tried TT, MM, MuS, and Saxon). 

Long story short, we started using CLE math and both girls were doing well. My youngest is still doing really well, but my eldest (age 11) is not getting the concepts. She can do the questions in the CLE books but she can't apply the math outside of the books. 

Can anyone suggest math, other than those listed above, that truly teaches reasoning and helps provide an understanding of the concepts? I've been looking longingly at Strayor-Upton and wondering if that meet our needs, but I just don't know. 

 

 

TIA. 

 

 

[EKS]

Are you teaching her or is she working independently?

[Misha]

Are you teaching her or is she working independently?

I've been explaining what the days lesson will consist of and sitting with them while they do their work to answer any questions, but I try not to otherwise offer help. 

[Caviar]

We use CLE also.  This summer I'm going to try Beast Academy (BA) for fun and enrichment.  We'll start at the beginning with BA 3A.  You might want to look into it.  It will review concepts they've already learned, but then stretch their minds a bit further.

[Caviar]

I just remembered that there is a thread regarding Strayer-Upton like math books that you can download for free.  You could try those and see if you like them.  Just search for "free Strayer Upton."

[Slache]

Here's the free SU like stuff. I love this curriculum. I have it on my tablet and intend to use it after Ray's Primary Arithmetic.

 

http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/534083-free-strayer-upton-like-math-curriculum-complete-3-book-series-with-answers/

[kalusignan]

RightStart is well-known for being great at teaching conceptual understanding in math. We also tried MM and MUS with very little success. We've had a lot of success now with RightStart (been using it for over a year, level B and C 2nd edition). It might be worth looking into if conceptual understanding is important to you.

[KSinNS]

Maybe see if you can do everyday math with her this summer. Not a book, just the real math you do. Doubling recipes, breaking down fractions for measuring, running totals for groceries, figuring out the taxes, working out discounts, per unit prices, that kind of thing. It might make it all a bit more real for her. I guess I'm wondering if she needs it to be a bit more concrete in order to grasp the concepts?

Edited May 24, 2016 by KSinNS

[Alessandra]

Right Start

Miquon

Singapore

Also look at singapore's Process Skills books. They supplement SM, not provide entire program.

[daybreaking]

We've used Rod and Staff Math for grades 1-8 and have found it to do an exceptional job of explaining concepts.  Though I am a certified math teacher, there are still times I will read an explanation and think, "Wow! I sure wish I had this explanation when I was learning (or teaching) this."

[redsquirrel]

I was also thinking of SIngapore's Process skills books

 

http://www.singaporemath.com/Heuristic_and_Model_Approach_s/151.htm

 

She's 11, and you have done a lot of different math programs.  It might be best to stick with CLE, because she is doing well with it, and just supplement. By this age, she is going to be done with elementary math soon and moving on to an algebra program in a grade or two. That will mean yet another program. So maybe try not to change it right now?

 

When you say that she can't apply math outside the book, what does that look like? Can she do very simple addition? know most of her times tables, tell time, divide whole numbers in half, skip count by 2s, 5s, 10s? 

 

You might also look into the "Family math' series.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Family-Math-Equals-Jean-Stenmark/dp/0912511060/ref=pd_bxgy_14_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=1EMH0XX3CPA15JCW3NMK

 

You can get it used for .01 plus shiping.  It has lots of ways to incorporate math into everyday living. It might help her make the jump from seeing math as something that is limited to a workbook and see how it operates in everyday life.

 

Another thing that you might consider is getting some c-rods. I looooove the 'education unboxed' videos. But they are meant for me to watch to then help me teach my kids. But they were super helpful and certainly made me a better math teacher

[Misha]

She tenses and gets stressed with "big" problems, such as larger digit multiplication and even multiple number addition and subtraction. 

 

She gets so tense that I gave them a few days off to regroup and today she said "I'm so nervous because it's a Monday and I feel like we should be doing math." I so want her to enjoy learning or, if that's not always possible, I'd like it to not be as stressful as it is for her.

 

Neither DH or I are mathy -  I'm not sure where our youngest gets it from, she's able to do mental maths in flash and answer most questions that I would need to take time to write down the question and figure it out. She loves math and it's her favorite thing to do each day. And that could very well be another reason for our elder DD's math stress, couldn't it? 

I think we will stick with CLE and heavily supplement for now. It's difficult for me, being so unmathematically inclined. I'll have to look for videos and whatnot that explain the concepts of things better. 

I just ordered "How to Tutor" and a Singapore word problems book. We have "Family Math" and "Math Wizardry" along with a bunch of 'Murderous Maths' titles too. Hopefully those will help as well. 

[amsunshine]

Singapore is excellent for teaching conceptual understanding but I'm not sure getting a word problems book will assist your Dd if you aren't confident teaching it. The HIGs are pretty great for helping the home teacher to teach concepts that are in the textbooks, and math manipulatives are used often to demonstrate those concepts. I guess what I'm trying to say is: supplementing with a Singapore word problems book might disappoint you because it doesn't contain the actual teaching behind the Singapore curriculum.

 

Does CLE not have a teachers guide to help you teach the material? I'm not familiar with it.

[Alessandra]

Oh, good grief, watch out for the SM word problems book! The 'Challenging' part of the title should be taken seriously. Very, very hard, imo.

 

The Process Skills books are word problems in the first half of each book. They take you step by step through even the simplest problems, with everything broken down. The second half of each book is logical thinking problems, step by step.

 

SM Visible Thinking is another one we use as a supplement. Just a few problems per page, lots of pictures.

 

I agree with the poster who suggested c rods, even for an older kid.

[HomeAgain]

What about getting a side book of just math problems?  We have Perfectly Perilous Math which is written about a 4th-6th grade level. Each chapter is a small story with a math problem, space to work it out, then a full spread on the next page showing all the steps needed.  It finishes up with an optional science experiment related to the story.  We have a few books on our shelf that are similar - they're math, but they aren't math books:

I Hate Mathematics (short problem set up)

Bedtime Math (3 levels, often just straight word problems)

This Is Not A Math Book (applying mathematics to art/drawing)

Anno math books (games, demonstrations of concepts in beautiful picture books)

 

[redsquirrel]

She tenses and gets stressed with "big" problems, such as larger digit multiplication and even multiple number addition and subtraction. 

 

She gets so tense that I gave them a few days off to regroup and today she said "I'm so nervous because it's a Monday and I feel like we should be doing math." I so want her to enjoy learning or, if that's not always possible, I'd like it to not be as stressful as it is for her.

 

Neither DH or I are mathy -  I'm not sure where our youngest gets it from, she's able to do mental maths in flash and answer most questions that I would need to take time to write down the question and figure it out. She loves math and it's her favorite thing to do each day. And that could very well be another reason for our elder DD's math stress, couldn't it? 

 

I think we will stick with CLE and heavily supplement for now. It's difficult for me, being so unmathematically inclined. I'll have to look for videos and whatnot that explain the concepts of things better. 

 

I just ordered "How to Tutor" and a Singapore word problems book. We have "Family Math" and "Math Wizardry" along with a bunch of 'Murderous Maths' titles too. Hopefully those will help as well. 

 

 

Based just on what you have said, I suspect its an issue with confidence and math fluency.  She isn't confident in her ability to manipulate figures in her head...and maybe on paper?  Have you offered her paper and pencil to solve the problems? Can she do it then?

 

Does she have a solid grounding in place value. Does she understand how regrouping works?  Can she break a number down into it's parts, such as tell you all the different ways to make 20 (10x2, 10+10, 5+15, 5+5+5+5, 19+1....etc)? How well does she know her multiplication problems? Does she deeply understand the connection between multiplication and addition? c-rods can help with that. Working with manipulatives will give her a hands on, literally physical representation of how it works.  Using base 10 blocks to make numbers can also be helpful, so does using a place value sheet. And there is something to be said for plain old memorization of math facts. Memorization is different from understanding, but they both have a place and can be addressed at the same time,

 

Regrouping and understanding mutiplication as a part of larger problems is a big step for some kids. If the math facts aren't rock solid, and by that I mean they understand how multiplication works, they have a deep understanding of place value, then math isn't built on a firm foundation.

 

For a lot of kids, they need to put their hands on things to understand it. Reading about it in a book, even a fun book, isn't going to go beyond the theoretical. And some kids need to talk it out. You say that you explain the lesson and are there to answer questions, but otherwise try not to offer help. She might do better if she can talk it out. Ask her to tell you what she is doing? Model that yourself. Solve a problem and verbalize everything you are doing while you do it. Let her hear what the process looks like. Then ask her to do the same. Sometimes having the words come out of your mouth helps.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Learning-Resources-Plastic-Base-Starter/dp/B000F8VBBO

 

http://www.amazon.com/Learning-Resources-Cuisenaire-Small-Group/dp/B001AZ6W7E/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1464102781&sr=8-3&keywords=cuisinaire+rods

 

 

And if you aren't confident then she might be picking up on that. But, the good thing about not being confident in your own math skills, is that you have empathy for her struggles. You know it's difficult and you can help her. Have you done her math? It can be tremendously enlightening to sit down and have to solve the same problems in the way she is being instructed to do so.  Do a difficult math problem with her. Become her math buddy. My younger son uses BA, and I am NOT a math person. Sometimes those math problems in BA are really hard!  When he gets stressed out (and he really does) I remind him that he's not alone and we'll figure it out together.  We get out the text book, reread, talk about what we know, use whiteboards to work on, etc. It makes a big difference.

 

Here are the education unboxed videos

 

http://www.amazon.com/Learning-Resources-Cuisenaire-Small-Group/dp/B001AZ6W7E/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1464102781&sr=8-3&keywords=cuisinaire+rods

[jer2911mom]

Have you looked at BJU?  It helped my dd really learn the concepts, enjoy math again, and raised her confidence in her ability to do it.  Maybe your dd needs a mastery program?