Ronit Bird

[WoolC]

I've been looking at the Ronit Bird site after hearing it recommended here many times. There are several different books on the site and I'm not sure I understand where to start. Do I want the tool kit or the Overcoming Difficulties with Numbers or the resource book, all 3?

 

I would like a math program that covers math conceptually but incrementally, without the big jumps that Singapore, MM and Miquon seem to have. From what I'm reading on the website Ronit Bird seems to fit the bill but I'm not sure how it looks in action. We have settled on CLE this year because my son needs the repetition and the small incremental introduction of new material but it is a total slog to get through this many pages of work a day. Ds struggles with low working memory. The rote drill and kill is totally ineffective for him so I don't think the CLE approach is going to work over the long haul for him. I own the Peggy Kay math games and RS games, etc but I need something to do a bit more hand holding for me to feel like I'm covering what I need to. Would the Ronit Bird materials fit the bill for this? Is it a system that you can work through, or is it more like an eclectic resource like the other games I already have? If you work through the program is it the equivalent of completing a different elementary math program or does it just prepare a student to enter a regular math program?

[PeterPan]

I use RB with my ds. I own all three printed books, but the ebooks are a MUCH better place to start. They're less than $10, include videos, and present things in an orderly progression. For my ds, we've been more likely to hit developmental walls than to hit walls where RB wasn't the right fit.

 

As long as you have a product that can do ibooks, that's definitely the way to go. I would start with Dots. If you extend the games to written facts, you'll have all of them fluent by the end of the book. I finished the book playing a Positive/Negative Turnovers game from another free ebook she has. At that point we had covered add/subtr with positive and negative numbers, all with nothing more than Dots and one extra ebook.

 

Because your ds has autism (yes? I'm losing track), you'll want to extend every concept and do it in more than one situation, with multiple manipulatives, with word problems, with real life, with time, around the house, in the car, etc. You want to make sure that 2+3=5 for him EVERYWHERE, not just with one manipulative or one particular worksheet company.

 

That, for me, is the biggest challenge. In church yesterday I realized he can't turn to a page in the hymnal because he can't find 347 in a book. He can find it on an abacus and he can build it with c-rods, but he doesn't know it for page numbers in a book! That's generalization and that's the autism piece. 

 

So even when you're fighting the SLD, you still have to fight the autism as well. Or don't fight it, recognize it. Or give in to it. Or... I don't know. It's just always there, laughing at you, saying try harder.

[WoolC]

Buying the Dots book now, thank you! Would you recommend the print books as well just for me to get a feel for the program or are they unnecessary?

Yes, my son is on the spectrum so I will keep that in mind about making sure that he can apply what he knows to various situations.

[PeterPan]

No, start with Dots. If it takes you a week or three months, just work through it, one two-page spread at a time. Read the two-page spread, do the skills with him till they're easy, then turn to the next page and do what it says.

 

Getting more at this stage will just distract you and keep you from working through the material in a focused, orderly fashion. Everything you need now is in Dots. Dots + C-Rods + Multi are the *rough* equivalent of her first print book (Toolkit). Overcoming is aimed at older kids, and Resource is more than you're ready for just yet. Once you've gotten through Dots, you could get Resource and start bringing in games from it once a week. 

 

So for now, Dots is enough. :)

Edited April 17, 2017 by OhElizabeth

[PeterPan]

PS. If you have the urge to spend, buy a bunch of dice and white out, hehe... Or if you can find blank dice, order those. I have tons of dice that I altered for the games. She's forever having you make custom dice. 

 

Also I had a set of ceramic tiles with number stickers that were immensely useful, immensely. # magnets would be good. Hundreds charts from Rainbow Resource would be good. I picked up a whole pile because they're maybe $1.50 each. Look at RB's facebook feed and see pictures of the cool things she does. She posts videos and pics all the time. That's where I get ideas. :)

Edited April 17, 2017 by OhElizabeth

[WoolC]

PS. If you have the urge to spend, buy a bunch of dice and white out, hehe... Or if you can find blank dice, order those. I have tons of dice that I altered for the games. She's forever having you make custom dice.

 

Also I had a set of ceramic tiles with number stickers that were immensely useful, immensely. # magnets would be good. Hundreds charts from Rainbow Resource would be good. I picked up a whole pile because they're maybe $1.50 each. Look at RB's facebook feed and see pictures of the cool things she does. She posts videos and pics all the time. That's where I get ideas. :)

Oh, no urge to spend right now since I'm ordering all of our curriculum for next year right now, lol. Just wasn't sure how the RB stuff worked best. We have plenty of dice and charts but I will pick up some white out, thanks for the tip!