Choosing Math When Its Your Worst Subject

[faiths13]

I really struggle with teaching math. My oldest two fell behind because of it. I was always looking for a new math curriculum that I could teach better with little success. My younger two recently were in private school for 2 years and were using Saxon. I have been thinking I would just use Teaching Textbooks or Time 4 Learning, because I don't want the struggles again. However, I know Saxon is a strong curriculum and it would be good if they could use it. They would be in s and 54. My son who w9uld be in 54 is not a Kathy person either. I would love some thoughts on this.

[mytwomonkeys]

I would (and do) choose Teaching Textbooks. Watch the lessons with your child, this way you will understand what's being taught and can help if they get stuck.

[Syllieann]

If you can't outsource it (to a person who can help with snags, not a computer program) then you need to commit to learning it. Many people like the hig with Singapore for the lower grades. If you stay with Saxon (I think this is a good option for you) you have a lot of help available. There are online classes available (both free and paid), DVDs available, and lots of supplements. If you opt for the DVDs you should probably work through it (or at the very least watch) with your child so that you understand it enough to help.

[nixpix5]

If you can't outsource it (to a person who can help with snags, not a computer program) then you need to commit to learning it. Many people like the hig with Singapore for the lower grades. If you stay with Saxon (I think this is a good option for you) you have a lot of help available. There are online classes available (both free and paid), DVDs available, and lots of supplements. If you opt for the DVDs you should probably work through it (or at the very least watch) with your child so that you understand it enough to help.

This is what I was thinking. With Saxon there are a good deal of options for the teaching part but you still need to be able to answer questions that arise so outsourcing may be a good thought. If you can't then have you thought about brushing up on math via Kahn Academy? It is free and fun :)

[Jackie]

As an alternative view, I've seen so many parents say that they finally "got" math when they started using a conceptual program for their kids that had a lot of hand-holding for the parent/teacher. RightStart Math is a good example of this. The program breaks down math concepts in a way that might not be familiar, but is well guided in the TM, and lets people see math differently.

 

I'm mathy myself, but I was surprised at how much RightStart taught the "tricks" that I had to figure out for myself when using procedural programs in school. In other words, RightStart appears built to teach non-mathy people how to think like mathy people naturally think.

[FawnsFunnyFarm]

Teaching Textbooks. But don't let the program be the teacher and corrector and expect the kids to truly get it. Watch the lesson with the kid, make them use the workbook. Check the workbook. Make them fix errors then they can enter them on the computer. If you both don't get a problem, you can view a step by step solution on the disks, and if you're still stuck you can call TT and they will help you figure it out.

[SporkUK]

Maths was by far my worst subject in school, I barely scraped the requirements for my high school graduation through a combinations of a "life maths" class, an independent study at one point after I moved schools and was too far behind to follow their integrated program, and dual enrollment allowing me to take basic courses at the community college which had far better support -- but now, even less confident in my personal knowledge, maths is the one area of home education I feel secure in...and not just because my older three can now all add and subtract mentally faster than I can but because it's one where we just keep moving on happily. 

 

Other than MEP Reception in which I follow the lesson plan, I use Math Mammoth for primary ages as the instruction and everything is on the page in front of them so we can read through and figure it out together. I've found around 8ish, they start taking the reins and wanting to do it more independently so they do and come to me for discussion and checking. That plus some math facts practice has worked well for us. My oldest, nearing the end of Year 7, is now steamrollering through MEP Secondary which can be done mostly online which tells me if he's needed extra help in an area which is useful for us, though we also have and do the books, activities, and such. There are times we get stumped and find videos online that explain it all better but generally, it works for us.

[Lang Syne Boardie]

I agree with pp's that if you are facilitating it, you need to be able to answer questions. You need to understand the lessons.

 

As mentioned, there's a lot of help out there for Saxon, something more conceptual might help YOU understand better, Math Mammoth is GREAT for that, but here's another (less popular) option:

 

I like Rod and Staff for teaching Mom how to teach - the teacher's guide is very, very thorough, and the traditional algorithms will be familiar. You could study the lesson the night before you teach your children. Teach it to yourself (literally practice teaching at the chalkboard) according to the teacher's guide. There's even information about common errors and good reminders for your students, so you'll know what to look for, and what to say, as you teach them the next day. The teacher's guide also includes oral drills and practice problems for each lesson, so you and your students can get lots of review.

[ExcitedMama]

I was very anxious about teaching math. I asked lots of questions about it here and went with Math In Focus because it's supposed to have a lot more of the steps that Singapore leaves out. I was very nervous about teaching Asian style math since it's so different from what I was taught but so far it's been great.

[AdventuresinHomeschooling]

If your kids do well with Saxon math, I would recommend continuing with it. For the younger years, the teacher's manuals are completely scripted and heavy on manipulative skills that would give you all the hand holding you need. For the upper years, the instruction is in the textbook, but you can get the DIVE dvds to explain the concepts. For upper math, I'd recommend outsourcing it if it's not your strength. WTM Academy, for example, has online classes, or you could find a co-op in your area.

[Farrar]

I don't want to underestimate how important Teaching Textbooks is for many families who struggle. If a parent really has a math disability or a child really struggles, I know it can be a lifesaver. But I think it's pretty universally agreed that it's too easy to really challenge kids in the ways that most children need in order to really learn math foundations and concepts. If it's what you need, it's what you need. But I'm with others that even if you use TT, you and your kids will be better off if you can really support them. I think it's okay if you learn things in front of your kids. I just got an algebra problem wrong over and over with ds just now. We *both* kept making the same error until I saw it. Oops. I swear, I'm usually not that bad. But on the other hand, I don't think that hurt him. It was a puzzle. We worked it until we got it.

 

I'll second that I think Math Mammoth is one of the easier programs to teach. However, it really depends on your style.

 

 

[mamaraby]

I think it's okay if you learn things in front of your kids. I just got an algebra problem wrong over and over with ds just now. We *both* kept making the same error until I saw it. Oops. I swear, I'm usually not that bad. But on the other hand, I don't think that hurt him. It was a puzzle. We worked it until we got it.

I have definitely found that my math skills improved when I taught my kids math with a strong conceptual program. I have also struggled through some of the more challenging word problems along with my kids. I figured in both cases I was modeling good life skills - life long learning and persistance in the face of challenge.

 

I would not choose TT or T4L as my math curriculum, though I can see where it could be helpful. I'd be looking for a strong conceptual program that I could work ahead in and that had good scripting. I adore answer keys that don't just give the correct answers, but that explain why. That way if we're stuck on a problem or if I'm having difficulties explaining, I have back-up. If I felt that I could not do that, then I'd look into outsourcing.

[Guest]

Saxon has fallen out of style lately. Curriculum goes in and out of style just like hemlines. Nobody wants to show up at a party looking like a refugee from the 60s/30s/19th century so those of us who use Saxon don't mention it as much in our posts as Math Mammoth and Singapore users do.

 

My 28 year old picked out Saxon for us after a huge meltdown when none of our math books were working. I told her we didn't have any more money for math books, pulled everything off the shelf, left her alone in a room with them, and came back to find her hugging a book that I had bought on sale "for her to grow into" and crooning "MY math book".

 

The next year we tried Saxon Primary. I'm not going to argue with anyone who brings up the negatives about the program or the valid reasons why it fell out of style, I'm just going to tell you that it was a nonissue in 1998 and that my experience, as an undiagnosed dyscalulia person and/or an avid reader and prolific writer who has always had problems loving Math is that it was easy to teach, fun, and helped me overcome my own issues while helping my child.

 

In the upper grades (the real Saxon textbooks) dd now-28 was a "Saxon kid" who went all the way, self-teaching towards the end. She enjoyed totalling up the grocery bill faster than the cash register could and was hired to do bookkeeping, even though she didn't have a degree and wasn't really qualified, by a resort owner who had hired her for a different, entry-level position when she was a young adult.

 

ds now-25 was my "Jacobs kid" who asked the big questions that made my brain hurt. He switched after 54 obviously wasn't working for him.

 

ds now-9 has been the victim of my indecision. I wish I had just stuck with Saxon but we're back to it now. If he turns out to be a "Jacobs kid" it will probably become obvious to me in the next year or so and we'll switch then.

 

HTH and I didn't read all of the other responses and don't have a valid opinion about Math Mammoth, T4L, Singapore, etc. since I have never used them.

Edited June 15, 2017 by Guest

[jenn&charles]

I had to relearn math from scratch in order to teach it successfully. Singapore and Miquon really helped in that regard, as did RightStart. If I was homeschooling all over again, I'd use Singapore in a heartbeat. I think Singapore was by far the best math program we worked with, with lasting benefits all the way into college (according to my daughter). We also used Teaching Textbooks (among other things) and it had its place. I know it's often maligned, but it worked really well for one of my children who just needed to get through math without a lot of fuss. (Note: we only used the high school levels. I would NOT use the lower levels, as I prefer Singapore and other programs during that stage.)

 We did NOT have any success with Saxon. I found that my family needed math programs that allowed us to see math differently and approach it from many different angles (har har). I personally needed to replace my "rote" type of education with conceptual math to truly understand it.

 

I am the "poster child" of a mom who was NOT comfortable with math who successfully relearned it and had great success in my homeschool, so don't be discouraged!! Math doesn't have to be a struggle. You just need to find a program that speaks to you / your children's way of learning and take the time to rebuild your foundation, if necessary. I literally started over with addition, in order to properly learn everything. Now I am very comfortable with math and it's a subject I really enjoy. I'm "retired" from homeschooling, but out of everything I miss teaching - I'd say I miss math and science the most (and history, lol). ;-)

 

Because I made myself relearn math, one of my sons was learning Algebra I in 5th grade and by the time he was in 8th grade he was studying calculus. That wouldn't have happened if I had been unable to help him along by relearning everything myself. ;-)

 

I also recommend Khan Academy. It's a great resource and you can start at the very beginning and work your way through math that is fairly advanced, and it's free! I had one child who originally struggled with math but had a lot of success using Khan Academy because it allows you to work on whatever string of math you want / need to without any grade level limitations (up or down).

Edited June 15, 2017 by jenn&charles

[summerreading]

I like VideoText for pre algebra and up. I only have to check the work now. 

[Hunter]

Saxon is solid and easy to teach. It can take up more TIME in a day that some families want to spend on math.

 

The Amish Study Time curriculum is a bit less time intensive.

https://www.rainbowresource.com/prodlist.php?subject=Mathematics/10&category=Study+Time+Arithmetic+%28Gr.+3-8%29/469

 

The average Amish teacher is a teenaged girl, with an 8th grade education, teaching in a one or two room school house with no running water or electricity. Easy to teach is a must in their textbooks.

 

Tutoring, I quickly realized I could not afford these workbooks, especially before Rainbow started selling them. For a family with some cash to throw around and already putting in an order with Rainbow, the Amish workbooks are worth considering, among all the other options.

 

 

[airforcefamily]

I'm not strong in math and we use teaching textbooks because of it. I'll be honest, I let the computer teach it. With six school age kids no way do I have time to sit and watch the lessons with them let alone relearn math in order to teach it. I have to be realistic about what I'm able to do and how much time I can devote to math. When someone doesn't understand something and I don't readily remember it I just brush up on that subject.