Need peace of mind - MATH. Am I doing the right thing?

[Wee Pip]

7yo dd is using a math program that is mastery based & teaches mental math (similar to Singapore). I am amazed how this simple book applies math to real life and gets us really using numbers. The series covers everything except measurement & telling time - since it is mastery, it only covers one thing at a time, but eventually, by the end, we'll have covered add/sub/mult/divide, fractions/decimals, ratios, geometry, & algebra. It does not cover public school grade level scope & sequence - but I feel by 6th gr, we'd have an overall darn good math education (especially by thinking mathematically).

 

I'm terrified somehow that I'm doing a bad thing - what do you think? Afterall, there will be big gaps, but dd will *understand* what she is learning.

 

Also, trying to decide if my 5yo will continue with a "typical school math curric" or should switch her over next year.

 

BTW, its Developmental Math. Cathy Duffy & Mary Pride both give good reviews (Mary Pride, I believe, has a strong math background). It gets good reviews on Timberdoodle & Rainbow Resource. WTM reviews it as a good program but not complete (not enough drill). I actually think it has plenty of drill - I'm more concerned about the slow progression.

[Donna T.]

I am using MathUSee because a mastery approach to math is the only one that makes sense to me or my boys. I wish I had learned math this way. I think I would have been more confident and more willing to tackle higher level math in college. I really enjoy math but never felt confident beyond Algebra and Geometry. I think it's GREAT that you have found a math program that you like! Stick with it and supplement with the Key To series (I think Timberdoodle still has these) later on, if you think it's necessary. Developmental Math is a solid program. I almost used that myself but went with MUS because my oldest son really "clicked" with Steve Demme on the demo tape.

[LizzyBee]

Mastery is the traditional method of teaching math. I wouldn't spend one minute worrying about that!

 

And the public school scope and sequence is an ever-changing target that I don't waste my time trying to hit. Have you heard what mathematicians are saying about most American ps math texts? They're a mile wide and an inch deep. My niece teaches honors algebra and geometry in ps, and she does not disagree with that statement. UMD professors are charging that because algebra keeps getting pushed down to lower grades, the texts have been so watered down that what is being taught as algebra in MD public schools is NOT ALGEBRA!!

 

My kids use a mastery approach to math, and we live in a state where we are required to test every year. My oldest tests fantastic on math, and my middle child tests great on concepts, not so great on computation because she has a very slow processing speed, but that has nothing to do with the texts we use. My youngest hasn't had to test yet.

[Ali in OR]

This is just my opinion, and I'm coming from a background of being a good math student myself and a former high school math teacher.

 

For middle school and high school, give me a child that knows math facts cold and knows how to think and we'll be able to cover everything a college-bound student needs to learn. Sounds like your program is doing that, so I wouldn't worry too much about it. Probably the things that aren't covered are things you will cover informally anyway (telling time, measurement). If there is some gaping hole, someone who knows how to think will pick it up quickly when they need to know it.

 

Here in OR we do need to take assessment tests in 3rd and 5th grades. I would want to make sure my child was prepared to do well enough on those tests that our ability to home school wasn't in jeopardy. Beyond that, if an assessment said dd knows nothing about a topic I hadn't covered yet, I wouldn't worry as much as if it said she knows nothing about a topic we had covered.

[siloam]

This is just my opinion, and I'm coming from a background of being a good math student myself and a former high school math teacher.

 

For middle school and high school, give me a child that knows math facts cold and knows how to think and we'll be able to cover everything a college-bound student needs to learn. Sounds like your program is doing that, so I wouldn't worry too much about it. Probably the things that aren't covered are things you will cover informally anyway (telling time, measurement). If there is some gaping hole, someone who knows how to think will pick it up quickly when they need to know it.

 

Here in OR we do need to take assessment tests in 3rd and 5th grades. I would want to make sure my child was prepared to do well enough on those tests that our ability to home school wasn't in jeopardy. Beyond that, if an assessment said dd knows nothing about a topic I hadn't covered yet, I wouldn't worry as much as if it said she knows nothing about a topic we had covered.

 

Although in Oregon you only have to get 15% to pass, and that is the total, not in each individual area. My oldest hit a wall in math, so we stopped and took our time to work though it. The result being she is good at math, though slightly behind and didn't cover division before she had to take her 3rd grade CAT 5. The result? She still scored 97%. :cool: There is also testing at the end of 8th and 10th, just in case you didn't know.

 

Following a mastery program might pull down their scores a bit, but long term they will be better off if you teach to their learning style and they will eventually get to the same goal. ;)

 

And every program has some sort of gap, something that could have been covered better, or approached differently, so on and so forth. By hsing you are able to figure out the problem areas and address them, where ps just pushes them forward, leaving them lost.

 

Heather

 

[dangermom]

And the public school scope and sequence is an ever-changing target that I don't waste my time trying to hit. Have you heard what mathematicians are saying about most American ps math texts? They're a mile wide and an inch deep. My niece teaches honors algebra and geometry in ps, and she does not disagree with that statement. UMD professors are charging that because algebra keeps getting pushed down to lower grades, the texts have been so watered down that what is being taught as algebra in MD public schools is NOT ALGEBRA!!

 

I would be very interested in reading more about this; can you give me any sources to look for? Thanks--

[Ali in OR]

Although in Oregon you only have to get 15% to pass, and that is the total, not in each individual area.

 

15%?? Serious??

 

We haven't hit that age yet--end of next year is our first test. I am not worried about it, but I expect there will be something somewhere on the test that we just haven't done yet. And I know that even if a child fails you can still keep home schooling at least until the results of the next test are in. Still, I want her to be prepared and do well.

[LizzyBee]

I would be very interested in reading more about this; can you give me any sources to look for? Thanks--

 

Try googling Interview with University of Maryland Mathematics Professor Jerome Dancis. It's a 13 page .pdf document that is worth reading. I found it by googling Singapore math, of all things. I found it especially interesting because I lived in MD most of my life and most of my family still lives there. You could also try googling math wars.

[siloam]

15%?? Serious??

 

We haven't hit that age yet--end of next year is our first test. I am not worried about it, but I expect there will be something somewhere on the test that we just haven't done yet. And I know that even if a child fails you can still keep home schooling at least until the results of the next test are in. Still, I want her to be prepared and do well.

 

Really, seriously!

 

Here is the law, take a look at (4)(a) as that is where it states the 15% percentile.

 

Now my oldest is a natural test taker, which I am sure helped. But not only did she not have division, but we are relaxed in grammar and I didn't introduce Nouns and Verbs till about 3 months before the test. :eek: My 2nd dd freezes up on tests, so I am sure that will also be reflected in her score, but I am also sure her score won't be anywhere near 15%.

 

Heather

 

[dangermom]

 

Try googling Interview with University of Maryland Mathematics Professor Jerome Dancis. It's a 13 page .pdf document that is worth reading. I found it by googling Singapore math, of all things. I found it especially interesting because I lived in MD most of my life and most of my family still lives there. You could also try googling math wars.

Thanks--very interesting. And I never thought I'd see someone recommending California standards over other state standards!