Homeschool World Forum

LK · User Joined: 29 Jun 2006 Posts: 6 Location: Oregon

I am really hoping to get some advice here. We have been HSing our 13 yr, old for 1 1/2 years and are suffering so badly in the Math area that she is talking about going back to school because it's to stressful.
The problem lies on both sides. I don't understand Math and never have and it seems she has the same problem. I knew this when we got started but my DH thougth he could help in that area and I was incourged by other HSing parents that I could still do this. Well, I am really starting to wonder. So amid tears of possible failer I am praying that someone here might know of a Math curriculum that would help us both learn it at the same time. I have looked into Math U See and thought that would be a way to go but then I read some posts here against it and heard that kids using it don't test well.
so PLEASE HELP! I am begging you!
Sincerly, Linda K
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Mom of Ashley 13, Beau 6, and Luke 4

Theodore

Math-U-See isn't necessarily a bad program just because some people test badly using it (assuming they do). I think you should visit a local homeschool group and check it out before making a decision one way or the other. However, in answer to your original question, here's some math resources. From personal experience, I highly recommend Barnum Quartermile for basic math drill, and Saxon works well for textbook learning up through Algebra II or so. The resources listed also give you some options for if your child is auditory or you'd rather do your math online, and if your child is a hands-on learner, you can get some Cuisenaire rods to supplement with.
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LK · User Joined: 29 Jun 2006 Posts: 6 Location: Oregon

Thank you so much. I have requested a sample from Quarter Mile and Video Text. Have you heard anything about Video Text?? And I am worried about changing the type of curriculum I am useing. Do you find that it is hard on the child?

Linda
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Mom of Ashley 13, Beau 6, and Luke 4

Theodore · Posted: Wed Jul 05, 2006 10:39 am Post subject: Change isn't always bad:

Change is only bad if what you end up with is worse than what you started with. In this case, what you're doing already isn't working?, so changing to a different curriculum can only improve your daughter's situation.

No, I haven't used Video Text.
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The Farming Game - Software Edition for PC, Mac, Linux
The board game has sold over 350,000 copies worldwide, garnered many awards, is used by over 2,000 schools, and is used extensively by homeschoolers.

Moti · User Joined: 22 May 2006 Posts: 23

Have you tought about using a different approach? Rather than you being the math teacher, finding someone else, partnering with other homeschoolers in the area, using an online program, etc.?

My books are designed so you don't need a teacher, but alas, I'm only up to Decimal Fractions and while she might need remedial work on those topics that I cover [see my website], and my books would take care of that, she does need a good curriculum and at this point probably a good teacher to take her through some remedial work.

It is important that you make sure she fully knows past material since learning new material well is difficult if there are gaps.
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Bob Hazen · Moderator Joined: 28 Oct 2005 Posts: 28

Here's another option. The difficulty your daughter is having is not so much because of the homeschooling you/she are doing but far more likely because of poor explanations, poor teaching, poor learning, and weak mastery that occured before you pulled her out of traditional school.

This is what I suggest in situations like this (but without knowing where you live): go online and find Kumon Math. Kumon Math has tutoring centers in almost all major cities. Kumon's approach is to first pinpoint where a child has "holes" in their skill base, and then they go back to that particular skill and work forward from there. A friend of mine had a daughter taking Alg.2 and was really struggling. She went to Kumon, and after testing her, she started at 2nd grade subtraction! But she quickly mastered that and went on from there, building up a solid foundation of her skill base. Another friend of mine that I recommended to Kumon said that her son is now doing great in math and that my advice to go to Kumon was "the best math advice I've ever gotten." In Kumon, kids progress the old-fashioned way: by working hard and achieving mastery of the individually-identified skills. For what it's worth, my experience is that Kumon is FAR better than the other professional tutoring places (one of which I've worked for), such as Sylvan or Huntington, and also far better than finding a local tutor to work one-on-one. Kumon has a great plan, a great methodology, great results - and great prices, too - far less expensive than other tutoring sites.

Hope this helps.
Bob Hazen
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babaika · User Joined: 01 Jun 2006 Posts: 22 Location: Seattle

I, honestly, would love to help--but I need more details on the nature of failures. If U don't mind I would be happy to talk, be it on the phone, MSN Messenger or Skype. If U need my coordinates--will be happy to provide.
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Tabz · User Joined: 06 Feb 2006 Posts: 89

My mom wasn't that great in math (and I hated it) so my dad was able to help me through a lot of it. When they got stuck they ordered Saxon Math and then the problem solver workbook that went through how to find the answer. That helped a lot!

There's also a lot of resources online to explain concepts like:

http://www.webmath.com/
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babaika · User Joined: 01 Jun 2006 Posts: 22 Location: Seattle

StellarStory · User Joined: 15 Apr 2007 Posts: 472

One year of standardized testing my son bombed on the math portion. I was stunned and upset to say the least. It took a while to figure out why. I knew he'd learned so much algebra but the thing was that algebra wasn't on the test, basic math was.

He is the sort of kid that doesn't retain stuff well unless he reviews it constantly. Instead of doing that we'd concentrated on algebra. It really sucked that I hadn't thought about teaching to the test a bit more.

Stellar

Dolly-VA · User Joined: 05 Feb 2007 Posts: 97

I have the same prob with my son. He's taking the 7th grade math SAT in May, but has been doing algebra for a while. I ordered the "review" books and am having him go through the 10 lessons just to be certain he's not stale on anything.

StellarStory · User Joined: 15 Apr 2007 Posts: 472

Now we review basic math all through the year in addition to what specific upper level of math he is learning. That helps but his math has always been weak. His third grade teacher dropped the ball on math (his whole class scored poorly that year) and he hates it.

He gets the concepts easily. It's the computation he has trouble with. It's not that he can't do it though. So a lot of it is his own mind freaking out. At least that is what I think.

We are still working on it. I'm hoping that better retention and less freaking out will come with maturity.

Stellar