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Parenting
How to Homeschool Math
PRESCHOOL LEVEL
At the preschool level, there are many games and activities that you can play with your child to prepare them for math later on. The following are some ideas:
-Make flashcards with large dots and corresponding numeral. These cards are helpful to teach the child to associate a quantity with a symbol. I used bulk sparkly smiley face stickers as my dots. Have the child count out glass stones or other manipulatives such as: Cheerios, Lego pieces, or pennies and place one on each smiley face or dot while counting. We like using glass stones because you can see the smiley face through the stone and it enlarges the face a bit. These manipulatives only come out to play during one-on-one math activities.
-Make flashcards with just numerals and count out
loud while flipping each card. I made 0-100 on index cards cut in half.
I have the child count out loud
with me once they're ready. I start with only 1-10 and slowly introduce more.
-Make matching flashcards with just large dots on one set and just
numerals on the other set. Have the child place the dot cards in
order (along the floor against a wall) from the least amount of dots to the
most
dots and
then
have them match the
corresponding
numeral
card
below
each dot card.
-play the "Boing!" game: open your hand, have the baby or child close each
finger into your palm, count 1-5 as they close each finger, once all fingers
are closed into a fist, spring your hand open again while saying, "Boing!".
They will want to play this game over and over again. It's great to play while
your reading emails or mail, etc. with baby on lap.
-Read books about numbers and math.
Some of my favourites
are:
Ten
Little Lady Bugs
By
Melanie Gerth
This book counts backwards.
The ladybugs are bumpy semi-circles.
Good touch and feel early math book.
My daughter's favourite as a toddler.
(click on the book to buy it at amazon.ca)
By Eric Carle
Board Book. Favourite of all my children.
My son bought this book with his own
allowance he loved it so much.
A classic.
(click on the book to buy it at amazon.ca)
By
David Kirk
Board Book. Bright colourful images.
My son's favourite as a baby.
(click on the book to buy it at amazon.ca)
By
Sandra Boynton
"One is good for a quiet walk.
Two is right for a quiet talk."
I love this board book.
(click on the book to buy it at amazon.ca)
By
Sandra Boynton
Make different kinds of barks
while counting dogs. Fun!
(click on the book to
buy it at amazon.ca)
By
David Schwartz
If a million children climbed on each
other's shoulders, they would reach
higher into the sky than airplanes can fly.
Beautiful illustrations.
(click on the book to buy it at amazon.ca)
By
David Schwartz
Teaches kids the history of measurement
from feet to the metric system.
Includes measurement of distance, weight, and volume.
(click on the book to buy it at amazon.ca)
By David Schwartz
How many and how high is a stack of $100 in pennies? This book illustrates
different quantities of money in different ways.
(click on the book to buy it at amazon.ca)
By
Gregory Tang
Fun rhyming math riddles with advice on how to count
large quantities quicker. "Let me give you some advice, Just do
half and count twice."
(click on the book to buy it at amazon.ca)
Math For All Seasons
By
Gregory Tang
Another book of rhyming math puzzles
by Gregory Tang.
(click on the book to buy it at amazon.ca)
By
Jon Scieszka
A girl wakes up to see everything
in her life as math problems
after her teacher suggests
that we can look at life
that way.
(click on the book to buy it at amazon.ca)
Sir
Cumference and the First
Round Table
By
Cindy Newschwander
There is a series of stories about Sir
Cumference which introduces a number
of mathematical concepts and terms.
(click on the book to buy it at amazon.ca)
By Demi
A famous folktale about a person asking a
king for one grain of rice,
doubled each day
for 30 days. One grain of rice quickly
multiplies
into a lot of rice.
(click on the book to buy it at amazon.ca)
By Mitsumasa Anno
A really fun math book about growing seeds,
multiplying seeds, and harvesting and sharing
seeds.
(click on the book to buy it at amazon.ca)
By Mitsumasa Anno
Demonstrates the concept of factorials.
(click on the book to buy it at amazon.ca)
-One, Two, Buckle My Shoe:
Find a
nice book of this nursery rhyme or just sing
it to your
child regularly.
-Count fingers and toes, toys, candies or other
food treats (popcorn, cereal, cookies). Have your child eventually
count with you from 1-10.
By
Glenn Doman
(click on the book
to buy it at amazon.ca)
Before
using this method, please read the
section "To Teach
or Not To
Teach Your
Baby
to Read" on
my Homeschooling Page.
-To teach writing the numerals:
use appropriately
lined Kindergarten paper,
write the numerals
with a highlighter
or orange marker,
have the child trace the
numerals with
a pencil teaching
the proper direction
for writing the
number. You can
also have them
trace dotted
line
numerals. There
are many preschool
or kindergarten
workbooks that
contain tracing
numerals and
counting objects
workpages.
-Teach
counting backwards from 10-0: We teach this using
a rocket blast-off countdown. Play a game with it. Build a rocket out
of paper or Lego. Or the child could blast-off themselves at the end
of the countdown. Counting backwards is a skill that is learned only
once the child is very comfortable counting forwards. It may not
even be taught until Kindergarten or Grade 1.
KINDERGARTEN TO GRADE
12
(this section includes a document about math curriculums available
at the Bahai Homeschooling Yahoo Group as well as my own comments)
Pick a program, and start on it. If the child thrives, stick with it. If they don't do well, switch to another program. Sometimes a child's mind is not in sync with a particular math program. Once you find a workable program, though, try to stick with it. All math programs build on what's been taught the year before. The more often you change systems, the more chances you have to confuse the student.
Sonlight offers many of these curriculums. They even have samples of many of the programs on their website.
This is the math program I have chosen for my children. I am extremely pleased with it. It is appropriate for children who understand math concepts very quickly and don't need to practice those skills very much. I start the Kindergarten workbooks at around the age of 3. Please read more about this on my How to Homeschool Kindergarten page. I don't worry about age and grade levels very much. I just progress through each book at the child's pace. If they are falling behind, we continue with it during the summer. My daughter started the Grade 1 books when she was 4 years old - only because she had progressed through the previous books at her own pace and was ready for it. Sometimes she does half a lesson a day, sometimes she does three lessons a day. She sets the pace.
Asian students
are famous for their mathematical success,
and this is the program that they use. This is the program
from which test scores conclusively and repeatedly put
Singapore in top rank in international tests!
Pros
-The child learns to think mathematically,
not just be able to solve math problems.
- Introduces new concepts in a way that is logical, sequential, and makes it easy for the student to understand.
-The pages in the workbook are not overwhelming for the child.
There are few problems on each page.
-The textbook is colorful and attracts their attention.
Very
kid-friendly.
-Word problems force students to think and to apply math in
all kinds of situations.
-Singapore math is completely different from any math program
on the market. Singapore has a unique pattern of moving from
hands-on demonstrations, to drawings (concrete examples with
pictures) to the abstract in a natural, easy-to-understand
progression.
-Economical!
Cons
-At the high-school level, no teacher's manual
-Many parents require more review than is contained in the texts.
-May need supplementary materials. I supplement with Primary Mathematics
Intensive Practice which is available from Sonlight. Some people supplement
with Developmental Math (see below).
You can purchase Singapore Math from www.singaporemath.com or from Sonlight. If you buy many other books from Sonlight, you can get a discount.
I tried this program with my son for Grade 1. It dampened his love for math. It had way too much drill. He understood concepts immedietly and became bored with having to do workpage after workpage to reinforce it. Despite only doing half of the work (we skipped every other workpage), it still was paced way too slowly for him and he became bored. However, I think that this is an excellent program for children who have a hard time understanding math and need a slow pace with lots of drill and practice. It also has a very comprehensive manual for the teacher.
Pros
-Helps marginal students acquire relatively high scores in
standardized tests.
- Extremely strong in the area of arithmetic computation and
mathematical principles.
-Relatively easy to teach. This is an easy program to follow,
just get the materials and repeat the script. This program
is organized. If you have lots of time to lavish on math,
you should do fine.
-From fourth grade up, requires little parental involvement.
-Learning is incremental and each new concept is continuously
reviewed, so the learning has time to "sink in" instead of
being forgotten when the next topic is presented.
-Saxon is truly comprehensive. Children move along so fast in
it that you begin to think they will be math geniuses.
Cons
-Saxon works only if you (the parent) take the job of teaching
it seriously. It is not a self-teaching program. You must
explain the concepts thoroughly or the child will be confused
- the text alone won't do the job. Parents who are not seriously
math-phobic can teach Saxon math successfully.
-A bit cumbersome for the young grades.
-Saxon's K-3 program has become increasingly oriented towards
fulfilling public school objectives, which, many believe,
has detracted from their excellence.
-For students who don't require the drill,
Saxon Math can be boring. Compared to other programs on the market,
it is weak on application and presentation.
-Not necessarily the easiest program to use.
You keep switching from one activity or manipulative to another.
This program is not necessarily streamlined.
-Saxon's books look quite somber: black and white text,
only simple illustrations
-Skip Saxon K. It's
not necessary. Exactly the same material
is covered in the first grade level, plus more. Besides,
Saxon K has no workbooks and this is not a plus if your
child enjoys having a worksheet to do in math.
-At about age 5, you can move right into Saxon Math 1,
which is not too hard for most children. You can easily be
grades ahead in math if you will start with Math 1 in
kindergarten and have your child continue some math year round.
In this way, you can truly complete 2 levels per year, since the
first 1/3 of each textbook is a review of the previous level.
-Saxon Math 1, 2, 3 can be overkill. You can shortcut it in this way:
skim over the lesson in the Teacher's Manual and choose one thing
to do - count by 2's or whatever and do that one exercise rather
than the 15 minutes or so of oral math exercises that is recommended.
Glance over the lesson and figure out the principle they are trying
to teach and then explain it with manipulatives as directed so that
the student truly understands, and then give them the worksheet for
the Saxon workbook. You can only have the child do the front side
of the worksheet, and you can file it away so the next child that
will eventually grow into it can do the backside
(which is nearly identical). This is an economical way to do it.
-Saxon 2: You will probably have to use the Teacher's manual more,
as it gets harder.
-Saxon 3: Without the Teacher's manual, you may find it very difficult
to explain square roots and long division in a way that your child
can remember and understand!
You can purchase
Saxon Math from Saxon
Homeschool or
from Sonlight. If you buy many
other books from Sonlight, you can get a discount.
The lesson manual is easy to use and provides so much teacher help, the pages are uncluttered, there is review without overkill, more critical thinking than some other math programs (at least in the early levels) and the educational counselors are available to answer questions. Calvert Math has a wider range of topics and therefore can be used to fill in areas that other programs don't cover. I find this program to be very similar to math textbooks found in public school (in fact, it is used in many public schools). From the samples I've seen, I feel that it is not as good quality as some of the other programs available.
This set
of 16 workbooks is a good introduction to basic skills. It
can teach your child basic arithmetic faster than any other
curriculum on the market. It takes you through about 5th grade,
at which point you'll have to switch to something else.
Move right into Saxon Algebra 1/2 at the completion of the last
workbook.
It is ideal for self-paced learning, both accelerated and remedial.
This highly praised program is proving to be a favorite with
homeschoolers because children can progress quickly on their own.
Decades of research and testing in Europe, the Middle East,
and the United States has created this workbook series which
progresses level by level, through the basic elements of arithmetic
into the beginnings of algebra (covers grades K-8).
There's very little drill and problem solving.
Once you do the workbook page, you're finished.
Therefore, Developmental Math is best used along with another
program. It would be an excellent choice for a child who's struggling
and in need of supplemental work.
Just 1-4 pages of these a day along with your math curriculum
you choose is all that's needed.
You get a really clean, efficient program covering all your child's
basic math.
HORIZONS MATH
Pros
-It's parent-teacher friendly and it incorporates several
ideas for us in a homeschool environment.
-If you like colorful illustrations and good, thorough math
instruction,
you'll like Horizons Math.
-The coverage is very thorough, especially if you use the Teacher's
Handbook.
The Teacher's Handbook includes easy-to-follow lesson plans,
extra worksheets, instructions on daily oral practice, timed drill
sheets,
math manipulative suggestions, and answer keys.
-Horizons is an especially appealing to children who like to move
fast
and hate busy work.
-This is a math series for the advanced learner. Horizons is
an accelerated Math program. Their K program is more like a
first grade to beginning second grade Math curriculum.
Horizons is about 6-9 months accelerated over a standard curriculum.
Horizons was designed for students who learn more quickly than normal,
and who can learn in a spiral, or incremental, format rather than
a
mastery format. So to a child who gets tired of the same thing being
taught over and over, this will definitely hold their attention.
The approach is a spiral, continuous review, like Saxon.
Horizons Math is similar to Saxon, but with color.
- In Horizons, every new topic is developed in a hands-on,
manipulative setting, which is excellent. Once a topic is introduced,
there is a small amount of practice each day on it for an
extended period of time. This is similar to Saxon.
Cons
-This Math program is not for every child. If you have a child
who has a gift for Math, this would be the program for them.
-Not necessarily appropriate for Kindergarten simply because
there is a lot of abstract learning involved which if you
subscribe to Beechick thinking should wait until they are a bit older.
Some families have had problems transferring into the curriculum
at a level higher than first grade. If a student uses this program
from the start, he will have no problem, and will receive an
outstanding education in mathematics.
- Program available for K-6 only (students transition well to Saxon)
Horizons Math can be purchased from Sonlight.
Pros
-A fun approach, good for kids who are the slightest
bit math-phobic,
or who don't like math, or who are being taught by parents who had
trouble with math.
Cons
-The program involves a large investment of time for the parent,
who has to watch the videos before teaching the lessons.
-There's not nearly enough drill. The concepts come
with 1 page of problems each, which isn't sufficient for most students.
If you decide to use Math-U-See, consider ordering the A Beka Book drill
sheets to go with it.
-The lessons are very similar to each other, and since mastery
is required before going on, you may be doing the exact same
kinds of workbook pages day after day.
-The workbooks are not very exciting.
If you're math-phobic, you may want to start with the Math-U-See program and switch to a less time-intensive system such as Saxon or A Beka Book as soon as you feel confident enough.
Do your own research about the countless different math curriculums available to homeschoolers. There are many different approaches - you need to find one that suits you and your child. Check out: Homeschool Math and Homeschool Reviews
SCHEDULING MATH LESSONS
Many homeschoolers recommend having math as the first lesson of the day. Especially if it is a difficult subject for your child. For my children, math is not a difficult subject - in fact it is considered a fun subject sometimes. We schedule their most challenging subject as the first lesson of the day. Math comes second (early in the day) because I consider it an important subject and I want to make sure it is completed. Their school day is scheduled as a To Do List of tasks to accomplish (workpages to complete) and often they don't get through the whole list. I put the not-so-important subjects at the end of the day, such as: foreign language and art. It's not the end of the world if they don't get to it.
You can either choose to schedule a specific amount of time for doing math each day and whatever the child accomplishes in that time is what gets done that day. Or you can assign one lesson a day or a certain number of pages a day (meaning: accomplish a certain amount of work regardless of how long it takes). The Well-Trained Mind book has suggested amounts of time to schedule for math at each grade/age level. Assigning time for math (as opposed to tasks to accomplish) will keep you on schedule for the day. I prefer to assign a task to complete each day. My son is easily distracted and occasionally may spend 1-2 hours doing his few pages of math. On the other hand when he's motivated and focused, he can finish the pages quickly. I prefer assigning a task to complete because I don't want to rush him. I don't function well under time pressure. And I don't want to disrupt what he is learning. I want him to complete a task and fully work through a concept before moving on to the next subject.
INTERNET RESOURCES
An essay about teaching math.
Math resources on the Internet.
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