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Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Switching Math Curriculum
We are huge fans of Veritas Press . All of the literature books they recommend are big hits with our children. We've taught the kids to read and write using the workbooks from their Phonics Museum and it's an easy, fun, and lovely way to teach these things to a kindergartener and first grader. But last year, midway through the year, we finally put away the dreaded Saxon Math and switched to Math-U-See!
Saxon was taking up at least 45 minutes per level per day to complete. Honestly, I don't have that much sit-down time to devote purely to teaching MATH! We were never able to complete the year's level. I dreaded it every day and that is not a great attitude for a teacher to exhibit. My boys did very well with Saxon as they have natural math brains. My daughter is more like me when it comes to math, and even after three and half years of Saxon, it just did not CLICK. She was still using her fingers to count simple addition.
I have heard so many positive things about Math U See from so many different sources that I decided to try it out. I found a used copy of the classic material and we jumped in mid-year. Literally within just a few days, math was not only clicking for my daughter, but for the first time in my life, I was able to "see" math. It's hard for me to describe the hows and whys, but I can tell you that I am much better at math because of Math-U-See!
If you don't start with MUS from the beginning, you need to get hold of the earlier levels and skim through them, teaching the concepts the way Steve Demme has designed it or else the child will be confused in later levels. I strongly advise anyone just starting out homeschooling to START with Math U See! You won't regret it! We were able to "catch up" after 2-3 months of review and then I ordered all the new books/dvds at the right level for their ages.
I don't dread teaching math anymore. The kids and I watch the lesson on DVD and then I oversee the worksheets as they apply what they learn from the lesson. (I'm told that older children can do all of this themselves.) A lesson takes as long as it needs to until the concept has been mastered. This could be a day or a week or more. But you don't move forward until you KNOW what you're doing. The pressure is off, the concepts are clicking, and we are all enjoying math these days!
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About Me
My faith teaches me that the calling of Christian homemaker, wife, or mother is just as holy as one to "full-time ministry."
I am a mom of seven children ages nine and under (plus one on the way!) seeking and sharing helpful tidbits learned during this season of life. May we glorify and enjoy Him each day!
:o),
Moms4Psalms
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Posted by 
Wednesday, August 19, 2009 - MUS
I always look out for your posts so Hi!
Pregnancy progressing okay?
Ruby
http://mummasplace.blogspot.com