Download Powerpoint - Many Roads to Math Mastery

Presents:
Many Roads
to Math Mastery
Which path
will be the best journey there
for you and your children?
First an Overview of the most Popular
Homeschool Math Curriculums
for Elementary & Middle School Grades






Saxon*
Singapore
Horizons
Math-U-See
Miquon Math
Making Math Meaningful
*I will be using Saxon as the standard not because it is the best but because
it has been the most used program in homeschool circles for decades
Secondly we’ll see that
Math is more than books and drill



We’ll be looking at adding a little more to the
program with supplements and manipulatives
These need not be expensive
This adds creativity and assists visual and tactile
learners grasp concepts
Balancing and enriching


Adapting your program’s delivery to suit
your child’s learning style, your giftings and
your family situation
Bring in specific supplementation where
the program is lacking in content
Last but not least
High School Math Options

Concern over Math and Math-based Science
like Physics and Chemistry are the most
common reason homelearners “give-up”
and go the “brick & mortar” school route in
High School
Saxon Math – Lower Elementary



Manipulative based (kit
available separately)
Students who have used this
program receive consistently
high scores on standardized
math tests.
Parent directed with meeting
books and activities
Saxon Math - Upper Elementary





Known for continual incremental practice and
review.
extremely strong in the areas of arithmetic
computation and mathematical principles
With the 4th edition Statistics and Probability are
now covered
Easy to teach much is self-taught encouraging
independent learning
Online placement tests are available at
www.saxonhomeschool.com/pg/test.html
Saxon Math - Weaknesses



For students who don't require the drill,
Saxon Math can be boring.
In early elementary grades, it is relatively pricey.
Saxon's emphasis on drill and repetition allows a student to
perform well within a concept; thus, the results on standardized
testing are good. But it does not emphasize problem solving
that requires creatively moving from one concept to another or
thinking "outside the box"
Singapore Math - Strengths



Clear presentation of concepts with a focus
on “mental math.”
minimal amount of practice; not too much
repetition for students who grasp concepts
quickly
The word problems encourage students to
think and to apply math in all kinds of
situations
Singapore Math - weaknesses




Many students require more review and drill than
is presented be prepared to supplement.
Some parents with multiple students find
Singapore Math requires more of their time than
they'd prefer
The sequence of Singapore Math doesn't follow
BC Provincial Learning Outcomes though it does
cover most PLOs eventually.
Introduces the following concepts much later than
other programs; estimation, negative numbers,
coordinate graphs, statistics, and probability
Horizons Math - Strengths







Sequential concept progression & incremental
review
Full-color student workbooks
Not to much drill & review
Creative lesson exercises and hands-on math
projects
Easy to follow Teacher's Handbook with daily
lesson plans
Worksheets for calculation drills
Suggestions for materials and supplies for math
manipulatives
Horizons Math - weaknesses




Program available for K-6 only (students do transition
well to the Saxon Math programs)
For children who are especially sensitive to visual
stimuli, the color illustrations may distract from
learning.
Full use of teacher’s manual needed for estimation &
math reasoning exercises
Will need to supplement for statistics and probability
Miquion Math - Strengths

Discovery-oriented approach to learning

Encourages “thinking outside the box”

Manipulative based (Cuisenaire rods)

Learners vary in the amount of time they
need to spend
Miquon Math - Weaknesses




Not well suited for a “just the facts”/”tell
me what I need to know so I can get on
with it” student or parent
Requires more time from the parent than
many other programs
Doesn’t cover statistics, probability, and
data analysis
Difficult to enter into mid-stream
Math-U-See - Strengths




Very visual and manipulative based
Each lesson is guided and scripted (parent is pre-taught through
previewing the video)
No grade levels so children can advance at their own pace
Updated Version has drill sheets lack of which was a criticism of
the older version
Math-U-See - weaknesses



Old version doesn’t have a lot of drill (this can be a positive for
some “get it quick” students)
Has formerly been criticized as weak in advanced algebra and
not a program for gifted math students (note that an honors
module has since been added)
Initial purchase is rather costly mainly because of manipulatives
and videos but these are used throughout the program.
Right Start Mathematics




uses the AL Abacus to provide a
visual, auditory, and kinesthetic
experience.
Children develop visual strategies as
they use this manipulative. The back
side of the AL Abacus teaches place
value to the thousands.
Practice is provided with math card
games, minimizing review
worksheets and stressful flash cards,
presenting a variety of repetition,
and creating hours of fun learning
math facts and concepts.
Understanding and problem solving
are emphasized throughout the
curriculum.
How to make
a good program GREAT!

Ferret out the weaknesses and supplement

Adapt your program for your individual student

Add homemade or purchased manipulatives, geometric 3-D
constructions, games and fun!

Modify the program to suit you, your situation and your child

Transfer math learning into everyday life
Purchased Manipulatives







Cuisionaire Rods
Base Ten Sets
Geometric Solids
3-D Models
Pattern Blocks
Tanagrams
Abacus
Homemade Manipulatives

Lego, beads on a string, money, or baggies of anything in 1’s,
10’s, 100’s & 1000’s for base ten blocks

Make geometric solids out of playdoh, clay, cookie dough, wood

Use mini-marshmallows & toothpicks for constructions

Cut out paper patternblocks and tanagrams

Make your own Primary clock
You decide which you have more of time or money
One of my Favorite Games

Box Cars and One-Eyed
Jacks
Each book has a collection of 50-100
games categorized into the topics
many not covered in traditional
curriculums plus it makes drill work a
whole lot more fun!
More Games






Family Math
Scratch Your Brain Where It Itches
Fast Track Learning
MadMath Game
Mighty Mind Game
Quality Computer Software (Quarter Mile
Math, Federal Publications CDs, Timez Attack
& Mind Benders)
Logic and Reasoning






Critical Thinking Press – Mind Benders
Fallacy Detective
Thinking Toolbox
Math Detective
Mathematical Reasoning
Introductory logic
Balancing and Enriching

Saxon K-3



(& now 4)
For some students you may
want to reduce some of the drill
work
Would benefit from some logic
and math puzzle additions
Singapore, Miquon


You may need to add more drill
and repetition
Math-U-See


You may need to add more drill
if you are using the pre 2004
edtion
Horizons

Be sure to use the ideas and
drill found in the teacher’s
manual or supplement with
chosen resources
Saxon High School
Most Popular program with homelearners for decades




Algebra ½, 1, & 2
Advanced Mathematics
Calculus
Physics
Self taught
independent learning
style program
complete with
solutions manuals,
Academic in focus
But now we have many choices:
High School Math Programs

Regent’s online math




Video-Text Algebra


Solid text-based program for equivilancy to Essentials & Fundamentals Math 10-12
through their consumer math and business math courses
Alpha Omega


Well laid out and presented but very expensive an investment worth making if this
style of presentation suits your child and situation
Bob Jones


Covers all Provincial Learning Outcomes in Principles of Math Series
Delivered Electronically by an online teacher
Your role is more of tutor than teacher
Available in computer format or lifepac worktext style meets most PLOs will need to
supplement some
Abeka

Solid worktext and text-based format programs that meet most PLOs for Essentials &
Fundamentals Math 10-12 will need to supplement a little to meet all PLOs
Teaching High School Math Seems
Intimidating?





Enroll in an online math course
Hire a tutor
“Contract out” that one course to an Adult Ed
Program or “brick and mortor” school
Have your child join a study group for peer
tutoring
Swap math help for babysitting, baking
whatever with another homeschool family
May God grant you a wonderful
year on the road to Math Mastery
As one online teacher said: God made
math so it must be COOL!