Many Roadsto Math Mastery

Presents:

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 thatMath 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 clockYou decide which you have more of time or

money

One of my Favorite Games Box Cars and One-

Eyed JacksEach 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 SchoolMost 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

Covers all Provincial Learning Outcomes in Principles of Math Series Delivered Electronically by an online teacher Your role is more of tutor than teacher

Video-Text Algebra Well laid out and presented but very expensive an investment worth making if

this style of presentation suits your child and situation

Bob Jones Solid text-based program for equivilancy to Essentials & Fundamentals Math

10-12 through their consumer math and business math courses

Alpha Omega 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!