Homeschooling Parents

[Pressing-On]

Originally Posted by Rico

That is something else on my list of things to look into later this week. I know they have flash cards, but I haven't looked at anything else they might offer. The good part with all of this is that my daughter is totally on board with doing whatever it takes to learn her math. We'll see how she feels about it when it stops being fun and starts being work!

You will only need Multiplication flash cards. Everything else can be worked in her head if she wasn't taught the dot method on addition. Do you know if she was?

[Rico]

Originally Posted by Pressing-On

I guess I'm thinking that because your daughter is an artist she needs to handle and touch to get the whole concept. I'm just not real big on computer programs for Math in the lower grades. That's just me. You know what will work for you.

Sure we could buddy up. How does that work?

I'm with you on her being a touchy feely kind of person. At the same time, I'd like for her to learn how to learn using books and a computer too. That's why I am hoping to go after this issue from more than one angle. I have realized that, even if we do get her caught up over the summer, we are probably going to have to supplement what she gets from public school from now on. I am just glad that we are taking care of this now, instead of trying to solve this problem in higher grades or worse, after she gets held back. I don't mean to sound like a name it and claim it whacko, but all of my kids are going to get an education, in JESUS NAME!!!

[nahkoe]

I just found this cool looking math site.

http://www.mathfactcafe.com/

Not comprehensive but a nice solid foundation.

[Rico]

Originally Posted by Pressing-On

You will only need Multiplication flash cards. Everything else can be worked in her head if she wasn't taught the dot method on addition. Do you know if she was?

I have no idea. I can tell you that she really didn't use the scratch paper as much as I thought she would when she took this diagnostic test. She counted a lot using her fingers, but when the problems got a little more complicated, she couldn't remember the part of the problem she had already figured out. It took everything I had not to step in and help her figure these problems out, but I wanted to get an accurate idea of where she is.

I also picked up on the fact that she has a slight problem with reading. She was squinting a lot, so I need to make an appointment for her with the eye doctor. I asked her if the squinting ever gives her a headache and she said yes. Time for glasses, I guess. That alone would probably make a big difference.

[Pressing-On]

Originally Posted by Rico

I'm with you on her being a touchy feely kind of person. At the same time, I'd like for her to learn how to learn using books and a computer too. That's why I am hoping to go after this issue from more than one angle. I have realized that, even if we do get her caught up over the summer, we are probably going to have to supplement what she gets from public school from now on. I am just glad that we are taking care of this now, instead of trying to solve this problem in higher grades or worse, after she gets held back. I don't mean to sound like a name it and claim it whacko, but all of my kids are going to get an education, in JESUS NAME!!!

I agree. I would play the games and possibly do the seatwork on the computer if that's what you want.

Not a wacko by any means. I pray about everything. If I lost something like my car keys I would pray that I will find them. He wants us to depend upon him that much.

Every problem I had in school, He answered. It was awesome.

I was so scared when I started out. I was teaching my daughter to read and it was already May!!! I wasn't sure I had done everything. I was kneeing by the bed crying and praying before the morning session.

After I prayed I opened my phonics book and read a couple of pages. That last page I needed to study for that day said, "If you have come this far you have taught the student everything they need to know to understand phonics."

I burst into tears! God helped me every step of the way because it's something I felt He wanted our family to do. My husband was 100% behind me and the children wanted to be homeschooled also.

As you venture along, it will all unfold and you will know, after praying, which direction to take. It just works that way.

[AmazingGrace]

Rico,

This is not everyone but the glasses situation caused my daughter to totally fail 5 tests last year... that was the end of that! When the teachers had her retest she aced them! with glasses. Her issue is she would get so bogged down she would say everything blurred and numbers were horrible!

[Rico]

Originally Posted by AmazingGrace

Rico,

This is not everyone but the glasses situation caused my daughter to totally fail 5 tests last year... that was the end of that! When the teachers had her retest she aced them! with glasses. Her issue is she would get so bogged down she would say everything blurred and numbers were horrible!

Thank God for word problems or I probably wouldn't have noticed that she was squinting. I wear glasses too, so I know about that headache and how it can get smack dab in the middle of the way!

[Pressing-On]

Originally Posted by Rico

I have no idea. I can tell you that she really didn't use the scratch paper as much as I thought she would when she took this diagnostic test. She counted a lot using her fingers, but when the problems got a little more complicated, she couldn't remember the part of the problem she had already figured out. It took everything I had not to step in and help her figure these problems out, but I wanted to get an accurate idea of where she is.

I also picked up on the fact that she has a slight problem with reading. She was squinting a lot, so I need to make an appointment for her with the eye doctor. I asked her if the squinting ever gives her a headache and she said yes. Time for glasses, I guess. That alone would probably make a big difference.

Glasses would be a great start.

If she is counting on her fingers she doesn't have good comprehension in basic addition. That is the foundation of everything.

My son is doing fractions in his head at work and telling the lead welder what the answers are. I'm so amazed and proud of him. The guy just looks at him and says, "Shut up!" lol

A man, at work, told our husband. You all did a fine job homeschooling your son.

Rico, you have no idea the pressure I was under and the things people said. Today, I can look back and be proud of what we did and proud of God for helping me. I homeschooled for five years without a support group of any kind and my church against it. It was tough!

[nahkoe]

Originally Posted by Pressing-On

If she is counting on her fingers she doesn't have good comprehension in basic addition. That is the foundation of everything.

PO, according to you I don't have good comprehension of basic addition. I could read into this that since I'm lacking that, I'm never going to do well at math. I still add on my fingers. I can not memorize multiplication tables and calculate every multiplication problem using addition, which I do use my fingers for. I also just did some reading up on the touch method (what you're calling the dot method) for addition and I created my own modified form of this to get through math. I am also an extremely visual person, to be honest I see myself in a lot of what Rico has said about his daughter. Some people just think differently, it doesn't make their methods wrong. I think for some children, the touch method is going to be their key to unlocking the world of math. For others, not so much.

Rico's taking the time to look at his daughter, her learning style, what resources are available, and attempting to create an enrichment program that will carry her through school. Not an easy game for sure. It's making me almost crazy to see you saying there is absolutely one way that's good, or that something is absolutely bad. That is simply not true. Each program that exists will work for a number of students. Learning styles are so varied, and so fascinating.

[Pressing-On]

Originally Posted by nahkoe

PO, according to you I don't have good comprehension of basic addition. I could read into this that since I'm lacking that, I'm never going to do well at math. I still add on my fingers. I can not memorize multiplication tables and calculate every multiplication problem using addition, which I do use my fingers for. I also just did some reading up on the touch method (what you're calling the dot method) for addition and I created my own modified form of this to get through math. I am also an extremely visual person, to be honest I see myself in a lot of what Rico has said about his daughter. Some people just think differently, it doesn't make their methods wrong. I think for some children, the touch method is going to be their key to unlocking the world of math. For others, not so much.

Rico's taking the time to look at his daughter, her learning style, what resources are available, and attempting to create an enrichment program that will carry her through school. Not an easy game for sure. It's making me almost crazy to see you saying there is absolutely one way that's good, or that something is absolutely bad. That is simply not true. Each program that exists will work for a number of students. Learning styles are so varied, and so fascinating.

I believe they do term this as the "Dot-notation" approach. From my understanding it is effective for intellectually disabled people, but will slow down your normal student. I believe I agree with this.

As I have stated, Math is a science that does not change. Rote memorization is the most time tested route to go. It doesn't change much from that.

Yes, learning styles are different. That is why I suggested games, which includes flash cards and workbooks/seatwork. Those are the two most effective methods.

I'm sorry that I have offended you. It was not my purpose. I have seen people struggle so much choosing from the various choices on the market. I was trying to simplify the process.

I hope you can forgive me for being aggressive on this subject. I'll try to do better.