Boy Howdy, I didn’t want to write this post! I’m not sure if it is because I really don’t like math (my brain just does not think that way) or if it is because there are others in my household who really don’t like math (because their brains just do not think that way either!), but no matter what my excuse was, I kept putting this post off.
Actually, when I sit here and really analyze why I don’t want to write this post, it is probably because I don’t feel like I have fully conquered this mountain called math in a way that truly has a Lifestyle of Learning flair.
After purchasing the Family Math books I told you about in THIS POST, I have gone on to do NOTHING with them! We still own workbooks (Horizons for my youngers and Teaching Textbooks for my oldest), but I really have to wrack my brain to come up with “natural” math activities…because, like I said, my brain does not think that way.
{You can also find both of these at CBD in their Homeschool Catalog.}
I do try to incorporate an understanding of fractions into kitchen time with my 9 year old. My 1 year old and 4 year old have many opportunities throughout the day to count things. We own counting cubes and clocks and other manipulatives, so my children do have math at their fingertips. But I must say, I really see no way around the workbook aspect of math. Yes, life easily supplements math, but the very nature of mathematics requires it to be systematic and workbookish. So, for us, math is more about finding the right workbook fit.
For Blake (age 12), that fit is Teaching Textbooks.
He started with Horizons, then moved to Saxon 54. He worked all the way through to Saxon 1/2 when he hit a wall. Saxon 1/2 just wasn’t sinking in. We went back and started the book over only to have him hit the wall yet again. That was when we decided he needed something more. Teaching Textbooks offers so much for the busy homeschooling family! The student can do the lessons on his own, listen to the lecture, find missed problems and work through them, and even check his own work! Blake has thrived using this program and every other homeschool family I know who uses this curriculum raves about it too!
For Megan (age 9) and Melia (age 6), that fit is Horizons Math.
We tried to transition Meg to Saxon, only to find her creative personality found it much too dry and tedious. Even Horizons has to be tweaked some to fit who she is and how much repetition she can handle. Horizons is colorful and cheery…something Megan felt she needed to make math tolerable–a child after my own heart!
For Keian (age 4 1/2), that fit is the Rod & Staff ABC series.
This series gently introduces the basics. Every one of my children has enjoyed “doing school” alongside their siblings with these little workbooks. The “math” in them involves counting and matching and patterning. Perfect for his age!
My math slogan is:
Slow and steady wins the race.
Because math is sequential, I don’t want to push the children to finish workbooks within a certain time frame at the expense of actually learning the information. We try to follow a pattern of learning the lesson and then applying it to every day life to cement it in. There are days when half a lesson is all we can handle. And on other days, the children breeze through several lessons in record time.
This, to me, is how math fits into a lifestyle of learning.
I’ve also run across a few math resources that look like they would work well with the Lifestyle of Learning approach.
Sir Cumference & other math books by Cindy Neuschwander – These delightful books cover many math concepts in a fun and engaging way. You can also find activity books to go along with them like this one HERE.
Grocery Cart Game – This looks like a ton of fun! It says it is for Grades 4-9. Monopoly would be another great option for doing math in game form.
Grocery Cart Math – I bought this for Megan. While she does enjoy it, it does require you to spend a goodly amount of time AT the grocery store focused solely on the questions in the book. If I didn’t live in the city, I would feel a little better about letting my two oldest loose in the store to track down the questions in the book while I shopped (because I don’t really have time to just go to the grocery store to do math), but there is no way I’m going to let them roam the store at this age. So, while I like all the projects in the book, we haven’t really had the chance to use the book much.
JumpingJoey’s Number Line – This looks like a fun and simple way to teach math that especially caters to the kinesthetic child.
Arithmetic Village – These are story books with activities that look to be a lot of fun.
What about you? How does math “naturally” fit into your day?
You can also read my review of Teaching Textbooks HERE!
Looking for all the Lifestyle of Learning posts? Start Here!
Abigail says
I COMPLETELY relate to your post!! Math was always my worst enemy as a child and my brain still doesn’t work that way! I struggle daily to teach this subject to my five. One thing that I have found that has been a GREAT help is youtube believe it or not. =) I went on there one day and searched Addition songs and Multiplication songs for kids. I was so thrilled to find that there are quite a few that my children really do enjoy. For my littles, ages 2,4 and 6(she is a little challenged) that is one of their daily requirements for school. I sit them down with their math videos while I help the big kids (almost 8 and 10) with their work. They truly love it and I have seen great excitement from them in regards to math since starting this. I have even had to laugh at my four year old when I heard him saying math equations in his sleep! =) It is also good for my 8 and 10 year old since they do have the upper grades of math as well. Something else that my older 2 really enjoy is the website FactMonster.com It is really worth checking out. I am a lot like you, my children have very limited tv and internet, but if they can be on the much desired computer to do some of their math I feel like we both win. =)
Thank you for your posts they are truly full of good ideas and wonderful insight. It is nice to just hear sometimes that it is ok as a Mama to just be human, and to make mistakes as long as we always seek to do better.
God Bless!!!
Abigail
Amy says
Abigail,
If you have them handy, would you mind sending me the links to the youtube videos you like best? I’d love to include them here (and for my own use!)
Thanks!
Kate says
I’m good at math. So is my husband. I am finding it SO frustrating to teach my almost 3-year-old right now. I ended up yelling at her today. 🙁 She kind of looked at me and said “Mommy, are you okay?” We’ve spent the past several days reading her counting books and counting everything we can find and she’s really good at counting to 5 or 6, then gets confused. Which is fine, that’s where she is. But today she refused to even count to 3! I KNOW she mastered counting to 5 weeks ago so this is really frustrating to me. I know she knows it. She’d give me random numbers and giggle, or say “1, 2, 1” or “1, the number that comes after 1,” or other things like that. And when I’d close the book and say, “You’re being too silly right now, go play,” she insisted on continuing. Then more of the same. SIGH. I’m sure you’ve had these moments, want to comment? (and btw she initiated this, she brought me her books and asked me to sit with her.)
Amy says
Kate,
Sometimes I think their little brains just get all mixed up. I’ve found during those times it is best to just read whatever it is TO them and go back to it later. If you could just count for her during those times, I imagine the next time you pull it out, she’ll be right back on track. 🙂
Gayle says
I am not a math person either, but I’m so, so very lucky to have a mother who is a math teacher (praise God!) She does most of the math with my kids. We use Math U See, which has worked really, really well for my twins, one of whom is very left-brained, and one of whom is extremely right-brained! Working with money seems to be the most common every-day math-related activity that we run into. The kids are always counting out their change from their wallets or piggy banks, and sometimes I can jump in and turn it into a good learning time. My oldest son has also always been into board games, and playing games that involve dice really helped him learn to add quickly in his head.
Celee says
My oldest is a natural at math, but I’ve struggled with my next two. My 7 yr old daughter would much rather be out climbing trees. I bought her a play cash register for Christmas. This way she’ll be learning while she plays store with her little brother. I also bought a game, I think it’s called Payday, that will help my girls get math practice in disguise.
I love TT for Algebra, but TT 5 was nowhere near the difficulty level of Saxon 6/5. Not that it matters, but I think TT 6 is probably a closer match to Saxon 6/5. Also I like that my son can’t do all his math on the computer like you can with the earlier grades of TT. I like the papers to show methodical work, not just scratch work.
Celee
Angela says
I always LOVED math, so I think teaching it to my children will be easy for me. Choosing a math curriculum that I like? That may be a different story. I’m glad that other homeschooling moms have gone before me and can share their experiences and opinions! 🙂
Blessings,
Angela
Tonya says
I made a feeble attempt at “lifestyle” math the other night. Since my daughter is learning fractions, I thought I could teach her a bit about fractions during dinner the other night – I used 4 cups of flour. 1/4 of the flour was whole wheat … We both ended up walking away from the table in frustration. She couldn’t even understand the way I worded the question and I couldn’t understand HOW she couldn’t understand it!!!
I’ll stick with Teaching Textbooks. Sigh.
Amy says
Awww, Tonya! {{HUGS}} Praise the Lord there ARE textbooks we can rely on!
Abigail says
This is a short list because everytime that I get on and serch I find new videos that are very helpful and fill a need. Thease are the “favorites” right now, the ones we use most.
I hope that thease are helpfull to everyone and make math fun and relaxing for all! =)
God Bless!!!
Abigail.
My four year old LOVES this one and walks around singing it. This is the one that I have heard him do in his SLEEP. =)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=auem1DFtDrY&feature=related
This one envoked a short conversation about attitudes but it is well explained. 🙂
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjsINqOdTd0&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2F5AkLxqq4&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjsINqOdTd0&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=feRV7t5djwY&feature=related
This one is for the little ones who learn better when they are moving!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9hA9JvfLFQ&feature=related
I like this one because it is fun and my almost eight year old had a difficult time wrighting and recognizing teens.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5eaBjKI8xQ&feature=related
This is just neat if you have one that needs to see something done quite a few times to get it stuck in their brain.(I tend to be one of those) =)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eT2kXrYZ-SQ&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvnwdojAaww&NR=1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4sWyckBaOM&feature=related
Thease are the NumBEARS videos, they are cute the kids really like them. You can actually purchace thease, I am thinking about doing just that. =)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KL_bi0te0go&list=PLAB97D698EBD0C578&index=2&playnext=2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D13NzwQxJQ8&list=PLAB97D698EBD0C578&index=3&playnext=3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDC9aJ9sNPo&feature=BF&list=PLAB97D698EBD0C578&index=6
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZn3IocpvKk&feature=BF&list=PLAB97D698EBD0C578&index=9
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbtIaIs_5jE&feature=BF&list=PLAB97D698EBD0C578&index=11
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2qt8XMXFZw&feature=channel
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvqTizEfrhU&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hq4DbSJNTw&feature=related
ENJOY!!! =)
Amy says
Yay! Thanks so much!
Beth says
I’ve been trying to think of games that will encourage math skills, especially for my seven year old. We played Life the other night, and I was surprised to see how much mental math the kids used. Now I’m on the hunt for more math games!
Dianne says
Hi Amy. Just love your blog! You’re such an encouragement! Also, have you heard of ‘Math on the level’. From reading your blog, I think you would really love it. It does require parent input and organising but is so in tune with ‘lifestyle learning’ and teaching maths using practical, daily living! Blessings to you and your family. Dianne
Amy says
Hello! No, I have not heard of that particular math program. I’ll have to check into it. 🙂
Jennifer says
Check out the Life of Fred series here: http://www.stanleyschmidt.com/FredGauss/index2.html
Stanley Schmidt covers everything in mathematics from elementary to advanced high school. Everything is taught in life applicable situations through the “life of Fred”. My kids love these books. They’re non-consumable, so you can use them with each child. The author claims that it is a complete math curriculum with no gaps, however we still supplement with Math Mammoth (which I love very much as well and transitions into real life workbooks). Back to LOF, everything is learned through reading, so the child needs to be an independent reader for best results. The website posted above has a lot of great information regarding the series.