Name: Thrive! NCHE Homeschool Conference
Start: 2025-05-22T00:00:00-05:00
End: 2025-05-24T23:59:59-05:00
Location: Winston-Salem, NC

Tagged: math

This topic has 11 replies, 7 voices, and was last updated 14 years, 2 months ago by MamaWebb.

Viewing 12 posts - 1 through 12 (of 12 total)

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February 9, 2011 at 8:49 pm
Debij
Member
Hi Ladies, it has been a while since being on this forum, along with the computer. I have found that if I even jump on to check e-mail, next thing I know it has been an hour and nothing has been done in school yet for the day. So I’ve been trying to limit my computer time.
My DS is 10 and in 5th grade, we are doing fairly well with narrations and the reading of books, our issue is math. I am currently using ALEKS, which is a web based math program and it was working well until this point. My son is frustrated and I’m frustrated. He is a hands on learner, but struggles with math facts, hates fractions (I also struggle with fractions), and struggles with other areas of 5th grade math. I think we need a different approach to math, DH is thinking of putting him back in public schools because he isn’t getting math, but I can’t make him see that will only make matters worse 🙁 I need suggestions on math programs, and should I go back to square one and work up or just take more time where he should be at now?
From looking at the forum I can see I’m not the only one struggling with this. I just don’t know where I should go from here. My 18 yo son is a wizzard at math and has been helping, but even he is gettting frustrated because ds10 can’t seem to retain the infromation from one day to the next.
What math programs should I be looking at? And where do we begin?
Debij – frustrated math mom
February 9, 2011 at 8:55 pm
Scherger5
Participant
Have you ever looked at Math-U-See? It is hands on and uses the mastery approach.
Heather
February 9, 2011 at 9:02 pm
Debij
Member
I have looked at it but I struggle with where he should be vs where he is at and where we should begin 🙁 My girlfriend uses that program and loves it for her children.
February 9, 2011 at 9:11 pm
Scherger5
Participant
Math-U-See has placement tests.
http://www.mathusee.com/about-us/placement/
Quarter Mile Math is a fun computer game for working on basic facts.
One of the wonderful things about home education is the ability to meet our kids where they are and not worry about where they should be. Math-U-See is nice in the sense that it doesn’t assign grade levels to books. I would rather error on the side of too easy and build his confidence than the other way around. You can always go faster if necessary.
Blessings,
Heather
February 9, 2011 at 9:28 pm
amama5
Participant
I second Math-See, my son has difficulty paying attention unless he’s really interested in something, and this program has gone well for us (I’ve even learned quicker ways to do basic operations). I also reward him by not assigning every problem on the worksheets if he gets enough right, or we play a math game for a reward too. There is a rep selling Math U See for the cost without shipping right now, her number is (Moderator’s Note: number removed for privacy’s sake). if you wanted to see if she had any left. I also have found lots at local used homeschool sales. I know there are several other programs others have mentioned on here as well, have you tried looking at older math posts? Best wishes!
February 9, 2011 at 9:51 pm
Rene
Participant
I highly recommend the Fractions books from Math Mammoth. I started using them for myself, because I was always bad at math, and suddenly fractions made sense to me in a way they never did in school.
Fractions 1 is only $4.50 for a pdf download, with 66 lesson pages.
http://www.mathmammoth.com/fractions_1.php
Also, I don’t know if this will help, but we do math for 30 minutes and stop. If the page isn’t done it gets put away until the next day. I’m there with my girls, encouraging them to stay focused and work hard, but this has seemed to make math time seem more manageable for them. Sometimes they do 3 pages, sometimes just one, depending on how much help they need, etc.
February 9, 2011 at 10:27 pm
my3boys
Participant
We have used the Math Mammoth fractions book, as well, with great results. For $4.50 it’s worth a try, plus she has lots of free samples on her site.
I just switched my 8yo to Math Mammoth (twice a week) and games (twice a week). He has been struggling with math for a while now himself.
Blessings.
February 9, 2011 at 11:43 pm
kainklan
Member
We have had a different experience with Math U See, and yes our daugh is math phobic and math challenged. That is why we selected MUS. It has a nice white background, no clutter to the pages. all the things that got in her way to get to the work. Now for 3 years ,,she worked thru each book, I don’t believe she got anything less than an 80% on her tests and would do the final test for each level and again great scores. BUT the problem she had was the retention and I think we finally put our finger on the pulse… Mr. Demme’s claim to fame is how you start from parts and work to the whole. however we found his taking the part route would cement or create a rut in her brain , that that was the way to do it. and then when he switches over to really how it is done, she could never make the transition, therefore math took longer and it created a roadblock for her… thus the phobia… After 3 years and she is in 8th gr now and can’t remember many basic facts, we felt we could no longer lose time… So we are re doing the basics with Ray’s Arithmetic. and following up with Life of Fred series. I am not promoting one math program over the other. I just want to balance this out that for every one out there that has had good results there are equally people who haven’t. Therefore, it is a personal decision one has to make for their child that God has blessed them with. And keep in mind as thrifty as we mom’s like to be, even within families there is not one size that will fit all. Just one other note. Recently someone sent me an article. (from a very secular mag, that they or I would never read, but because the article had to do with education etc.) anyhow. it was about an experiment done back in the 30’s I believe. District sup’t of schools were wondering how they could re-vamp their curras they felt that they kept adding more subjects and the school load was getting ridiculous. One sup’t spoke up and said he felt that math should be delayed till around 7th gr. (can you hear the gasps) Anyhow they all agreed to have his district be the test pilot for this… It was a New England state and they had an outside group monitor the results. I believe that was MIT…but the only stipulation they put was to lower it and introduce math in 5th or 6th gr. He selected one lower class school in his district (because of fear of flack from the educated) to be the pilot … Now in place of an actual math class, they did lots of humanities, talking about things in their lives (sounds so CM to me?) Each year they were tested and scored below the other districts doing math classes. However the year they introduced math formally, these kids out tested the other districts and especially high in problem solving skills. So maybe an answer may be delaying a lot of the formal teaching, and waiting … Don’t know. but being we have been blessed with a high functioning autistic son , now 7 yrs old and socially and academically behind, probably more a kindy level, we are forced to go a different pace with him, and math isn’t something we are introducing per se. I take some polished stones (varying daily the objects) and being kids recognise what 1 or 2 of something is, I lay a stone down, and say how many, he says 1, and then I lay 2 stones a ways away and he says 2. then I say watch this and we put the 1 stone together with the 2 and I say now how many and he just automatically said 3… then I take one away and say what happened and he says now there are 2. So I verbally say, 3 stones and I take 1 away and there are 2 stones. or 1 stone and 2 stones slide together and make 3 stones. etc etc. will continue this for each new stone we add. I didn’t intend for this to be so long. But I wanted to offer our experiences here, afterall that is what we are about. Learning and leaning on God all the time.. Blessings KK
February 10, 2011 at 2:11 am
Debij
Member
Thank you ladies your comments/advise gives me something more to think about 🙂
KK, I too have an special needs daughter, she is diagnosed as having expressive/receptive language disability. She is in public schools for speech/language support and special education support. While my youngest is home schooled we chose to keep her in public schools because of the support she gets. Maybe at one point I will have to home school her but right now my plate is full with my youngest. Math is a strong point for her tho as long as it doesn’t involve story problems 🙂
After reading all of the comments, I’m thinking that maybe mathmammouth may be where we need to be for both of us. I was thinking about Math on the Level, but that is geared more towards families with more then one child and won’t work.
Thanks again
Debij
February 10, 2011 at 5:34 am
Rene
Participant
Just wanted to add that I print all our Math Mammoth worksheets in grayscale, and on draft, and the pages come out fine.
After using several different math programs over the years I keep going back to Math Mammoth, and have decided to stick with it for the duration. My girls all enjoy it (or, don’t hate it, lol) and have learned the most from it, so it’s a good fit for us.
February 11, 2011 at 1:31 am
Debij
Member
I just wanted again to say thank you for all the posts, I again went to the website and looked at math mammoth, and I wrote her an e-mail to try and see where I would proceed to put DS since he has so many issues in math and I can’t believe it, she answered almost right away. So in my book before he even takes the pre-test she has my vote. So she recommended that I give him the 3rd grade year end test and if that turns out to east try the 4th grade and then let her know the results and she will help me place him where he needs to be. I’m so hoping this works for him!
Thanks again
Debij
February 11, 2011 at 2:39 am
MamaWebb
Participant
i have to add in another math mammoth vote. we are using two different MM programs in our house now, and I really like her approach and Maria does answer questions near immediately. I love all the mental math and multiple strategy work she gives. She also gives great application and concept-based thinking problems. And you can’t beat the price!
Amy