Math Lessons for a Living Education (vs Math on the Level?)

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  • March 27, 2013 at 1:43 pm
    Shannon
    Participant

    I think the idea to use Math on the Level through the summer to be a great suggestion and I have considered doing that. In the meantime, with all my thinking about our experience of math, I’ve been reminded that I have an electronic version of Living Math through History. My boys weren’t ready for it when I got it, but I think they are now and I’ve already ordered some books and created a plan for starting the first lesson. She suggests, if folks want a formal curriculum also, to try the free online MEP (http://www.cimt.plymouth.ac.uk/projects/mep/default.htm.) so I took a look at that. I have printed off several pages and I have marked the items I want the boys to work on. Several of the problems are sort of brain teasers (such as 3+1>x>y+z but they are done in a format the children can understand (with dots or tallies instead of numbers, and boxes for the algebraic variables). My boys had a lot of fun with it yesterday. I’m also interested in seeing what Ray’s (also free) has to offer us since I really want to encourage mental math. I’m really hoping this combination will be a good fit for us but if I find it isn’t, I’ll look to MotL next.

    Thanks for all the thoughts!

    shannon

    March 27, 2013 at 2:19 pm
    TailorMade
    Participant

    What an awesome plan, Shannon! I’m excited for you. Thanks for the link, too.

    Becca<><

    March 27, 2013 at 2:47 pm
    TailorMade
    Participant

    Meaning, the suggested math through history. The Living Math site is currently unavailable. 🙁 I’m going to rabbit trail through blogs by those who’ve used it.

    Becca<><

    March 28, 2013 at 4:02 am
    greenebalts
    Participant

    TailorMade…you got me rethinking the summer trial and you may be right about it being the perfect time to do a test run.  Thanks for the suggestion….

     

    Blessings,

    Melissa

    http://reflectionsfromdrywoodcreek.blogspot.com/

    March 28, 2013 at 12:18 pm
    Shannon
    Participant

    Becca, Did you know there is a yahoo group for livingmath? It is at ‘LivingMathForum’. Also if there is something I can help you with – answer questions, explain how the program is organized, etc – let me know. I’d be happy to share what I know!

    Best,

    Shannon

    March 29, 2013 at 6:08 pm
    TailorMade
    Participant

    Yes. I’ve been waiting for membership approval for a couple days. 🙁 Soon! 🙂

    Thanks

    March 29, 2013 at 9:59 pm
    TailorMade
    Participant

    Membership approved, yeah! But, the main Living Math site is currently unavailable. Is it down for maintenance?

    March 29, 2013 at 10:27 pm
    Shannon
    Participant

    I have no idea. I don’t see any mention of it being down on the forum (though maybe I didn’t look hard enough) and it has been down since I started before I started looking at my program last week.

    Maybe ask on the forum? And PM me if you’d like me to try to explain how the program works.

    shannon

    March 29, 2013 at 10:47 pm
    TailorMade
    Participant

    Do you happen to know how it compares to Richelle’s book?

    March 29, 2013 at 10:59 pm
    Shannon
    Participant

    I have no idea. I don’t know what Richelle’s book is. If you lead me to it I’ll take a look…

    shannon

    March 29, 2013 at 11:37 pm
    sheraz
    Participant

    Here’s Richele’s book:

    http://simplycharlottemason.com/store/mathematics-an-instrument-for-living-teaching/

    March 30, 2013 at 12:20 am
    Shannon
    Participant

    I’d say they are very different. I’d be happy to send you the parent introduction and the first lesson if you would like (and assuming I can figure out how…but my husband should be able to help if I can’t…)

    shannon

    March 30, 2013 at 1:10 am
    mycupoverflows
    Participant

    Shannon,

    I feel like I have to chime in since our family has been using MOTL for three years now. Overall, we enjoy it. My 11yo and 7yo sons can move as fast or as slow as they need to and we never feel stressed about finishing workbooks or lessons by a certain time. This is the main reason that we have continued to use it.

    The biggest disadvantage for me is that is very time-consuming. Once a week, I have to sit down and update the boys’ files on the MOTL Automated Spreadsheet and then write up 10 math worksheets (5 for each child) which usually takes me about an hour or so. Then I have to look at whatever concepts we will be learning that week and decide how I’m going to teach them which can be another 30 min to an hour, depending on what we’re covering. I guess most people have to do this part, but I don’t know because we’ve always used MOTL. It’s just that sometimes it feels like a lot. Also, there is a BIG learning curve to understanding the program and how it all works. It took me a good six months before I had it all down and really “got it”. I know that that has been a deal-breaker for some of my homeschooling friends. And it’s also not an “exciting” program. The worksheets for my children are written in my handwriting on lined paper and the lessons are done on the whiteboard. There’s no interesting story or colorful worksheets (unless, of course, you wanted to make some like that up on the computer which you absolutely could do!)

    Bottom line, MOTL has worked really well for our family so far and so the upfront cost has evened out over the last three years. We love its flexibility and that I can present the lesson to serve my verbal learner just as well as my kinesthetic learner. But if you are looking for a program that is “open and go”, MOTL is not it.

    Blessings! 

    March 30, 2013 at 7:33 pm
    Shannon
    Participant

    Thank you for your thoughts on MotL. I woke up during the night reflecting on what you had written. I appreciate knowing how much work it would be for me and honestly that scares me knowing how RightStart has challenged me because of the upfront work/time. Sigh.

    I was wondering also if I could have my sons learning different skills from each other. Right now they seem too competitive when they are learning the same thing, comparing who did best, who got an answer first. That would be a big bonus.

    I am going to start making up 5 problems a day for them, a la MotL. I think I could do it basing it on what we’re doing with MEP (online supplement for Living Math) and if I find I can consistently do that, maybe I’ll feel more confident I can do the work required for MotL.

    Right now I’m just feeling like a math-hog I guess. I want to do it all: MotL, Living Math through History and RightStart, with some of the puzzlers available from MEP. While I had talked myself out of doing the MotL trail this summer, now I’m right back to wanting it!

    shannon

    March 31, 2013 at 3:44 am
    mycupoverflows
    Participant

    Sure, you could have them doing completely separate things if you wanted to. MOTL gives you a list of concepts to cover from K-8 and you can either work down the list, going as fast or as slow as you like OR you can jump around depending on what each child is capable of. It’s this flexibility that keeps me going with it! 

    And I hope I didn’t scare you with the comments about the time required. I usually don’t mind doing it because I enjoy the flexibility and individuality of the program so much but at the same time there are weeks where I have to force myself to sit down on a Saturday or Sunday night and write math papers for the week when I’d rather be watching a movie with my hubby! 

    But, all part of some of the sacrifices of homeschooling, right? The advantages do outweigh the sacrifices, imo! Smile 

     

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