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Right Start and short lessons
- This topic has 9 replies, 5 voices, and was last updated 15 years, 2 months ago by
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I’m wondering if any of you struggle to get a whole lesson done from Right Start Math and stay within the ‘short lessons’ timeframe recommended by Charlotte. It takes us 2 days to finish 1 lesson (most of the time) if we follow the 20-30 minutes guideline; so at that rate we won’t be able to complete the book in one school year.
I thought about doing this, but haven’t tried it yet. We’ll be starting a new term next week so that would be a good time to implement it I suppose. One of my problems is making the schedule work. On paper it looks like everything we have scheduled should work just fine, but when we try to put the plan into action it feels ‘forced’– like we’re constantly playing catch up. So I’m not sure how I’ll fit in another math session each for our 2 youngers.
As a side note Sonya, I’ve wondered so many times how you do everything you do—I’m truly amazed!!
Remember that most of my children are older now, mj — one is graduated, one is almost completely self-educating, one is mostly self-educating, and my youngest has three older sisters plus me to help her. A few years ago I couldn’t have done this Web site. But God has prepared me and my family through the different seasons of life and has brought us to this point.
How old are your kids? And what level are you working on? I have 1 in Level A and 2 in Level B. Very rarely do we go over the 20-30 minute mark and if we do it’s because we’re in the middle of a game they want to finish. Some of the lessons say 2-3 days and for those we generally take 2 to 3 days. I hope that doesn’t sound all “look at me, I’m awesome” because I’m not. I guess I just wanted to answer your question that normally it’s not a problem for us.
We’ve been using RightStart for almost a year now so maybe it helps that we’re a little more used to how it’s taught. I remember at first it did seem a little clunky and take more time teaching because I wasn’t sure what I was doing. Now it flows much better and we’re getting more done, faster.
It really is a great math program. I hope you’ll find a rhythm that works for your family.
Heather
Sonya, I’m still amazed!
Heather, we too love Right Start, it’s just that at the rate we’re going (trying to keep to short lessons) it’ll take longer than a year to complete one book. We have one in level C and one in level E. (We transitioned last year into these levels from a different curriculum.) Level E warmups have a little puzzle to solve (like “Add mathematical signs without rearranging the numbers to make an equation.” 3 2 8 1 One solution being 3 to the 2nd power = 8 + 1.) These can take him up to 10 minutes sometimes.
I’m sure the more he does them the quicker he’ll get. We are doing one lesson every two days and it takes us about 20 minutes per day. Like the other poster said, some of the lessons are supposed to take 2 to 3 days and with less than 90 lessons in the manual, it should fit into a school year nicely. I would keep the lessons under 20 minutes a day and after a few months, see how you are progressing throughout the year.
HTH!
Mj – If the warm-ups are taking 10 minutes I’d treat it as a separate topic. For example, I get my younger son started on his handwriting (he sits right next to me and has permission to interrupt any time) then start the warm-ups for the older boys. Once they’re working on a game or worksheet I go back to the younger boy and help him transition to his next lesson (usually Explode the Code). Is there something you can teach to another child during the time he’s doing his warm-up? And can you do the warm-up during one part of the day and the actual lesson later, or vice versa?
Another option, and one I’ve just started using and love, is workboxes. Right now my boys each have 6 boxes. One of them is a math box and it usually contains a simple drill sheet. Sometimes it’s “go play such and such game with your brother” or a puzzle or something. It’s a way for them to do the practice drills which I never remember to have them do or to get more game time in. They work independently on the workboxes and because it’s a drill or warm-up or game they don’t need my help to do it as we’ve already covered the material.
Those upper levels sound hard! I’m so glad I started with the boys in A and B because it’s really helping me re-learn my basic math facts. Hopefully I’ll be able to do Level E when they’re ready!!!
Best of luck!
Heather
I love the workboxes idea! I guess I’ve been thinking ‘inside the box’ (punn intended!)
I never thought to have drill type activities at separate times….I feel so silly not having thought of such a simple solution as this. As for the upper levels, I can see how starting from Level A would’ve been very helpful since the methods used in this program not only develop math skills but really teach how to think. I believe if he had done this program from the beginning then these puzzles would be a little bit easier for him.
Thanks everyone for your encouragement and ideas.
I’m sure the more he does them the quicker he’ll get. 
I never thought to have drill type activities at separate times….I feel so silly not having thought of such a simple solution as this. Viewing 10 posts - 1 through 10 (of 10 total)
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