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: An Instrument for Living Teaching, arithmetic, CM math, math, Mathematics, Multiplication

This topic has 6 replies, 4 voices, and was last updated 11 years, 7 months ago by my3boys.

Viewing 7 posts - 1 through 7 (of 7 total)

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October 2, 2013 at 1:44 pm
my3boys
Participant
I would like to know if there is a special notebook used for the multiplication tables or a printable grid large enough for a young child whose handwriting is still large?
Also, if you had already been using a different program to introduce math, but would like to transition to this handbook, how would you approach this with your dc? I can probably figure it out with my youngest (7) but my 6th grader may find it overwhelming. He’s not crazy about change, even if it’s better for him, but I think how place value is described in the handbook would help him and using the tables for multiplication.
I may have more questions, but I can’t think right now. Thanks in advance.

October 2, 2013 at 2:17 pm
TailorMade
Participant
To which handbook do you refer?
October 2, 2013 at 2:29 pm
my3boys
Participant
http://simplycharlottemason.com/store/mathematics-an-instrument-for-living-teaching/
An Instrument for Living Teaching by Richele Baburina
I forgot they had the business curriculum, so I thought “math handbook” would be enough description in my thread’s title, sorry 🙂
October 2, 2013 at 3:37 pm
Sara B.
Participant
http://www.printablepaper.net/category/graph  This link has printable graph paper in many sizes. One of them said one square per inch, I think.
I wish I could answer your 2nd question, but I am wondering the same thing! 🙂
October 2, 2013 at 4:44 pm
my3boys
Participant
Thank you, Sara B.
I think I may need to read a bit more, gather some simple supplies and just start over, to a degree, with my dc. My youngest could actually do without writing out problems for awhile, we’re going to do that this morning, instead of his reg. math text..then I’ll incorporate some writing once he’s mastered some concepts by memory. My other ds really needs a different way of “seeing” multiplication. He has some facts memorized and he understands the concept of “it’s a faster way of adding” “skip counting” but something is not sticking. I think he does need some time manipulating the numbers/facts and “seeing” it in a different way than MUS is right now. I love how Mr. Demme describes certain concepts but this child has such issues with the abstract. CM seems to be introducing it in a different way…what does she say?? Using the manipulatives freely to add, subtract, multiply, divide mentally without the aid of manipulatives before his is to the work on paper.
My ds who struggles with math seems to be hung up on what the numbers/digits on paper represent…they’re too abstract. He does well, at times, but something is missing in his understanding. He seems to need more time working with “live” objects, LOL.
Got to run…thank you for your help.
October 2, 2013 at 8:12 pm
Richele Baburina
Participant
Hi my3boys,
I have two different resources for purchasing very inexpensive gridded math notebooks that are kid-friendly and they are in this post on specifics of writing in a CM math education. They are 2.5 squares/inch and 3 squares/inch. I’ll try to get a picture up of one of my child’s multiplication tables or post something in more depth regarding multiplication tables. You are right about her methods, just as we use oral narration before written, so writing is used sparingly in arithmetic so the laborious act doesn’t take on more significance than the ideas and habits to be fostered in the early years.
HTH,
Richele
October 2, 2013 at 10:30 pm
my3boys
Participant
Thanks Richele. I was hoping you would chime in.
For some reason, this ds of mine who is somewhat controlling, OCD-ish, creative, dramatic, “artsy” has a difficult time with the order of operation, sequencing, and the abstract. Orally, just like with oral narrations, he seems to be able to manage word problems and/or simple drills, but, when he hits the paper it just doesn’t make sense. Then sometimes it’s the other way around; on paper he does fine but during real life applications he struggles (I have to say that he is making progress, but it has been slow going, and when I think we have overcome a topic, it’s back to the drawing board).
The concept of 2 10’s will sometimes cause him to pause (when he is grabbing the MUS blocks) or 20, 3 times. Just the idea of grabbing 2 10’s three times can cause great confusion.
Anyhow, I appreciate your guidance, and the handbook, I’ve finally been able to read and digest:) I’m starting to understand, I think, that the tables (notebooks) would be akin to a Book of Centuries; you only add who you’ve studied and/or mastered. And at that time the numbers/sums should be familiar, like old friends. I wish I had understood this before. It wouldn’t be so bad to not completely understand if your child is “math-minded” then most CM-friendly texts would do, but that is clearly not the case with my ds.
Thanks again!