I Stopped Using Maths Curriculum

I stopped using a maths curriculum. I have a collection of maths curriculums. I put them all away. Maybe we will use them in the future but for now I put them away. J still has his maths curriculum. No way am I teaching Algebra I without a book. Actually, I don't teach Algebra I, DIVE does that. I just grade the work.

On my shelf I have Math-U-See (MUS), Saxon, Horizons, and we have tried computer based programs as well. Now they are all moved off my shelf.

I have written at various times about the challenges Miss K has with maths, MUS here, MUS here, and Saxon Math here. It won't take long to read those updates that maths has been a struggle.

The reason I put them aside is that these are going a bit too fast or there just isn't enough review for her. For example after working on math facts for three years, she still does not have her math facts down. That is such a basis that it is difficult to continue without math facts.

I said and considered the goals for Miss K in regards to maths. I am not giving up on math facts but we are working it slow. At this time she has her plus zero facts and plus 1 facts. We are working on plus two, doubles and making ten.

So in order to learn these we have been working on drill and trying different ways to get the facts into her memory.

We have used various manipulative to add the kinetic aspect to our learning. Here she is using blocks to visually show the "making ten" facts.

Today we worked with our treat manipulatives to again make ten.

Miss K can count by 2's and so I have her write it out both odd and even. That gives us a guide for the plus two facts. With the numbers on her paper we go through the drill cards.

We also spend some time counting and skip counting. I have a dot-to-dot book that we have used over the past few years. I still improvement because she used to struggle with doing it and now she is almost able to do it on her own.

Money and time are practical things that we are working on. Her Christmas gifts included some maths games -- Pop to the Shops, Bus Stop, and Tell the Time.

I really like Pop to the Shops. It is a good money game with buying and selling. It helps learn some of the coins and if you have enough money to buy something.

So for now we are using various things to learn the math facts. Maybe someday we will go back to some of the maths curriculums on the shelf but for now we need to learn our facts.

Beth