So far we are in a rather pre Algebra sort of place, children ages 10 & 12. That is all my fault you see. They were quite ready a few years ago.. But having my 1st grader and 3rd grader jumping into solving for x and other wonderful things just rather FREAKED me out... can i just be honest with you...
especially when I was struggling to comprehend at the time how a 1st grader could grasp algebra when said child still didn't have the multiplication table memorized, and all her peers were still doing basic addition.... It was a bit of mental overload frankly... But the Lord is patient, and full of grace and tender mercies, and so are my children, PRAISE GOD! and so here I am, flying through curriculum I bought back then.... flying literally, and having fun... understanding a little more now about 2E, and how they LEAP ahead and fill in gaps as they go, or don't and that is why you are there...
not to teach them everything sequentially, but to fill in the blanks as they leap and bound, to research and prepare for the next bound, the next leap, to anticipate and to pray they land safely.
sometimes they don't and there is a bump or bruise, and feelings are hurt, and someone is misunderstood, and we must be there to tell them they are sooo smart! That everyone has an "off day"; a "bad day" a day when things just don't "click", where the lights don't "go on"... They need us to rub their shoulders and soothe them, because these are the days they just feel....
STUPID....
even on the smart days, they remember the bad ones, and believe them.... it's like believing LIES from the pit of hell.... it haunts them, telling them, "they aren't as smart as people think", look at how hard they have to work at this, or at that.... "must be pretty dumb".... they start believing these good days are flukes....
It is our job to remind them, to fill them with the truth, to bathe them in it. That the Sun shines on us all, and the rain falls on us all, and we will all have gloomy days, stumbling bumbling days sometimes weeks, when we trip over our own feet... Blustery Days as Winnie the Pooh would say... and they can make EVERYTHING seem soo much darker than it really is...
WE need to be hopeful, full of LIGHT, full of TRUTH, and ever mindful, that our children, are REAL people too, with real fears and doubts, real trials and real stress.... and they need real counsel, not pat answers and easy dismissal...
And so... I am learning.... and I am back to Algebra, the basics, the Pre stuff... The getting their minds pumped and primed and Rearing to rock and roll, and mine are VISUAL SPACIAL LEARNERS... ( I bolded that because you may want to google it... and I wanted to remind myself to blog about that another time... sort of a note to self :)! )
Fun additions to what we are doing right now in our Math Class are Pre Algebra BLAST OFF by Josh Rappaort, published by Singing Turtle Press.... This is very fun, it has a great comic book style story line to give children a great grasp of zero, and positives and negatives and how they work in linear equations. Also in this book are fun worksheets, and game pieces to give the hildren who learn more concretely or kinestheticly a better grasp... it is great for the Visual Spacial Learner, very fun and the story is great to refer back to again and again!
Another wonderful, and I would consider a more core curriculum in regards to preparing children for Algebra is HANDS ON EQUATIONS by Henry Borenson. This is VERY very excellent for the visual spatial, kinesthetic learner, as well as the linear! The rules of Algebra are laid out much like the rules of a game, and the children learn them incrementally, it is very fun, and there are only 10 problems per page.... 4 problems on the new concept and 6 review problems... GREAT program
For our main curriculum we use Singapore Math! We like this program very much, but because my children are sooo Visual Spacial ... we found that Singapore just wasn't cutting the mustard when it came to FRACTIONS, and so for that we opted to run over to Steve Demme with MATH U SEE!!! I was hesitant at first, thinking ... what am I crazy... so much math,.... so many curriculum... oi vey... but I have not regretted my decision one minute! It was great for my family, especially since sometimes they can become a bit fixated on a topic, and then need a complete break, but not be done with numbers... This was a wonderful solution for us....
This month I am going to be trying a "trial membership" with ALEKS.... an online math community for my children... To see if we enjoy this educational option for those months we are on the road traveling... I think it may suit our needs, and be less for me to pack in my suitcase. Packing for oversea's long term trips is NOT easy, with kids who LOVE to learn, so, I would love to hear from any of you who have used ALEKS, both any pro's and any con's to this curriculum would be helpful. I will blog about our thoughts as we go through our trial. Each child is different, so what works for one, may not for the other, and I will be sure to blog about the opinions and thoughts of each! Be sure to come back and read!
Also, any thoughts, opinions or suggestions for Algebra I would be well received, as I am researching NOW :)
They are flying, and leaping and bounding, and wh, ,o KNOWS when they will finish what I have for them.... next month? I must be ready.....
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