Math:
For math this year Hunter is continuing to use the workbook provided by the charter school we were using last year - Progress in Mathematics by Sadlier-Oxford. He enjoys math and is good at it. His mind is always thinking in numbers - he is constantly counting or adding things. He is almost halfway done with the first grade workbook, and I am still deciding what we will do when he finishes it.
Madison is using the MCP workbook, 4th grade level. She placed advanced on her STAR tests last year in everything except multiplication so we really need to work on memorizing those this year. She is pretty good at math most of the time, but is easily frustrated when something is hard for her.
Kaden is learning to count. He knows up to 5 pretty well. Usually while the other two are working on their math he will sit at the table and color in a coloring book or a blank notebook. While in Target the other day we found some cute little monster stamps and he has really liked playing with those. We will count how many of each one he stamps and we also make patterns with them. Besides actually learning the numbers, he is working on fine motor control and just getting in the habit of doing "work."
In the past I have struggled to keep the kids attention on their work - a simple math worksheet that should really only take a few minutes would take an hour or more, due to doodling, dawdling, and distractions. About a year ago, I startedbribing them giving them an incentive. Now, each child gets a small amount of candy (like 5 M&M's) in a paper cup. We go over any new material in the lesson and what I expect them to accomplish, then I set the kitchen timer for 10 or 15 minutes. If I notice them being distracted from their work, I take one of the candies from their cup. When the timer beeps, they can eat their candy. At that time, sometimes they want to keep working, but I don't require it. If they haven't finished they just continue the next day. Hunter can usually finish two or more worksheets during this time, and Madison usually gets one done - her problems are more difficult, though.
Friday is a fun day here, so we play games instead of doing workbooks. I like Math Card War and Chess, but I also allow games that are more fun, and less "math-y." We also try to do a cooking project on Fridays - which incorporates some math as well. Last Friday Madison and Hunter made blueberry muffins from scratch, with very little help from me.
For math this year Hunter is continuing to use the workbook provided by the charter school we were using last year - Progress in Mathematics by Sadlier-Oxford. He enjoys math and is good at it. His mind is always thinking in numbers - he is constantly counting or adding things. He is almost halfway done with the first grade workbook, and I am still deciding what we will do when he finishes it.
Madison is using the MCP workbook, 4th grade level. She placed advanced on her STAR tests last year in everything except multiplication so we really need to work on memorizing those this year. She is pretty good at math most of the time, but is easily frustrated when something is hard for her.
Kaden is learning to count. He knows up to 5 pretty well. Usually while the other two are working on their math he will sit at the table and color in a coloring book or a blank notebook. While in Target the other day we found some cute little monster stamps and he has really liked playing with those. We will count how many of each one he stamps and we also make patterns with them. Besides actually learning the numbers, he is working on fine motor control and just getting in the habit of doing "work."
In the past I have struggled to keep the kids attention on their work - a simple math worksheet that should really only take a few minutes would take an hour or more, due to doodling, dawdling, and distractions. About a year ago, I started
Friday is a fun day here, so we play games instead of doing workbooks. I like Math Card War and Chess, but I also allow games that are more fun, and less "math-y." We also try to do a cooking project on Fridays - which incorporates some math as well. Last Friday Madison and Hunter made blueberry muffins from scratch, with very little help from me.
1 comment:
Wow! Very impressive. I admire your enthusiasm. I do "school" with Tyler but he has very little interest in sitting down working on coloring or writing. He enjoys singing and flash cards but only if it is very interactive.
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