Weekly Homeschool Roundup: 10/19/19

Some homeschool weeks go by in the blink of an eye. (Actually, most do, right?)

I enjoyed having my daughter home for her fall break. We spent lots of time together - and finally got to see the Downton Abbey movie! It didn’t disappoint. I love all things Downton Abbey, but I think I love the soundtrack the most.

A lot of time has been spent on the basketball court. My son plays for a local private school and the practice schedule is INTENSE. He really enjoys it and I can see that it is SO good for him. Therefore - it is off to the 5:45 a.m. practices we go! (yawn)

I hope you didn’t miss the post about math success earlier this week.

I field a lot of questions about different math programs and did a little explaining in the post. I also talked about some other keys to math success - and this is coming from a non-math person. The important thing is, however, that I can facilitate a successful math education for my children by seeking out the appropriate resources and opportunities.

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I'm excited to share 5 good things with you.

It seems like math games, audio content, and fine arts pervade the recommendations.

• The World & Everything In It

  This is a trusted news source for our family. I consider it part of Grant’s homeschool to listen to this on a regular basis. Watching mainstream media isn’t an option for me (too much stress, polarization, and I’m not sure what information I can trust). This daily podcast presents news from a Christian Worldview and in a very calm, dignified manner. I appreciate the emphasis on Supreme Court cases and the short segments of information that keep a teen’s attention.

• Number Jugglers - The Number Ladder Game

  This is a FABULOUS math game for children of ALL ages. I played it this week with a 4th-grade friend of mine. Basically, it involves using numbers to make equations. It allows children to play with numbers and come up with different possible solutions. It can also be taken to the extreme by our older children (my son was saying something about the power of zero?). You can buy the game used on Amazon (the book includes a lot of variations on the game, too) or you can see the instructions here and create your own number cards.

• To Your Brain, Audiobooks are Not Cheating

  If you have a child for whom reading is a chore, don’t feel one bit guilty about using audiobooks. This article just confirmed what I already know: audiobooks are awesome! I listen A LOT and I’m trying to convince my son of the joys of audiobooks. I have been listening to a lot of the books for Challenge 1 on audio (To Kill a Mockingbird was amazing!)

• The Homeschool Sisters Podcast - Gameschooling by Subject

  Do you include games in your homeschool? I really love all of the ideas presented in this podcast. If you’re going to take the time to listen to a podcast, you might as well get a bunch of good ideas from it - and that is exactly what this episode provides.

Music & Nature Study

In November my friend Cindy West (Our Journey Westward & No Sweat Nature Studies) and I are teaming up to give my SQUILT LIVE! members a treat. We will be learning about Aaron Copland’s Appalachian Spring in our music lessons and Cindy will be presenting a nature study lesson about the Appalachian Mountains. Aaron Copland is my favorite composer and I’m so excited to share about him with the students. If you’d like to give your children some quality music appreciation and nature study combined in November, please join us!

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I will be traveling to South Florida next week to be with my dad. He is having surgery Monday morning.

Please keep us in your prayers.

It’s a good thing my husband works from home because Grant won’t have to miss a homeschool beat while I’m away. And, through the miracle of FaceTime, I’m sure I can keep up with his schoolwork while I am away.

It is also at times like this that I am reminded of one of the biggest benefits of homeschooling: community. Our homeschool community supports and lifts each other up during times like this. I already have a meal from a friend in the freezer. I have offers of rides for Grant. I’m pretty sure my family will be taken care of while I am away.

As always, let me know if there was a good thing you’d like to share with the Homegrown Learners community.

Leave it in the comments below!

3 Keys to Math Success in Your Homeschool

Teaching our homeschoolers math is exciting!

(I’m not kidding. Stick with me.)

As you probably know, music is my thing (math - not so much).

I have learned, however, how to facilitate a successful math education for my children. This is the most important thing - knowing my children so well and being able to seek out resources and advice that will help them succeed in what interests them.

I’ve now facilitated math education for pre-school through high school and feel qualified to equip you on this topic as well.

With the array of choices available to the homeschooling parent, it’s no wonder math flummoxes most of us.

But the good news is this: there is a math program (and help) for EVERY type of learner out there.

We aren’t locked into Common Core Math. We aren’t stuck with whatever program our school district decides to adopt this year. We have the FREEDOM to give our children a beautiful, comprehensive math education.

That - in my book - is an exciting thing!

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Make Math Multi-Sensory

From the time children are little - and onward - strive to make math multi-sensory and engaging. You might have a child that learns by doing, or maybe your child learns by hearing - know how your child learns and play to those strengths when teaching math!

• Turn everyday activities into math

  If you buy 8 bananas at the grocery store and dad eats two, how many will be left? If your child has 20 Matchbox cars, can you make groups of 5? Groups of 4? Can you tell a story about the cars and turn it into a math problem? Math is everywhere if you just capitalize on the opportunities.

• Play games!

  This is something children of ALL AGES can do. Incorporate games into your homeschool and it won’t seem like “math” time. Check out some of our favorite fun math games here. We also have one game that is our VERY FAVORITE. I still play math games with my teen.

• Use Music

  My children learned their math facts with music. The best success we had with multiplication facts was through Hap Palmer’s Multiplication Mountain.

• Read Living Books

  Check out living math books from the library - often! Sir Cumference was one of our favorite series. There are so many if you just look

• Use Manipulatives

  Manipulatives like LEGO bricks, Unifix Cubes, Counting Bears — those all give our tactile kids a leg up in math! My youngest simply “played math” when his big sister was working in her math workbook. I gave him some addition flashcards and showed him how to build the cards. Who knew what a hit that would be?

Be Willing to Make a Change (but keep it consistent)

How’s that for confusing? Be willing to change, but keep it consistent.

In our homeschool we made some big changes in math at certain points in time. My kids knew, however, that math education was always consistent and that once we had made a well-researched change to a different math program we were going to STICK WITH IT.

Math cannot be a hit or miss endeavor.

I know there are many math programs available. We have experience with three, and I feel like both of my children have gotten a solid math education.

• Saxon Math

  Saxon served us well in the elementary and middle grade years. I appreciated the spiral approach, drill, repetition, and rigor. Saxon laid a firm foundation for my children. We used the program exactly as it was spelled out - and we used the HOMESCHOOL EDITION - not the more recent editions which incorporate some elements of Common Core.

• Mr. D Math

  Oh how I love Mr. D Math! Mr. D’s program literally saved my oldest child from math meltdown! The key here was Mr. D’s personal interaction during his live lessons and a curriculum that was just enough for my non-math kid to handle. I highly recommend this program if your child needs confidence and a solid math program.

• Shormann Math

  My youngest child is quite good at math - and enjoys it, too. We kept him going in Saxon Math until 9th grade. It seemed that the spiral design was just TOO MUCH for him. He was getting math done, but it was taking increasingly longer and he was seeing it as drudgery. Additionally, I needed a program that gave comprehensive video instruction that was designed for the more serious minded math student.

  Enter Shormann Math. 75% of my son’s Challenge class has switched to Shormann from Saxon and the majority of them are happy with the switch. One of my son’s friends put it this way:

It's helpful to be able to go at your own pace by pausing the lectures. The way he (Shormann) layers new information on makes it easier to learn. The extra history and Biblical view point is fascinating.

The problem sets are quicker but more intense than Saxon which helps with the way I learn. It holds my attention better. When I don't understand a problem or concept in the problem set, I can go back to that lessons transcript of the lecture and find what I'm looking for quickly and efficiently.

Keep the End in Mind

What is your goal for your child’s math education?

Keep these questions in mind as you are thinking about (and constantly re-evaluating) math in your homeschool:

• Do you have a math kid? (If you don’t, why are you pushing them through the most rigorous program out there?)

• Is your child college bound? (If they are, know the math requirements for the ACT and SAT)

• What is the highest level of math you want them to take? (Put that level in their senior year and then make your plan backwards!)

• Do you need help teaching math? (Maybe your child needs an online program or a tutor/in person class.)

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The Homeschool Parent and Math

Finally, I’ve had to embark on some serious self-education in math. This has involved research, and (yikes) sitting down at certain points to do the same math as my children as a show of solidarity.

Math is a thing of beauty. We don’t just do math for math’s sake.

The logical order of math is a gift from God, and it has always been imperative that my children know this.

God is in math - and in all things. This is the heart of it, really.

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What is your homeschool math experience?

I’d love to hear from you in the comments below!

You might also enjoy:

3 Ways to Lay Down Rails with Math

Homeschool Math in the Middle and High School Years