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Pick the Perfect
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I know I have worried about teaching math, especially high school geometry, algebra and calculus.
Choosing the right home school math curriculum for your child makes all the difference in achieving math success.
Many types of curriculum are available to help make teaching lessons easy, as well as fun and interesting.
Your home school math curriculum should:
- Create confident problem solvers.
- Foster the enjoyment of learning math.
- Provide sufficient practice to gain mastery.
- Continually review and integrate previously learned concepts.
Depending on your child and how they like to learn, find a curriculum that presents the material in a methodical, concise and engaging way through real life illustrations, demonstrations or fun activities.
Finding a math program customized for home use will save some head-aches and time on your part. Lessons should be easy for you to teach to your child, or for your child to do independently.
Look for consistent review of concepts previously taught to ensure mastery and reduce forgetfulness of students. We all tend to forget information and facts we don’t use consistently.
Teaching Math at Home.
In your homeschool math lessons, allow your child time to gain mastery, before moving on to more complicated concepts or material. One of the many benefits to homeschooling is the ability to slow down and take as much time as your child needs before advancing.Too often, parents rush to keep up with lesson plans - we fear we’ll fall behind in our schedule.
In our family, we continue our math lessons throughout the summer months. Two or three days a week, my children work on math, eliminating weeks of review at the beginning of the new school year.
Spending a little time during the summer, practicing math or working through lessons creates a more relaxed learning environment during the year. We are usually ahead of where we should be and have time to stop for breaks or to spend time focusing on problem areas before moving on in our lessons.
Take your time - there is no reason to rush.
Foster Fun with Hands-on Math.
If your children are young, you may want to look into a hands-on math curriculum with fun, colorful manipulatives like counting bears, pattern blocks, color tiles, Geoboards, and tangrams.You can also save money by making your own manipulatives, or use items from around the house. Beanie babies, cards, Lego, or other toys are perfect for demonstrating math concepts to younger children.
You do not have to use traditional home school math curriculum, like the text books or worksheets that you used, while growing up.
Programs like Math-U-See provide parents an easy, hands-on solution for teaching complicated math concepts to children of all ages.
Home School Math Text Books.
When your child gains more experience in math, writing and working independently, you can switch to a traditional text book for math.My children start using math text books in the fourth grade, once they have mastered the basics, can sit for some time and can copy questions out of their text. All children are different, so see what works best for your child.
Multi-media Math Lessons.
Home school math curriculum through video, DVD, and computer software may be more interesting to your child, or you can use these programs to enrich their lessons or supplement your curriculum.Home School Math Software.
Your child may enjoy doing math lessons on the computer. Software programs make math more fun and engaging for a disinterested student.Computer based homeschooling provides busy parents a wonderful way to deviate from typical text book type lessons. Multi-media engages your child and may help them learn certain concepts easier.
If you use a software program only, make sure it provides adequate practice questions and work to reinforce the lessons. I checked out a Geometry software program for my high school daughter this year, and was not impressed at all.
It was from a popular online homeschool academy, but I found there were not enough questions at the end of the lessons for her to work on. Some lessons only had one or two problems - not nearly enough for a quality high school course.
Home School Math Curriculum on Video or DVD.
Teaching math doesn’t have to be hard, frustrating or time-consuming. You will find some popular math curriculum on video or DVD. Recorded lessons, taught by a qualified instructor in a working classroom, provide an easy solution to math misery!Some programs offer teacher assistance or one-on-one tutoring for your child should difficulties arise. Paying the extra fee/s, may be money well spent, for convenient and hassle-free help!
Home School Math Curriculum Programs.
Some home school math curriculum doesn't fit into the traditional home schooling text book, worksheet, or multi-media category. Math programs, written by unsatisfied, yet experience and knowledgeable parents and/or former teachers, or professionals, make teaching math at home, easy.Money and Time-saving Tips.
1. Don’t skimp on your math program.Make sure you buy the teacher manual, test and answer keys, and solution manual (for older grades). Having the complete lessons and answers available, saves you time and eliminates unnecessary frustration.
2. Use your older children to tutor your younger students.
It will reinforce the concepts they have already mastered and provide a way for them to help others, and learn to teach or communicate clearly.
3. Younger children can help too!
When my older daughter spent time each day going over her flashcards, my younger daughter would hold them up for her older sister and tell her if she got the correct answer. It saved time, and helped my older daughter learn her math facts and my younger daughter, her numbers.
4. Accredited curriculum doesn't mean better.
Accredited homeschooling curriculum doesn't mean it's better than non-accredited materials. Accreditation just means that the curriculum has been approved by a third-party accrediting agency.
Choose quality educational programs and courses that meet both your family's needs and budget.
Homeschool Math Help.
From a homeschool co-op to personal tutors, you can find professional and knowledgeable people providing perplexed parents and struggling students, needed help and guidance.Check out local home school support groups for available classes, support services or professionals, who offer math assistance or tutoring.
Our homeschool group posts information about area services to help home educators in their homeschooling journey. We also have parents with math backgrounds available for co-op members who need assistance. Sometimes we offer a math class to assist students.
You will also find loads of supplemental materials, practice problems and help online through home school math curriculum websites, homeschool forums, and message boards.
Math curriculum publishers like Saxon, offer homeschool parents a convenient way to obtain the help you need when using their programs in your home school. Check your publisher’s website, first to see if they offer free email or phone support.
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