When my kids were young, I pieced together a lot of different resources to teach them to read. This was fine, until it wasn’t working. One of my kids struggled for quite some time, so eventually we added daily practice with Reading Eggs to our school time. This bit of extra practice and support was just the thing my child needed and today is an avid reader.

*Please Note: This is a sponsored review of Mathseeds and Homeschool Max, but all opinions are entirely my own after testing the program. Read our full disclosure policy here.

Homeschool Max Review

If you would prefer to use a reading program that already has everything you need to successfully teach your child, PLUS access to a complete math program, be sure to check out Homeschool Max.

With a Homeschool Max account, you not only get access to all the great, award-winning programs (Reading Eggs, Reading Eggspress, Fast Phonics & Mathseeds), but you also get the planning, reporting and offline resources you need to round out a math and reading program for your child.

All on the NEW easy-to-use homeschool platform!

If you’re not familiar, Mathseeds is an online math program for ages 3-9. Using short animated videos, catchy songs and practice activities, kids work at their own pace through the 200 lessons.

Here are some things I love about Mathseeds: 

Use of visuals & stories

• • • In both the placement test and the individual lessons, there are important visual models used such as number lines. In addition, lessons begin with a story context before moving to abstract symbols. For example, in the division lessons, the videos and practice focus on understanding division as sharing between equal groups. No equations or division symbols were used (not even the word division). This builds on what kids already know intuitively (sharing equally with their friends) before moving to the abstract.

Short, kid-friendly videos & songs

• • • In between math practice tasks, there are short videos where the animated characters discuss the concept or sing a song related to the topic. These are short enough to hold young kids’ attention, and talk to them in a way that makes sense (again, not using abstract terms or vocabulary).

Emphasis on learning, not speed

• • • In each lesson, there is plenty of practice for kids on a particular topic, but there are no timers or buzzers. They can take their time and think through each task, and if they make a mistake, they are simply told, “That’s not quite right, try again,” rather than being penalized or immediately given the correct answer.

Review is woven throughout

• • As kids make their way through the lessons, they will occasionally encounter review tasks from previous lessons. This ensures they always circle back to earlier topics and have a chance to review.

When you sign up for a Homeschool Max account, you get access to the full Mathseeds program, but also so much more.

Here are some features that I love about the Homeschool Max dashboard:

Clear Reporting 

See what lessons your child has been working on, what skills they’ve covered, how much time they have spent on their lessons, and more.

I especially love the “Skills Mastered” reporting page. This gives a snapshot of progress they’re making through the lessons AND whether they passed on 1st attempt, 2nd/3rd attempt or did not pass.

You can then find resources in the Teacher Toolkit, Big Books, or Printables Library to help remediate that specific skill.

In the “Fluency Sprints” report you can see a snapshot of which mental math tasks they’ve worked on, how many questions they got right, time spent, and number of attempts.

Easily Assign Lessons for Your Child

Notice that your child didn’t do well on a specific math lesson? Easily assign specific lessons for them to complete before they can do anything else on the Mathseeds program.

This is a great way to have them go back and review, fill in gaps that you notice and also hold them accountable (they will receive a notification about the assignment on the Mathseeds website).

An Abundance of Additional Resources for the Teacher

Probably my favorite part of the new Homeschool Max dashboard is the HUGE variety of support and resources available for you as the teacher.

I strongly believe that students should not only learn math (or any subject for that matter) on a screen.

While there are so many things to love about the Mathseeds online lessons and games, it is important that kids also spend time doing math with pencil and paper, and actual, hands-on manipulatives.

Thankfully, Mathseeds includes beautifully designed, easy to use worksheets to cover all the same math topics as the online program, printable manipulatives & visual models, and beautiful color posters for your wall or their math notebook.

There are also problem solving challenges to go along with the lessons to help you teach critical thinking, problem solving strategies and reinforce the math skills they’re learning.

This library of resources is a great complement to the program for so many reasons: 

• Use the worksheets to reinforce what they’re doing online
• Continue learning and reviewing even if you’re on the road or without a device
• Use visual models & manipulatives to provide hands-on practice
• Incorporate weekly (or more) problem solving activities to give kids confidence tackling word problems and to help them think creatively about problem solving

Here’s an overview of the teacher resource sections on Homeschool Max: 

Specific Lessons: 

For each lesson, you can download a worksheet, skills practice, and problem solving challenge to go along with the lesson.

In addition, there’s a teacher hand out with a list of objectives, answer key for the worksheet and a list of other resources or game ideas related to the topic.

You can also preview each lesson before deciding to assign it to be sure it’s hitting on the skills your child needs to work on.

Teacher Toolkit: 

In the toolkit, you can find posters, & simple printable resources, such as visuals and manipulatives (base ten blocks, fraction bars, place value charts, etc.).

You can also find ready-to-use printable tests to assess understanding, and “Big Books” which are digital ebooks covering a huge variety of math topics (these also include ‘book notes’ which provide ideas for discussion).

If needed, you can also look at curriculum maps by state so you can see which lessons align to your specific standards–this is great for picking and assigning specific lessons to go along with your curriculum if you are using Mathseeds as a supplement, or if you are required to follow specific standards.

Printables Library (K-3 Math): 

Want all worksheets for a specific math strand in one download? Check the printables library! This makes it easy to:

1. Download all ‘problem solving challenges’ in a single pdf
2. Download topic-specific printable workbooks to focus on a specific skill

Want a sneak peek of the dashboard? Check out the Homeschool Max video below where I walk you through all that’s available with Homeschool Max:

Ready to get started? Using the link below, you can try out Homeschool Max (including Mathseeds and all their other programs!) FREE for 30 days. 

START YOUR 30 DAY FREE TRIAL OF HOMESCHOOL MAX HERE. 

The post Homeschool Max & Mathseeds Review – With Sneak Peek Video appeared first on Math Geek Mama.

It’s that time of year again: Back to School! Unless you homeschool year round, you are probably gearing up for a new year (or have already started!). And while I enjoyed some summer travels, as well as the many lazy days, late nights and relaxed mornings, fall is nearly upon us and it’s time to get back to the structure and accountability of school. And I’m excited about that! I was not, however, ready to jump right back into a daily, structured homeschool routine!

Before I share my back to homeschool tips, just know that the main point of the whole article is this: do what works for you and your kids in this season. What works for me might not work for you. And what worked for you last year might not work this year, and that’s ok! So let’s dive in!

*Please Note: This post contains affiliate links which help support the work of this site. Read our full disclosure policy here.*

I’ll be honest, when my kids were little, there were definitely years when the transition from summer to a structured homeschool routine was incredibly difficult and stressful.

But over time, I learned tips and ideas from other homeschool moms to make things easier (and more fun!) when it’s time to start a daily homeschool routine again. So I hope these tips help you too!

So before we got started again, I did some things to prepare to set us up for a great first week and a great homeschool year.

08/2020 UPDATE: After a weird and hard year, easing into a new routine is going to be more important than ever! If you are stepping into homeschooling for the first time, or doing distance learning at home, I hope some of these tips are useful and encouraging for you!

7 Tips to Prepare For a Daily Homeschool Routine:

1. Be Realistic

Even though I would love to get up at 5 am and be super productive and get all the housework and blog work done and then have a delicious hot breakfast ready for my kids at 7 so we could start school, that’s just not me. I know that I am not a morning person, and I do not want to set myself (or my kids) up for failure!

So our routine and mornings look a little different, and I’m ok with that. I know that the first week would be an adjustment, so I do not plan overly full lessons, and we don’t even start on Monday. Mondays are hard and the kids are always tired, so we ease into things on Tuesday or Wednesday. The first week is about having fun and getting used to a daily school schedule again!

I also focus on having a daily plan & routine rather than a daily schedule. In other words, we have a structure or order of things we do (breakfast and morning prayer, then schoolwork, then lunch, etc.) but not at a specific time.

This means I don’t stress out if one day we start at 8:30 but then the next day we start at 9:30. Whenever we get up and going, we just follow the same order of activities until it all gets completed. Now I’m not constantly feeling like we’re “behind schedule.”

2. Prep meals ahead of time

Something that always helps take the stress out of our first couple of weeks is stock my freezer with meals. I wanted our first few school days to be as smooth and enjoyable as possible. And one thing that I absolutely hate and that stresses me out is cooking dinner. I struggle to come up with ideas and then I struggle to tear myself away from my work or my kids to go chop and slice and cook.

This was super simple thanks to my friend Sharla’s freezer meal plans! She shares tons of great tips to make it simple, and the meal plans include simple directions and grocery lists, making planning easy!

Another thing I did when my kids were little is to make lunches for the whole week on Sunday. I know this may sound crazy, but lunch always became a stressful time of day, and always took more time than it should because I tried to get the kids to clean up while I fixed lunch. The problem was, they needed my help/supervision to clean up, and so the whole process took a lot longer than necessary and often resulted in frustration and yelling.

So by having lunches ready, I could focus on being with the kids and guiding them through clean up, and then we would go down for lunch together.

Now that my kids are older (middle/high school), this is not an issue. They don’t need me to supervise clean up or make them lunch, so things are much smoother.

But if lunch time ends in frustration or melt downs, prep on Sunday night! A few tips that helped me back in the day:

• Use a whole loaf of bread to make pb&j sandwiches, then put all the sandwiches back in the bread bag and stick it in the fridge.
• Chop up a variety of fruits and veggies and keep them in the fridge
• Bag individual servings of crackers/goldfish/chips (whatever your kids like) and store them in the panty

Then you’ve got easy to grab lunches ready each day!

3. Have a Morning Routine for Yourself

When you homeschool, you spend all day, everyday with your kids. And although this is one of the amazing benefits of homeschooling, the reality of it is also incredibly exhausting, especially for an introvert like me. So even though I am not a morning person, I DO make sure I have at least a half an hour of quiet with my bible and a cup of coffee before joining the kids for breakfast. This time allows me to wake up, spend time with the Lord and prepare myself for the day ahead.

These days, my kids are older and more independent, but I still need a few minutes to myself in the morning. Since my high schooler takes art at a local school, we have to be out the door at 8 am. So I just make sure to bring my coffee with me and have some quiet time in the car while she’s in class!

What you need to do to start your day on the right foot will look different than me, but that’s ok! Figure out what it is that you need and make it happen. Maybe for you it means a chance to exercise and shower, or read that book you’ve been neglecting. Whatever it is, take time to make it a priority.

Need help getting into a working morning routine? Try Crystal Paine’s Make Over Your Mornings course. It has made a huge difference to me this Summer as I’ve had to make adjustments and prepare for our new normal as we start school again!

4. Have an Evening Routine

One of the biggest things I learned from Crystal’s course was the importance of an evening routine. After looking at our weekly schedule, thinking through my goals for our year and finally accepting the fact that I am not a morning person, I came up with a handful of things that we could do in the evenings to set us up for better, less stressful days.

I then discussed it with my husband, and together we came up with a plan to get several things done in the evening. For us, it includes washing the dishes and cleaning up the table and chairs, sweeping the floor and wiping down the kitchen. Having everything clean and ready for breakfast in the morning has been hugely helpful. (Remember I said I wasn’t a morning person??).

Now that my kids are older, they are part of the evening routine. They help handle the dishes/clean up dinner. They do a quick sweep of the school area/living room to put away their things. And they do a quick run of the vacuum. With everyone doing a little bit, it takes no time at all, but we wake up and start our day with a clean(ish) home!

5. Make it a Celebration

To help make it clear to my kids that we are transitioning into “school mode” and that with that comes certain responsibilities, we always make the first day of school a big deal. It doesn’t have to be expensive or time consuming, but having conversations about what it means and how things will change, and having a family celebration to get them excited makes a big difference. They then know what to expect and have a lot of fun!

My friend Pam Barnhill of Your Morning Basket has a fun tradition of grabbing donuts on their first day of school, which I think is an excellent tradition, and a really easy way to make the start of school a fun celebration!

6. Start Your Homeschool Routine Early

No matter when we plan to “officially” start our school year, I start getting my morning routine, evening routine, and earlier bedtimes in place a couple weeks before. This was especially helpful when my kids were younger, but it’s still true now.  This gave me time to figure out what our routine needs to look like and make it a habit before adding daily school lessons into the mix.

By taking baby steps and coming up with a realistic plan, I have been able to have a great first week and ease the transition for many happy years now.

7. Be Prepared

My friend Shelley from STEAM Powered Family is also gearing up for a new year. Her best piece of advice? Be Prepared! She states,

“My goal is to have a big picture plan for our first few weeks. I’m leaving a lot of room for flexibility and I’m including a lot of fun! My goal is to know the material and start our year introducing the lessons we will be learning in a way that gets my boys excited to learn more.”

(I will admit, I am still working on this!

And most of all, relax!! One thing I have learned over the years is that our life, schedule and routine do not need to look like anybody else’s. It needs to look like whatever works best for us!

And the same is true of you. Figure out what works and go with it, and if something isn’t working, try something else!

The post 7 Tips for Easing Back Into a Homeschool Routine appeared first on Math Geek Mama.

*Please Note: This post contains affiliate links which help support the work of this site. Read our full disclosure here.*

Overview of Singapore Math:

Before I really dive into the review and what I love about Singapore Math, I want to share a quick overview of how it came to be.

The Singapore Math philosophy of teaching was developed in the 1980s because the country’s international test scores were among the lowest in the world. Wanting to make improvements, the Singapore government researched and made changes to how things were done in their educational system, specifically in math.

Their framework for math education includes more than just basic facts. It encompasses attitudes toward math, meta cognition (monitoring one’s own learning) and processes just as much as skills and concepts.

Related: What is Singapore Math?

There’s also a focus on beginning with concrete learning (hands on models) then moving to pictorial models and then moving to abstract representations.

This is one of the things that I love about using a Singapore Math approach: the focus is on truly understanding a concept in a variety of ways and allowing kids the space and freedom to explore and discover their own ideas and strategies.

I also love that there is a strong emphasis on mental math strategies, with lots of visuals to help kids develop these skills.

The use of visuals and mental math has really strengthened my kids’ number sense and helped to build a solid foundation.

Finally, I appreciate the spiral nature of the curriculum. By this, I do not mean “spiral” in the way that other curricula are spiral.

For example, some options, such as ShillerMath and Saxon Math, have one or two lessons on a concept and then the next lesson is completely unrelated. But throughout the year, all concepts are seen again as you “spiral” through the lessons.

Singapore Math, on the other hand, spends plenty of time on a concept, giving kids opportunities to play with manipulatives and deepen their understanding before moving on.

But kids learn the concept again later (with slightly more challenging problems or larger numbers).

So for example, when learning basic strategies for addition and subtraction, the focus is first on numbers within 20. But then later, you come back to it and rethink about these strategies within 40. Then again with numbers up to 100, and so on.

I think this is a fantastic way to approach it, because it allows kids to feel confident before moving on, but not spend so much time on it that they’re bored.

And I don’t ever stress about moving to the next unit if my kids still seem a little shaky, because I know we’ll come back to it again.

Benefits of Singapore Math:

So as a homeschooling family, I believe there are a lot of benefits to this curriculum besides the method of instruction.

First, it is one of the most reasonably priced options. Each year, you will need 2 textbooks and 2 workbooks for your child. Purchasing new, these books are about $15 each. But I have often been able to find at least some of them at local homeschool sales.

And since there’s no need to write in the textbooks, those don’t need to be repurchased year after year.

One side note, though, if you’re new to Singapore Math or don’t feel confident in your own math abilities.

There are Home Instructor Guides available that walk you through how to teach each lesson and what workbook exercises to assign. So this would be an additional cost, if you choose to use the teaching guides.

Another benefit is that it’s easy to use, as the lessons are fairly short and (for the most part) the corresponding assignments are an appropriate length.

Each topic begins with a mini lesson, which you’ll walk through with your kids using hands on manipulatives such as base ten blocks or by drawing pictures and models.

Then kids complete the independent work in their workbook.

The textbook tells you when to stop and do some practice in the workbook (see the picture above).

I usually assign one exercise per day. This is usually 2-3 pages, with lots of pictures and white space for kids to write out their thinking.

Occasionally, I assign smaller amounts if it’s a difficult concept or my kids are just having a difficult day (ultimately, we know them best, right?).

But for the most part, I’ve found the assignments to be just enough practice.

Drawbacks of Singapore Math Curriculum:

Although I do love these books and find them easy to use, there are some drawbacks if you’re considering this for your homeschool.

First, the textbooks are not “teachers” like traditional math textbooks. I see the textbooks as more of an invitation to ask questions and explore than books to read and memorize (like most math textbooks).

This could be a problem for you if you are new to the methods and strategies used in Singapore Math and aren’t really sure what you’re supposed to be teaching.

But again, if this is you, simply purchase the corresponding Home Instructor Guide to help you teach the lesson (textbook 3A guide shown below).

And while I generally agree with the scope and sequence, there are a few areas where I divert from the text.

First, I teach telling time using the approach in Math-U-See rather than Singapore. The Singapore Math textbooks begin as most traditional books: time to the hour and half hour first, then later time to the quarter hour, and then finally time to the nearest five minutes.

I prefer to teach to the nearest 5 minutes after working on skip counting by 5’s.

Then we just spend lots of time reviewing time throughout the year.

I also prefer to focus on number sense, place value and mental math in grades K-3, which is generally what Singapore Math does.

But in the 3rd grade books, the traditional algorithm is taught for multi-digit multiplication as well as long division.

I feel like this is early, and not yet necessary, so we’ve stuck to other strategies (using place value and mental math).

This is not to say that I won’t teach the traditional algorithms. I just think there’s plenty of time for that in 4th and 5th grade.

Finally, while I think this is generally a good paced option, some find it to be more rigorous than other curricula and too challenging for their kids.

To that, I would say you simply need to slow down and move at a pace that fits your child’s needs.

We have yet to complete a textbook set within a single school year. There’s nothing wrong with that!

As I mentioned before, due to the spiral review and overlap of concepts from year to year, it’s ok if you don’t get through it all in one year. Especially if you’ve switched from something else to Singapore Math.

If you’re switching, I would also suggest starting one book behind where you think your kids should be. For example, if you’re starting in 3rd grade, begin with book 2B (the second book of 2nd grade).

This will give your child a chance to be familiar with the teachings and style of the book and get caught up if there are any gaps from the previous curriculum.

Getting Started with Singapore Math:

Learn more about how to get started with Singapore Math here.

Here you can also find placement tests, which is especially helpful if you’re transitioning older kids to Singapore.

You can also learn about assessments and supplemental materials that are available here.

There are extra practice workbooks (which I don’t recommend) as well as challenging word problem sets (which I do recommend).

If your child needs extra practice with a particular skill, I would encourage you to find a fun and simple game to review and practice rather than more worksheets. If your child is struggling, more long and tedious worksheets are likely going to discourage them further.

You can also just tackle it again at a later time, when your child might be more ready.

Still unsure or have a question? Do you use and love Singapore Math? Or do you dislike it? Share your thoughts in the comments!

The post Singapore Math: An Overview For Homeschool Families appeared first on Math Geek Mama.

*Please Note: I received a CTC Math membership free in order to give a review, and was compensated for my time. I was not, however, required to give a positive review, and all opinions are my own. Read our full disclosure here.*

NOTE: I have revisited this curriculum and updated the review, as of February 2019. All my new thoughts are indicated by the ** and bold throughout the review.

A Little About CTC Math:

CTC Math is an online, video based math curriculum. It is self-paced, so students can start with the lessons that are appropriate for them and then work through as they feel comfortable.

After each video lesson, there are interactive questions for your child to answer to check for understanding of the lesson.

There is also a printable pdf version of each lesson if you would prefer to have a handout, or would like to keep the notes for a reference.

Benefits of CTC Math:

If you are considering CTC Math for your homeschool, there are several benefits to consider.

First, with a CTC Math family membership, you have access to the entire curriculum from Kindergarten through high school.

This makes it a very affordable option if you have multiple kids at home.

Second, because of the direct, video based instruction, if your child has a question or doesn’t understand, they can simply re-watch the video. Older students might appreciate pausing the video to take notes or work out the problem themselves before moving on.

In addition, the videos are clear and informative, but not overly busy. They’re simple and straightforward, which may be good for kids who struggle with sensory processing or attention deficits.

Another benefit is that the videos are short and focus on one particular skill at a time. This makes it easy to break things down into manageable pieces.

A benefit for moms is that it takes quite a bit of stress off of you by giving your kids a more independent math curriculum. This may be especially beneficial if you are teaching multiple children.

For me, trying to spend math time with each of my kids individually each day can become draining and exhausting.

**2019 Update: I have been using this again with 2 of my 4 kids and have found that allowing them to work through lessons and practice on their own several days a week is very helpful now that all 4 kids are in school.

I still pay close attention to their learning, however, and when they miss a lot of the practice problems, we sit down together with hands on manipulatives to see what types of errors they’re making.

I also direct them to the lessons I want them to work on to make sure they’re covering the skills I want them to focus on.

Some drawbacks of learning math online:

While there are lots of great benefits to this program, there are some drawbacks to using an online curriculum for math.

First, your child may not spend much time doing math with pencil and paper. Writing things down helps process and retain information. So if you choose CTC Math (or another online program) I would simply encourage you to mix things up occasionally and give your child other math assignments to check for understanding.

**2019 Update: CTC Math now includs weekly review sets that incorporate spiral review of previously learned skills. You can print out the colorful set of practice problems for kids to solve and then they can enter their solutions on the computer.

I have been having my kids complete video lessons Monday-Thursday and then work on the review on Fridays. This has been a great way to take a break from the computer as well as review a variety of math skills.

I also have them work out their problems on a white board during the video lessons before submitting their final answer on the computer.

There are also just some skills that need to be learned and practiced in a hands on, pencil and paper way.

My son felt frustrated during some of the measuring angles lessons, so we simply stepped away from the computer to use an actual protractor and see it, touch it and measure it. Simply be aware of skills that may need you to step in and teach in a hands on way.

I would also encourage you to use journaling along with the lessons. Once or twice a week, have your child write what they’ve learned in their math lessons, give examples, or write about ways they can use it in the real world.

This will help you to see that they do in fact comprehend the math they’re learning and can explain it to you.

**2019 Update: I still think this is a great idea, although I haven’t implemented it with my kids yet.

One other drawback of a video based curriculum such as CTC Math is that it can become difficult to see how all the pieces fit together.

Because the lessons teach one short concept, they can seem disconnected from one another, which is not true of math at all.

So while it is definitely helpful that the videos are short to ensure kids are not overwhelmed by tons of new information, this can also prevent kids from seeing the big picture.

This doesn’t mean that an online option is a bad choice, it just means you need to be aware, and find ways to develop deep understandings in your kids.

Find ways to supplement what they’re learning by applying it to their life and interests.

Include questions in their journal that force them to think about how certain things they’re learning connect to math they’ve already learned.

Read books about math such as Math Curse or the Sir Cumference series.

**2019 Update: This is still something to be aware of, really in any math curriculum, but the lessons are organized together in a logical way, allowing kids to focus on addition using lots of different strategies and then moving to subtraction. They also present concepts in multiple ways, helping kids to see connections.

Who is CTC Math for?

I think CTC math is a great choice for:

• Large families looking for an affordable math option
• Kids who lack confidence in math and need to take things slowly
• Moms who need to take a more hands-off approach to teaching math (whether because of time constraints or the level of math difficulty, etc.)

**2019 Update: If you are a mom who needs a more hands off approach to math, just be aware that you can never be completely hands off. This curriculum is a great option, but you need to keep a constant pulse on your kids learning and understanding. Check in every couple of days and discuss the lessons together. Even if they are getting good scores on the practice problems.

If you are interested in checking out this program, be sure to sign up for a free trial! This will allow you and your kids to watch some videos and get a feel for the layout and teaching style before you commit.

Or if you’re ready to sign up, simply click here to receive a 60% discount, only for homeschooling families.

Has your family used CTC Math? Share your experience in the comments in order to help other families make an informed decision!

The post Online Homeschool Math: CTC Math Review appeared first on Math Geek Mama.

*Please Note: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links which help support the work of this site. Read our full disclosure policy here.*

Second Grade Homeschool Curriculum Choices:

Reading/Literature:

As I shared last year, we love using the Memoria Press literature guides. I will be continuing this year with their second grade curriculum, and we’re so looking forward to the great books we’ll read! This year we’ll read classics from Beatrix Potter as well as Little House in the Big Woods (and more).

I love the literature guides because they are so easy to use, encourage vocabulary and comprehension, and make planning simple for me.

Spelling and Phonics:

We’re also continuing with All About Spelling this year. We’ll probably spend the first week or so reviewing the words and rules from level one, but then we’ll dive into level 2.

This program has also been super easy to use and has helped my daughter tremendously with her spelling.

We have a set of magnetic letters that we use to practice before writing the words out on paper, and she loves it!

In addition, I have a daily language review workbook that is great for reviewing all kinds of language skills. It’s short and sweet, and gives her some independent review practice each day.

I also have several Explode the Code workbooks, so some days I will probably change things up and let her work in these. Luckily, I found several at our homeschool curriculum fair for $1 a piece!

Latin:

This year we’re going to try something brand new to all of us: latin. I feel like this will be helpful in future language learning, so we’ll give it a shot! We’ll be using Prima Latina which is also from Memoria Press.

I don’t know any latin, so this is going to be an adventure. But this curriculum has received great reviews and is written specifically for young children. So I’m excited to give it a try!

History:

This year I’m going to spend some time each day reading through The Mystery of History, Vol. 1. I’m excited to read through this with my kids and learn along side of them. I love history, but struggle to remember and keep track of dates, people, places, etc.

I’m also going to have my daughter work through the Draw and Write Through History books. She absolutely loves drawing, and these books seem to go along well with The Mystery of History. (I thought we would use these last year, but never got to it. Now that her cursive is stronger, she’ll go through them on her own.)

They include cursive copywork summaries that she can use to practice her cursive handwriting, which she enjoys.

(Last year, I taught her cursive with this simple to use New American Cursive workbook).

Math:

Last year, I worked through the Singapore grade 1 books with her. I saw such tremendous strides in her understanding and number sense, we will be continuing with Singapore this year.

I am completely in love with this program, and she loves that the workbook pages include fun review and practice.

If you’re interested in Singapore math, you will need the textbooks (A and B) as well as the student workbooks (A and B).

Also available are “Home Instructor’s Guides” (A and B). If you don’t feel confident teaching math or switching to this curriculum (which doesn’t include much explanation in the textbook itself) I highly recommend purchasing the instructor guides.

Here are other math programs that I’ve used if you’re looking to compare:

• Math-U-See Primer Review (Kindergarten)
• Redbird Mathematics Review (Kindergarten/first grade)
• Mr. D’s Math (high school courses)

Science:

Because my kids are still young, we don’t have a formal science curriculum. Instead, I pull from a variety of resources, or encourage impromptu science lessons based on things that interest them.

Some of our favorite resources:

• Green Kid Craft kits: these are so simple to just pull out and use together. No prep or research needed. All the materials are included, as well as a simple explanation of the science.
• The Curious Kid’s Science Book by Asia Citro. This book is PACKED with fun, hands on science lessons and explorations. And most use materials we already have around the house.
• Magic School Bus books and videos: my kids also love the Magic School Bus. We have a large collection of books, and they love to watch the t.v. show on Netflix.

Bible:

Finally, we also try to spend time each day engaging with God’s word. Sometimes this simply means reading from one of my favorite children’s bibles: The Gospel Story Bible by Marty Machowski.

Sometimes, we will spend time working on scripture memory and going through their AWANA journal.

And this year I also hope to complete this Missionary bible study by Kim Sorgius. I like to mix things up, so right now I’m thinking we will have “Missionary Monday” and spend a little time each week going through this study.

We also participate in Bible Study Fellowship, so my two youngest kids will go to this with me each week.

And I think that’s everything! Whew! We are going to be so busy, but it is such a joy to be home spending this time with my kids everyday and learning alongside them.

Want to see our first grade curriculum choices? I shared this last year, but will mostly be completing the same curriculum with my son this year.

What are your curriculum choices? Share in the comments! I love learning about great curriculum!

The post Second Grade Homeschool Curriculum Choices appeared first on Math Geek Mama.

As moms, we want what’s best for our kids, and we want them to do their best in all areas of life. And while I know there are more important things in life than straight A’s, I want my kids to love learning and always want to do their best! But sometimes, it can be so hard to teach them a subject that we hate or are unmotivated to teach.

So today, I hope to offer encouragement to moms who hate math, and hopefully help you find ways to not hate it as much (or at the very least, tolerate it easier when you’re teaching your kids)!

Tips and Encouragement to Moms Who Hate Math:

1. Acknowledge your true feelings (and be ok with it!)

The first thing I want you to know is that it’s ok that you don’t like math. It’s ok that you don’t get excited about word problems, or bubble over when you and your kids get to use math in real life. Just because everyone is capable and can learn math does not mean that everyone has to love it as much as I do.

I don’t love writing poetry or analyzing the symbolism in classic literature. But maybe you could spend your entire day writing amazing and deeply profound poetry! We all have gifts and talents and passions, and acknowledge that while yours isn’t math, you can still be a great teacher to your kids.

2. Try to figure out why you hate it

After you’ve acknowledged your true feelings, take some time to try and pinpoint what exactly it is about math that you so dislike. Is it because it’s hard? Is it because it seems meaningless or useless? Is it because you never had a good teacher?

Whatever the reason, figuring out why you hate it will allow you to see if there’s anything you can do to change how you feel. If it is because of a past teacher or a particular method of instruction, maybe it’s not necessarily that you hate math at all, but rather, the way it was taught! Perhaps you just need to find ways to make it fun and engaging.

If it’s because you think it’s hard, maybe you can study different methods and find ways to increase your confidence!

If you figure out the real reason behind your struggle with math, you might realize that it’s not actually the math at all that you hate, making your ability to teach and help your child much easier and more fun!

3. Seek to find the value in it (even though it’s not your favorite)

Once you determine the root of your disdain, you may find that you still hate math. Unfortunately, the truth is you still have to teach math to your kids, whether you homeschool or help with homework after school.

So try to find the positives in math and the reasons that math instruction is adding value to your child’s life and education. Reminding yourself of these things will get you through those tough days when it all seems like a pointless and frustrating waste of time.

So why is math a valuable part of your child’s education?

For one, it will help them learn to be problem solvers.

It will also help them to build logic and reasoning skills (which will improve their writing!).

It is also valuable in everyday life (even though many would disagree). We use math in cooking, shopping, measuring, budgeting and more.

So whatever the reasons are for you, make a list and remind yourself of them often.

4. Look for aspects of math that you can love

While I may not like or feel confident writing poetry, there are certainly things about poetry that I can enjoy and appreciate, which can make learning poetry less of a chore. So do some searching and find things about math that you can enjoy and get excited about.

There are many, many different branches of mathematics, so while you may not enjoy long and tedious computations, maybe you love patterns and number puzzles.

Or maybe you like geometry and exploring the patterns in different geometrical shapes.

Or maybe you really love and appreciate the math you use in your everyday life, such as cooking conversions or handling money and budgets.

Maybe you love statistics and probability.

Finding something that you do love (or at least like) will help you as you seek to teach your kids and instill a love of learning in them.

5. See it as an opportunity to grow and learn

If after all your studying and soul-searching you still hate math and can’t find any redeemable qualities, choose to see it as an opportunity to grow and be challenged.

As a mom, we all want our kids to love learning and to never stop learning. The best way we can encourage curiosity and an excitement to learn and grow is to model it for them.

Maybe you don’t like math, but you can still use what you’re teaching your kids to learn something new yourself!

Exploring a concept in greater depth and teaching it to your kids is a great way to expand your knowledge and exercise your brain muscles.

Being challenged is a good thing, and will help you form connections in your brain to other bits of knowledge stored there!

If helping your kids with math is a struggle, I hope you found this encouragement helpful.

And if you’re looking for help to better engage your kids in math learning and want to better understand how to teach math concepts, subscribe to my free e-mail newsletter! I share tips and learning strategies, fun games and free teaching materials so that you can make math fun and engaging!

Find more encouragement from moms, for moms, by clicking the image above.

Photo Source

The post Dear Mom Who Hates Math… appeared first on Math Geek Mama.

And while I do love math (obviously), and many people tried to persuade me to pursue some other, more lucrative career with my math skills and degree, that was never even a question for me. I am a teacher. It’s in my DNA. It’s just a part of who I am and always has been.

Over the years, my love for teaching has only grown, and while there have been many hard days (both in the classroom as well as with my own children), the bottom line is this: teaching impacts lives.

*Please Note: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links and support the work of this site. Read our full disclosure policy here.*

I think that’s what I love the most.

Having opportunities to pour into students, to love on them and to help them succeed.

To watch and marvel as a child has a light bulb moment over a concept or question that seemed impossible.

To be there to answer questions about life and college and the real world as my seniors prepared for a brand new adventure.

Teachers have a unique opportunity to speak into kids’ lives in ways others can’t.

Teachers care so much for students’ success that they are willing to go above and beyond the call.

Because I had my children young and (very) close together, the ways that I have been able to teach have looked different over the years. I’ve been a classroom teacher, a private tutor, a substitute teacher and a homeschool mom.

But no matter the capacity, I have this need and desire and passion to teach. Whether it is to empower students to tackle math with confidence, or to raise my kids to be rock star readers who love God and His word, or to teach a Sunday school class at church, I have a desire within me to impact the world through teaching, even if it’s just one child at a time.

A few months ago, I was interviewed to teach at a wonderful and prestigious private Christian school. Everything about it sounded perfect. I could go back to teaching (which I always miss like crazy when I’m not in the classroom) and my kids could attend this school at a significant discount.

After a considerable amount of prayer, however, I turned it down.

As much as I miss teaching, and as much as I would love the opportunity to impact those kids and bring in some additional income for my family, I feel like right now, in this season of life, I need to be home.

And so, because I still have a desire to use my gifts and potentially bring in some extra income for my family, I started this website.

And you know what? Something amazing has happened!

I have been able to reach more parents, teachers and homeschoolers than I did when I was a classroom teacher! I’m able to help and encourage teachers and parents all over the world that I never would have had the opportunity to help otherwise!

I recently read the book, Money-Making Mom: How Every Woman Can Earn More and Make a Difference, by Crystal Paine, and was so inspired and motivated to keep going.

Crystal knows what it takes to build a business, run a website and make a full time income from home, and so I appreciated her wisdom and encouragement.

Reading the book has given me so many other ideas to expand this site to be able to better help teachers, homeschoolers and parents, while also supporting my family.

But most of all, I was motivated to use my resources to make an even greater impact. She shares her family motto (which is now our family motto):

As a Christian, my greatest desire is to honor God with my time and energy and money, and my hope with this site is to be able to make enough money to fund some of the dreams that we have to impact the world for Christ.

Ultimately, as my site grows, I hope to make an impact by giving to meet the needs of people in my life and church, as well as around the world.

Even though the way I teach right now does not look the way that I thought it would when I was “playing school” with my dolls as a kid, I am a teacher.

And I can still impact lives, encourage moms, equip classroom teachers and give generously to impact the world.

Here’s a quote from the book that sums it up for me:

“Life is ultimately not about the traffic numbers, the amazing marketing techniques, or the income generated. It’s about impact-the impact you make on the lives of others.”

~Money Making Mom

If you are a teacher (in any form), know that you are making a difference in someone’s life!

And if you would like to use your knowledge, love and passion to make a greater impact for your own family or in the world, I highly recommend reading Money-Making Mom. It is inspiring and so very practical. It’s full of tips, success stories and motivation to get out and make it happen! (Here are some money-making ideas to get you started!)

Teachers are unique and impact the world like no other. It might be your own child or grandchild, a classroom full of students, or just a neighbor kid who needs your help.

Whoever it is, know that you are making an impact on their life.

What teachers have made a significant impact on your life? Please share in the comments and celebrate the amazing and hard-working teachers who have made a difference, big or small in your life or in the life of your child!

~Math Geek Mama

Photo Credit: Thomas Tolkien via Compfight cc

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Photo Credit: r.nial.bradshaw via Compfight cc

*Please Note: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links and help support the work of this site. Read our full disclosure here.*

So here are 5 things you should avoid saying (and what to say or do instead):

1. “Just do it and get it over with.”

I know (because I’ve been there) that there are times when it can feel exhausting to fight the “math battle” again. But it’s not going to be beneficial for them to just “do it and get it over with.” If they’re just working through some problems in order to check it off the list for the day, they’re not actually thinking about what they’re doing. And likely, they’re not actually trying to understand or solve them correctly, they’re just trying to get it over with.

For a child who doesn’t understand mathematical procedures and algorithms, just going through the motions of working out a problem is not going to lead to conceptual understanding. So maybe instead, spend the same amount of time on fewer problems, and try to talk through the why. Or take a break from the formal math altogether and play a math card game!

2. “Don’t do it that way.”

Whether you homeschool or you’re helping your child with their homework, if you were taught to solve a problem a particular way, it can be very tempting to tell them to do it your way. The thing is, there is always more than one way to solve a math problem. And just because you might approach a problem differently, doesn’t mean your child thinks the same way or sees the question in the same way. Their approach may be completely valid, so don’t stifle them just because their thinking is different than your thinking.

This is especially true for the child who normally struggles in math. It will be so disheartening to them if they have figured out a problem, and feel like they understand it only to hear that they are “doing it the wrong way.”

Instead, take time to observe their thinking. Ask probing questions like, “Why did you do this or that?” or “Can you prove that solution?” to get them to explain. And they might just surprise you by solving it in a way that was easier and more logical!

And if they are attempting a method that you know will end in error? That’s ok too. Mistakes are part of the learning process and it can be helpful for them in the long run if you just let them make some mistakes.

3. “Here’s the answer.”

Please don’t just hand your kids the answers. This is not going to help them learn or understand. If you are teaching your child to read, will they grow in their knowledge and expand their vocabulary if you tell them all the hard words? Will they recognize or figure out that hard word the next time they see it? I’m not a reading teacher, but I’m willing to bet that my son will not learn to read or grow in confidence if I just tell him the word every time he reads it wrong.

If your child is struggling, let them take a break. Encourage them to move on to a different question and come back to it later. It might be helpful to set a timer and tell them that it’s ok if they don’t figure it out, but they have to work on it for at least x number of minutes (the length of time will vary depending on the age of your child). Or maybe it’s just a sign that they need to be done for the day! And sometimes, that’s ok too.

I had a math professor in college who would tell us all the time that our brains are still working even when we’re sleeping, so sometimes it is better for us to go to bed and be fully rested than to stay up all night fighting with a problem or a proof. I took her up on that advice many times, and I always felt less frustrated with the problem in the morning, and sometimes had a new idea to try and solve it!

4. “You’re too slow.”

Mathematics is about recognizing patterns, and learning to problem solve. It’s about modeling life in the world around us with equations and formulas, and using those models to solve important problems. It’s not about being the fastest at computations. If it was simply about fast computing, there would be no need to study math at all because a calculator or computer can do that for us.

I know that sometimes kids are easily distracted, or they’re procrastinating or simply not doing their work (that’s a whole other issue). But if they are genuinely working, and trying, but it just takes them a little longer? That’s ok. Rushing will often lead to careless mistakes. So let them take their time.

Again, if they are slow workers, maybe they just need fewer problems. Or maybe math will just take them a little longer than everyone else. Just plan accordingly and encourage them and praise them for persevering in their work, even though it takes them a while. (Or check out this post on ideas for using timed tests effectively!)

5. “I hate math too, but…”

I can’t stress this enough. Your attitude will affect your kids. If you are anxious or frustrated with it, they will be too. Even if, in your heart of hearts you absolutely detest math and nothing I nor anyone else says can change your mind, please don’t say that to your kids.

Maybe today they struggle, and it seems like they will never ever get it, but tomorrow a light bulb goes off! Maybe they will grow up to be an inspiring engineer or physicist or doctor or research scientist who cures cancer. Don’t discourage them before they’ve even had a chance to try. After all, Einstein was at one point a struggling student, and even dropped out of school for a time.

So if your child is struggling and whining and hating math, simply smile and encourage them to press on anyway. Acknowledge that it is hard, and there will likely be mistakes along the way, but that there are great lessons to learn from hard work and perseverance.

And if you hate math? Check out this post for practical tips and encouragement for moms who hate math (but want to be a positive influence and help to their kids).

What do you think? Do you, or have you, said any of these things to your kids in the midst of their math angst?

Are there any other things you should never say to the child who struggles with math?

What are some other suggestions you have to help your kids have a more positive attitude, or to at least not be so discouraged by their math struggles?

Want more tips for helping your kids with math? Sign up for my FREE email newsletter and get my ebook, Strategies for Problem Solving: Equip Kids to Solve Math Problems with Confidence for FREE, as well as new posts, encouragement and math teaching resources straight to your inbox, every week!

More Helpful Resources if Your Child Struggles with Math:

• What’s Math Got to Do with It?
• Bedtime Math Series
• Recognizing and Understanding Dyscalculia
• Online Resources for Parents and Teachers

The post 5 Things You Should Never Say to the Child Who Struggles with Math appeared first on Math Geek Mama.

*Please Note: This post contains affiliate links which help support the work of this site. Read our full disclosure policy here.*

And while making mistakes is necessary, and deepens and challenges our thinking (this is true of any new skill or subject, not just math), students often would rather leave a math problem blank than to try, only to get it wrong.

But in contrast, brain research shows that deeper learning and greater neural connections form from making mistakes on difficult tasks, rather than simply having constant success on easy tasks.

So in math class, encourage this kind of view of mistakes, and help your kids learn that mistakes are opportunities for growth!

My kids and I have been reading Mistakes that Worked, by Charlotte Jones to inspire them to embrace their mistakes and encourage perseverance and hard work. It’s really a fantastic book for kids (and adults!) of all ages!

8 Reasons Why Making Mistakes in Math is a Good Thing:

1. Making a mistake shows that you tried:

As a classroom teacher, nothing frustrated me more than students coming to class with empty homework assignments and the excuse, “But I didn’t know how to do it.” You will never learn until you try. Many of the world’s greatest leaders and inventors saw an unbelievable amount of failure before finding success. But their successes would never have happened if they simply sat back and said, “But I don’t know how!”

2. It’s a workout for the brain:

The brain is like a muscle that needs to be used and exercised in order to be strengthened. Wrestling with challenging problems is good and important work for your brain!

3. It gives ownership of learning:

Although many see the classroom teacher’s role as that of lecturer, the truth is students will learn and remember more if they take ownership of their learning and discover solutions for themselves. When students can recognize mistakes and then take time to understand why it’s wrong and how to fix it, they own the understanding and have not simply relied on the teacher to give them the answer.

4. It shows what doesn’t work:

Understanding what doesn’t work is just as valuable in the learning process as knowing the correct method and solution. As Thomas Edison said,

Negative results are just what I want. They’re just as valuable to me as positive results. I can never find the thing that does the job best until I find the ones that don’t.”

5. You might notice a concept or pattern that you wouldn’t have seen otherwise:

Sometimes trying an ineffective method to solve a problem leads to other important mathematical ideas and discussions that might never have been had otherwise. Just because you don’t find the correct answer to the current problem does not mean you can’t learn some other important math fact or concept.

6. You understand and can talk about the problem a little bit better:

When you have spent time working out a challenging problem but have not yet found the solution, you can still explain what the question is asking and why what you’ve tried hasn’t worked. Maybe your solution is wrong because you didn’t rightly understand the question in the first place, but now you do. This is valuable math learning.

7. Understanding WHY a method didn’t work can lead you to the correct solution:

This goes back to #1: You’ll never solve it if you never try. Maybe you get it wrong on the first (or tenth) try, but seeing why that’s wrong may point you in the right direction so that you are able to solve it eventually.

8. Mistakes make the moment you finally solve it that much sweeter:

If all you ever do is solve math problems that are easy for you and you never get any wrong, it will not mean much or feel like much of an accomplishment. But what victory and pride you’ll feel when you’ve gotten ten wrong answers and then finally find the solution!

While mistakes are a good and healthy part of math learning, this is really true of mistakes in all facets of life. I have read a little of the book, Better By Mistake: The Unexpected Benefits of Being Wrong, by Alina Tugend, and have thoroughly enjoyed it so far. I look forward to learning more about brain research and how I can learn to stop being such a perfectionist and instead embrace my mistakes as a catalyst for learning!

Want to help kids see the value of mistakes and learn to analyze math errors? Grab my new Error Analysis Pack!

This includes blank templates to analyze mistakes plus teaching tips and classroom posters to help teach kids about types of mistakes and how we can learn from them.

Buy Error Analysis Here!

What do you think? Do you tend to see mistakes as a sign of failure or as an opportunity to learn something? What kind of message do you want to send to your students?

Want to learn more about making mistakes in math? Check out this post which outlines the types of math mistakes and how to help kids learn from them and prevent them.

The post 8 Reasons Making Mistakes in Math is a GOOD Thing! appeared first on Math Geek Mama.

**But please know, these are the choices that seemed to be the best fit for our family (and they may change as the year progresses, who knows!); this is not at all meant to suggest that these should be your choices as well, or that everyone needs to do what we do.**

Reading/Literature:

I am SO excited to start StoryTime Treasures from Memoria Press this year! I love this curriculum, because it uses classic children’s literature to teach vocabulary, grammar and reading comprehension! My daughter will spend the year studying Little Bear , Make Way for Ducklings, The Little House, and more! We have a couple of the books, but the rest I plan to just pick up at the library. I think this will be really fun for everybody!

Phonics:

To supplement her reading program with focused phonics skills practice, I’ll be using grades 2-3 of Core Skills Phonics.

Handwriting/Copywork:

This year, my daughter will start to learn cursive, so we will be using New American Cursive I, also from Memoria Press. I like that this program is incredibly simple and easy to use.

To continue to practice manuscript, and incorporate scripture memory, we’ll be working through Bible Writer: Volume 1, “God Is…” I downloaded this free online awhile ago, and can’t seem to find it anymore. But we worked through Volume 2: “Jesus Is” last year and really loved it!

Spelling:

I’m really excited to try out All About Spelling, level 1 this year! I’ve heard such great things about this program, so we’ll see how it goes!

Math:

Ah, math. So many choices for homeschooling families! As I’ve mentioned before, this past year we worked through the Primer level of Math-U-See. I did like it, and was planning to continue, but when I arrived at our local homeschool curriculum consignment sale, I missed out on the only copy by literally seconds. I had several ideas of curriculum I’d like to try, however, so we’re changing things up this year! First, I was able to get a couple of the Singapore Primary Math books, so I bought the rest on Amazon to have the complete set (textbooks, workbooks and challenging word problems book).

I’ve heard great things about this program as well, so we’re going to try it out! In addition, (and because I am a HUGE math geek), I also purchased the Beginning Arithmetic: Grade 1 from Rod and Staff.

This is a more traditional math program (from what I’ve seen so far). I don’t know how much we’ll use it, but one thing that I do like about it compared to other math curricula is that God’s word is woven into the lessons, connecting scripture to mathematics. So again, I haven’t used it or looked at it very thoroughly yet, but I’m interested to try it and compare the two!

And of course, we will continue to play games to practice important skills!

Science:

Because my kids are still young (6,5,4,2) I’m going to keep science simple this year. I purchased a handful of science stories and an old A Beka Science Reader, which I will let my daughter read. In addition, I’m planning (hopefully we’ll stick to the plan!) to have “Science Fridays,” where we spend some time doing fun, hands-on science experiments!

History:

Again, my kids are little, so we’re keeping things simple, but I do have several of the Draw and Write Through History books and my daughter is BEYOND excited about these! She LOVES drawing, and is an aspiring artist, so with these books, she can read about history, practice her cursive handwriting skills, and learn to draw! I can’t think of a better way for her to explore history, honestly. I also have Living Long Ago, which has cute pictures and is packed with TONS of information.

I’ll also be reading aloud through the Magic Tree House books, which we’re pretty excited about!

Wow, when I type it all out it seems like a lot, but I’m really excited! And of course, we will probably have to make adjustments as we go, and that’s ok. But I like that all of these choices don’t require a whole lot of prep on my part. I would love to build wonderful lesson plans from scratch, where everything is intertwined and connected together, but the reality is, I just don’t have time to do that. So this is what we’re going to try this year!

What about you? What are some of your favorite curriculum choices? Feel free to share in the comments!

~Math Geek Mama

*Please Note: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links and help support the work of this site. Thanks for understanding! Feel free to read our full disclosure policy here.*

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