Math...

I think the one subject that you hear homeschooling parents talking about time and time again is Math.  "What are you using", "how did that work", "I am needing something more like this, or less like that".  "How will I teach them once they surpass where I am with it".  I would be willing to bet you that most homeschoolers who have done this throughout their child's life and who are not using a grade in a box type of curriculum have several math programs in their curriculum graveyard known as the bookshelf.  

I seriously stressed about math more than anything else.  I knew that my child could and would read, I knew that we could develop a healthy interest in history or the arts.  I knew that our family was so into science that it would be impossible for them not to just take that in via osmosis.  But math....  Math is different.

You cant just decide one day that you want to be a scientist or a doctor or an engineer if you dont have a strong foundation in math.  You cant "catch up" in math and then really take it somewhere.  Math is the test.  For me, math and where my kids are in math tells everything to me about how successful our homeschooling is.  In fact, I have told my kids that the grade you are working in in math is your grade level.  This is just because you cant skip stuff in math, you have to work it step by step.  You have to build upon it level by level.  So if you are in third grade math, then really you are working in third grade.  I cant say that you are in fourth grade until you finish that math level.  We can be in fourth grade and still be working on some history that some people feel is third grade.  We can be reading at a different level and still be in an age appropriate grade.  But math is math is math.  There are no shortcuts.

I got lucky when I first started homeschooling.  I met a lady who became a dear friend and who shared with me her experiences with various programs.  I can still remember her saying that if you want a solid foundation in math, there is no better program than Saxon.  She talked about singapore and waldorf and montessori styles.  How they speak to the various types of learners.  But I remember those words "solid foundation".  I knew it was what I wanted to use.  

Poor Saxon takes a lot of hits.  I will admit that it isnt the most original or creative program.  Many people say it is boring and too repetitive.  That their child is bored to tears and just hates it.  I dont know, its math, not a circus act meant to entertain and thrill.  Of course I understand that it wont work for every child, and I know of the importance of developing a love of learning and having an engaging program.  But in the end it is math.  You sit down you do it and you move on to a subject where you can then have more excitement.  

I know that the K-3 of saxon is laborious.  I agree.  However, for me, the nature of early elementary program is so worth it because of the quality and ease the 4th and up program has.  My oldest son is so comfortable with it that once he hit the 4th grade program he could then move through it on his own.  Only asking me a question here or there or wanting me to review the "New Concept" with him out of habit.  My second son is not having the easiest time with it.  I have thought about switching out of Saxon to see if it just isnt meeting his needs but in the end I just know that if he can get over the hump, he will really sore with it and it will be worth really buckling down and working through this difficult stage.  Its about foundation.  Gavin's foundation is requiring more mortar than Grey's did.  We are having to shift the soil a bit and really take the time to make sure each and every block is level before we can start building on top of it.  In the end though, he will hopefully be able to build a skyscraper on that foundation should he choose to.

So what about when they get too advanced for me to help them.  Well, Im confident in the upper Saxon program and I like its progression.  However, I got lucky.  Here in Abq we have the wonderful and talented Mrs. Clark who offers math courses for homeschool students in the area.  She is wonderful and over the years she has really developed a solid progression of courses.  I spoke with her a few years ago about Grey and his love of math.  I felt like she really understood my position on Math and it's importance for my children.  She was offering a general Arithmetic course for 6th grade students and although Grey was newly 10 at the time, she felt it would work for him based on where he was with his Saxon.  This was wonderful, we had a goal and we were excited to reach it.  Grey and I sat down and looked at where he was in his math and where I thought he should be before starting this course.  We backed out the goal with a timeline and off we went.  Grey devoured the fifth grade math and was ready to dig into Mrs. Clarks' course.  Then I got the message that there were not enough kids in the course and it had to be canceled.  :-(  We were really bummed out.  Grey was definitely disappointed.

So now what?  Well we worked on through the 6th grade math with Saxon and started in on the 7th.  I spoke with Mrs. Clark and she suggested having him start in the pre-algebra course rather than the basic arithmetic for the 2008-2009 school year.  OK, so that is what we did.  Grey loved the class, he had to get used to the idea of earning a grade for his work.  I do check his work, and if he gets one wrong we rework it until he knows what happened and then we move on, so grades would make no sense.  More on that in another post....

Anyway, the quizzes, midterm and final were definitely nerve wracking for him, but he did terrific.  I could see his pride and confidence grow, I think he finally understood how all those years of Saxon paid off for him.  His foundation is strong and now he can build whatever his heart desires on it.  It is funny because he will even tell people that Saxon is a great program.  LOL

So, after having this experience with Grey I am now trying to figure out how to bring this success to Gavin too.  He is on target for his age in math, maybe a little behind, but I am sure if he went to school he would be on level if not a little bit ahead.  But, now it is on.  We have a goal.  Mrs. Clark suggested having Gavin attend the Arithmetic course next fall.  Im not sure he will be ready, but we are going to try.  Even if we fall short of our goal, we will have moved forward and made some good progress in the journey of striving for it.  

Only two more to get through this process and I will be able to retire my Saxon math to the graveyard, oh I mean bookshelf.  Unless of course we have another baby, in which case I will have Saxon math strapped to my walker as I make my way through the day.  :-)

Now, I just have to be sure Mrs. Clark doesnt retire.  If you are interested in information about Shang-Ying Clark's Math courses and you live in Albuquerque just email me and I will be happy to get you in touch with her.  She is currently taking registrations for the 2009-2010 school year.

By the way, Grey got a 99% for his overall grade in the pre-algebra course.  And, yes I AM bragging about it!!!!!  :-)  LOL