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Math help

Posted: Wed Feb 26, 2020 7:45 pm
by sally525
Hello! After 3 years of being in a christian school I am bring my son home again and back to HOD! In the school where he is they are using Abeka for math. The teacher that he has had this year has not been very helpful and he is struggling to say the least. I am trying to decide where to place him. He is currently in the 6th grade and we will be bringing him home next school year. I am trying to decide between keeping him in Abeka or maybe putting him in a mastery program such as Math U See. Any advice would be much appreciated! He misses all of the history he was learning and is excited to come back home! Thank you

Sally

Re: Math help

Posted: Wed Feb 26, 2020 8:19 pm
by spiderpetal
Hi,

Take a look at Math U See Zeta. That might be a good place to start. You can go quickly though it if he can handle it. That would give him a good foundation in fractions and decimals. Then he can jump into pre algebra.

I’m not familiar with Abeka. So I’ll let someone else jump in on that one.

Blessings,
Kristen

Re: Math help

Posted: Sun Mar 01, 2020 3:23 pm
by Carrie
Sally,

Welcome back to HOD! We are glad you are here. :D Is your son struggling with the Abeka his school is currently using for math? Or is that a subject that is going well for him? If he is struggling with the Abeka math in school right now, I wouldn't be too quick to use that program again when he comes home. :D However, if he seems to be doing well with the Abeka math and understanding it, then you could continue with it at home.

Blessings,
Carrie

Re: Math help

Posted: Tue Mar 03, 2020 4:43 pm
by my3sons
Hi Sally! How exciting you are bringing your son home again to homeschool with HOD! Math can be a tough nut to crack for 6th grade students, can't it? If Abeka hasn't been such a good fit, I think it makes sense to try something else. Singapore Math, which HOD recommends, is often considered a year advanced. It can be tough to come in to later, but just to be able to compare it to other math options for your son, here is a link to the Singapore Math placement tests, which give a good look into Singapore too (be sure to look at the Primary Mathematics version, as that is the version HOD schedules, and start with 4B or 5A, as it's considered at least a year advanced)...

https://www.singaporemath.com/placement-tests

Many times the reason middle school age children struggle with math is because they don't know their multiplication facts. Carrie and I have both enjoyed Skip Count Kid's Bible Heroes Musical Multiplication Songs for help in mastering multiplication facts, especially the 6's, 7's, 8's, and 9's, as it's a great way to commit those tougher facts to memory! You can find this on YouTube, Amazon, and Spotify. I think it is important to print the free booklet that goes along with it, as it has the lyrics typed (yes, as in old and typed by a typewriter typed :D ). Though the booklet looks old and is old, it helps kiddos have the best chance possible to commit to memory their facts when they are visually following along with the numbers/words as they sing. This is the same thought process behind Charlotte Mason's theory on spelling by using dictation (students see the right model and say it as they write it and then check their written dictation with the proper model). Here is a link to the printable PDF of the booklet...
http://skipcountkid.net/booklet/bible_heroes.pdf

Finally, it could be your son just needs a year of solid, basic review of computation processes like large number multiplication, long division, etc. If so, Richard Fischer (HOD carries his high school algebra program) has Mastering Essential Math Skills Books 1 and 2 that cover these in a straight-forward, doable way. You can see samples of Book 1 and Book 2 here...
https://www.mathessentials.net/product- ... -5th-grade
https://www.mathessentials.net/product- ... igh-school

Then, after a year of review of clear step-by-step math skills and of practice of multiplication facts, your son might enjoy HOD's Principles of Mathematics by Katherine Loop Book 1. You can see a description, samples, and where to order this on HOD's website here...
https://www.heartofdakota.com/revival-t ... .php#math1

Hope that gives you some good options, Sally! But pop back with further questions or thoughts - we love to help here!

In Christ,
Julie