Summary: Are your kids struggling with their chosen math curriculum? Are you looking for another way to go that might fit their learning style better? How we dealt with math through the years when we needed to make changes in our curriculum. Plus living math ideas. Homeschool math for preschool, elementary middle school and high school. And you don't have to be good at math to provide your kids with a solid math education.
We switched out our math curriculum more than once in our homeschool, once in elementary, and then again in high school.
Sometimes our original choice in homeschool math curriculum just didn't make the grade, so to speak.
It was hard to let go of our initial homeschool curriculum choice, and it did impact our budget, but each time it made for a happy math student in our house.
Are you kids struggling with their chosen math curriculum? Are you looking for another way to go that might fit their learning style better?
We switched out our math curriculum more than once in our homeschool, once in elementary, and then again in high school.
Sometimes our original choice in homeschool math curriculum just didn't make the grade, so to speak.
So we did search around for other options again, and each time we found a math curriculum that worked better than the original one.
It was hard to let go of our initial homeschool curriculum choice, and it did impact our budget, but each time it made for a happy math student in our house.
And success in her math studies.
PRESCHOOL and KINDERGARTEN
Math has always been something that my daughter looked forward in our homeschool.
From playful learning approaches during preschool/K to challenging courses in Algebra 2 and Geometry in high school, we have always taken a hands-on approach.
And each of our math curriculum favorites showed us just how to teach math to our child. And it was not hard to do.
From playful learning approaches during preschool/K to challenging courses in Algebra 2 and Geometry in high school, we have always taken a hands-on approach.
And each of our math curriculum favorites showed us just how to teach math to our child. And it was not hard to do.
Let's start with prekindergarten and Kindergarten.
Counting, adding, subtracting, making sets....all of that can be discovered through play.
For how we did that in our
home, click here for my article on:
HomeschoolingEarly Math - Making Your Manipulative Kit and More.
If you want a math curriculum for kindergarten, Saxon Math has a very
easy to follow math program for doing just that.
Amy, of the Curriculum Choice, has a review on Saxon Math
HomeschoolingEarly Math - Making Your Manipulative Kit and More.
If you want a math curriculum for kindergarten, Saxon Math has a very
easy to follow math program for doing just that.
Amy, of the Curriculum Choice, has a review on Saxon Math
EARLY ELEMENTARY
Then in the primary grades, we chose
to use Saxon Math, as it relies on lots of
hands-on approaches.
And again, Saxon shows you just how to teach math!
Young learners often need to see, feel, and touch objects to learn the processes of basic math. There are lots of used Saxon curriculum resources on the web, under homeschool used curriculum.
And again, Saxon shows you just how to teach math!
Young learners often need to see, feel, and touch objects to learn the processes of basic math. There are lots of used Saxon curriculum resources on the web, under homeschool used curriculum.
Saxon Math is available all the
way through high school.
UPPER ELEMENTARY
It is based on Saxon Math, but has a
few less practice problems,
which felt less stressful for my
daughter.
few less practice problems,
which felt less stressful for my
daughter.
It is child friendly, and is not at all
associated with common core.
associated with common core.
Oak Meadow Math uses the spiral
learning approach, with lots of review.
learning approach, with lots of review.
Through this, my daughter did work that built retention.
She was remembering what she learned!
She was remembering what she learned!
MIDDLE SCHOOL
When we got into
pre-Algebra I felt the need to get some help with
my math teaching.
I did not recall my Algebra facts from my high school years. Who does?
my math teaching.
I did not recall my Algebra facts from my high school years. Who does?
We looked around and found the Saxon
Dive dvd's.

I loved how they explained
each problems, with a chalkboard approach.
The
instructor wrote out each problem as he discussed them.
Saxon also has another product
called video education.
A sample 5th grade lesson, using this product is here.
These products make it easy to provide a solid math education, without
having to be a math expert.
A sample 5th grade lesson, using this product is here.
These products make it easy to provide a solid math education, without
having to be a math expert.
During these years, I also introduced
my daughter to:
- family finances,
- and introduced her to checking
accounts,
- how to balance a checkbook,
- our household bills, etc.
HIGH SCHOOL
Doing homeschool math in high school.....Many of us are leery of that!
But with a solid homeschool math curriculum, I found it was not hard!
We began Algebra 1 in 9th grade, and we decided to try Teaching Textbooks for that.
I liked how TT offered even more dvd help and we were happy using all their dvd's, especially the ones that explained errors in the practice problems.
But with a solid homeschool math curriculum, I found it was not hard!
We began Algebra 1 in 9th grade, and we decided to try Teaching Textbooks for that.
I liked how TT offered even more dvd help and we were happy using all their dvd's, especially the ones that explained errors in the practice problems.
Then in 10th
grade,with
the ACT/SAT
testing coming up.....
we decided to switch to
Alpha Omega
Publication's
the ACT/SAT
testing coming up.....
we decided to switch to
Alpha Omega
Publication's
These were a bit more repetitive than the Teaching Textbook approach.
That helped with
retention.
I
also loved how SOS was self-graded and included a video lectures for
each lesson, plus lots of practice, and some hands-on math projects as well.
each lesson, plus lots of practice, and some hands-on math projects as well.
Living Math activities in high school centered on...
- getting and managing a savings account,
- learning about taxes,
- car insurance,
- and compounding interest,
- as well as family budgeting.
As you can see, we used a wide variety of curriculum for math, through the
years. What are your favorites for math in your house? I love getting and
reading your comments.
Thanks for stopping by BJ's Homeschool,
Betsy
Betsy is mom to her now college grad, whom she homeschooled through high school. She blogs at BJ's Homeschool, about the early years, highschool,
college, gifted/2e and wrote -Homeschooling High School with College in Mind, 2nd Edition, She offers homeschool help through messages at BJ's Consulting, and has had some of her articles picked up by the Huffington Post.
college, gifted/2e and wrote -Homeschooling High School with College in Mind, 2nd Edition, She offers homeschool help through messages at BJ's Consulting, and has had some of her articles picked up by the Huffington Post.
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Lots of great math choices. We are hooked on Teaching Textbooks and Life of Fred. Both my current students are in middle school.
ReplyDeleteBlessings, Dawn.
Thanks, Dawn, for stopping by! I haven't tried Life of Fred, but I have heard SO many wonderful things about it. Enjoy your middle schoolers, and thanks for your kind comment!
DeleteLove your list! I've had to try so many Math curriculums for my kids as they learned differently and had various gaps caused by public school.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Nita! Your kids are lucky to have such a great mom, to find ways to fill in those gaps from public school!
DeleteWe love Saxon math! As a math major who finds it hard to see the point of "new math" I love that it is solidly focused on the essentials!
ReplyDeleteMe, too, Branson Merrill!! Saxon is so well done, don't you think! NIce of you to stop by and leave a comment...wishing you and yours a Happy Thanksgiving!
ReplyDeleteMath was never my strong suit. Thanks for the great information.
ReplyDelete