One of my favorite curriculum choices EVER has been RightStart Math!! This is hands down the best decision I have made for our homeschool family. RightStart Math is written by Dr. Joan Cotter with Activities for Learning.
I'll be doing more posts about Right Start, but for right now I want to give you some of the highlights that made me love this curriculum.
1. It teaches in the way that the math part of your brain understands. Writing numbers is Art, not math! Teaching by worksheets does not work for most children because they are practicing how to draw the number, not what it means. Additionally, counting is not math, either, so if your child is loving worksheets because she loves to write and count on her fingers she's actually not learning math. The math part of your brain allows for items that represent numbers to move around. This curriculum gives mental pictures and enhances that ability. The AL Abacus is the perfect example.
2. Math is parent driven. If you're not going to be there to help your kids learn, why are you homeschooling? Math builds on itself. It can be presented in many ways, but you can't get around the fact that there are steps that need to be learned in a certain order. Unlike other subjects (history, science) you can not just jump in anywhere. Math needs to have a good base before you can proceed to higher level thinking and only through deliberate teaching can you know if your child is understanding math. Checking worksheets is not enough to know if your child is understanding math nor is plopping them in front of a TV or computer and hoping they are understanding it.
3. Math is used your whole life, and RightStart shows your child how things are applied from the start. Instead of abstract word problems, Dr. Cotter has created tangible examples using everyday examples, items around the house, and geometry. Through these examples, your child will see math from many different angles, and the beauty that problems can be solved in many different ways.
4. It helps parents with math anxiety learn to understand and enjoy math. I am an engineer that hated math. Sounds weird, I know. It's not normal, but I was taught math in a numeral-worksheet-driven, timed-test, you-do-it-only-our-way public school format. When geometry hit I finally understood math because I could see it and then from there it started to make more sense. Teaching my children using RightStart has greatly helped my basic math skills, and decreased my need for a calculator for basic math.
5. Games! Games! Games! I believe that the best way to learn is to have fun. Math games are a key to being successful in learning how to mentally 'see' math. If only worksheets are used, then you only learn to visualize the numerals (again...Art class) and not what they really mean. Through games, everyone gets faster, more efficient at math while having fun.
There are so many more things, that I love about this curriculum. I can't wait to unpack it for you.
Stay tuned for more.
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