The learning game.....

As we begin the new year, I put my ideas in a notebook and write a proposed study plan for Brid.
She looks over it and most of the time she agrees with what I have put together.
Often I put things together after we have talked extensively about a desire for her to learn this or that.
We came across our first compromise this week. Yes already.
Brid was working on her Science today and she didn't appear to be very enthusiastic, I suggested, why not after she completed the work allocated, research and  write up a report on her list of Animals she wanted to study? Maybe we will make it into a book.
So one happy young lady sped through her work and began her project.
Where to begin? How to set it out?
The scope was endless. I could see that look on her face.
Eventually a couple of hours later a finished product was shown to me.
A report on an animal I had neer heard of that lived in North Africa and was a mammal.
It was kinda cute looking.

Next we have discovered late last year that Maths Online was not going to be funded by a big organisation any longer, so we, the consumer were to pay for the product.
This lead me to really looking at the program. Was it worth the money.
As we began this year, I realised it was mastery in approach. Thats well and good, but how do you keep polisheded in these areas learnt a while ago?
I decided we would be purchasing a product that we could have here and use without needing online resources.
So we are down to 2 programs and I am off checking tham out.  Problem being she is somewhere in the middle of Pre algebra, Algebra 1 and Algebra 2.
Decisions. What will I do.
I rang a good friend to lay my dilemma before her. She was busy- Oh I will ring later.
But in the mean time, I saw Brid concentrating really hard on some algebra questions from the 7/8 level.
She was rather slow, and by her body language, I could tell it was overwhelming her.
Ok Leanne step in.. I actually love Algebra, so I was happy to sit and help.
So we started, Lets write the question out, what is it asking, 3(2x-y)- 4(3x+2)+24. I asked her to break down each part of the question. She isn't one for telling you what she is doing along the way, but I stressed it was important. 10 questions later of ones similar and often harder, she really understood the concept.
I loved being there at the moment and working alongside Brid.
The confidence she gained was so rewarding.

So what program have we decided on...its on my sidebar....under book list for 2012 . Oh..I have just realised that was on my other Blog.. So we ordered our new Maths from here.

Today really was a lot of fun.
I start every year with these grand plans and natural learning creeps in... and eventually takes over. Gotta love it..


  

Maths- our journey

I have often wondered how would you write a post about Maths. Well my friend Sue has  encouraged me to write my own story.
I was never a wonderful Maths student. I was however, great at reciting my timetables . Great. At least I could do that. Then I was taught in the learn thing by Rote era.
So I wondered through my High school years. Do I need Maths?  My Dad always said, “Yes, you will at some point”. I couldn’t see it all.
I had 2 great teachers in my early high school years. Both enthused me and explained Maths theories very well. We even had conversations about real life with one particular teacher.
Then I hit my HSC years- oh no, all that confidence that had been instilled in me had gone. I would put my hand up. “I don’t understand”. He would explain it the same way he did before. And he was my year 11 & 12 teacher; he was the teacher, who would teach me all I needed for my University entry. My heart sank, I told Dad, He tried to have me placed in another class, but “no that wasn’t possible Mr P’’.  A tutor.  It helped a little.  So between my Dad trying to teach me, a friend and my tutor, I achieved a lousy HSC score and I deemed myself useless at Maths.
And then I started my  Nursing career . Before we were let loose on the wards!!, we had preliminary training school -PTS. One of the topics was Maths and another Chemistry. My head said how can I pass these.  I needed to achieve an 80% pass in them both. I did -with lots of hard study.
Then I realised many drugs and IV drips, need to be dispensed using various Maths Formulas. Machines do it for you now, but I am pleased I can still work that formula out just incase.
Body fluids needed to be measured and estimated.
In Delivery suite, I needed to count the hours of Labour and then break them into 1st, 2nd and 3rd stages using a 24 hr clock.
I needed to know statistics as these are spouted by learned Drs regularly.
In Nicu, I needed to use micro measures. Everything is triple checked as the doses are so very small.
So I thought I would never use Maths, and actually I have used various areas of Maths extensively.
It is Ok to ask someone to help me work out a formula a few times, but I needed to really understand it myself, because I was accountable for every Dose of anything I gave to a patient.
So what has this to do with Homeschooling  well.....We have had an interesting  journey with Maths in our family. Maybe many other families have similar stories.
As some of you know our older children attended the local Catholic schools. I was super diligent with their Maths homework, making sure they were learning and understanding.
Each of them had grasped Maths in different ways.
Louise was good at Maths until she had a Maths teacher who she didn't gel with, no amount of Coaching would help her. My heart sank again, the system has failed her, like it did me, What can I do to help her....
When she was choosing her subjects for Year 11 & 12, she said "I won't be doing Maths". It isn't compulsory in Year 11 & 12- (although in Australia Religion is compulsory in Catholic and Christian Schools).
It wasn't until she began her Uni degree- Teaching- that she needed to know how to teach Maths in various different ways. So all of a sudden Maths was important to her. By now she owned it.
Kristie &  Kieran were quite good at Maths. I was relieved. Kristie got good grades and enjoyed learning new concepts. She was homeschooled in high school and eventually achieved Maths to Algebra II. It was by this stage a struggle, but she was determined to get the certificate!
Kieran had an amazing aptitude to Maths and was always quite clever with it. He was very self directed when we homeschooled him. After returning to the school system he achieved a considerable score in his HSC.
Brid is a different story again. I remember the older Children being quite noisy when I was trying to teach Brid a new concept. Division !!! We eventually went into my bedroom and worked on the topic together. It was quieter in there.
Once she got the concept she was pretty pleased with herself and wanted to share her findings with her siblings.
We have used Tradition teaching Methods with Brid using bought curricula. We have recently, started using Maths Online. We liked what we saw, and Brid gained great scores. It certainly enforced what she had learnt with another curriculum we were using.
The timetables and numbers skills have been great for her. Timetables have been an issue for her, so the fun she has with her Dad, beating each others 'best', has improved this area of her maths.
We will continue to use a curricula for this area of learning.
Dermot is rather good at Maths. He can’t understand my anxiety. He has always helped the Children and occasionally helped Brid if I can't. I have worked alongside Brid to encourage and assist her in every way I can.
So what has been your Maths Journey, has it influenced your children and their enjoyment with Maths? Yes here in Australia, we call it Maths.
Although I was not the best Mathematician, it made me very careful working out formulas and dispensing any medication.

I wonder what Brid will do with her Maths?