Thursday, August 02, 2007
Ray's Arithmetic
Previously, I wrote here about my purpose for our math curriculum. I wanted to complete my thoughts and tell you what I've chosen.
Recently, I was reading this post about the uses and misuses of math manipulatives at Dewey's Treehouse. (By the way, this is an excellent, common sense approach to manipulatives. I highly recommend it!) Mama Squirrel writes about how the proper use of manipulatives would have helped her and are helping some of her children. This post really helped me clarify in my own mind what kind of a math learner Thomas is (easy, quick grasp of the concept--needs light drill on the facts).
A few paragraphs up, she mentioned in passing Ray's Arithmetic. I followed the link to the Ray's website, and looked around. It eventually percolated up through my mind that I have a set. I went and dug it out and as I looked through it, I became more and more excited about it being the answer.
I recognize in myself the tendency to procrastinate through the search for the perfect. I think this may be a problem for many homeschooling mothers. I am getting better at forcing myself to fairly quickly find something that will work well enough and then to stop. So, I saw in Ray's a solution that fits Thomas' learning style and needs well enough. Therefore, I stopped searching.
If you are the kind of teacher who needs a script for math, then Ray's will definitely not be for you. My set did come with a parent guide, but it basically just says "today complete lesson one." That's not a whole lot of help! However, at this stage of math, I feel competent to handle the lessons without a script. We started with lesson seven in Ray's New Primary Arithmetic
In addition, math is frquently and will continually be supported by such things as PBS' Cyberchase (mid- to upper-elementary math concepts), gameshows (which have taught Thomas place value), shopping trips, math facts songs, etc.
Labels: curriculum, Homeschooling, Math
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That looks interesting...I've been using Singapore Math...I'll finish the books we're on for now, but I'm always looking for other ways to teach. I think Math, especially, needs a lot of varied methods. Thanks for sharing, and visiting... :-)
We have recently started Ray's and i have seen improvement in my children's math abilities. it is a great method and so frugal.
ChristyH
Reading the carnival today...
We are enjoying great success with Ray's. We have one son in Primary and two sons in Intellectual.
I'm learning, too! And we can't beat the cost.
Well, I definitely am enjoying the frugal aspect--since it was free! (My dad had given it to me years ago. So glad I've rediscovered it!)
I also found a couple of math facts posters for a dollar each at Dollar Tree (or Greenback's). Thomas has enjoyed looking at the posters on the wall, as well. And you can't beat a dollar!
Thank you all for stopping by!
I, too, use Ray's (Primary and Intellectual) and have run into a bit of a wall -- my daughter balked at the lesson you described. She flat told me, "Mom, this is for 3 year olds!" So, I have to skip ahead (several!!) lessons to find something challenging enough. Oh, but I did find a great resource at the library: Family Math. Lots of great, hands-on activities for both my kids (1st grade and 4th grade). Yesterday, my daughter and I made a chart about probability. Of course, she didn't know that's what it was...she just practiced getting information from the graphic -- all on her own...no prompting from mom ("I rolled six nine times, Mom. I only rolled two twice, though).
I know I'm going on (forgive me), but I love Ray's -- particularly in the Intellectual book. On Friday, my son and I did (mental) math problems as well as learned a thing or two about profit. And this was at the beginning of the book (called by Ruth Beeschick as the third grade). I'm very excited!
I am starting Thomas at this very basic level because I want him to have a really good base in the math facts. We have been very unschool-ey up to now, so formal math lessons are new and, maybe?, fun for Thomas.
Thanks for your comment! I'll have to look for the Family Math....
I'm using Ray's Primary Arithmetic with my dd, following Charlotte Mason's outline of the course to follow when teaching basic math skills. I've outlined her recommendations and how I've adjusted Ray's to fit them over the course of several posts here:
http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/lklivingston/.
I really like the simplicity of Ray's. DD is picking up her math facts very quickly, without fuss. She even enjoys the lessons!
We do supplement with lessons on money and measurement. Since we break each lesson into three days (one day for the basic drill lesson, orally; one day for the word problems; one day for the oral drill out of order), we have two days left each week which I use for other math activities like games, money or measurement.
Kathy--what a pretty blue blog you have! Thanks for the link to your blog--you seem to have quite a CM resource going there! Congrats!
We did quite a bit of time and money last year; some formal, some not. I see that continuing, along with the measurement.
In addition, we're going to be using Childcraft encyclopedias which cover things like the history of money. I'll write more about that in the future.
karen, I'm so glad you just commented on my homeschool post - because YOU are the reason I'm using Ray's. When I wrote that post, I was racking my brain about where I heard about Ray's and it was RIGHT HERE! I was at that little store just a few days ago, and saw the complete set of Ray's Arithmetics, and took a look, because I knew I had just read about it SOMEWHERE....and so I bought it. Been looking through it and it's going to work great! So, I'm glad I came back over here and saw this post again - now I know who to thank!!!
Blessings,