MEP. A math story.

This post has been written in response to some questions on the AO forum regarding our process with MEP maths, particularly how to start students in the middle years, or how we've skipped years when needed. I've added some of my general thoughts about teaching math as well. But, you are formally excused from the table if this is excruciatingly boring fare for your palate. You don't even have to feel bad. Just click away. ;)


So. Here goes...

Another realm open to Intellect has an uninviting name, and travelling therein is difficult, what with steep faces of rock to climb and deep ravines to cross. The Principality of Mathematics is a mountainous land, but the air is very fine and health-giving, though some people find it too rare for their breathing. It differs from most mountainous countries in this, that you cannot lose your way, and that every step taken is on firm ground.    v4p39

Once upon a time, we came to a definitive crossroads in our math story. One boy continued to struggle as he always had, and at the very same time, we ran plum out of math books. While I'm not a big fan of curriculum hopping, if it were ever to come to pass, this was the time. Should I stick with the same ol' or go with something new? If something new, should I go with a non-curricular approach, popular at the time with some of my friends, or with a more traditional math program? Hmmmm. Have you ever asked those questions?

Though my boys could *do* math, I realized that there was a serious lack of understanding of the concepts. This was not necessarily the fault of MUS, but most likely due to the fact that I was not really teaching them math. I didn't know how to teach math. With that said, I really don't think your average later elementary kid is just going to 'pick up' on math on his own. Yes, there are kids who like math and catch on quickly, and can work independently, and can make their way through the elementary years without much trouble. This was me years ago and now this is my second-born. Fast forward, start high school math with more abstract concepts, and if one still lacks a deeper understanding, it is by no means easy anymore.

So, we found as we were working through Math-U-See, on the whole, they could do the lessons that were asked of them, but they didn't really understand what they were doing. Read more MEP transition nitty gritty here.

Enter MEP. It was practically love at first sight.

First of all, the entire curriculum is available for free online for one's perusal. That's convenient. It's all in electronic format. That's convenient. And it's the best math curriculum I've ever seen. That's really convenient!

You see, somehow I had never realized that math could be a living subject. MEP takes complex concepts and breaks them down to the point that most are introduced as far back as YEAR ONE, and are continually touched on and subsequently built upon by lots of roundabout ways, concrete activities, and real-to-life approaches, throughout every year, so that at some point, one just kind of already seems to know how to measure volume and solve for an unknown factor, etc. without really ever having had to struggle to learn it. Well, that's been our experience, anyway, with those children with whom I have used MEP from the beginning.

Trouble was, with my older boys, I didn't know how or where to start. You see, it has been said that MEP is difficult to accelerate because of it's richness. Well, it is that same richness that makes it difficult to know where to begin. When all along your other math program hasn't introduced those building block concepts, how far back do you have to go to fill in the holes? You cannot start a fifth grader back at Y1 simply so that he gets the whole scaffolding thing. Because the fifth grader knows LOTS of it already, he needs some foundation repair, that's all. Foundation repair is more difficult when you have an existing structure, you know. However, that's whats we needs. SO, where do we begin then? We are not going to pour a whole new foundation. We're just going to patch up. And that means, we'll fix problems as we come to them. We want math to be challenging without being frustrating.

For us, this meant, I needed to start the boys about a year behind where I thought they should be in MEP. Get this, NOT where they should have been according to MEP standardized levels. They were approximately 2-3 years behind that schedule. Students taught with MEP are in standardized schools and are started at 5 years old and are given an entire schoolyear to work steadily through each year of the curriculum. In standardized schools students don't have the luxury of skipping up a year or working on a personalized plan. They do MEPy__ because they are __ years old, and are in __th grade. Period. Not so, with my childrens. Almost everything around here is custom built. Including the garden gate and my closet shelves. Custom can sometimes mean makeshift. But not always. In the case of educational plans for my eldest children, they are almost always makeshift because often I have no idea what I'm doing. I learn from them, and hopefully the second batch will turn out better as a result. :)

So, we put them back in MEPy4. With daily one-on-one lesson time, one child picked up quickly and was actually up to speed within that year, I believe. The other, who had been struggling with MUS, now struggled with MEP. It's not magic, after all. Math struggles seemed to run in his veins (he's now built up an immunity!). But, math is a subject that needs teaching. And in 30min/day per lesson, we made the transition. I admit that MEP requires teacher time. But as a homeschooling mom, that's what I'm here for, right? :) Now, wait a second, I totally get the whole 'I have lots of kids though!' thing. I am not saying it's easy. It's not. I was sort of rebellious at first. But I'm SO glad we stuck through.

I had my struggler take a term to do a Life of Fred book. We plowed on with MEP. There were days. Let me tell you there were days. Little by little we worked through the new concepts and the new way of looking at math. I resigned myself to the idea that he might always be a year behind his younger brother. And he would probably never love math. Some people are built for math and others are not. That's absolutely okay. But, they must be disciplined to DO math, to take the time, even if it isn't their strong point. And we learned this.

We are so made that truth, absolute and certain truth, is a perfect joy to us; and that is the joy that mathematics afford. Also, there is great joy in standing by, as it were, and watching our own thought work out an intricate problem.   v4p63

Last year, miracles happened. Or it finally clicked. Whatever. In AmblesideOnline's y7, Javen was in y6 and Cullen in y7. Everything was going fine. Most days. Except for my anxiety that they would only finish junior high math in high school. Uh, slight problem. WAY back when I was researching MEP, I came on a homeschool conversion chart. I don't know who made it, or how true it is, but it says, that since MEP years 7 & 8 have a lot of repetition, they might be skipped. I was pretty much banking on it. So, when we got to the end of that year, I hesitatingly went forward and put them both straight into y9. It worked. And guess what?! I'm not sure when the pivot turned but, struggler, struggles no more.

Can I hear a big “Hallelujah”, please? :)

SO. whether or not MEP was meant to do just that, we've found that it is possible. I think it is a workaround for kids who don't start off in MEP, and I would still recommend going through the years in order, at the regular speed. I think that's best. But, if you didn't start way back at the beginning as did my younger children, there is still hope!

Now. An important note.
I have seen success with my boys and now with my younger kids using MEP, not because it is a miracle math curriculum. Though I am quite infatuated with it. :) I am confident our success is because of time spent every. single. day. with. each. student., working through the lessons, not verbatim mind you, but usually covering 50-80% of the lesson plan. I have learned the hard way, that I must take the time to check their work (this is how to check for comprehension), and go over problem areas (this is how to ensure mastery). As I postulated at the beginning of this post, for 90% of kids, it isn't going to be enough to send them off to teach themselves math. And though it is a significant chunk of my time, at the end of the day, I really believe it to be worth it! :)

I hope this has been helpful!
Please feel free to add your thoughts and experiences in the comments! ;)

MEP Y9 Maths without a printer? {well, almost}

While it is possible to teach MEP maths without a printer, I must admit that, doing it completely without a printer is ever so slightly challenging. Technically however, it can be done. I'm going to show how we prefer to do it, with only a minimum of printing, and how we could almost do without.

What we do:
Though at first it seemed to me that I was skimping on MEP by only printing out SOME of the materials; I got over it. Quick. And now that I've adjusted, I have seen that MEP is none the worse for almost entirely electronic implementation. AND I'm SUPER glad that I've saved myself (and the environment!) over the years from using SO much ink & paper! For every MEP year, I print* the Student Practice Books. I look at my kindle* or computer screen for the Teacher's Lesson Plans & other files. {If I had been certain that I was going to use MEP with ALL my kids EVERY year, maybe I would have gone and printed them all...? Probably not. I AM skimpy with my printer ink and paper and I don't like having TONS of printed off materials to try and keep track of with lots of kids doing lots of years. AND it would have been REALLY expensive if I'd taken ALL those files to the printer.} 


:: 
If you do NOT have a printer, the practice book is really the ONLY thing you MUST print if you also own a kindle/iPad or computer. This could be sent to the print shoppe.
Obviously, if you LOVE paper and have unlimited ink and such, or hate electronics in general... you could print it ALL. 
In which case, you should STOP reading this post.
::

What you need for MEP - Year 9:
Note: The upper years of MEP, beginning in y7, are a little different than the lower years in that, the curriculum is arranged topically (seems a little more mastery-ish than the previous spiral-ish approach). It may seem like it is more printing, but if it is more, I think it's only slightly more.
Also, there are three tracks in the upper years, Standard, Academic and Express. Each track increases in the amount/difficulty of the student's work, which also translates to the amount of problems and pages finished per lesson/booklet.

Student(s):
1 Practice Book per student (PRINT!* technically, students could do this off of a kindle screen, writing out all of their work and answers in their exercise books, though imo, this would be rather difficult, and unnecessarily exasperating...) For us in y9, this turns out to be, one little mini-booklet over a week or two*, for a grand total of 18 books per year. When printing booklet style, each practice book is only about 6-8 double sided sheets of paper.
1 Exercise Book per student (purchase whichever size notebook, preferably with graph paper)

Teacher:
Teacher Lesson Plan/LP** (Kindle/iPad or Computer or PRINT!* - I print this & write planning notes, I ONLY print the Academic pages, as that's the track we're using)
Overhead Sheets/OS** (Kindle/iPad or Computer, IF you use these)
Activity Sheets/Answers/ACT1,2** (Kindle/iPad or Computer, IF you use these)
Practice Book Answers/PBA** (Kindle/iPad or Computer)
Mental Practice/MT** (Kindle/iPad or Computer)
Revision Test/REV** (you could have students copy down the questions, OR do them orally OR PRINT! - if you use them as traditional tests)
Extra Exercises/EX** (I don't use these, but you could do the same as above)
Teacher's Notes/TN** (I look this over at the beginning of a new math section, there'd be no reason to print, imo)
For the younger years: 
Copy Masters/CM** (Kindle/iPad or Computer or PRINT if you don't have a dry erase board, these work really well for working out the problems with the students.)

(**denotes the abbreviations used in actual .pdf file names downloaded from MEP website)

Here's how I do MEP maths EVER-SO-EASILY-Electronically!!
On our computer, I keep a file on the desktop called >> MEP. There I have >> Y2 – LP & CM files, >> Y3 LP & CM files and >> a folder for Y9 materials, which contains >> LP, OS, ACT, PBA**, etc. .pdf files for the Y9 book we're in. 
Note: That will make a LOT more sense to those of you who have already looked over the MEP materials or have previously worked through one of the upper years of MEP.

At math time, I open up the MEP folder on my computer, and open ALL the files in it. LPs & CMs for y2 & y3, and ALL those files in the y9 folder (listed above). If everyone does math, there are about 12 .pdfs open on my computer at the beginning of math time. I follow the lesson plan for the given child's year, and as I finish using each .pdf resource listed in the lesson, I close it. When everything is closed, we're done! :)




Previously, I kept a dry erase board handy or a notepad to work out the example problems. But we discovered something recently that we're having a LOT of fun with... We write right onto the screen of my laptop when using the overhead sheets and the activities!! :) We use fine tipped wet-erase markers that wipe right off with a wet tissue when we're finished! Saves even more paper! And it's fun. ;) The kindle fire screen is also glass, so the same could be done there! 

:: PLEASE NOTE:: 

Computer/kindle screens made with permeable materials will STAIN!! 

Please check your device BEFORE writing on it!!

* MEP maths is a complete curriculum available online for free. It has been implemented in schools in Europe and many homeschoolers have successfully adapted it for use with their students.
* When printing materials, I find it WAY more economical - and only slightly if ever annoying to the student when doing measuring exercises - to print them booklet style as opposed to the full sheet size (which prints 2 pages per sheet of printer paper, in order to fold the pages that can be then opened/read as a booklet, not to be confused with multiple pages option which just prints 2 consecutive pages side by side, per sheet of paper).
* Transfer the .pdf files to your kindle via USB.  ** See above for the key to abbreviations of specific files.

Helpful Links:
MEP - Centre for Innovation in Mathematics Teaching website
Queen of getting started with MEP for homeschool, imo: Jeanne @ A Peaceful Day!
MEP thread on the AmblesideOnline forum (must be a member to read & post)

George Washington Carver: A Book Review

So, I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review and I thought to myself, 'Hey, George Washington Carver is one of the guys suggested for a biography option in AOy5, this'll be great!'




I especially thought it'd be great because though my kids have, I had never before read a biography of George Washington Carver. I've always wondered about him. All I knew was that he is always especially associated with peanuts. :) Well, what a guy! He's so much more interesting than just some guy who came up with some 300 peanut purposes! Though that in itself is AMAZING. Seriously, 300?! That is remarkable. Born a slave, he was a God-fearing, nature loving, creative mind who became world famous for his inventive intuitive discoveries. Without studying education that I know of, he upheld many principles of education that I myself treasure. I love this guy!

As impressed as I am with George Washington Carver, this isn't a review of George Washington Carver, but of a book about him, so I'll get on with the review. Yes, you're welcome. :)

I'm honestly not sure exactly what engaged me about the book, George Washington Carver, by John Perry. I flew right through it. It could be because I was bedridden and bored, or because GWC had a most inspiring life. It could be because it was really well written. I still can't put my finger on it. I know the language must have been adequately arranged because I certainly didn't trip over it.

Overall, I felt that the author did a good job of providing a well-balanced overview of GWC's life. He touches on the early years just enough to give a good background, then steps carefully through his wandering and then preparation years, before he settles into expounding his later productive years. It was evident that the author's intent was to reveal the motivations of George Washington Carver instead of backing any special interests he might have had. Though obviously an important figure with great contributions during a critical time in our country's history, the author didn't fail to point out some of his shortcomings as well. I feel that the author did a good job of showing a balanced view as he attempted to highlight the person behind the peanut.

Does it achieve Living Book status? The book boasts pretty simple, easy-to-read language, and holds your attention well. Regardless of my rating in this category, I think Carver would have approved the value of Living Books and certainly other other principles treasured by our beloved Charlotte Mason.
Here are a couple excerpts to whet your appetite for the book:

"Students liked him because he encouraged them to explore and learn from experience rather than getting their learning from the textbook."

"His life revolved around scientific study and research, painting and drawing, music, refined conversation, and the joy of learning for learning's sake."

"Carver believed that direct observation and hands-on experience were essential to learning. He also believed that students learned about botany by studying other subjects, some of which seemed completely unrelated to plants. Carver often brought plant samples or results of his experiments into the classroom. Rather than using textbooks, he emphasized seeing and examining plants. Rather than telling his students a set of facts, he had them derive the facts for themselves. He wasn't there to spoon-feed his students, but rather to encourage and guide them on their own journeys of discovery. In an introduction booklet published at Tuskegee in 1902, Carver wrote that

'every teacher should realize that a very large proportion of every student's work must lie outside the classroom... The study of Nature is both entertaining and instructive, and it is the only true method that leads up to a clear understanding of the great natural principles which surround every branch of business in which we may engage. Aside from this, it encourages investigation and stimulates originality.'

In another brochure he added that the

'thoughtful educator... also understands that the most effective and lasting education is the one that makes the pupil handle, discuss and familiarize himself with real things about him, of which the majority are surprisingly ignorant.'

So. In summary, would I read the book again?! You betcha. And now that I have it in our library, I'll also have my up-and-comings try it on for size too!

Homeschool Day Book - A Review.

Here's a relatively inexpensive, no frills, SUPER easy-to-use program to keep track of your homeschool progress. I love to plan, but I have not found a way that I love to keep records. I do something a little different every year. I'm hoping that by high school, I'll have figured something out. The Homeschool Day Book, may just be a step in the right direction!!

Here's my honest review:
So right off I had several problems. There isn't a mac download option! My main computer is a mac, so I can foresee a follow through issue here for me as the program isn't available for the computer I use the most. But if you have a PC (at least as a backup like we do), you'll be okay.

The second minor problem I encountered was on my netbook. The default screen size or resolution is too small or something to that effect. I went ahead without making any changes and it's workable. Of course, if you have a normal size computer screen, you won't have this issue either. One of my criticisms will have to do with this.

The general idea of the program is that you enter your students, your subjects and you make an entry each day filling in the various fields for a record of who did what when. It's pretty much for keeping a homeschool-specific digital diary. It'd be best if you could see it to know what I mean. Don't worry, there's a free trial version. :)


This is where you enter your subjects :)

++ When you first get started, there's a little start up wizard where you add your students and subjects. Once you get past the wizard, it seems you can add as many students/subjects as you'd like; I have 48 so far :) I even entered individual books rather than subjects as it would be more helpful for me to check off the individual readings. In the detail box (what we did today), I can enter the specific pages covered if so desired. When adding more subjects, it would be nice if it were set up as a default action to be able to press enter after each subject so as to not have to use the mouse to press the button.


This is the main page...  :)


When I'm looking at the main home page, the buttons are nearly off the page (I think this has to do with the screen size issue referenced above). But I can still get at them, even if barely. Everything else looks good, but for practicality, I'd like it if the scrolling section with the check boxes for subjects was bigger. I have a lot of individual subjects, so it'd be nice if that were bigger or at least adjustable. I might even like it if there was a sort/toggle option (a-z or z-a), or an option so that I could alphabetize the list in a vertical column rather than horizontal? Though I'd probably get used to it as it is.

++ I like that I can include all or some of my children on any given event, and each entry is fully customizable!!
++ I can make entries for past dates, or for the future. I can foresee the potential of this program being used not only as as you go (you plug in what you did on any given day), , or after the fact, but you could potentially plot out what you'd like to do for the week or term, and use it as you go along as a reference guide.

++ There is an option to print off reports which you can print off per child, per subject, per date range and you can save it as a .pdf or in excel formats! Awesome.

One feature I'd like to see is the ability to copy/paste days, or at least events, that are exactly the same.

I do like this program overall and see that it could be very helpful! I love the simplicity of it and that it has some basic features that will really be helpful: a fill-in-what-we-did-today format, with customizable printable reports. I just wish it had a mac version! Matter of fact, this same exact thing but as an app for iTouch or iPad would be absolutely amazing. I'm sure it won't be long before someone comes up with something similar, maybe the Homeschool Day Book will be the first! :)

Visual Latin {a giveaway!}

Home educating magazine is having a giveaway for Visual Latin curriculum! 

I've looked at the free lessons w/ my boys... we liked it. :) It's one I'd definitely want to look at further!

Enter here: http://www.wellplannedday.com/contest01.php

I actually have looked at this VERY recently, downloaded and watched the lessons. Here's what we liked:

• the 4 intro and 2 first lessons are free to try on their site! (I love it when businesses express confidence in their product by giving sizable free trials - a good product will sell itself!)
• there are a TON of freebies also on the site - vocab cards, worksheets, etc
• the curriculum is fully downloadable!!
• the videos are SHORT and INTERESTING.
  
• the guy in the videos is nice and subtly funny.
• it's evident that the guy loves languages.
• he makes some little mistakes, but recovers well, which just serves to make it real.
• the well organized site and professional videos are done by two homeschool families.

Win a subscription to TOS Homeschool magazine!!

I'm SUPER excited that you've come to my blog-warming party! Welcome!

I'd offer you some tea in honor of the event and your arrival, but you'll have to make your own due to distance :) The picture will have to suffice.

I started this blog a little while ago now, but haven't really had a chance until now to make the official beginning... So, welcome to my new blog!!

I'm excited about my new blog, but I'm also really excited that I get to have a contest in celebration! I have a year's digital subscription from the Old Schoolhouse magazine to offer as a door-prize, and you'll each get 3 chances to win!

I don't know how many of you subscribe to any homeschool magazines, but they are such an encouragement! Now, hold on a minute while I look through this magazine that one of you is going to win...

Okay, may I just say that this is no rink-a-dink magazine. We are talking the real thing! TOS digital magazine has the look and feel of a REAL magazine, only no paper. And you know what I mean, the colorful ads, the layout, LOTS of content, with a huge variety of relevant topics coming from lots of different perspectives, all with a clearly christian world-view. I looked over the cover, the first page, and am now scanning the contents... whoa. There's a lot here. I am impressed. Not to mention the table of contents is clickable! So, no pages to fuss with, one click and I'm instantly reading what I'm interested in.

One thing I'm noticing is that if you don't have a super fast internet connection, don't mess with viewing it online, download it to your computer or straight to a CD for easier viewing. There are some delays depending on how fast your computer is.

I'm really liking that I can change the view of the magazine, to zoom in or out. Wow, I am even able to pull up a little window with the table of contents without changing the page I'm on, and I just clicked the link to the next article I'm interested in, without flipping pages! This is really cool!

One of the ads for a curriculum that I've been interested in, had a link in it, and I clicked right to their website to enter in a contest for TOS subscribers to win their curriculum for free! Now you can't do that with a regular magazine! All the links throughout the magazine are clickable.

I'm on page 63 of the magazine, and I'm at least a half-hour in. I'm only a third of the way through, and I've only just skimmed over several articles. Content, content, content! Now I've just come across a familiar name! Being part of the HSB (homeschoolblogger) community from my very first blogging experience, I've come to know many other homeschool moms out there with blogs. It's been such an encouragement to me living internationally. Anyway, there's an article about a 'bloggy friend' of mine in the magazine!

I'm now on page 126 (2/3) and so far I've found several links to free e-books for subscribers and FREE is good!

My original impression holds true, this magazine is truly professionally done! There were interviews with well-known homeschool people, free products, spiritual encouragement, Creation science support, and even a unit study! My favorite all time favorite homeschool author even wrote an article.

I say that this is a top-rate production, and I highly recommend it at a price that you can't pass up. $16.95/year and you get the four quarterly issues plus the 19 Free International/Digital gifts.
They also send out a monthly 'Teacher's Toolbox' that is FULL of cool practical stuff and free downloads. The send out a paper magazine as well, but I find the digital version perfect for us!

There is just so much content, enough for several sittings. Which means lots of encouragement!
This is the only homeschool magazine I subscribe to, and though there are many good ones out
there, I feel that this one meets all my needs and expectations.

So, now that you're convinced you want it...

Are you ready for some fun?!

Contest details:

If you'd like to win the door-prize of a year's subscription to the Old Schoolhouse digital magazine, (if you already have one, give it to someone as a gift) here's how...

Chance #1 -

Leave a comment anywhere on my new blog between now and September 5th! Mention something about the blog-warming contest. If you comment over HERE about my new blog I'll throw in an extra chance!!

Chance #2 -

Copy and paste the banner and text down below here into your blog, and leave a comment and link to your post, right here at this post in my blog. (If you don't have a blog, don't worry, you can still enter by leaving a comment and a way to get in touch with you) ... and take a picture of yourself WHILE standing on your head!! hahahahaha... just kidding!

Chance #3 -

On your blog write about your 3 favorite things about homeschooling, and one thing you'd like to change about your homeschool.
Leave another comment with a link to your blog post. (you can combine both posts in one)

Your name will be entered for chance you participate in for a total of 3 chances. Contest ends Sept. 5! I'm just so excited for whoever wins!


AND thanks for coming to my blog-warming party! Feel free to have a peak about my blog, and I hope to see you around again soon!

Here's your posting info: Copy and paste the image and text below and link them back here.

Click here to visit amada's blog-warming party and enter to win a year's subscription to the Old Schoolhouse digital magazine! or copy and paste: http://fisheracademy.blogspot.com

or you can enter the following code into your html editor:

<a href="http://fisheracademy.blogspot.com"><img src="http://tuttlekids.com/Gallery/albums/album08/TOScontest_white.jpg">
Click here to visit amada's blog-warming party and enter to win a year's subscription to the Old Schoolhouse digital magazine! or copy and paste: http://fisheracademy.blogspot.com</a>