# help for math classroom



## okgoatgal2 (May 28, 2002)

as i have mentioned several times, i teach 5-8th math in a small rural school. i have between 10 and 20 students per grade. a few yrs ago, my school adopted saxon math as the main curriculum. i hate it, and it does NOT present the material they need to know in an effective way. because of this, i use a variety of different workbooks, information from workshops, etc. i NEED some activities that will give my students some more hands-on learning about math. i'm tired of the drill and kill worksheets that really aren't very effective for many of my students, because they just don't want to do them. these are students with parents that don't much care about school, it just isn't a priority, so i'm fighting a hard battle. they prefer things that will relate in some way to real life. and, no, that isn't all they have to do, because i do have to prepare them for high school. what i need is things that will make the learning more interesting so they will be more motivated to actually learn. these students, for the most part, are 1-2 grade levels behind, according to state testing. i have as many limited knowledge students as satisfactory students, according to state testing. i want them to be satisfactory, AND actually know how to do math! HELP!

we do have access to computers for all students, but while i am not opposed to the occasional "game" on the computer, i would like "in class" type activities. i am not opposed to printing things off of websites, or whatever i need to do, but my $$ is limited!


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## Sonshine (Jul 27, 2007)

Have you ever tried Math U See?

http://www.mathusee.com/


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## okgoatgal2 (May 28, 2002)

no, but i just looked at it and have requested the demo cd. thanks.


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## halfpint (Jan 24, 2005)

I like to have a game day with my children occasionally, some of the games that have helped us with math skills are: Rack-O, Muggins, Knock-out, Yahtzee, and probably several more that I can't think of. You might want to looks at the Muggins and Knock-out games on this website, I notice that they have come out with several more games since I purchased mine about 12 years ago: http://www.mugginsmath.com/store.asp

I've had a lot of friends rave about the quarter mile math computer program, but I haven't tried it myself so can't really speak for it.

Dawn


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## Ravin (Apr 12, 2008)

You might want to check out Family Math, and www.livingmath.net has lots of great hands-on applications, mostly targeted at homeschoolers but there are resources you could use in a classroom, too.


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## cindy-e (Feb 14, 2008)

www.mathcounts.org for the 6th-8th graders. It is a free math competition program funded by lockheed martin. My kids have loved it. It took it out of "text book formula" into mathematical thinking/reasoning etc... They recommend a book called the art of problem solving, btw.

Cindyc.


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## Terri (May 10, 2002)

My son had a LOT of trouble with Saxon math! He did not need rote practice, he needed math EXPLAINED!

What helped was him doing the tests instead of the homework (Jack had a 504 due to aspergers and ADHD. They could and did alter his curriculum when I complained).

The tests covers just one chapter instead of taking 2 problems each from many chapters. So, we read the proper pages tht spoke on the lesson, and then he would do one test AS HOMEWORK, which gave him enough practice on the theory that we had just covered. He would do the OTHER test (there was an alternate test provided for some reason) when everyone else was tested.

It was a LOT quicker and a LOT more effective! DS NEEDS to know why math works: he does not do rote memorization well!


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## okgoatgal2 (May 28, 2002)

so, terri, what do you use instead?? i've already said the reason i'm looking is b/c i don't like saxon, i don't like how it presents, and i don't like the results of using it. working full time, i don't have a lot of time to look on line through all those many millions of links to find activities that will actually allow my students to learn the math they need to learn. i like the hands on stuff that teaches them stuff they will use in the real world. like my 8th graders just finished a unit on pay checks and withholdings from pay checks (how to figure pay, and withholdings) and tomorrow we are going into a simplified tax unit. they are still missing some skills (some of them can't solve an equation) but they have proved they will not learn them from me (i've had them 3 yrs now)-maybe next years teacher (9th grade, different school) will be able to reach the ones i haven't. but i want some things that they will enjoy enough to do the work, so they will learn how to do it. i teach 5th - 8th.


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## Terri (May 10, 2002)

The problem DS had with Saxon was that the homework had nothing to do with the lesson. So, he had different homework.

The teacher used the Saxon book and used one of the tests for homework. Once he started doing homework that reinforced the days lesson,, he was fine!

It is just a shame that he lost 2 quarterss of learning before we could arrange this: he learned nothing from the first 2 quarters of work. He literally picked up NOTHING! Doing it the Saxon way!
'
Once his homework was changed, he became an A and B math student. Math *IS* his strongest subject, it always has been. It was the Saxon approach he could not handle!


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## Lindafisk (Nov 17, 2004)

My ds is in Saxon 7/6 and we are having some trouble too.....has anyone noticed that there are problems that refer back to a lesson number but...the problem is not actually covered well -- or at all in that lesson? And then the problem is found in the NEXT lesson?
We have the DIVE cds but they don't seem to help much. I switched dds to Developmental Math.....am crossing my fingers.

okgoatgal2, there is an lot on elementary math at About.com...

http://k6educators.about.com/cs/mathlinksforele/
and more on jr high......

http://search.about.com/fullsearch.htm?TopNode=/&terms=++jr+high+math

Sorry for the thread drift.....math is not easy for me and Saxon is frustrating!


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## KS wife (Jan 1, 2008)

My son did okay with Saxon, but he hated math. We've switched to Teaching Textbooks and while he still doesn't love math, things are much, much, better.


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## menollyrj (Mar 15, 2006)

There are a lot of mathematical connections in science. Have you looked at doing some science type activities (measuring, extrapolating/interpolating graphs, ratios)? There may be some cross-curricular applications with the science teacher that would be both "real world" and challenging.

-Joy


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## christij (Mar 5, 2006)

As an aide I teach Saxon Math to students with LD and low IQ. My problem with Saxon is we start on one concept work on it for one maybe two days and then it goes to something else and a few days to a week later builds upon a previous concept! Saxon is not student friendly for kids that struggle in Math. And the names they use in the examples my kids can't read them! 

Have you seen Touch Math. I have seen students who were introduced to it in 2nd and 3rd grade still using it for addition and subtration problems. 

http://www.touchmath.com/


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