Chalk Dust Math

Chalk Dust is another math curriculum that I'm seriously considering for Pre-Algebra and above. Chalk Dust, along with Video Text and Math U See, come highly recommended to me by a trusted friend and fellow Christian homeschooler.

Since I'm also seriously considering Video Text, I got pretty excited when I found the following information on the Chalk Dust website. (Chalk Dust FAQ). 

"Is your program best for my child?
Perhaps; the "best" program for your child is the one that matches the learning style of your child with the teaching style (and learning support) provided by whatever program you use.

Please compare Video Text with Chalk Dust Prealgebra.
"Video Text has B/W module booklets that are not detailed enough, no application word problems, and usually less than 30 problems per lesson."

S. Ackerman (former Video Text Prealgebra customer and current Chalk Dust customer)

Also, in our opinion, Video Text Algebra 2 is not nearly as comprehensive as Chalk Dust Algebra 2.

Chalk Dust Company has accredited Houghton Mifflin (now Cengage Learning) derived color textbooks, step-by-step solutions guides (Basic Math, Prealgebra, Algebra 1, Algebra 2, Geometry, Precalculus, and Calculus I), numerous application problems, and more than 100 problems per section (ie lesson) on average from which to choose. Chalk Dust uses one professional on-camera math instructor (Dana Mosely) who provides high-quality technical support directly to your student. The comprehensive DVDs correlate to each textbook and focus upon teaching concepts with numerous sample problems.

How do your math programs compare to Saxon, or ABeka, or Math-U-See?
      Chalk Dust textbooks are in color and are derived from Houghton Mifflin (now Cengage Learning) textbooks which meet math standards in all states, and are used in colleges. The chapters are divided into sections that include numerous problems (often 75-150) many of which are "real-life applications" that are scarce in other programs. Tests are built into every text (Basic Math through Calculus I).
      Solution Guides are very detailed whereby a textbook problem is repeated and a step-by-step solution is given. In general, we feel that a student should work about 25 problems at the end of each section, but the exact number of problems that are worked is per the discretion of the parent. It's not about memorizing problems but it is about understanding concepts.
      Chalk Dust makes no attempt to train the parent to become a teacher. Our goal is to connect the learning style of your child with the teaching style of Dana Mosely and to support that directly."

   When your child gets "stuck", or experiences learning difficulty, technical support directly from Dana Mosely is available.

Video Text Math Courses

I was first told about Video Text Interactive Mathematics from a trusted friend, and fellow Christian homeschooler. She shared with me that Dr. Jay Wile, author of Apologia Science curriculum, recommends Video Text. Then, I started hearing more people talk about what a great curriculum Video Text is. I'm seriously considering Video Text for Pre-Algebra and above. First let me share a little about Video Text, and then I'll share Dr. Jay Wile's review.

What is VideoText Interactive?

     VideoText Interactive is an innovative company that is blazing new trails in math education. Our programs, "Algebra: A Complete Course," and "Geometry: A Complete Course" use new, interactive, video-based strategies to teach Algebra and Geometry from start to finish.  Students love the brief lessons, and the clear explanations of the concepts.
 
      The main components are the “videotext” (the video lessons), and a WorkText.  However, unlike textbooks that may use a video supplement, in this case, the video lessons ARE the textbook!  With computer-generated graphics, animation, and color-sequencing, the student will actually enjoy watching the mathematics concepts develop right on the screen.

       And that's not all!  With each Module of the course, you receive much more than just the video lessons!  Also included are Course Notes, WorkText, Solutions Manual, Progress Tests, & an Instructor's Guide with Detailed Solutions to all Quiz and Test Problems.

ALGEBRA Review by Dr. Jay Wile,
Author of Apologia Science Curriculum

     "The quality of mathematics is extremely important to me, as math and science go hand-in-hand. There are many students who cannot handle my chemistry course, for example, because they have not had a good algebra course. That is why I strongly encourage you to look at Videotext Interactive's algebra course. It is, truly, the best that I have seen.

     The course teaches real mathematics. It does not use tricks or shortcuts. Instead, it teaches the student to think mathematically. That's what is missing from many algebra courses! The use of animation and graphics is excellent. They do not detract from the learning, as is the case with some video courses I have seen. Instead, they enhance the student's ability to understand what is happening in each and every step along the way. 

 

     If you want your student to really learn algebra, then you should use this course. In short, this course is a scientist's dream come true!   Every science-oriented student should use it."

Teaching Textbooks and Mixed Reviews

We use Teaching Textbooks for math. So far, we absolutely love it. We've finished 3rd and 5th grades and have started 4th and 6th grades. I'd love to share more about why we love it, but for now I want to share something else. As of right now, I'm not sure if we will continue with Teaching Textbooks after 7th grade. Here's why.

First, let me say that I've been assured by a trusted friend, and fellow Christian homeschooler, that TT 3rd - 7th grade math are strong courses and provide a good foundation of math skills. I was also told that TT7 is not to be missed/skipped because it's an excellent review of basic arithmetic, and it prepares children very well for Pre-Algebra. So, essentially, the 7th grade course is a good bridge between basic arithmetic and Pre-Algebra.

However, I continue to read and hear mixed reviews for Pre-Algebra and above, so I thought I'd share what I learned directly from Teaching Textbooks in case this information will be helpful to you.

Teaching Textbooks is one of Cathy Duffy's 101 Top Picks! Here is a link to her review that was updated in September 2011.
Cathy Duffy: Teaching Textbooks Review

Here is a copy of my exchange with Teaching Textbooks:
We get the question a lot: "Is your program college prep?"
TT answer:

The TT series covers all of the same topics as the other publishers. If you go through Pre-Calculus, your student will have covered everything and will be ready for Calculus 1. I think some of the talk about TT and rigor comes from when certain topics are covered, not whether they are covered. For instance, some people have asked why TT doesn't cover logs in Algebra 2 (we cover it in Pre-Calculus). We sequenced the topics in a way that we felt would maximize student learning. Traditionally, logs was always covered in Pre-calculus. That's where it fits conceptually. We felt that it would be difficult to cover the topic in sufficient depth if we crammed it into Algebra 2.

There's been a big push in recent years among school publishers (because of the standards movement) to push topics lower and lower down the curriculum. They still cover the topics in the higher grades but they cover them in the lower grades too. That's why logs are now in Algebra 2 (and some books are even putting some logs material in Algebra 1). We think this is a mistake. If you're not ready to understand a topic conceptually then exercise degenerates into rote learning. Also, putting too many topics into a book doesn't give us enough room to adequately explain the topics that should be covered at that level. That's a huge problem for us because our books are designed for independent learners. We have more explanation than anybody.

The TT series is very much oriented to the college bound student. If your student finishes with us and works hard, they will definitely be ready for college level math. Keep in mind that over 50% of public school students who go on to college are now required to take remedial math courses before they can enroll in true college math. Many of them are having to go back before algebra and do basic math coursework. Yet those students used the topic heavy public school textbooks and many of them went through Pre-Calculus and even Calculus while still in high school. In our view, the key to math education is learning the important concepts extremely well, not rushing through a laundry list of topics too quickly.

As far as the difficulty level goes, the TT high school courses are about as difficult as the SAT and ACT exams. Pre-calculus is on par with the SAT II math test. This is appropriate for college bound high schoolers. If a book is too difficult it can break the student's confidence and even cause him/her to give up on the subject.

My Reply:
Along these lines, I've been told that TT Pre-Algebra does not adequately prepare a child for Algebra, that TT Algebra I is more like Pre-Algebra and TT Algebra II is more like Alegbra I. This information has caused me to reconsider TT for Pre-Algebra and above. Do you have anything to add to what you've just shared that would change my mind or is this answer basically what your reply would be? My children absolutely love TT, and we do definitively plan to use it until they finish 7th grade. I'd love to atleast be able to share with others your response as I do recommend TT 3 - 7 to everyone. Thank you in advance for your reply. 

A question was also raised about the math terminology: I have home school families who tell me TT is not good for high school because the terminology is not the same as it will be in college courses and it confuses the kids. What is your thought on that?

TT Answer:
While we have had a lot of criticism to our Pre-Algebra program in the past, our new 2.0 version of the Pre-Algebra is a lot more robust. We have always had a lot of concentration on the basics. The basics are what prepare you for all of the elements the upper levels. The authors have found that if a student struggles later on in Algebra 1 and higher, it is usually because they have missed something earlier on. We also use all of the terminology that is needed as well. We just don't dwell on it as much as others. We will teach all of the correct terminology, and then turn around and say, "This is what we mean by that". By doing this, the students come away with a better understanding of how and why the concepts work the way they do, instead of memorizing terminology.

My Reply:

Thank you for your reply. I recall that one of the terms used by TT is "undoing." Is that a correct or common math term? Do you still use this term? Also, is the Algebra I a lot more robust as well? Thanks again.

TT Answer:

"Undoing" is still a term that we and a lot of other curriculum use as well. "Undoing" refers to taking a number or unknown out from an expression in reverse order. Our Algebra 1 2.0 does have more lessons and new concepts, and could be considered more robust, but these new lessons are added to the end of the old program, and a lot of students may not even get to them. All of these will be covered again in Algebra 2, Geometry, and Pre-Calculus.

My Reply:
Thank you so much!! You've been very helpful! I appreciate it!

Homeschool Compliance

I have had several friends share that Scott Meadows with Homeschool Compliance is doing an exceptional job managing their records and answering their questions regarding the new homeschool laws in Georgia. I don't currently utilize his services, but maybe one day I will.

The following is a little information one of my friends shared.

Scott Meadows is a father of 5 from Athens, GA that created HomeschoolCompliance.com.

See why 5,075+ moms prefer our website to file their Declaration of Intent and attendance records online:
https://www.homeschoolcompliance.com/testimonials-homeschool-compliance.php

https://www.homeschoolcompliance.com
http://www.facebook.com/homeschoolcompliance
(706)-353-3548

Mothers of Influence by Pam Tebow (My Notes!)

In March I attended the Apologia Live Retreat. This retreat was an extraordinary experience. I walked away with a renewed vision for my family. I've been meaning to type up my notes, but I haven't had time yet, so I thought I'd begin by chipping away at it a little at a time.
 

Pam Tebow was Apologia's guest speaker in Atlanta, and I had the honor and privilege to sit and listen to wisdom pour out of her! She is a sweet, dear and precious woman of God. She homeschooled her five children, three boys and two girls, from kindergarten through high school graduation! She spoke about being "Mothers of Influence." What an inspiration she was to me! If you ever have the opportunity to hear her speak, do everything you can to make it happen. She's the real deal! I'll share a few highlights from Mrs. Tebow's talk. Although my notes don't even compare to hearing her speak in person, I hope they will encourage you. Personally, I needed to reread them this morning so it did me good to type them up!

Being a mother is the most important thing you have to do in your life!

1. Master

God is our Master. He is the Master of our life and the Master of our every day! Getting to know God is a lifelong journey. Get to know Him. Trust Him. Grow faith muscles. How do we do this? By giving our lives to God every single morning when we wake up! Before we even get out of bed we should pray and devote our day to God. We need not carry burdens but should give them to the Lord, day by day. He is faithful. The closer we are to Him, the more He transforms us.
 

2. Manual

The Bible is God's word and it's a manual for us. As mothers we need to be adequately equipped. We need to engraft the principles of the Bible into our children's lives and hearts. Scripture teaches them long after we are teaching them.

Sing Scripture! "What's learned in song is remembered long!"

Psalm 62: 5 -8 is a security verse. Security verses will give you hope. 

"For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence,

for my hope is from him.

He only is my rock and my salvation,

my fortress; I shall not be shaken.

On God rests my salvation and my glory;

my mighty rock, my refuge is God.

Trust in him at all times, O people;

pour out your heart before him;

God is a refuge for us. Selah"

Let a verse settle inside you. Live it. Claim it. Make it your verse!

Psalm 56 

We need to calm our fears with Scripture. Fear paralyzes us, but God doesn't want us to fear. God wants us to trust in Him. Memorize Scripture verses!

Pray for direction in our life. We need to be courageous and lead the way so our children can also be courageous.

What are our anxieties?

• struggling learners?
• testing?
• what courses to take?

Give them to God and let Him give you peace. This will not only benefit you, but it will also benefit your family.

3. Prayer

Prayer is a running conversation with God. We can pray all the time and ANY time. He's waiting there. He's approachable. He influences us as we pray for others and ourselves. We should first pray before we do anything at all. The prayers of a mother are so powerful.

4. Mindset

Words hurt. They're powerful and can't be taken back. When we open our mouth we need to open it with wisdom. Think before you speak. It takes 10 encouraging words to counteract 1 negative word. Sweetness of speech increases persuasion. With words parents pass on values to their children. With words you can alter the course of life.

We need to clearly articulate our love for our family. Always say "I love you" so they will always remember mom loves them. When they are disappointed, hurt, they will remember that you love them. Moms are specially equipped to give loving words.

Matthew 23: 11-12 "The greatest among you shall be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted." In the context of serving our children, we serve God. When serving we get rewards now and later. These are eternal rewards, not for salvation.

5. Mission

Ephesians 2:10 "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."

Our mission as moms is our children.

Psalm 127 

Unless the Lord builds the house...

A Song of Ascents. Of Solomon.

"Unless the Lord builds the house,

those who build it labor in vain.

Unless the Lord watches over the city,

the watchman stays awake in vain.

It is in vain that you rise up early

and go late to rest,

eating the bread of anxious toil;

for he gives to his beloved sleep.

Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord,

the fruit of the womb a reward.

Like arrows in the hand of a warrior

are the children of one's youth.

Blessed is the man

who fills his quiver with them!

He shall not be put to shame

when he speaks with his enemies in the gate."

We should love our children like God loves us! He is the model of love. Forgive yourself. Ask your children to forgive you. God will give you grace. Move on. Love yourself.

Love is choosing the best interest of others.

These three do not let slide:

1. Dishonesty
2. Disrespect
3. Disobedience

Hug your children. Be affectionate. Touch them 10- 12 times per day to stimulate them. It promotes learning and growth!

6. Targets

Know your children. Study them. Love them. Believe in them when nobody else does. We want them to always remember our profound love for them. 

Live a significant life. Aim them to have a big goal! Whittle away to know what the target is. Choose a target. What's the target for your children?

Isaiah 43 

Read a Proverbs every day of the month!

Targets:

• word of God in life (live it)
  
• develop humility (train over and over)
• have influence in life (Encourage them to have a mission.)

We need to be passionate about our children. Flaunt our love for them. Be conspicuous. Our children should be convinced that we love them and know that we are passionate about being their mother!

Most importantly, love your children. Tell them they're the greatest kids in the world. Tell them about Jesus! Lead them to Christ when they're young and moldable. It changes everything.  

Love your children like God loves them.

Pathway Readers

The Pathway Readers are treasured books in our home! We love them so much that each of our children have their very own set. Once they finish a book, they take it to their room and add it to their personal library.

We've been reading and enjoying Pathway Readers for years! So far, we've read all of the books from pre-primer to grade 5! (January 2013 Update: We have read the grade 6 book now and will start the grade 7 book next month!) One of my children enjoyed coloring so much that I let him color the black and white pictures in his pre-primer book, First Steps.

The stories are delightful and wholesome, and they nurture godly character. This doesn't mean that the children in the stories are always doing the right thing; often times they make poor choices, but they always learn a valuable lesson in the end!

We use these books for our "Read Aloud" time, also known as "Instructional Reading." Although we have never used the companion workbooks, I would recommend using them if you have not used or are not using a comprehensive phonics program. While primer through grade 3 teach phonics, grades 4 - 8 develop reading comprehension skills.

Overview:

• available for preschool through eighth grade
• a standard in Christian education for many years for home educators and Christian schools
• all stories, poems and reading selections encourage Godly character and moral values
• utilize a strong phonics approach in early grades
• vocabulary building lessons in all grades
• build good reading comprehension skills
• some grammar in all grades except pre-school

• can be used on their own with their companion workbooks as a comprehensive phonics/literature program or to supplement your chosen curriculum
• The teacher guides/keys are particularly handy in the early grades for checking on phonetic markings. For older grades, allow the students to mark their own work using the keys. The guides save the parent/teacher much time in marking assignments and contain teaching ideas and tips.
• hardcover readers, paperback answer keys and student workbooks
• Pathway readers make a great addition to any library
• These readers do not promote Amish doctrine and are suitable for anyone looking for solid, moral-based literature.

For more information check out the website: Pathway Readers

 Grade 1:

 

 

Grade 2:

 

 

 

 Grade 3:

 

 

 Grade 4:

 

Grade 5:

Grade 6:

Grade 7:

Grade 8:

"Now I'm Reading!" Beginner Reading Series

      

"Now I'm Reading!" books are similar to BOB Books. One major difference is that the "Now I'm Reading!" books are illustrated in full color. Also, these books come with fun, little reward stickers. Since multiple children in our family used these books, we wrote their names and the date (on the inside of the front cover) after each reading and placed a sticker next to their name. Each child got to pick which sticker they wanted to place next to their name. The set of 10 books come in a single hardback book which is great for keeping them organized and stored nicely.

We really enjoyed reading through these books! We only used the Beginner Reading Series and not any of the other products that are currently part of this program. We used these books years ago, so I don't believe the company had all the other products available at that time.

Check out the website for more information: Now I'm Reading!