Math Maniac

In anticipation of baby #5s arrival this fall I purchased a fun/somewhat less teacher intensive, than our norm, math curriculum to get Bentley through the fall while it's crazy around here.  It's a bit more self taught, so I figured it would be a good approach.

We're using a program called Teaching Textbooks, and being the frugal type I decided to just get PART of the program - the workbook.  You can also get an interactive CD program that self grades (among other features I didn't fully understand at the time of ordering, oops...!), but I figured that if I couldn't handle grading a 3rd grade math sheet in 30 seconds than we have serious problems around here.  :)

Fast forward to now.  After finally getting sprung from my unexpected hospital visit Bentley and I decided to get started with our new Teaching Textbooks Math 3 book.  It's pretty simple stuff, but it has enough new thrown in there that I wasn't certain we should jump straight to 4.  But, since it's not that hard, we do 2 lessons some days.  This was working okay, but I was getting the impression that maybe all of the material wasn't being internalized.  Thus further research and the oops moment when I realized there was more to the CD experience than I'd thought at first.

SO.  I backed off of the cheap approach and ordered the CDs so he can do the whole interactive on the computer experience.  The CDs arrived today and I set it all up.   I called Bentley up to my lair, and gave him the quick run down on how to go through the tutorials and problems in the program.

He finished his lesson for the day, and I was curious what he thought.  Of course... I didn't want to directly ask.   Sometimes with a 6 year old that gets you an ornery response instead of what you're hoping for!  So, instead, I asked him a more neutral question: was he done for the day, or did he want to do another lesson before moving on to spelling?

His reply: "Just 1 more?!  I want to do 5 more!  Or maybe 10!  Or more than that!  I love this!".

I was a bit astonished.  Not that it isn't a good program, but I didn't think it looked THAT magical!  But, apparently, it is.

I managed to coax him away after 6 lessons.  He assures me he's going to do 10 tomorrow.

I'm thinking I'm going to need the next few levels to get me through the fall, there are only 118 lessons in the book!  I'm not complaining though.  A child who loves math?  Yes please.

P.S. - stay tuned.  If the bed rest gets boring enough you may be delighted to hear about many more of my thoughts on math, math programs, and young children.  I am growing quite the collection of math curriculums with full intentions to do them all.  You can't have too much math is my philosophy.... right?!?!!

Just kidding.  Kind of.