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mumsrea
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| Posted: July 19 2008 at 10:33am | IP Logged
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Maybe this is a better question for Karen Tyler, but i figure you all have bumped up against it almost certainly.
I've been reading albums and i'm up to speed about the work in math. I'm making a list of materials i need to get. I'm excited and inspired by the brilliance.
WHAT I DON'T GET is how the parallel works in math operate. Right now my son is doing Golden Bead addition at school. One of my albums says that memorization is not introduced until the child has become comfortable with all the operations in Golden Beads. However, i know that at his school he was doing some of this type of work. It seems to me that with all due respect to MM no harm can be gained by doing this parallel to GB material. Also, some works are supposed to be parallel Segun boards for instance. And what happens when you are on to memorization? no more golden beads?
Lori's scope and sequence doesn't contemplate parallel work. My other albums specifically advise it, although not in the same manner. I note that the MTC scope, while not calling the work "parallel" has a different sequence than some others further suggesting that some work is given in parallel.
Some lists suggest golden beads addition, multiplication, subtraction, division, then stamp game and others...But other lists suggest everything in addition then everything in subtraction....
So i guess the question is this - is the work parallel or not, if it is, how do you know when to introduce it and how to bring the child forward on these two (or more) planes. If not, does the child just eventually leave the other work?
WHICH BOOK ADDRESSES THIS!???????
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montessori_lori
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| Posted: July 19 2008 at 4:10pm | IP Logged
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You're right, I don't specifically address parallel work (that's sort of outside the scope of my lists), because I also expect people to have albums which do address this type of question.
I agree with your album that memorization should be not be done right away. However, a child doing Golden Bead work should be doing the Multiplication bead board, addition & subtraction strip board, etc. and what we find is that kids often begin to memorize the tables naturally, without actually intending to do so.
Actually, I think it's much better to have them simply do a lot of math process work than have them use flashcards or worksheets as we did back in the day. Memorization games like taking a handful of addition equations and saying the answers while throwing them back in the box (a common addition extension) are meant for the later stages of addition work, and are usually done in elementary.
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mumsrea
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| Posted: July 19 2008 at 4:53pm | IP Logged
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where can i read that "a child doing Golden Bead work should be doing the Multiplication bead board, addition & subtraction strip board, etc."
i have the sister mary motz albums - and others - and they don't really say much about this kind of thing.
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Mackfam
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| Posted: July 21 2008 at 3:29pm | IP Logged
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MR -
I think it will depend on your child, his age, his grasp of the concepts, etc.
I personally introduce one concept at a time. It's just less confusing for my very ordered little man. He moves through that concept a good way before anything new is introduced. When he is comfortable I print out operations sheets that reinforce concepts and presentations and he fills those out as he goes about his work adding more purpose and function to the bead material and the work. Then, I introduce something new.
Just how we work it here at home. The memorization comes quite naturally at this age when something is recurring. I don't think you need to force that one really.
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Jen Mackintosh
Wife to Rob, mom to dd 19 , ds 16, ds 11, dd 8, and dd 3
Wildflowers and Marbles
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Angel
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| Posted: July 22 2008 at 9:19am | IP Logged
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I think, at this point, that what you may have to do first and foremost is to really observe your child. What is he enjoying? What does he seem to be ready for? How much can he handle at one time -- how many different works, different concepts, etc? How fast or slow does he like to move?
I didn't get this from any album, but I always introduce the concept first, allow my dd to work with the concept until she seems to understand it, and *then* introduce any memorization activities. She is then able to choose whether or not she wants to do the concept work or the memorization work. (At some point, however, if memorization is neglected, I will require it.) This, to me, is also about moving from the concrete to the abstract. But I don't think anybody can tell you exactly *when* you are supposed to do this, because it depends on the child. My own dd's progress through math has been rather spiral: we move from the concrete to the abstract, back to concrete for review, a little farther ahead, back again... going forward, but always in the fashion that forward motion is only achieved sometimes by going backward. Another child will have a totally different trajectory. (My ds certainly does.)
I remember when I was first starting out that I was really concerned about doing everything "right". In fact, sometimes this desire is completely overwhelming. I remember many times of just wanting to throw my hands up in despair.  As I go along, though, I'm learning to loosen up a little.
My advice is not to worry about it so much. If you have a reasonable idea of where you're headed and you make it a point to pay attention to your little guy, he'll learn. What you are doing in your house may not (and probably won't) look like a Montessori school, or even what the albums say it's supposed to look like. But it's okay. Home education is a new thing, and it takes a little experimentation, IMO.
--Angela
Three Plus Two
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mumsrea
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| Posted: July 22 2008 at 9:41am | IP Logged
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I agree. My concern though is that if i don't use curriculum and i don't use montessori properly, we'll have alot fall through the cracks and/or he won't be happy since a modified montessori approach might not be as engaging or stimulating as the real thing and he'll be lost not having structure and direction.
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CatholicMommy
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| Posted: July 23 2008 at 10:52pm | IP Logged
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The seguin boards are definitely parallel to various portions of the math sequence, based on the children's interests (some children are so into counting, they love it earlier - others later after much work with the golden beads).
The memorization work is generally done after lots of work with all four operations, but again if the child is interested, let him go for it. You can always come back to the golden beads for the other operations.
In the end, the main rule is to "follow the child", assuring natural progression (not forced to move ahead for example; and not allowed to jump way ahead without the basic skills).
HTH!
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4Real Forums : Nurturing the Years of Wonder
Topic: implementation questions - parallel work?
