Hi again!
I know this week is not the best week to send out any newsletters, because of the election in the U.S., but I have one time-sensitive item in it so I'm sending it out anyhow. I hope you have time to take a peek! |
1. Math Mammoth newsA precious smile on this girl's face! The customer said, "We went out to a local toy store and bought our own mammoth mascot called Mammy." I will be running a SALE near Thanksgiving, so stay tuned! I appreciate hearing from someone in special education who has used Math Mammoth products. Warms my heart to hear that the books are so useful with kids who are less advantaged. 💗 "This curriculum is the dream for my special education students whose math skills are well below grade level! It is working beautifully because it allows me to give the assessment and immediately identify the areas of weakness. I can then use the Kami application to split and merge so that I can select and assign the appropriate worksheets to address the individual areas that require improvement one skill at a time. I also love the way they teach the skills--Best methods I have ever seen! I bought the entire program for just under $200. One of the best investments of a lifetime! This would be perfect for a homeschool teacher as well. They have workbooks if you prefer the pencil and paper mode. There are a ton of videos that can be used as well if you are not a math person. All in all, Math Mammoth is simply the best alternative curriculum in my opinion!" |
2. Making mistakes Photo courtesy of Patrick Gibling Scientists have proven that when we think about a mistake, and try to figure out what went wrong, our brain GROWS new connections. The brain literally grows. This is a very encouraging message — something we can definitely share with our children. And it gives us a totally new outlook on mistakes. When your child or student makes a mistake, it's time to "embrace" it — in a sense. I realize in math we definitely also want to strive for accuracy, but use that mistake in a positive sense, as a stepping stone. Do not put down the mistakes. You can even "praise" mistakes in this sense: tell the student, "Great, I'm glad for this mistake, because it helps your brain to grow!" Treating mistakes in this manner also helps students to develop a "growth mindset" — a state of mind where the person sees difficult tasks as OPPORTUNITIES for growth. And they believe that with effort, they CAN learn. Quoting Jo Boaler, When I have tutored people in math, I've always started by saying, "By the way, I just want you to know that I love mistakes the most. They are the time that your brain grows, when you really learn, so it's really great to make mistakes." Mistakes, and people immediately relax and breathe a sigh of relief and are much more willing to jump in to problems and persist longer. Here's an idea... try to give your student challenging work that (in a sense) encourages mistakes. The math problems need to be difficult enough so that students make mistakes, because if they can easily solve them, there is no brain growth. Try to always keep them at the "edge" of their understanding. Read more here! |
3. Does your child need help for multiplication tables? How to help students with multiplication tables? |
4. Homeschooling Curriculum Conference I am one of the speakers in the Homeschooling Curriculum Conference, hosted by Marie Grace Berg of Blissful Berg Media. This is a totally FREE conference, open to the public for November 9-15, 2020. It brings together 40+ homeschooling experts and curriculum providers, to share their best tips and strategies on how to choose curricula that fit your child’s learning needs, your family's lifestyle and budget.  What makes this event so unique is the addition of a wide-range of homeschooling speakers and curriculum providers from all over the globe, from Asia to Europe to North America to South Africa. REGISTER FOR FREE HERE NOW! Here's a sneak peek of the event. It is broken down into theme days: Day 1: Homeschooling Foundation, aka Homeschooling 101: It All Starts Here! Day 2: Character-Based Curricula Day 3: Play-Based Curricula Day 4: STEM Curricula Day 5: Reading, Writing, History Curricula Day 6: Curricula in other Countries Day 7: Curriculum Adjuncts and Resources There will also be a LIVE panel and Q&A sessions daily to answer any questions you have LIVE! Plus, when you attend these LIVE sessions, you automatically qualify to WIN one of the many RAFFLE PRIZES, like FREE Lifetime Membership, Free Access to the event recordings, speaker gifts and bonuses, and more! Whether you are new to homeschooling or found yourself homeschooling as a result of the pandemic, or you are a veteran homeschooler, you'll find plenty of inspiration and strategies to implement in your homeschooling journey. Come learn and have fun at the Homeschooling Curriculum Conference which opens to the public for free on November 9-15, 2020. REGISTER HERE (free) |
5. Puzzle corner, problem solving, and puzzles Hello Maria, I hope you are doing very well on this new normal. We are happy using your books for 3rd and 5th grade. So far, they like the books, they explain well, I don't have to 'teach'. Here's what I said: Please see the links in the user guide concerning challenging problems. I think you will find something in those. In particular, I recommend the Math Stars newsletters - they're free and have a very nice variety of puzzling problems. Here's a direct link to Math Stars Problem Solving Newsletters (grades 1-8) 😊 I've used them a lot with my children and like them a lot. Additionally, check this website - it is shock full of math puzzles, and covers mathematical concepts for all levels. 😊 |
6. Just for fun!
Thanks for reading!  Feel free to forward this issue to a friend/colleague! Subscribe here. Till next time, Maria Miller 
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