Math My Kid Loves

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Math My Kid Loves

We’ve been homeschooling for just over 5 years. Over the 5 years we’ve been homeschooling, we’ve worked hard to work out oodles of kinks! In the process, we have become a fairly eclectic set of homeschoolers

We’ve worked out oodles of our kinks and, in the process, learned we’re a fairly eclectic set of homeschoolers!

We have a solid foundation in our combination of book learning and hands-on activities.

But it wasn’t always this way.

math my kid loves

When we started out, there wasn’t a lot of joy in our homeschool—especially when it came to math.

Not long ago, our only girl, now age nine and in third grade, started out homeschooling. It all intimidated her. Her wit and intelligence took a backseat to her reluctance to “prove” what she knew in any formal manner.

Like her mama, the girl would talk to a fire hydrant if left unattended, . When it came to schoolwork, though, she’d clam up. She was partially fearful of letting someone down and partially fearful more would be expected of her.

Math is one of the subjects we’d gravitate toward managing more conventionally. Our curriculum wasn’t exactly sparking the joy Marie Kondo wants for our lives. It certainly didn’t help that I’m such a “let sleeping dogs lie” type of person. Since she was still learning, why uproot everything?

Because it might become something they genuinely enjoy!

I recently discovered Apologia math, and it’s a game-changer, y’all!

Using this curriculum, we complete one lesson each day for four days. My daughter immediately knows what is being asked of her since the material is very straightforward. Her curiosity is piqued before the math anxiety has a chance to rear its ugly head.

Each lesson begins with a game—the perfect way to break the ice! Since we’re all friends here, I’ll admit something. I genuinely look forward to finding out what we’re playing at the top of our lesson. Rounding Bingo and the Right Digit, Right Place place value games are top favorites of ours!

math my kid loves

Using Apologia Math: You’re Not Alone

From the beginning, I found the Exploring Creation with Mathematics workbook and accompanying teaching guide and answer key impressively reassuring.

In each section, parents and students are thoroughly informed of what the student will be learning. We are given a list of necessary materials and informed of any activities taking place. Parents are given gentle reminders on how to relay the latest information most effectively.

Across a variety of subjects, this has been one of the few curriculums I’ve encountered with a focus on not only teaching the necessary material but empowering you, the teacher, to know you’re truly able. And you are!

math my kid loves

The Benefits of Apologia Math

One of the “kinks” we’ve worked out through our years of homeschooling is, my kids want something tangible; they want to be able to hold something in their hands and make sense of it.

I wholeheartedly understand the homeschooling mama who would prefer the paperless route of an online curriculum. (Who wants more to store?!).

But what’s incredibly invaluable about this Apologia math curriculum is it’s shaking hands with the science of the younger child’s development. It utilizes everything from linking cubes to base ten blocks to activity sheets to flashcards to rulers, etc. All of these things bridge the gap between the abstract concepts of math and the real-life application needed to carry them until their brains have matured to the point of thinking conceptually.

This helps to provide the basis for the later introduction of mathematical symbols and, eventually, working collaboratively with their peers in a variety of instances. No, we won’t be using all the literal math we’ll learn throughout our adult lives. Instead, its purpose can be found in teaching us how to think with a much broader scope.

math my kid loves

Why I Love Apologia Math

Let me just tell you the features I love most about the Apologia math curriculum:

As a faith-based family, I loved seeing the curriculum, Exploring Creation with Mathematics, live up to its name. It connects God’s word with the real-life learning and application of multiplication, as in Genesis 1:22:

“So God blessed them, “Be fruitful, multiply, and fill the waters of the seas, and let the birds multiply on the earth.”

It puts my daughter at great ease knowing the math education she’s receiving isn’t something foreign being forced upon her. Instead, it’s a way to see that The One who formed her in my womb has used multiplication, in unit 2 for instance, in the beauty of His design.

Another appreciated component is that I get the very real sense Kathryn Gomes, the author of this curriculum, wants kids to be kids. Not only is it presented with a kid-friendly aesthetic in mind, but the lessons are also incredibly quick. There’s no rush to the material and no need to drill for pages on end.

Gomes fully recognizes the direct correlation between the increased enthusiasm for a curriculum and the ease of retention for the young learner. There are fewer things better than being an eyewitness to your kids’ enjoyment of learning. We parents want to know the curriculum writer is a homeschooling mama who knows how to strike a balance between a healthy challenge and nurturing a natural curiosity. We know the writer/homeschool mom understands our time limits and busy lives!

But, and quite possibly my favorite aspect, seeing our sweet talk machine’s confidence skyrocket makes the switching of curriculums an easy decision. She’s taking her newfound confidence with numbers and applying it everywhere. From baking to time management to that niche reasoning you only gain from understanding age-appropriate math, Apologia’s math has paved the way to making her a much more peaceful learner.

math my kid loves

From this Apologia math curriculum alone, I’m intrigued by what else Apologia has to offer! If I can feel this confident and supported, while watching our third grader thrive, I’d say they’re worth a look. If you’re a curious little kitten, too, check them out here!