Tips for Picking the Right Home School Math Curriculum

Tips for Picking the Right Home School Math Curriculum

Article by Dennis McLynn

Mathematics is an essential part of the core educational curriculum. Parents who choose to home school their children are given the option to choose which math curriculum best fits their students.

The most important factor to keep in mind when choosing the right home school math curriculum is the student. Parents must be aware which learning style their child learns best under. Parents must decide if their child is an auditory or visual learner, if their child works best with active learning, how much time is spent on instruction, and weather or not the student is able to learn in a step-by-step or sequential manner.

Visual learners often appreciate colorful textbooks and benefit from the use of video demonstrations. Auditory learners benefit from having the concepts verbally explained.

Most children work best with active learning. Active learning incorporates activities to ensure that the child knows, understands and is able to apply the concepts learned. With this method of teaching, children put what they learn into practice, separating the difference between memorizing concepts and actually learning them.

When choosing a math program it is important to distinguish if the program is spiral or mastery. Spiral programs introduce various topics without expecting students to fully comprehend them. The concepts and topics are continuously repeated which allows students to master the topics, as they understand them. This type of program often works as a great method for teaching students with attention difficulties and students who are perusing a career plan that does not require in depth mastery of math concepts. Spiral programs are more flexible, allowing students to change topics, keeping them from becoming overwhelmed and stifled. This program also allows students to learn and understand basic information and formulas needed in everyday life. This makes spiral learning ideal for students that are working for a career in a non-mathematic field.

Mastery programs are presented in steps. Mastery programs ensure that a child fully understands a concept before continuing to the next. This type of program usually takes the student longer, but is much more extensive. This type of program is extremely beneficial to students that are working towards a career that requires mastery of mathematical concepts. Mastery programs ensure that the student completely understands the topic before moving to the next.When choosing a math program, parents must also decide between concrete and abstract mathematics. Concrete mathematics refers to the actions taken to perform mathematical functions such as addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. Abstract mathematics deal with the reasoning behind mathematical functions and actions.

These are the exact ideas and concepts parents must keep in mind when choosing the right home school math curriculum that best fits the student. Choosing the program that best appeals to the student ensures the student’s success. Parents may also want to consider an online math tutoring platform as a way to supplement their home school curriculum.

About the Author

Dennis McLynn is the Vice President of Strategic Marketing & Business Development for High Points Learning. HighPoints Learning (HPL) is a leader in Web-based math education and instruction. HPL offers an online math tutoring program that helps raise participants’ math scores an average of 15 points in pre and post testing. HighPoints Learning services the 3-12 grade market with products and services that include AchieveMath, Achieve HighPoints, and AYP Math.

For more information visit: http://www.ehighpoints.com