Ideas for Math Curriculum

[Donna]

Dear All,

One of my latest projects is a gr 1 - 5 math curric - a bit like the language arts book (but not nearly as big). I will go through the math curriculum, year by year and explain what is normally done - and give lesson plans, tips, main lesson and practice lesson ideas, hands on ideas, teaching advice etc. I intend to include games and lots of movement ideas as well.

So... my request to you all is : what would you like to see in such a book? What would be helpful to you?

[bendingbirchhomeschool]

One thing to note may be when/if a math "curriculum" (ie, Keys To.., anything else) would be warranted...As a mom homeschooling a 5 year old, it seems everyone I know who is homeschooling older kids is using a curriculum like Saxon, Singapore (VERY popular here in Georgia), Rightstart - it seems a little daunting!

Just my two cents -
Carrie in Georgia

[holistic_mama]

Hi Donna,

I don't how possible this is...but since you asked....here is my 'wish list'! :D

My most dog-eared sections of your books are the actual lesson plans....for instance in Living Language when you lay out bit by bit the Word Families lesson using "Make Way for Ducklings"...and then explain how to transition that into the Elizabeth of the Roses story. *Excellent*

That was concrete enough that I was able to put my energies into making it a multi-age lesson using your ideas step by step for my G2, and then spinning it a bit to introduce D (drawing Mama Duck as a D) to my G1. Unfortunatley, I haven't had time to go to the library and cull through the shelves for books that would work for other word families....so this ended up being kind of a 'one-hit-wonder' lesson for us.

I find that what I have the *least* amount of time for is going to the library and scanning books. I have found myself wishing over and over that after you wrote out the whole lesson...that you had had a title list of other books suitable for word family lessons (as I write this...I'm wondering if this very thing might be in the G1 syllabus waving at me on my desk...hmmm!).

So...that is what I would find most useful in a Math book...a description of the lesson and a list of source material that I can gather from the library to make my own related lessons for the rest of the block.

Does that make any sense? LOL

I'm excited that you are going to make a focus on movement....I would love some more ideas to do with rhythm sticks. STicks have been my solution to working with what is classically offered as 'clapping games' for math and music; since my oldest son goes into sensory overload with clapping (and especially tapping or slapping different parts of his body). Since we already use the sticks...it seems that there should be other games that we can utilize as well. :)

Another request would be for step-by-step artistic instructions for different art mediums out of which to bring the lesson. I find that my own mathemathics instruction was so dry; that it is a real challenge for me to find the time to sit and contemplate how to bring the movement, scarves, drawing, modeling, painting...etc, as a *part* of the lesson rather than some 'stuck on bit' at the end. Related to this....my only 'artistic' training was with music, and I am SO uncomfortable with the various artistic mediums and am so relieved when someone breaks down the individual steps to making a painting (or whatever) literally mapping it out step by step. Once I do it one time like this...I can figure out the next thing, but it is a humongous time-saver for someone to lay it out bit by bit the first time.

Oh...and any tips on multi-age lessons are always appreciated. Sometimes I just need examples of how this G1 and that G2 concept are related...and then it becomes more clear how we can work on these things together in one lesson. I like the chart that Alan Whitehead provides that lines up the blocks that one would do for certain grades in such a way that it is easy to see which blocks could be done at the same time for multiple grades.

Looking forward to seeing the book!

Kimberly~in El Paso

[thriving hearts]

I would love to see the following in your math book:
(The actual stories would be most helpful but recomendations on stories to get and where to find them would be helpful also.)


number stories depicting 1, 2, 3 and so on.

Stories that show the four processes.

stories that show other math components: odd and even numbers, counting by different number 2,4, etc..., Stories showing fact families, measurement, etc.

Games and manipulative ideas (or provided).

Thanks Donna! Do you have any ides when this book will be coming out?

[Margot]

Donna,
I really would love a glimpse (narrative) into what it looks like, feels like, sounds like during the lesson... kind of like in your Curric. Overview where you give a narrative snapshot of each grade. When coming from a non-Waldorf background it is hard to know how to make it have that artistic feel.

Clearly that couldn't be for each lesson... but maybe one per grade level.

And if you ever do a new revision of your form drawing, I would recommend this idea for that "subject" area. Without having seen such a uniquely Waldorf thing as "Form Drawing" in action, it is hard to understand how a lesson artistically and practically unfolds. I suppose a videoed lesson would be helpful to see, but I think a narrative description in a book could achieve it also.

So, paint a picture with words.

Give us a flavor of how it could unfold-- perhaps take a fictious family through your curriculum-- ie one lesson per grade level which would describe a lesson unfolding.

Really "mood" is so critical in Waldorf, yet it is the thing left out of most descriptions of particular lessons/curriculum....

Thanks so much for your work!! (Think of all the lives you've impacted... it is staggering to think of the beauty you've added to the world. Good job!)

WARMLY (yes, shouting!),
Margot Worthy in Washington State (where we just used our beeswax crayons to decorate Easter eggs prior to dipping in food color... stunning!)

[elizamars]

I'd love to see math main lesson blocks sketched out for each of the grades. I'd also like guidance on how to reinforce and continue to practice math while working on language arts (or other) blocks.

As someone else said, it is always good to hear more ideas for teaching multi-age lessons.

I also agree, it would be good to have your take on the mainstream math materials which are out there. I would be nice to know which of these might be useful to draw from and when this might be appropriate. On the flip side, I always appreciate hearing your take on what is NOT appropriate and why.

Thanks Donna!

Lisa Marshall

[chrfath]

I would love to see your ideas too. I have loved your books so far. Math is something we haven't really touched on much here except for real life learning. I'll be watching for a release date.

[Donna]

My aim is to get this book out by the end of this summer. However, life has recently taken a few unexpected turns, so the book could be delayed. We should be able to let everyone know a firm date by, say, June.

The book is meant to complement our other books. Just as Living Language gives deeper and broader information (especially re actual teaching) than any of the other books, so this math curriculum will not duplicate what is presented in any other volume. So I won't be giving stories for the four processes or the numbers because all that is in the first grade syllabus. But there will be activities and ideas to deepen and extend first grade math.

For grades 2 through 5, there will be specific lesson plans, an outline of what is usually done in those grades and tons of activities, games and math projects. Like the math section in the first grade syllabus, it will be very specific. Like Living Language, there will be actual ideas and lesson plans for certain lessons.

I expect it to be about the size of our science book but not a general book like that one is.

More details will be revealed in upcoming months!

Thanks for all your interest - it always helps me write my books when I know what people wants!

[thriving hearts]

Hi Donna,
Will you be including any stories for 2nd grade and up? I would love to see some for even and odd, fact families, measurement, etc. I plan on using your first grade syllabus math stories and would love to have these (mentioned above) follow the squirrel stories inthe first grade syllabus. I can't wait until your books comes out!

[Donna]

Yes, there will be ideas for second grade stories following on from the first grade stories.

More details in late spring/early summer.

[Kim]

Hi Donna,
When do you think your new math book will be out?
Kim

[Donna]

We're aiming for late summer. Our newsletter is being sent out today and there are a few more details in there about it.
Thanks for asking!

Donna