Greetings! This is the VERY FIRST volume of my newsletter. I'm excited to be able to offer it to people. I've been wishing to do something like this for a while.
Actually, I started my blog with the exact same intention: to help parents and teachers teach math, learn math, possibly change their views about what math is, or how it is supposed to be taught, to share interesting math websites, news, books, etc.
But the blog seems to be like too new of an idea, not enough "mainstream", so not that many people have caught on to go read it. I hope to reach farther with just a traditional newsletter. However, I will be pointing to content in my blog.
Ok, enough of that. Now to the meat:
1. Life without answer keys?
2. Coupon codes for math curricula
3. Prove two triangles congruent
4. Coherent math curriculum
5. Choosing a curriculum
6. Giveaways
Most homeschoolers, I assume, wouldn't want to touch a math book without an answer key. And yes, it saves time if you need to grade student's work.
But have you considered the drawbacks to answer keys? Say it is a proving problem. What if your solution is not in the answer key? How do you go about determining whether your solution is right? This can bring uncertainties and frustration to mathematics studies.
The ultimate ideal is when a student can usually check his solution himself, and be sure it is right, and the teacher can fill in to check it at other times.
The mere existence of answer keys also fosters the idea that a math problem is to be solved for the right answer's sake.
Read more about Life without answer keys and about A parallel world.
These ones are for RightStart Mathematics or RightStart Geometry, and for Carnegie Learning's new math curriculum products (for pre-algebra or "Bridge to Algebra", Algebra 1, Algebra 2, Geometry, and Integrated Math).
Coupon codes for math curricula
A simple problem and a simple proof, for you to learn from.
Now that the school year is starting and many are making decisions on their math curriculum, it's a good time to read (if you haven't already) about Is your math curriculum coherent?
In a nutshell, US math curricula tend to cram a LOT of topics to each grade, and not devote enough time to any of them so that kids would learn it for good. Each topic tends to stay in the curriculum for 5-8 years but kids don't easily achieve mastery since it is never taught in depth and not enough time is spent on any topic.
In contrast, curricula in Europe and in other high-achieving countries have far fewer topics per grade. You can do something similar using your existing books.
I have gathered math curriculum advice, descriptions, and reviews - and even a list of free curriculum materials on my site.
I'm having a giveaways drawing at my blog; the prizes are math ebooks plus memberships to the Math Forum Problem of the Week service.
Till next time,
Maria Miller
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