Circuit Math in Metro Detroit

As a teacher, I am passionate about learning.  So I was really excited to get an opportunity to check out Circuit Math with Marie.  The program is focused on the foundations of math and is individualized for each student with the goal to help kids in grades 3^rd – 9^th to make progress in math in fun, relevant ways.

The session starts with Marie finding her name tag. Maggie, Co-Founder of Circuit Math, took some time to get to know Marie by asking her about her interests.  I have to admit, when Marie learned she was going to have to do math at this outing, she was not happy.  But when Maggie showed her in a very casual way how math is used in swim, I saw Marie’s eyes light up. This was a first, since she usually has a negative attitude about anything concerning math. 

After Maggie and Marie chatted, Marie then signed in and went to the first station.  Here she sat at a laptop and completed the initial evaluation called a COW (Competency of the Week). I love that they do not use the word a test or a quiz since that can make students nervous.  The COW evaluated her skills in very specific areas, such as multiplying by 0.  She needed a little work in this area, so she did an interactive virtual workshop with polls to keep her engaged.

All of this color-coded information (green for pass, yellow or red indicating they need to work on this area) was available to her via her dashboard.  She then had access to the playlist of activities (not called tasks or assignments which is awesome) and practiced her skills.

After twenty minutes at station one, she moved to the circuit part of the session where she could apply what she learned in real-life situations.  She chose the restaurant station.  Ms. Katie played the waitress (although another student will play this part).  Marie got to order whatever she wanted and practiced her multiplication and adding.

She then moved on to the sports circuit where she played darts and beanbag toss and practiced adding numbers up in different ways.  There is also a basketball circuit and a golf circuit to practice measurement and average.  I love this concept, especially for people who learn best when they are in motion.

At the end, since Marie mastered her skills, she received a COW.  Students can choose to use their COWS to get a small prize, like a pencil or stickers.  Students can also choose to save their cows for a bigger prize, like a ball or fun duct tape.

None of the prizes are candy because they value active lifestyle and do not want students on a sugar high.  I love this concept!

Although I didn’t spend a lot of time in the middle school room, I loved that the students designed it themselves.  They even participated in a project that helped them to figure how much paint they needed to paint the floor and work within a budget.  Having taught junior high, I know how easy it is to let homework become a wedge in the parent/child relationship. At Math Circuit, the teachers can help students with math and alleviate the frustrations that come with helping with homework.

So what do parents do while they are waiting for their kids?  They wait here and enjoy complimentary coffee and water.  And since it is an open floor plan, they can watch their kids, too.

Places like Math Circuit need to exist especially in regards to Common Core Standards (which the certified teachers are aware of and make sure the foundational skills and real-life applications compliment these standards).  Also, Math Circuit teachers have the time and resources to individualize the education experience whether a student needs extra help, more challenges, or additional practice.

If you are interested in learning more about Circuit Math, be sure to check out their website.  They have morning sessions available during the summer and will have afternoon sessions once school starts.

How do you get your kids excited about math?

*I was compensated to write this promoted post, but all of the opinions are my own.

Tackling Math: Bedtime Math 2

One of the many fascinating aspects of raising children is you get to relive your own childhood.

When Marie get all excited about discovering Judy Blume books or the Ramona series by Beverly Cleary, I am surprised by the rush of warm, fuzzy memories of reading those same books.  Some details I can recall so vividly, like the time Ramona’s dad made pancakes for dinner when Ramona’s mom forgot to plug in the crockpot and the beef stew was not cooked.  I became so connected to these characters it was as if these things happened in my own life.

When I see Thomas taking his lovey, Baby Jammies, everywhere with him, it reminds my how I used to be so attached to my soft, yellow blankie.  I was so attached that when I was in first grade, I used to hide it when my friends would come over so no one knew about it.

I also remember my horrible struggles as they encounter their own battles.  I remember in crystal clear detail how much I hated the collaborative learning centers in my second grade teacher’s class; they just did not mesh well with my emerging introvert personality.

I also remember sitting at the kitchen table with tears of frustration streaming down my face as I attempted my math homework. Story problems were the worst!  A scenario involving trains going at different speeds to get somewhere at the same time – blah, blah, blah.

I was more interested in who was on the train.  Where was it going?  Why?  What kind of food was on the train? 

No mystery why I became an English major.

I shut myself off to math and declared it useless.

Useless?!

Clearly I had yet to use money or try to cut a recipe in half or have the pleasure of visiting Ikea.

Math is everywhere!

I do not want my kids growing up with this convoluted attitude about math that I did, so imagine my excitement when I discovered that Laura Overdeck wrote a new book called Bedtime Math 2 –This Time It’s Personal.

Now that Thomas is five and almost in Kindergarten, I can even do Wee Level with him, which involves simple addition, and working with patterns.  He was a tad resistant at first, but the stories about underwear (one of his most favorite topics to discuss) and birthdays (he could talk about birthdays and cake forever) won him over.

Marie loves the stories in the book, and I feel so immensely excited that she is doing math in her head.  In her head!!

This newest edition not only has the three levels with each story problem as in the previous book (Wee Ones, Little Kids, Big Kids), but has some really engaging Bonus Questions as well.

I love that both kids can sit down and enjoy this book together even though they are at different levels.

This gives me hope that they won’t struggle with doing math in their head to leave a tip or figuring out the sale price or wondering if that beautiful entertainment center will actually fit on the family room wall.

Do you struggle with math?  How do you help your kids feel excited about math?

**Disclaimer – I was given a copy of Bedtime Math 2 – This Time It’s Personal to review.  These options (and admission about my math deficiencies) are all my own.

New Love: Bedtime Math

I recently had a chance to review Bedtime Math by Laura Overdeck.*  Honestly, the timing was perfect on this opportunity.  Marie was just saying how she doesn’t like math.

What?!

I mean she is only 7 years old.  I know there are studies that have talked about girls loosing interest in math at a young age, but 7 years old?!

I wasn’t sure how she was going to take to this book since she loves to read stories.  However, what makes this math book so great is the story that is read before any math questions are asked.  One of her favorite stories was about noodles.  There was a brief, funny story about cooking noodles and having them stick to the wall to determine if they are done.  The math questions were all about figuring out cooking times. 

I think the reason that this book has piqued Marie’s interest in math is the storytelling.  She cares about finding out the answers because she is interested in the story.  This is a far cry about two trains leaving the station at the same time, but at different speeds.  Or something like that.  I was too distracted since I was wondering where the trains were going, who was on the train, what was being served in the food cart, would it be like the train in White Christmas – you know, the important stuff.

What I also like about this book is there are different levels of questions so as she builds her math skills, she can still use the book.  Another great point about the concept of this math book – there is no “right” way to figure out the problem.  Marie is not confined by a certain method of math so she is thinking critically about the problem and figuring it out on her own.  How awesome is that?!

I love how she is totally interested in math now and even ask to read Bedtime Math in favor of her beloved chapter books.

To be truthful, I was always confused and overwhelmed with math (re: the paragraph where I don’t remember train story problems).  But I am hoping that with a resource like Bedtime Math, she will gain confidence in math because she truly likes figuring out problems.

I don’t often feel like a rock star mom, but this book makes me feel like I may be changing the course of Marie’s life as she sees herself as someone who not only likes math, but is good at it, too.

How do you get your child excited about something they think they don’t like?  Have you ever had to put your feelings of discomfort about a certain subject aside in order to help your child?

*I was given a copy of Bedtime Math to review, but these opinions are mine, all mine.