The Robinson Curriculum (RC) puts a high priority on math. Saxon math starting in book 54 is recommended with only flashcards to memorize mixed operation math facts prior to starting that book. We are provided Ray's Arithmetic in the additional resources but it's not mentioned in the course of study. Now some types of people have no hang ups with this simple guidance but what if you are another type who feels anxious or unsure without specific and detailed instruction step by step? Perhaps, you are even a third type who likes the specific and detailed instructions just so you can analyze them, criticize them, embrace, rearrange or disregard them as you see fit? Well, my complex, independent, co-dependent friends I am here to help. I hope help. I am here to share anyway. Let's look at how I teach math to my six year old. My advice when reading blogs: Eat the fish and spit out the bones. Let's go.
First I'll briefly mention what he mastered in kindergarten as a prerequisite to moving forward. Materials used were an Abeka kindergarten workbook but probably any workbook is fine (we really enjoy Brainquest workbooks), number flashcards, counting manipulative cubes and sticks and an Abacus. We had a blast!
1. Count to 100 forwards and backwards
2. Count by 10 to 100
3. adding and subtracting within 10
4. 11-19 are 10 plus 1-9
This year is a new year. An RC year! I combed the materials available through the curriculum and found Ray's Primary Arithmetic. I printed and bound it and got to work. We use a spiral notebook for Will's subjects. He just heads each page with name, date and subject and works right along. I can staple in worksheets or he can tape things in and it keeps all his work in one place. I purchased the Math Facts Guide from Our House to organize my flashcards (you can buy them but I just made my own on index cards) and I created my own multiplication workbook/worksheets.
First Grade Materials:
The Robinson Curriculum: https://www.robinsoncurriculum.com
Ray's Primary Arithmetic (printable version comes with RC): https://www.amazon.com/Rays-New-Primary-Arithmetic
Math Facts Guide: https://www.lulu.com/en/us/shop/karen-rodriguez/our-house-homeschool-math-facts-flashcard-guide-tracker
Multiplication Worksheets/Workbook: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Multiplication-Bundle
Free Memory Pyramid: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Memory-Pyramid-for-Skip-Counting-7838317
Flashcards (printable versions comes with RC or can order physical set): https://www.robinsoncurriculum.com/rc/homeschool-curriculum-excellence/
Abacus and counting sticks: https://www.amazon.com/Yenorex-Math
Step One: Ray's
Okay, you have your materials gathered (I keep my flashcards and Abacus in a basket) and you've printed out your Ray's New Primary Arithmetic. Open the book to lesson I and proceed. Now, this book requires the parent to read instructions if your student is still learning to read as mine is but I like all the reading components as it's reinforcing literacy and there is no prep work required. Have something of your own to work on as well so you're not hovering over your child as they work. Have them give you their lesson when done so you can go over it with them. I like to correct with two pens. One color is for correct and one for corrections. I don't like them getting unbalanced with only negative feedback. When corrections are made I give a star sticker on the top of the page. If you feel your student is ready proceed to lesson II tomorrow. I have run into lessons that we repeated several times. If my son feels bad about this I try to be as gentle as possible. "The point is the work we're doing. You are learning. We have years of this ahead of us. There is no rush. I am proud of you as long as you are working." I have also split lessons into multiple days as some are a little long, especially at the beginning. My son has always enjoyed working on the chalkboard so we use that almost daily as well.
Step Two: Flashcards
I use the flashcard groupings proscribed in the Math Fact Guide and track each day what was done. If you are having a rough morning (we all have them) you can skip written lessons and just have your student do their flashcards and not feel bad at all. Flashcards are the base of the RC method at this point in time anyway. My sons liked to practice on their own and then quiz each other on their piles. Our flashcard method goes like this:
1. Get your stack of cards.
2. Record stack in tracker.
3. Make a right pile and a wrong pile as you go.
4. Study wrong pile until you think you have it mastered.
5. Mix wrong pile back into the right pile and test yourself making another set of right and wrong piles.
6. Repeat steps 4 & 5 until you get all facts right the first time.
7. Have a sibling or parent test you. If miss some in test go back to step 4 and if you pass GOOD JOB! tomorrow you move on to the next stack in the progression.
You decide how long this goes for. I do about an hour of this if there is no written work and about 15 minutes if they do. For my six year old I paused the progression of the flashcards proscribed in the Math Fact Guide after he'd mastered subtraction and addition so he could do some book work with it. You'll see why in step three.
Step Three: Multiplication Worksheet/Workbook
I found Ray's to be a great guide until it got to multiplication. There I found it to be slightly too complicated for my six year old. Your kids may be just fine but this is what I ran into so I took matters into my own hands and created materials to guide him in a progressive manner that started with the easier tables and moved into harder ones.This is my multiplication method.
1. Parent taught: Teach the 0 and 1's multiplication rule. Practice it on paper, chalk board, whatever.
2. Written Work: Begin workbook. It starts with introducing skip counting by 2's. Give them the 2's flashcards to begin daily practice with. This is a good time to have them group manipulatives into sets of two and match them with their flashcards so they can see what multiplication is short for. There are keys to each worksheet so the student can practice correcting themselves when they are done if you'd like to give them the key as well. I personally printed all the worksheets and keys and bound them (I recommend comb binding) with several blank pages between the sheets and the keys. That way they can't see the answers through the paper and also there are blank pages for extra practice as needed.
3. Warm Ups: Once skip counting and multiplication flashcards have been introduced add a morning warm-up, on the board or paper, of writing out the table you are working before doing the next worksheet. Have them either correct with a key or check for them.
4. Quiz: When you think they are ready for the quiz proceed. If they pass 100% great. They can move on the next day. If they miss some you know they need more practice. You can reprint worksheets but keep having them doing the table warm up and flashcards practice daily.
5. Cumulative Quiz: The worksheets progress like this: 2's, 5's, 10's, 11's, 3's, 4's, 8's, 7's, 6's, 9's & 12's. After the 2's each table quiz will be followed by a cumulative multiplication test where the previously mastered facts are reviewed as well as the current table. Once your student has mastered the cumulative test they can move on the the next table.
6. Multiplication Flashcards: When 2's are mastered move onto to 5's. Add the 5's flashcards to the 2's. When 2's and 5's are mastered add in the 10's flashcards and so on until they are daily reviewing all the multiplication fact flashcards. I am also simultaneously having them review a small stack of addition and subtraction cards they've previously mastered.
When I'm through the multiplication workbook I plan to pick back up in Ray's multiplication section.
So there it is. My method of teaching these basic math facts and moving increasingly in an independent mode of learning. At this age it's okay that the parent is still driving the boat. What I ask of my student is a good attitude and working independently when I tell him to. I like to be able to set an assignment and go unload the dishwasher and come back and check on his progress. I need to be able to progress with my own chores or attend to other siblings. The flashcards are a life-saver for time management. The instruction is "If you get done with this before I get back just move onto your flashcards until I do. Then we'll check your work."
What a gift to live in a time and place that we have the stability and peace to educate our children. Keep learning joyful friends!
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