Families using Jones Genius

[linzy]

We recently started Jones Genius (tail end of matrix/early Math 3) with our 4 year old, we are still just working on counting and number recognition with our 16 month old.

I thought it would be great to hear what a day with the program looks like for other folks. What challenges have you faced and what have you tried to overcome them. Have you modified the program at all to fit your family? If so how, why and did it work?

For us my son was already pretty proficient in addition and working on subtraction so after speaking with Dr. Jones (who is always very availible and has even called me at home twice to talk about our program) we purchased the Math 3 and he also sent us a "Matrix sampler". Each day we do our counting practice we have always done (to 100 by 1s, 2s, 3s, 5s and 10s). Then we practice backward counting from 20. We do one of the dot placement worksheets for review and then one of the 50's worksheets in addition and subtraction each. Our goal before moving on to Math 3 is that he can do both of these worksheets in under 20 minutes total.

Now for our challenges. It is hard to keep a VERY talkative little boy focused on math worksheets. He does a problem then he wants to talk about some random thing. If I sit next to him and point at each problem and say okay now do this one...and if he still sits there prompt his with which one is bigger...? He can do each problem in a matter of seconds, but if I leave him to his own devices the worksheet will take 20 minutes.

On one level I feel like if I just leave him (he's not frustrated or anything, just chatting, daydreaming, singing etc...) eventually he will realize that if you just do the problems you will be done quickly. My husband on the other hand thinks I should sit next to him to help him stay directed and help him practice staying on task. I feel like doing that is teaching him to rely on me to keep him on task when I want a my kids to be self directed learners, also the time doesn't seem like a fair measure of ability if I am continually prompting him. What do you guys think?

[mom2bee]

I'm not using Jones Genuises, but I think your husband is right. SOMEONE has to sit with him and keep him on task, but you can do so in a way that doesn't allow the "attention aide" to be a crutch. Needing someone at their elbow is pretty common for children under 8. I'm not saying its acceptable at that age, but right now, I work with 6 students (traditional aged) and ALL of them need someone to redirect them. For.Every.Single.Problem or line.

HOWEVER, I work with each student 1-1 and have explained to them that work must be done quickly and instituted a rule for reading time. "Finish the WHOLE page before commenting on ANYTHING." I make no exceptions, sometimes if we have two very short pages in a book, I give them a chance to look at the pictures and talk about them, then I say, "Okay, both these pages are very short, we're going to read the fast way, and since the pages are short, we wont have make a chat-stop until we finish this (the 2nd) page. Okay, are you ready? Good, begin." My 6yo student is better at this, but the 4yo has far to go. The 8yo and 11yo are worse than the littles because I never worked with them before this year, so they dont know my "system."

Explain to him. He must do the work quickly. Tell him that the rule is to finish one whole line before saying anything, gently redirect his attention after each line has been completed. Teach him to write and chat at the same time, or do them in turn. Also, get a timer and time his each line. After several days, say "Okay, you work so quickly, I think that if we didn't talk from start to finish, you'd be done in no time. Thats even better, because then we can play. I want you to do the whole page, quick as you can, without talking and let him chart his times. Give him a goal. If he gets his time down to 6minutes then he gets an ice cream.
If he gets his time down to 5 minutes and he gets a dollar toy of his choosing or a picnic in the part.

Oh, but he has to maintain those good times for a week.

Begin moving a little further and further away from him. Have him do his work during "Math time" while you are working with the baby.


He will need guidance in the beginning and you (or your husband) will have to be paitient with him, but there is no reason that with in 30-45 days he can't reliably do his math quickly all by himself. You just have to be consistent with it.

Good luck.

[Maquenzie]

I'm having similar issues (not with Jones Genius), but with working with my 4 year old in reading.  I actually posted about it today.  There is interest, but not a ton of stick-to-it-ness...

The things that have helped so far are short lessons, and alternating the less fun and higher fun activities (example: today I had my 4 year old read a line of words and then we played a "more fun" memory game with letter sounds).  Or pairing the less fun with a desirable treat afterwards.  We don't do rewards, per se, but (for example) we do have a habit of having desert after violin practice every night.  It's just a part of the sequence, but neither depend on the other.  If we are out very late one night and skip practice, we might still have desert.  Or we may skip desert one night because we are out, but still have violin practice.  But, just generally being a part of the sequence helps, I think. 

Oh! And habit.  I pair almost everything I do to something.  Do you have a set time or sequence of events for Math practice? I have certain times (or rather events) that go with everything.  Math worksheets are on the breakfast table before we wake up and while I do a morning sudoku, my 4 year old enjoys doing math at the same time. Usually I will cook breakfast and coffee, and my 4 year old will typically help for a few minutes, lose interest, take a seat and see what "games" there are to do (I typically have a maze on top, and then a math worksheet or two).  By the time I sit down, my 4 year old is often engrossed already.  We eat, chat, and do our "games".

[linzy]

I tried sitting next to him last night. After each problem I said "okay next problem". He did all 50 in 12 minutes so that was a significant improvement. I guess for now I will do that and just try to wean him off my help. I feel okay about doing it since he's doing the actual math on his own. I just don't want it to become a crutch.

[TracyR4]

Yeah, at 4 you need to sit with them. I have two already that need someone to sit with them. Those are my two oldest. I never encouraged me sitting next to them to do math but they were much older. Just this year they are attending school and for some reason they feel the need for someone to be next to them. I think it has to do with comfort more than anything.

As for 4yr olds though they do need to be directed. Their little brains are going a mile a minute and math isn't on their agenda! LOL. I have  to sit with my 4yr old to keep her on track because we start talking about everything from princesses to what she is going to eat for dinner.
Usually I listen at first.Then if it continues I say to her " Maggie, that's nice but we need to stay focused here, we can talk all about princesses later on. Look this is the number..... and continue on from there. Its all about redirection at this age. My third daughter is very independent. She doesn't need for me to sit next to her to do anything. I didn't start pulling away though until about the age of 6. Little by little though. I did the same with my two older daughters though. Just my oldest is using it for comfort I believe and my 2nd daughter has always needed someone to sit next to her during math. She struggles with it to begin with.

[linzy]

Tracy your daughter sounds just like my son. Only it is light sabers, Starwars, dinner, weekend plans, singing songs, what is brother/dad doing...it sounds like with time he may become more self directedon his own. I don't mind sitting next to him I just don't want to be a crutch.

[Kimba15]

Hi Everyone,

I am using the Matrix math programme and I am having a hard time following it. I find I am working on too many steps at once. I think my DD notices that I seem to lose my place. ANy advice??

[linzy]

Maybe try e-mailing Chris or Dr Jones and see if they have any advice. They are usually really helpful to me.

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