Mortensen math?

[sonya_post]

I do not charge extra for EL. I am in a state that does not require that I have a license or a certificate. So, I can pretty much do what I want. Early Learning has no legal definition in the US that I am aware of. Preschool does. I cannot run a preschool.  I don't charge extra because I didn't start out to be a EL daycare. I got pregnant when my oldest was about ready to  graduate. So much for menopause, huh. We decided what we would homeschool again but I needed to fix some of the mistakes made the first time around. One of those things was that it isn't good for little kids to be only children. They don't turn out bad, but a lot of issues can be taken care of just by having other kids around. I didn't want to have more kids so I decided to rent some. Well, actually, get paid to take them. As I discovered EL it just kind of became what we do all day.

I have been doing this a little over 4 years. I started out with one bunch of kids and weeded them out to the one I wanted to keep. And then was very fortunate to pick up a little girl with Down Syndrome who fit in perfectly with the little boy I had and my son. She was 2 and a half when she came. She is now 6 and in school full time. But her mom had two more kids. That family is pretty much it for us. And now they are very much like my own kids.  I have a great relationship with them. When I get a hair brained idea and want to buy another curriculum they will usually split the cost with me. They paid for 1/2 the violin when started violin lessons.

If I were doing this over again, I would charge more and I would be very careful about the kids I take. Much more careful than I was in the beginning. One kid, who isn't used to be disciplined, can wreck your whole life. There isn't much you can do to discipline them if a child insists on being a brat. There are parents who reinforce the brattiness in a kid. I would also not take a kid after 18 months as they are set in their ways and it takes a huge amount of time to integrate them into your EL routine. I had a little girl this summer that I took because her parents were desperate. It was a disaster - not for her, but for us. Her mom commented that I was the only babysitter she liked going to. Towards the end of the summer she was starting to come around, but we didn't get much EL stuff done the whole summer. She was mentally lazy and disruptive. That isn't her fault. And I had compassion for her, but that doesn't change the fact that she was a huge problem. Make sure you interview the parents as much as you spend time with the kids.

I didn't set out to do daycare. My husband is set to retire in the next couple years and will be helping more with the homeschooling , so when Zoey, 2 months, goes to school I will be done other than keeping them before and after school. But it has been a wonderful experience for us. And the kids we have taken, and that have stayed with us, have become like my own children and my son's extended siblings. The first little boy I had still comes to me one day a week in the summer and we do field trips. He goes to camp all the other days, but my house one day a week because we miss him. He stays overnight sometimes during the school year.

If you decide to do it and you find a child that fits into your home, it won't take long before you have parents calling you. Good daycare is hard to find and word spreads quickly.

[Wolfwind]

Oh,  guys,  I did not need another math curriculum!  I was set for math!  I have been avoiding this thread for that very reason. But then I was procrastinating my novel writing for National Novel Writing Month and finally read it,  followed the links, and WOW! I guess I do need another man program.  It didn't have me in tears,  but definitely in awe of how it all makes sense. It's my just stuff to memorize, I can actually understand how it works. Awesome! Thanks for sharing! (My budget does not thank you, but oh well.)

Now I'm wondering if I want the books. Has anyone seen them? Math is the one subject in which I'm still afraid of missing something important. I wonder if their books are good,  because I really like the five stands done simultaneously,  or if I should stick with some program that has a proven track record and just use the blocks to really understand the concepts.

[andreasro]

Hi, Wolfind!
What I can tell you is that only if you watch free videos of Crewton Math and have at least a set of blocks from Mortensen, EZ, cuisenaire rods or whatever, you can start learning and teaching your kids math.

Here's how our first unscheduled meeting with Sonya went last night
Our blocks arrived from US yesterday and before going to bed I showed kids. Why I waited? I thought I should be there with them when see it and use them, silly me!  As Sonya was very curious to see their reaction I just did and...
I spoke in English mostly (second language). Boys started building things. I showed the oldest how to build ten, took the 10 and under it the addends. Funny thing is he liked to use more blocks so instead of making 10 of addends he made them using many 1s and 2s - the size and color is very appealing plus our EZ ones are smaller than Mortensen and they like working with small objects a lot.
Meantime, I taught my youngest what each block means, this way they learnt by hearing and watching.

During our Skype lessons kids showed to each other what they had (Sonya's kids to our kids and the other way around). If one kid built a computer (with hundreds) we immediately made ones of our own. My youngest kept talking in English and one time he told me in Romanian to let him talk and he continued to try talking in English to Sonya and the kids. Did I mention he talks loud and we could barely hear one other, the rest of us? 

Among other good stuff going on last night, here's one:
I showed my youngest a X square ( a hundred square with no lines). They heard me saying it only in English and only few times last night.
This morning, when I looked at the square, I said it is X. And he corrects me in English: "NO! It's X square!". There you go, a 2 year old and 10 months teaching me math... while it should have been the other way around... 

We are going to meet on Skype 2 times a week. My kids and I are practicing English and we're also playing with math

[sonya_post]

Wolfwind,

There is no reason to get the books. And I have a basic set of books that are similar to the smiley face books   Mortensen sells plus the teacher's guide. It is going to give you some basic stuff and get you some algebra. I asked CR if I needed the books for Calculus and he told me no. Just blocks and a password to his site.  I think if you go through the books you end up missing a lot of teaching opportunities. I would just watch the free videos. One thing I do recommend is taking the teacher training. It was really helpful to me.  And just watching a lot of video.

[PokerDad]

I'm sure some of you know that Jerry Mortensen died last week (last Thursday to be precise). From what I've seen, his legacy is in good hands with Ben also known as Crewton.

I've watched a lot of his videos (you can watch most of them in fast speed if desired) and am using the blocks to get Cub familiar with very basic number sense. I doubt I will use this all the way up (Calculus) but it's comforting to know that it can be done to illustrate a concept. Right now, we're just focused on playing and learning place value and some basics like 10+0=10, 9+1=10 etc. He typically requests to do "math" or "numbers" which is his way of saying he wants to play with the blocks.

As for password, I did find the teacher training PW to have value. He video taped himself giving a teacher training. It was helpful to me because I'm the sort of person that likes to know why or the concept behind the action. He explains a lot of that in the recorded teacher training. A lot of the paid content I could have gone without, but having access to it certainly doesn't hurt.

There is some very minor disagreements I might have with his ideas (I'll go ahead and tell you what it is). He is very strict about not introducing symbols too soon. I think he's off there. It's no different than introducing a word with its written form, and most of us around here know that doing this simultaneously is probably the most optimal way to do it. Crewton's method would be more similar to what everyone else does (allowing a kid to learn a language but they have no idea about the symbolic version of the language until later). In our case, it was too late, Cub already knew all the symbols (well, he most, he doesn't know a division sign for example)

There is certainly an EL advantage to this method. For instance, I can grab a ten and say "one times ten is ___" and then Cub will answer "ten" and then I say "two times ten is ___" (picking up a second ten) and he'll tell me. I can go like this all the way up past one hundred where the skip counting songs he listens to are in his mind.

He's basically seeing multiplication right there in the palm of my hand as we go through the song.

I can do it for the other numbers as well. The only limit is his attention span before he wants to do something more interesting like build with the number blocks 

I figure if I keep this up, he'll have the basics of math down before he's 3 and he'll be more than ready to start doing calculations!

[Amalie]

I am have been relying on the CR training videos for where we are at right now. The kids are aware of what addition and subtraction means and performing simple algebraic equations, and they have made squared blocks. They are skip counting in the 2s, 3s, 5s and 10s and we have built numbers to a thousand using blocks. I'll introduce multiplication and division soon. I need to get the Algebra decimal inserts for the smooth x square- x and x blocks before going any further. PokerDad, what skip counting music/songs does your child listen to? I have one CD which isn't very clear because the voices are singing in a chorus. I am making up songs for them but this is rather slow going.

[PokerDad]

PokerDad, what skip counting music/songs does your child listen to? I have one CD which isn't very clear because the voices are singing in a chorus. I am making up songs for them but this is rather slow going.

There are a few different ones. My favorite, which also seems to be the most effective, are ones that I recorded off of Dream Kids English's youtube videos. He sells an app for the whole set, which I will probably buy today and convert into an audio file that we can listen to. The tunes are pretty simple and straightforward without any fluffy lyrics. Don't get me wrong, Cub likes the fluffy lyric ones as well, and for those we watch the simple start math dvd. I'll also eventually get some additional fluffy math songs, but for now, my main project will be to get all of the ones off that app - and then if I'm feeling ambitious, turning them into my own music videos using MUS/Mortensen math blocks to go along with the song. We'll see about this last part though; it would be awesome, but very time consuming to do.

[bella]

I am in when you are ready We are doing right start math for now and we are quite happy with it , my kids are a bit older 6 and 8 but I am always happy with more hands on math xxx

[Wolfwind]

Thanks, everyone, for assuring me that I don't need the books. Math is the one subject where I just have this fear of forgetting to teach something. But really, what if I do forget about vectors and my kids don't learn them from me? I'm sure when they need them they'll be able to learn them.

[baby Anda]

Hi everyone! Just wondering how's your kid with the blocks? I already received our set 3 weeks ago. I am slowly introducing it to my daughter by saying the name (like this is our friend 1. Hello 1!)  Then, i also show it to her during bath time together with her other toys. We have also done building tower but most of the time she just want to scatter the blocks. I know i just need to be patient and she will get to used with it. Also, i need to watch some videos several times together with the manual because me myself need to learn how to show it to her.

[baby Anda]

I just want to share my daughter. We did the tower again today, but this time I incorporated the frozen figures and the counting bears (see the picture). Even though the tower keeps falling a lot of times, she keeps on building it. I thought she'll be frustrated but I was wrong. I am just happy to know that these Mortensen blocks help her to be patient and more focused. We are still in the basics as I read in some threads, it is very important. I want to make sure that he really understand the reason why we are doing it. She can apply also some terms what she's been seeing in books and DVD (like small/big, tall/short,top/bottom, less/more and some more words).  Thanks guys for introducing Mortensen Math!   

[FLKL]

Those are great ideas!
We started making tens when we got our blocks to learn the names of the blocks. My two year old just likes to make stairs and that's it. She did make some nines and tens and yelled, "I'm a genius!". I love how proud it makes them feel. The blocks are really good for fine motor too just letting them play with the blocks alone.
My four year old likes to make multiplication towers and then bowl them down. I write down all the math problems they're doing for them to see. In my opinion, it only makes them more proud of what they're doing and more familiar with all the math symbols. 

[andreasro]

In case anyone is interested:
Crewton Ramone's House of Math has an online training on fractions Friday 8am HST (this means today at 8 p.m. my EET time).  It's $20 if I'm not mistaking, but you should ask him details to make sure http://www.crewtonramoneshouseofmath.com/contact.html.  It's done using gmail account. Have to figure it out myself
I'm doing my best to be there.

[andreasro]

Here is my feedback on the online training with Crewton Ramone's House of Math:

It took me a while to join the video group on google hangouts cause I didn't know Mozzilla asks for plugin, but Google Chrome gets you there in an instant! Thank you, Sonya, you saved me with that tip!

 We had people from USA, Canada and Romania (me).

I loved the experience and I will enjoy every training possible. Actually, for the first time in my life, instead of math nightmares I really had nice dreams with me using the blocks, honestly. It has left me a wonderful feeling of confidence, ease in using and teaching math to my kids and understanding what it is all about and how to do it, how to solve problems, present it to others and guide them to understand and solve while thinking, not just using formulas and numbers. CR gives you the WHY. And you can't forget once you see the WHY and HOW for the first time.

I'd advise you to buy the PT password in case you don't want to miss any of the trainings
TIP: try a live online training too... You can ask questions on the spot and enjoy discussions that may not appear on the website plus, we meet very interesting people worldwide and share our experiences with math where we live. Crewton Ramone is making each training and lesson a time to relax, be a sponge and absorb knowledge and understand math for good and what you and your kids can do with it.

So you know, I am reluctant to praise people without trying myself at first and see what I think. But it's working with me and my kids. And with others too. Just like I believe LMs and SM make my life easier and help me teach kids music very early and enjoy it all their lives, the same is with Math and Crewton Ramone's Math. I need simple things and simple ways to homeschool.

If you still want to Skype for math write here or to Sonya(Mrs.Post). The Skype meetings are really helpful.

[andreasro]

Crewton Ramone is coming to California very soon. He announced on his FB page:

April 24th and 25th (Friday evening, all day Saturday) in person training at some pleasant hotel in California...probably San Jose area $500.00 single or per couple. Well behaved children welcome but not preferred. If there is interest and we can get a quorum of 12 it will be a go...I would expect it would be in the Santa Clarita Marriott but I haven't booked anything. If there is no interest no biggie...I have plenty of stuff I can do...and I understand it's short notice and you all have lives

.

I've joined the online trainings of Crewton Ramone and I have to say that the last one, the one on Friday has been the best (the online trainings will continue in May). Viv attended one too. She told me she and her husband loved it. Every training lasted 4 hours (to the delight of us, the participants) and though it cost $20 I say it is worth much much more than that. These trainings have saved me a lot of time and have given me the chance to understand a lot. I know the first impression related to his website is that everything is scattered and there is so much to look through. Well, I see now that it's all about mindset. In my opinion, he is using different ways to trigger a different mindset in the one reading the information there cause that is exactly the point. You can teach math in fun ways and be successful with this method if you change your mindset and adjust it to the way the method should be taught.

The online trainings are recorded just in part which means that only part of them gets to the PT page. Me (and I think others who joined share my opinion), soak up everything cause it's fun and a pleasure to hear him (how do you think he gets to 4 hours? we just don't tell him what the time is bwah ha ha).

What I've noticed during the training is that he is very respectful towards his students no matter the age, is caring, really has good sense and is actually very understanding and supportive. I am sorry I didn't met Jerry Mortensen cause I hear great things about him from CR and I also see CR really has A LOT to share, has a keen eye on things, has his own experience and is really willing to share it.

It's been also refreshing and healing to see a teacher able to teach holistically, taking care of a student's brain, soul, character, way of learning, teaching you how to have in mind all different aspects of a child's development in life in general and learning progress. You don't just learn about the math your kid or others can learn and how, you also learn where this way of teaching and learning leads to and why, it's a pragmatic and realistic way.

I know we see what we want to see. And apart from the above I see a man standing up for his own views and beliefs and willing to share and help others in his own way. What I've been learning from him has had at least few good effects on me and my family and friends with regards to math and life especially.

That is why for me meeting him in person is going to be a great thing, whenever that happens. And I suggest you think about it too and take a chance if you have it.

Not related to the subject, for those who don't know:
Yep, it's not easy for a Romanian like me to get tourist visa.  I am a threat for USA, bwah ha ha. There is a guy at the US embassy who thinks by visiting Sonya (whom I met online only, which is very weird for him... plus that I want to take my kids with me like a very responsible homeschooling mom that I am) I am actually trying to become an illegal immigrant. But we'll keep trying to convince them that  I am only for legal ways to visit USA and I really love my Romanian citizenship and freedom. This year will be fun, going back and forth to the US embassy and paying their taxes to get a very wanted visa to be able to visit friends I care very much and meet some of you for real.

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