Ahhh, Math.

Just the very mention of the word triggers the tears in our house.  I don't know what it is about math.  Well, actually, yes I do.  I mean, let's be honest here.  I'm not exactly a big, whopping math fan myself.  My math classes ranked right up there with dentist visits when I was in high school.

But it must be done.  That, I think, is the part that brings the tears.  Why can't mean Mommy just skip the whole idea of adding, subtracting, long division, etc?  Because I'm mean, that's why!

So I think today I'm going to focus on our third-grade math plan, since our sixth-grade math plan is continuously evolving in an effort to reduce the crying.

I think I've mentioned earlier how much we are loving Heart of Dakota.  We are using Bigger Hearts for His Glory, and, as part of the program, they recommend Singapore Math.  In fact, each day of the curriculum offers a written plan for Singapore 2A, including teaching tips.

For example, this morning, Firefly and I were rounding up all of the "cows" (or Cheerios) into pens, in order to find out how many of the twenty cows would fit equally into five pens.  Or, in other words, what is 20 divided by 5?  We played with the cows with different equations for about ten minutes, and then she got to eat them (hmmm...) while she completed her workbook pages.  Four today.  And she did them.  And didn't cry!  Hooray!

A normal math lesson is only about five to ten minutes long, and Heart of Dakota offers lots of teaching tips, including games and hands-on activities.  We only purchased the workbook for Singapore and skipped the Teacher's Manual, since I had so many suggestions in our core curriculum.  (And since I know how to multiply already, ha!)

I do intersperse some extra practice in math for Firefly throughout the day, but that is because math is where she is most weak.  We use flashcards, iPad apps, You Tube videos, and card games during the week to help reinforce concepts.

All in all, though, Firefly seems to do well with Singapore Math.

She doesn't cry (often) anymore when the math book is pulled out.

And that makes us all so very happy!  ; )

This post is part of the Virtual Curriculum Fair.  Each week in January, several bloggers are writing about what is (or is not) working for them in their homeschools.  This week is all about Math.  Hop on over to the following ladies and see what they have to say:
Math
Lapbooks---Virtual Curriculum Fair Week 2 Angie Wright @ Petra
School

Virtual
Curriculum Fair Week Two: Discover Patterns, Mathematics, Logic and
Some Science by Leah @ The Courtney Six Homeschool

Our
Choices For Math by Melissa @ Grace Christian Homeschool

A
Magnificent Math Manipulative by Letha Paulk @ justpitchingmytent

Our
Math Choices - Virtual Curriculum Fair by Tristan @ Our Busy
Homeschool

Math
Literature?!?! by Christine @ Crunchy Country Catholic

Learning
Math at My House by Jessica @ Modest Mama

Math
Using Hamburger Paper by Debbie @ Debbie's Digest

Math
Facts or Fun? Why Not Both! by Beth @ Ozark Ramblings

Heart
of Dakota- The Fine Details- Part 2 Science by Lynn @ Ladybug
Chronicles

Learning
Math Block by Block by Laura O in AK @ Day by Day in Our World

Plugging
Along with Math by Cindy Horton @ Fenced in Family

What's
Working and What's Not: Math Edition by Leann @ Montessori
Tidbits

Math
Anyone? by Cindy @ For One Another

Ahh,
Math. by Nicole @ Schooling in the Sun

Flying
Without a Parachute: Math with no Curriculum by Pam @ Everyday
Snapshots

Math
in Our Homeschool by Christine T @ Our Homeschool Reviews

Math,
Math, and More Math by Dawn Chandler @ tractors & tire swings

Thinking
Mathematically- How I Choose Math Curriculum by Kristen @ Sunrise
to Sunset

Discovering
Patterns: Math, Logic, and Some Science by Christa Darr @
Fairfield Corner Academy

The
Science of Math by Brenda Emmett @ Garden of Learning

"Mom,
did we do math today?" by Chrissy at Learning is an Adventure

Math,
Math, and More Math by Joelle @ Homeschooling for His Glory