BJU Press Blog

Justin

What Does Math Look Like?

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Typically we don’t think about math as something to look at. It’s a field of study, not a physical object, but being able to see math is a skill that can be invaluable to children. Let me explain.

I regularly volunteer as a math tutor at a ministry that helps adults obtain a GED. Every student I work with learns at a different pace. Some of my students move through the material quickly, doing much of the math mentally. They see the patterns and are able to apply them to new material as they progress.

Other students are able to work though the math, but much more slowly. They stick to procedures, writing out each and every step of all the problems but never really understanding how the math works or how it could be used. It’s usually not a matter of difference in ability; it’s that the one group is able to visualize how math works while the other can’t. This difference probably has a lot to do with how the students were exposed to math when they were in the elementary grades.

JH_Math_2

Visualizing Not Just Repeating

Memorizing steps and formulas and then practicing them over and over might allow someone to pass a test, but it doesn’t promote retention. It also doesn’t train children to be good problem solvers. Teaching children to visualize how math works helps them build the problem-solving skills they will need as they move into advanced math.

Let’s look at an example page from our Math 5 that does a great job of showing this idea in action. (Example is from BJU Press Math 5 Student Worktext, page 129.)

math5student_p129-cropped

A student could solve these comparisons by changing the denominators to come up with the right answer. That’s a correct way of solving these math problems, and Math 5 teaches that approach. However, as the lesson shows, it’s also important to learn how to solve simple math problems mentally. By using strategies like thinking of ½ and seeing if each fraction is more or less or comparing the denominators, students are able to easily solve simple problems, check their answers, and learn new concepts more quickly.

Learning to See Math

When teaching math, parents should—in my opinion—approach each problem from various angles, even if the child gets the correct answer immediately. Use visuals such as money, cut-out shapes, and manipulatives to show how a problem looks both physically and on paper. Reinforce knowledge by asking questions whenever possible instead of just explaining how things work. As children learn to visualize math, they’ll begin to see math as a series of meaningful challenges to overcome as opposed to a boring list of problems to work though.

For more teaching tips like these, be sure to sign up for our homeschool email.

Teaching Technology at Home

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Teaching Tech

Technology skills are no longer optional; they’re a requirement for almost any job out there today. Many public and private schools are now incorporating classes on keyboarding, computer programming, web design, and so forth into their curriculum. Students who learn these skills at an early age are likely to catch on quickly, and this kind of know-how soon becomes second nature.

There’s no reason why homeschoolers can’t be on the cutting edge. Even without training, parents can teach their children the technology skills that will give them a major advantage in the future. Many of the available resources can make this an easy and fun learning experience for both parent and child. Here are a few key points to consider:

  • Promote Creation over Consumption

We’ve all seen it—young children who get separation anxiety when they are not using a device to play games or interact with friends. When used incorrectly, technology can consume our lives, but that doesn’t mean it has no purpose. In Genesis 1:28, God commands humans to subdue and have dominion over the earth. He also commands us to love our neighbor as ourselves (Mark 12:31). When used correctly, technology is a tool that can help us work toward these goals.

One way to show children the true purpose and value of technology is to purchase devices and use software that focus on creating content rather than consuming it. I recommend choosing a device with a keyboard and mouse for a child as opposed to an iPad or tablet. These devices can be used to teach important skills such as coding, graphic design, word processing, and data entry. Children who have accessed only an iPad may have a difficult time transitioning to the types of devices they’ll be using as they move into college and the workforce.

  • Keep Them Safe While They Learn

There are more threats online than ever before, and many parents rightly choose to limit their children’s access to technology for safety reasons. This is very important, but it’s also important to balance this with their need to learn. Most devices allow for supervised accounts that can restrict access to questionable content and riskier applications. Covenant Eyes® is one resource for internet accountability and filtering for families.

  • You Can Do It!

Don’t fret if you’re a computer novice. Terms like computer programming and coding can seem scary and impossible to understand, but they don’t have to be. Many great (and free!) resources are available to help you and your child learn about technology. These tools often vary in difficulty based on your child’s age and  relate coding and other computer-related tasks to fun characters children know and love.

Here are some outstanding resources to check out:

Code.org® is a nonprofit website dedicated to helping people of all ages learn to code. It offers lessons for younger children, including early readers.

Codecademy is a more advanced coding website for older children and adults.

Raspberry Pi Foundation is a nonprofit organization that sells small, inexpensive single-board computers that can be used in many different projects including homemade robotics. Their website contains a lot of ideas about fun projects that can be used to help children learn.

Chromebook™ notebook computers are ideal for children since they’re inexpensive and require little maintenance. They also make it easy to set up parental controls and feature a keyboard and touchpad for content creation. That’s why they’re quickly becoming the tool of choice for students across the country.

Have a favorite tool or experience about teaching technology in your homeschool? Share your story in the comments below!

Editor’s note: BJU Press is not endorsed, sponsored by or associated with any of the websites or organizations listed above.

Homeschooling During an Election Year

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JH Politics and HS

The controversies surrounding the 2016 presidential election have at times made me want to shut politics out of my life until the election is over. But each time, I decide against that because I know how important it is.  As Christians, we can’t hide from the issues since many directly impact us. It’s our responsibility to make sure that both we and our children are well informed and ready to cast our votes now and in the future. There is no better time than an election year to be teaching children what the political process of our nation involves and how to evaluate the issues and candidates from the perspective of a biblical worldview.

Our Biblical Worldview: Creation, Fall, Redemption textbook (pages 239–40) says it well:

God laid the foundation for government as He laid the foundation of the earth. Government has been part of God’s good and glorious plan from the beginning. . . . Governments have power from the Highest Power. But governments are made up of fallen people who twist that power in frivolous ways.

Government in itself is not bad and is something that has been planned by God (Romans 13:1). So it’s important for all Christians to understand their nation’s government and participate in it appropriately. However, it’s also true that all governments are made up of fallen individuals, making it equally important for us as Christians to be well informed about what the Bible has to say about the issues and the candidates who take positions on those issues. It’s also our responsibility to make sure our children are prepared to do the same.

I strongly encourage teenagers who are looking forward to voting in this election for the first time to work though Biblical Worldview: Creation, Fall, and Redemption. It takes the biblical values they have been hearing from you as well as from BJU Press curriculum and applies those values to politics, government, and adult life. It also can help you prepare them to defend their Christian faith against the many challenges they’ll encounter as they transition into college and adult life.

Take a look inside the book here.

 

Get Organized with Distance Learning Online

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BJU Press Grade 6 Distance Learning Online

I know many of you have either just purchased or are planning to purchase Distance Learning Online (DLO) for your children this year. DLO is a great way to simplify homeschooling, and parents who use it love it, but moving to something new and different can sometimes be a little challenging.

For all those new to DLO, here are a few articles with tips on how you can get organized and feel confident about the new homeschool year:

For additional information on DLO, sample video lessons, and more visit the Distance Learning section of our website.

 

Q&A: Should I homeschool year-round? 

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Year-round image

One of the great things about homeschooling is that you’ve got lots of options. One of those options being whether to follow a traditional schedule with the summers off or a year-round schedule with shorter breaks along the way. There is no right or wrong way to do it because each option has its advantages. Each family should decide what works best for them.

The debate about year-round “school” is too large to cover in a single post, but here are a few considerations that impact homeschooling specifically.

Advantages of a Year-Round Homeschool Schedule

  •  Avoiding burnout

Year-round homeschooling allows for frequent short breaks (typically a week or two long) as opposed to one long break in the summer. The advantage is that both child and parent (yes, parents can get burned out too) get refreshing downtime more often.

  • Less time to forget

Most summer breaks last about three months, and that’s a long time to remember concepts, which means that a lot of information is forgotten. Thus, a lot of review is required at the beginning of the next school-year. Homeschooling all year long minimizes these problems.

  • Normalizing schedules

By learning all the time without a large gap, homeschool becomes more of an accepted part of your family’s normal routine rather than an extra task that only has to be done part of the year.

Advantages of a Traditional School Schedule

  • Summer break

Who doesn’t like a three-month break? Spending a good deal of time indoors focused on textbooks and projects gets a lot harder when backyards, swimming pools, and beautiful summer weather are calling. Summertime is also typically accompanied by an increased number of extracurricular activities such as sports and travel, and it may be more difficult to squeeze those in around your homeschool.

  • Easier scheduling

Many homeschool curricula  and schedules are designed to fit a traditional school year. By following a traditional schedule, your child’s point of transition between grades is more clearly defined.

  • Coincides with conventional schools

By following a academic year calendar, time off will align with friends and family members who are in classroom schools with the same schedule or are planning to take vacation around a holiday.

If you’re on the fence about homeschooling year-round, I hope the information we’ve covered will be helpful in your family’s decision-making process!

What other advantages would you add to these lists?