Math Mammoth

If you know me at all, you know I am NOT a math person.  Really. 

In school, I did really well, and I was even good in math....until 9th grade...Algebra did me in.  I just didn't get it.  Mr. Anlauf went so fast....so I just kept getting further and further behind....and feeling dumber and dumber.  I got my first....and only....F...on a test, in that class.  I was mortified.  I was supposed to be smart.  I think it is that point alone...I was supposed to be smart.....that kept me from asking questions in class.  People thought I was smart.  I liked that....a lot.  I was a teenage girl in search of a special identity.  I liked having the reputation of being smart.

After that class, I shied away from as much math as I could.  I only took what was absolutely required of me...nothing more.

So, how can someone who is still, so many years later, sort of afraid of math, homeschool their kids successfully?

Well, for starters, you marry Rainman....who is really, really good at math.

Remember that his nickname is two-fold.  First of all, because he is a meteorologist.  Secondly, because he can do fast, strange math calculations in his head....like Dustin Hoffman's Rainman.

But, since he is already taken....the rest of you will have to use the Math Mammoth program for teaching your kids math at home.


As part of the TOS crew, we got a chance to review a math program called Math Mammoth.  Maria Miller, the founder, let us choose what to review from her full range of products, so we could have something we would really or truly needed in our homeschool.  She was super helpful in giving advice as to what she thought would work well for us. She was awesome.

Math Mammoth has textbooks and workbooks for grades 1-8, plus some other supplements for high school level math.  The supplements you can get by grade level or topic.  If you are unsure of where your child will fit in, there are free placement tests available on the website. 

We have been sort of piecing together a math program for D-man since 7th grade.  We used a variety of  stuff that we found on the internet, computer CD programs and even old textbooks that we had gotten from a used book store.  It worked pretty well for us, but I was afraid that there were some holes in what we were teaching.

Enter Math Mammoth's Golden Series.  We got 7th/8th grade worksheets from this series...which is basically pre-algebra stuff, because we wanted to make sure that D-man had a good foundation as we have already started moving into algebra.  Click here to see a sample worksheet. 

Since I have an almost deathly fear of all things algebra...I did NOT want D-man to have the same experience I had.  Rainman, being, well....Rainman.....does not understand that the rest of the world doesn't have such an easy time doing higher math stuff....on paper, OR, in our heads....so, he is not always the most patient teacher either. 

These worksheets have been just awesome....for all of us.  Rainman can give them to D-man for practice to show him he really has the concepts down, or to give him extra practice in concepts that he is not as solid in.  I have even been inspired to sit down and do some worksheets.  I have actually done pretty well.....apparently, without Mr. Anlauf breathing down my neck, I can remember a lot more than I thought!

There was one other product that I was REALLY tempted to try.  It is called the Make It Real Learning math worksheets. 


These books use real situations....to teach you....and show you....how you really will use math in real life.....like picking the best cell phone plan.  I could use one of these worksheets now to help me pick my medical benefit plan for the year 2012! 

There are even ones available to help use the higher level math (Calculus I)  where they can analyze the growth of an infant or how to maximize the volume of a package.  That book really is beyond my current mental ability....but, I love the idea behind finding real world stuff to teach with and it will be  going on my wish list for high school math for the kids.

Go take a look at all of the Math Mammoth stuff.  There is a lot to look at, so, take your time. 

Oh, and don't get overwhelmed by all the choices....because there really does seem to be something for everyone.  If, after you have taken the placement tests and looked at all the samples, you still get confused, just contact Maria Miller and she will walk you through and help you pick what will work the best for you and your family.  She really will!  Awesome customer service in action!

Math Mammoth is definitely something that we will continue to use and when A-girl gets to 7th grade, we won't be piecing together a curriculum for her....we will just use Math Mammoth right away so we know there aren't any gaps in her learning. 

Poor D-man, our first born guinea pig!

I have decided that I would have done better in math, if I had a cute little baby to sit on my lap while I worked to find x.

The 7A worksheets (71 worksheets) are available in a PDF download for $7.75 and 7B worksheets (80 worksheets) are available in a PDF download for $8.75.  The answers keys for each book are just $2 each.  You can bundle them all together for just $14.50.  If you like to have a hard copy of things, rather that just downloads, this is also available as a regular book for just $19.50.  I think this is super affordable for what you get.

See what other TOS reviewers thought of the different Math Mammoth products.




We received a free download of the Golden Series 7A and 7B worksheets in exchange for an honest review of the product.

Do You Have To Be A Genius To Do College Prep?

No, you don't.

I wish I would have known that back in the day!  How did I prepare for college you may ask?  Well, it was a grueling round of......just about nothing.  Really.  Nothing.  I didn't take the SAT....to me, back in 1984-1985 is was an optional, do it if you want to, kind of test.  I got good grades.  Graduated toward the top of my class.  I figured that would be enough.  Things have changed, haven't they?

Luckily for my children and their SAT inexperienced mother, we got a chance to review something called: 

College Prep Genius:  The No Brainer Way to SAT Success

D-man is only in 8th/9th grade this year, so we have a bit of time before we actually have to think super hard about college.  But, he took the ACT test last year through the Duke TIP program and did better than some high schoolers....so, I got to thinking a little bit bigger for our potential college plans....which got me to looking at the costs of college....yikes!

We have a large family. 

Rainman has a Master's degree and paid for most of it himself. His parents helped, when they could, but he worked all the way through school.  No loans at all. 

I started out at a four year college, but ended up dropping out of that and coming home to a community college.  As a result, I have a few smaller, technical degrees....I paid for some....and my parents helped with some.  Even when my parents were paying, though, I worked. 

I babysat; worked at a nursing home as a nursing assistant; at a day care center as a dishwasher; at a grocery store as a clerk; at a convenience store as a clerk; and as a housekeeper.  I always had at least one job....but, more often than not, I had a few part time jobs to keep me going.

We have told the kids since they were little that we would not be paying for college for them.  I know.  Radical, huh? 

We may help (if we can), but we have made it clear that although we feel a college education is important, it is not something that we would be financing for them.  We have also talked to them about the dangers of debt....even school loans....because we both know people that have been paying off school loans for years....sometimes with not very high paying jobs.  

All of this is background for you, so I can talk about College Prep Genius, a program designed to help your kids do well on the PSAT and SAT....with the hopeful end result of scholarship offers.... so they can attend college and not owe an arm and a leg when they graduate.

The author of this course is Jean Burk.  She homeschooled her two children through high school, and they both received full-ride scholarships, including money for her daughter to study abroad. 

As a homeschool mom, I cannot tell you how much encouragement this gives me.  One that she successfully taught her children through high school (which is also our plan) and navigated the college admissions process so well.

This course demystifies the PSAT and SAT and how they are put together.  They are basically logic tests, not knowledge tests (I didn't know that).  This program can help you learn the patterns within the tests as well as strategies to help you conquer them.

She also reveals some of the biggest myths about the SAT.  Did you know that the PSAT is NOT a practice SAT?  (The PSAT scores are where the National Merit Scholarships come from.)

She really does break it down in a step by step way. 

The only catch? 

Your child has to actually put in the time, follow the lessons, and practice.  There are practice tests and tips included for doing well in each section.

Ms. Burk uses a lot of acronyms.  Personally, I love acronyms.  Ask my kids.  I am always giving them acronyms to help them remember stuff for school.  They roll their eyes....a lot....and make fun of me, when I am trying to come up with one to help them remember things.....but come test time, my little weird acronyms help.

The same goes for her acronyms.  Here is an example:  For the Essay Section - Essay Raves....

Examples
Standard Written English
Stay on topic
Awesome opening and closing
You need 5 paragraphs

Rewrite later
Add embellishments
Vocabulary words
Effective and concise
Structurally Sound

This course comes with a "textbook", a workbook and a DVD that has 12, 45 minute lessons and exercises that coordinate with the workbook.



I will admit that the first portion of the book I turned to was on scholarships.  Remember us?  The mean parents that aren't planning to pay for college for our children? 

I am hopeful that all of our children will want to attend college.  I am hopeful that they will work hard to get accepted into a good school.  I am hopeful that they will do well on the SAT and have many scholarships available to them. 

The scholarship section breaks down how your SAT scores can affect the financial aid possibilities from different kinds of schools....like if you get 1100-1250 on the Math/C Reading Scores, that could lead to possibly 1/3 to 2/3 scholarship offers.  It sort of helped me figure out a general goal for where our scores should be.  She also lists a whole section of organizations with scholarships, and their websites.  She also has a neat worksheet to help you stay organized, where you can list the websites as well as the different scholarship contests and application deadlines. 

This program is really packed with helpful information.  I really do mean packed.  I am glad that we are looking at it  before we actually need to use it.  I really think it will help us prepare in a non-stressful way, to do well on the PSAT and SAT, because we will be able to do everything in small, bite-sized pieces instead of trying to cram it in during D-man's junior year of high school.  I think it will pay for us to plan ahead a little bit.

If you have a child anywhere from 8th grade on up, you will want to check out her site for this program, and all her other college prep products, like her Vocabcafe series of books and even helpful articles on preparing for college.

The complete set for College Prep Genius, including the textbook, workbook and DVD is available for $99.00.  You can also get them individually, if you like.

Check out what other TOS crew members had to say about College Prep Genius here. 


We received the complete set of College Prep Genius:  The No Brainer Way to SAT Success  for free in exchange for an honest review of their product.

My Hair

I have had my hair a variety of lengths and styles through the years.

Short....

Medium....

Long....

(I am the really pale, pregnant one in the center.)



Ignored....

When we moved to Georgia, I had my hair trimmed shortly after we came down.  The outcome was less than stellar.  In the stylists defense, I used a coupon.  I know.  So, I just didn't get my hair cut again.  For two years.

At the end of August when we were traveling home from my Dad's funeral.  We stopped briefly at my best friend's house who lives in Iowa.  She comment on how long my hair had gotten.  Honestly, I was in such a fog from losing my dad that I really don't remember the conversation....at all.

Last month, we took a trip back to Minnesota, and stopped again, for a few days at her house in Iowa.  We have not exchanged birthday gifts in years.  But, this year, she told me she wanted to do something special for me and that she had gotten me a hair appointment with her former stylist. She assured me that the stylist knew how to deal with thick hair.  She assured me that the stylist also knew how to deal with a client who still finds herself surprised at being fat.  She assured me that the stylist knew how to cut hair around the seemingly sudden appearance of a double chin. 

I did not get good before shots....too excited and too busy trying to get out of the house without the 10 children that were there!

But, here are my afters....taken with her cell phone.  Please ignore the really happy double chin.....okay?

(I also don't think my chest is this large in real life....at least I hope not.....)

Here it is from the back.....

I learned a few things from this experience:

- It really feels good to have someone else wash your hair.

- I am, in fact, still blond.

- I, even at this size, can still feel pretty.

- People with soft hair touch it and fling it around a lot.

- I became one of those aforementioned people.

- If you become one of those people with soft hair that you fling around, your husband will stand behind you (a lot) and sort of pet your head.

- Your best friend will call it "Baby Making Hair" and your husband will just smile.

I honestly didn't realize that I could have soft, smooth, touchable hair.  I have never, had soft, smooth, touchable hair....well, maybe in 4th grade....I do remember people always stroking my hair...but it was really long then.....so it might have been that.....

Now, my only problem is figuring out how to create that soft, smooth, touchable hair on my own....because I haven't had soft, smooth, touchable hair since I washed my hair when I got home....believe me, I waited as long as I possibly could before I washed it....because, deep down, I knew that when I fixed it, it wouldn't be soft and smooth.  It hasn't been.

I am not entirely sure that it is possible for me to achieve this look on my own, but, I am going to try...I just need some silicon spray stuff, a blow dryer and a straightener.....I think.

Any of you have ideas or products that will work for me?  Please help!

I want to be one of those girls again.