Triangle Math Cards, Addition and Substraction, Multiplication and Division

Too often students are told that they need to work harder to learn.  Too often the parent, teacher or tutor needs to find a different way to teach students.  This learning tool is an example of a different way to teach.
When working with a picture learner, regular flash cards do not work.  Each side of the card is a different picture to a picture learner.  There is no connection between the sides.
The triangle math cards make one picture for the learner.  This picture has all the math family or math problems for those three  numbers in the same picture.  Once the learner learns this card and I cover one number the learner can still see the number in his or her mind.  One child needed a plus added between the 4's and a minus sign between the 4 and 8 to complete her picture.
There are also multiply and division cards available at Mardels and other learning and bookstore shops.
Instead of a set of addition cards and a different set of substraction cards, you need only one set of cards to teach addition and substraction.  The same is true for multiplication and division. These cards are about 10 dollars a set.

He is reading,

May 22 and 23, I had an opportunity to see a 7 year old that I worked with a couple of years ago.  He has really struggled in school.  In my opinion, he is one of those kids who needed time for his body to develop before he could learn.  He just was not ready to learn in a formal setting.  He needed more time to play outside and develop. He will be 8 about the time school starts again.  He is reading.  When he read for me if he needed help with a word I gave it to him so he could continue reading.  His confidence is growing and he is reading many small words.  He spent a year coming to my house to learn and play, a year in kindergarden and a year in transitional first.  Now he will go to first grade in the fall.  It will be exciting to see how he does.
Children like this are why I tutor.

Classroom  or Individual Patterning

This is a design to help children with patterning.  I am often asked why I have so many patterning activities in my tutoring.  Reading is just one big pattern exercise. If an individual cannot pattern, they do not read or read well. Also when the same patterning activity is used over and over it becomes rote and not effective. Some people just do not like some pattern, so I use a different one.  This is also why the balance boards are so effective.  The balance boards from Balametrics have adjustable levels of difficulty.  You should notice that the pieces of this are three of each color, size, and shape. I like to make these in the colors a child prefers when possible. 

The first set is three large ovals or people or rockets.  Feel free to use three different shapes if you like or have easier access to different shapes.                                                                                                  

Another set is different colors and different sizes with the same shape.

Another pattern is the same color, and shape with different sizes.  The shapes are placed vertically. Once the vertical concept is mastered, the level of difficulty is changed by putting one piece vertical, one piece diagonial and one horzonial.  
People who need this exercise figure it out in about 5 to 10 minutes.  People who do this activity naturally are confused by this patterning or grouping.  People who do not need this also do not like this activity.

Hersey's Candy Bar, Teacher named Holly

One of the student's favorite fraction lessons is the Hershey's Candy Bar. This is one that has the 12 squares in it. It is easy to teach 1/2, 1/4, 1/2, 1/3, and 1/6 with this one. I usually only need to teach this one time. The student is usually asking if they can learn this again. I smile and tell them that I think they are smart to learn it the first time. I usually only use this with a student who is not sure he or she wants to learn fractions. Before you give them the candy bar, tell them they cannot break it apart until you break your candy bar apart. Also tell them they may not eat it until you say they can. My friend Holly, who is a wonderful math teacher uses this with her entire class with great success. She should write a blog and share some of the wonderful games she makes up to teach higher level math. Every student in school deserves a teacher like her.

Fraction Tiles

Fraction Tiles, A Manipulative Fraction Program by Lee Jenkins and Peggy McLean copyright 1972 Activity Resources Company, Inc. ISBN 0-918932-17-3 I found this used at Bibliomania in Tulsa. It has a teacher's book and two student books. It teaches from very simple to Multiplication and Division of mixed numbers. It has tiles from a whole to sixteenths. The tiles are heavier plastic pieces. There are other square Fraction tiles that teach the same concepts. I need this because fraction problems do not stop at 1/6 and are not always round.

Is writing learning

I would like for writing to be learning. It would be easier for me as a teacher for my grandson. I could teach the lesson and give him the book and he could go away, write the lesson and leave me alone. He wants to go back to the public school system; as this to him is normal.For him to go to the public school system, he needs to be able to do his work independantly, and write his work. I have been trying to use this and it is not working for him. Today I did his English Grammar orally with him and had a very pleasant class and he seemed to learn better. He did his fractions work well and seemed to understand it also. We used the Math U See fraction pieces. He liked them and seemed to understand how adding fractions needed to use a common demoniator.