Co-ops

How Does Math·U·See Work in a Co-op Setting?

In 1989-1990, Steve Demme was a traveling tutor. His weekly circuit took him to four different groups of home educators, where he taught math, science, physical education, or any combination of these three subjects. It was at one such group that Math·U·See was born. Steve has taught at other co-ops through the years. He recognizes that no two co-ops are alike, just as no two homes are alike. However, there are similarities, and he addresses some issues here that must considered when using Math·U·See for older or younger students.

Assessment

For older, or upper level, students studying Pre-Algebra, Algebra 1 or 2, Geometry, PreCalculus, or Calculus, Math·U·See can be taught in a cooperative learning situation. The first prerequisite is that each student should have a good foundation when entering any of these courses. Steve defines a solid foundation as a thorough grasp of the four basic operations: addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division; as well as fractions, decimals, and percents. At one time he taught high school math in a public school system, and had many students who could learn the basic concepts of algebra, but were held back by never having mastered multiplication or fractions.

Regardless of age, if a student has gaps or holes in his or her foundation, Steve recommends that you give  a competency exam to identify these areas of need and begin at the suitable level. Math is a subject that is sequential and builds upon previously learned concepts. Please don’t put your child in a class simply because his friends are taking the same course. Find out what your student knows and begin there, so he will experience success and develop confidence as he studies at the appropriate level.

Competency exams are available online and are free of charge. If there are other assessment questions, you may contact us at 888-854-6284.

Preparation

Teachers should watch the DVD and read the instruction manual before presenting a lesson. This may sound obvious, but is based on years of experience. Many schools have used Math·U·See, but not all had success. The common thread was that if teachers watched the video instruction they did well, but if they did not watch the DVD then they did not do well. Math·U·See is a different approach. Good teachers can adapt this approach to a classroom, but all the elements (answer keys, examples, written and visual instruction) still must employed for the best chance of success.

Parents must on board with the different approach of Math·U·See. It is helpful to have several demo DVDs circulating among them until they understand how Math·U·See works. This is not a straightforward workbook method. It has video and written instruction, hands-on manipulatives, and is based on mastery learning and proper placement.

Each student should also have the instruction manual for the written directions, examples, and answer keys, as well as the DVD. If they do not have all the components of Math·U·See, then it will be "math you almost saw" instead of "math you understand." They must be able to watch the DVD and review the examples. Students also must able to have their homework corrected as they do it in order to reinforce the correct way to solve the problems and prevent making the same mistake through an entire lesson.

Pace

Math·U·See is designed as a tutorial approach, which means moving at the student’s pace. It is incumbent upon the parents of the children to involve themselves in seeing that this approach is followed. Since math needs to be taught sequentially and each level needs to be mastered before moving to a succeeding skill level, only a tutor or a parent can decide when to move to the next concept. If the student is not learning at the pace of the co-op, adjustments must be made to help him move at his own pace for success.

Elementary Level

Younger children are a different situation. Steve believes that the best place for them to learn math is next to a parent who can move at their appropriate pace. This is the beauty of home education. Parents are able to teach their child according to his or her unique learning style, taking the time necessary to thoroughly master a topic. Since math needs to be taught sequentially and each topic needs to be mastered before moving to a succeeding skill level, only someone who is working closely with the student can determine when to move to the next concept. Steve Demme may understand math and have a few interesting jokes, but no one knows a student better than a parent. No one can replace mom and dad. The videos were created to present the math topic in each lesson, and the manipulatives were designed to provide a tool for a parent/tutor to illustrate the new concept. Steve would be very hesitant to put a child that is studying Primer through Zeta in a co-op setting.

Some Additional Tips for a Co-op.

Expense

To offset the cost of the materials, you might consider including the cost of the blocks (or part of the cost) in each child’s "book fee" or "materials fee," if you have one. This suggestion came to us from an administrator of a co-op.

Teacher Blocks

The magnetic blocks (as seen on the demo videos) are available as a special order. The cost is $90.00 per set and one set has roughly half of a regular manipulative blocks set. However, if you are going to teach in small groups (which we highly recommend), the table blocks should suffice.

More Worksheets

If you need extra pages for practice, there is a worksheet generator on our website for that purpose. We also have an on-line drill program on the web site, too. Both of these services are free.