More to Playing Store

/

"Let's play store!"

There is much more to playing store than meets the eye. 

 

In fact, as a struggling learner, I believe playing store--adding customer orders and writing receipts--saved my declining math and spelling skills while building my learning confidence. As a mom, I have observed my children build the same skills behind their cashier stands and in their make-shift restaurants. 

Playing store is an essential developmental milestone, academically and socially. Playing store provides valuable educational entertainment. 

I remember, fondly, my pretend store years. Every day after school, I spent the afternoon at the neighbor's house until my mom arrived home from work. My friend and I would spend all afternoon in the basement, playing. The basement was alive with learning. In one corner stood three tall metal cabinets packed with craft supplies: old jars, paper, stickers, glitter, colored pasta, craft feathers, beads, and GLUE...lots of glue. Oh, and PAINT! Along end wall, all twenty to thirty feet of wall, was THE STORE! My friend's mom saved and cleaned EVERY box, plastic container and bottle she emptied from her kitchen--especially the ones loved most by children: Lucky Charms, Jell-O pudding, Tastykakes, soda. When the recyclables were cleaned, they were placed in THE STORE. There was a cereal section, a dessert section, a dairy section. Oh, and there was THE CASH REGISTER--an old adding machine with a roll of register tape a mile long. The store was a child's dream! We spent hours playing in the basement. 

When my oldest showed interest in "playing store" I began saving boxes and containers. I purchases garage sale price tags and we made an OPEN sign. The boxes lined the wall of my kitchen and provided hours of play...and much more!

Yes, the box shelf grew and grew, spilling over into the living room. Visitors were understanding, almost envious. They wanted to play, too! 

Today's the day. Save that box. Wash out the plastic container. There's learning in those recycles. And, there is so much more to playing store!

To cultivate the interest in playing store, gather

  • coins- real will provide opportunity for responsibility
  • paper money
  • receipt book
  • garage sale price tags
  • We're Open sign- with analog clock with movable hands to practice time telling
  • adding machine or cash register
  • extra paper for menus and handcrafted paper pretend food
  • clean recycles materials- drink holders, washed cups and plastics from food vendors and retailers
  • aprons
  • chef hat

Playing store creates opportunity to

  • write numbers- numerals and decimals
  • associate numerals with values
  • apply number concepts
  • add money values (decimals)- coins and bills
  • practice math vocabulary
  • use shapes and symbols
  • practice language and communication skills
  • read and spell high frequency vocabulary
  • write with purpose- menus, orders and receipts
  • repurpose recyclable materials
  • collaborate with playmates regarding rules of play and responsibility

There is much more to playing store than meets the eye. Yes, there is the potential for recyclables to take over a corner of a kitchen or develop into a basement marketplace, maybe even make a mess of a living area. However, the rewards of the store playing season are indeed life-impacting. The mind will imagine. The feelings toward learning, brighten. Conversational skills will develop.

Celebrate the learning!

Indeed, when the cardboard boxes and plastics finally end up in the recycling bin, children will have been encouraged and empowered. And that is definitely worth a season of box and container collecting. 

Course Codes: To Code or Not to Code

/

A homeschooling mom recently asked, "I am a homeschooling parent writing the transcript for my soon-to-be high school senior. Should I use course codes on my transcript?"

Ask a question, get several plausible answers.

The answers given will depend on the perspective and experiences of the people polled. Has the person answering the question worked in a college admissions department? Did the person home educate their children and personally file applications with universities? Is the person living in your state and familiar with the state statutes regarding home education? There are many factors to consider when interpreting answers to this question.

AND, like many other home education topics, it might be best to set a few hours aside for personal research and phone calls to find out the answer. 

When I initially faced the course code dilemma--sitting at the computer creating the transcript of our first graduate--I researched, made calls. I had been given definite opinions, definite experiences. However, there were no definitive answers. Somewhat frustrated, I realized this answer likely rested in the beauty of home education in our state. It was part of that "with freedom comes responsibility" cliche.

My trail of research commenced. 

In our state, parents are considered the overseers of their children's education. In addition, our state doesn't issue diplomas to home education graduates. 

The National Center for Education Statistics prepared a paper entitled Secondary School Course Classification System: School Codes for the Exchange of Data (SCED) released June 2007. In that document the Center states, "The primary purpose of the SCED system is to make it easier for school districts and states to maintain longitudinal student records electronically, and to transmit coursetaking information from one student information system to another, from one school district to another, and from a school district to a state department of education." In doing so there is provision for

"comparison of course offerings among districts and states; ƒuse of electronic student transcripts;  longitudinal student information systems; ƒ interoperability of student information and other data management systems by providing a standard for education software designers and vendors; reduc(ing) the cost and burden of transcript studies; and ƒthe use of coursetaking information in research and evaluation of student outcomes."

In other words, this system is helpful if a student transfers from one school to another whether in the district of the state. The code points the interpreter to the state course codes directory and subsequent course synopsis or description for the purpose of determining course equivalency. Guidance counselors at the receiving school can then decide if the courses completed and validated on the transcript are "acceptably similar" to the receiving school. In addition, this process can aid school personnel in student placement. Courses are coded as to subject area, level and identifier. 

My first note to self: As an independent home educator who is overseeing the education of my children,  it is possible for our home to have our own courses based on the unique educational opportunities and resources we utilize. Hence, we have the ability to individualize any course in any subject in any year. Therefore, most likely some other entity's standardized code would not accurately describe the scope and content of our course. 

My further research discovered the course code directory of our state. 

I found much the same information and purpose for the codes in our state. The codes are used by schools within the state which issue a state diploma. In other words, schools in the state using the course codes validate the student who completed the course in their school followed the standards of that course. The course code assigned was a reference--a standard--whereby all schools could be on the same page in regards to requirements and achievement. Furthermore, the entity issuing the diploma and transcript are responsible to oversee and certify the codes issued paralleled the standards required for the course given that code. 

This system begged several questions in my mind (and perhaps the mind of the parent asking the question above).  

Our home learning was statutorily a HOME EDUCATION PROGRAM. As such, we as parents were responsible to oversee the course content taught, studied and mastered, at high school level or above, in our home. We designated completion by awarding credit and validating such on a transcript. Because the courses and content were unique to our home, study methods and educational opportunities, it seemed ridiculous to assign some other entity's course codes to my learner's courses.  Do I make up a code for our learning? And, if I did, who would understand what that code meant, unless of course, I wrote a course description (similar to state institutes) to describe the content of the course, just as other educational entities do with their courses?

More to ponder...my young adult was interested in learning material not offered by the state, and hence, a course code didn't even exist. I have the statutory freedom to allow my young adult to study their interest. I asked the question again: Do I make up a code?

More to ponder...my children were not receiving a diploma from the state. Technically, then, I decided I didn't have to follow the state code. 

All of my research, discoveries and pondering culminated in a conversation with an admission officer at a highly-selective university. The result..."We don't expect you to have course codes, Mrs. Bastian. You are a homeschool". 

INDEED, what I assumed, a college confirmed; why would I use course codes from an educational entity? They were not certifying the credit or validating the transcript. My home was it's own learning environment.

In the end, I decided not to add course codes to the transcripts of my graduates. This made sense to me as well as to the colleges and universities to which our young adults applied. Like many homeschooling high school dilemmas and decisions, I had to do my own research and come to my own conclusions.

If you have walked the course code road, tell us in the comments how you navigated your circumstances. 

NOTE: This blog post is not intended and should not be taken as legal counsel. 

I will be sharing more about transcripts and high school paperwork during my 2016 FPEA Convention workshop, Happy (High School) Paper Trails, Friday, May 27 at 3:55. 

This blog post is intended to offer an example of personal experience. It is in no way intended to be legal advice and should not be taken as such. Parents own the sole responsibility for the training and education of their children. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Making Multiplication Mastery SIMPLE

/

There are some questions I am asked frequently. This one is no different. Comes often.

"How do you get children to master multiplication facts?"

The question is usually followed by a great sigh of,  "I've tried everything." 

Multiplication is a common frustration for parents. Mike and I hear concerns at evaluation time. I read worries on Facebook. Parents inquire while visiting my booth at conventions. And, I find the question in my inbox.

And, we are walking the journey with you!

We have personally faced this problem, several times.

Others have, too. YOU are not alone!

Developmentally, children must understand the concept of multiplication before they will understand what the symbolic (the number and signs) equation means. After understanding the concept and hence what the symbolic equation represents, children can begin mastering the facts.  In other words, children must understand the language " ____ groups of ______" and the corresponding numerals before mastery will make sense (unless, of course, the goal is to simply master the facts).

Based on our experience and the experiences of those whom we have coached through the process, the answer to the question about mastering multiplication depends on the child. In other words, every child has a unique developmental time table and there is no one right answer as to how to master facts (there are however, many opinions). In addition, some who once mastered the facts forget over a year's time and need review.

Though we all hope for an easy answer, one that works for every child, over time. It's just not so. 

At least it hasn't been for us or the folks we know. 

Thankfully, however there are many options and ideas from which to choose when working with children to master facts.

Start with the concept. Go back and review it when needed whether several times in a lesson, several times a year or once every year. The learner must innately understand (even see a picture in the mind, for visual learners). Remember, the wording to internalize is "(a number) groups of (a number)".  For example, a dozen eggs can be 2 groups of 6 OR 6 groups of 2. 

Draw a picture. Drawing a picture is a great help, especially for visual learners, though it can be beneficial for other learners as well. 

Find it in life. Look for examples of multiplication in real life where math can be taken off the page and made relevant, meaningful. This is especially important for kinesthetic learners. Examples are a box of 16 crayons divided in 2 rows, 3 four-legged animals, 2 tricycles, etc. This strategy was helpful for all of our children.

Make a visual or model. Outlining arrays (rows and columns of squares) on a piece of graph paper, drawing a picture for a math problem in a lesson, counting objects to represent an equation, really anything a child can relate to and then save as a picture in the mind. 

Skip Counting. In our twenty-one years of home education experience (as well as experience with hundreds of homeschoolers through mentoring and annual evaluations), skip counting does not always equate to understanding the concept multiplication. The child must be able to have the memory and the processing abilities to convert and apply the information. Skip counting worked for one of our learners.

Turn Math into an Art Project. For our creative learner who likes to cut and paste, math is palatable when accompanied by color and flare. Last Thanksgiving we enjoyed making multiplication turkeys. Placing the 8 facts on colored feathers not only added festivity to our day but allowed quick access to troublesome, hard to remember facts. Picture Pie by Ed Emberley provides creative ideas to explore and understand fractions.

Read about Math. We have had great success finding math-related books in the non-fiction section of the library. In fact, I have shown my children where the math books are shelved to give them greater independence as they dig deeper into math concepts introduced at home or in their math program.

 

Triangle Flash Cards. For one of our learners loved this idea, probably because it presented as more of a game than flash cards. Regardless, we were pleased with the results. Sherri Seligson explains her version of DIY Triangle Flash Cards on her blog, Just Extraordinary. 

Whole Equation, Including the Answer. "Are you kidding me?" That was my reaction to this method. For some learners we know, writing the fact (the whole equation factors and product) on flash cards and then verbalizing the equation aloud was the only technique which yielded mastery.This approached worked for one of our learners. 

No matter which strategy or technique you choose, there is an easy, natural sequence which helps learners feel successful, almost immediately. Mastering the facts in this order is helpful in terms of ease and building confidence: 1s (and number times one remains the same), 2s, 3s, 5s (perfectly illustrated with nickels), 4s, 10s (pull out the dimes), 6s, 7s, 8s, and 9s.  

For example, if using flashcards with answers (full equation), write all the 2s on 3x5 cards. Mix up the cards. Set a timer for two minutes. have the child go through the stack verbalizing the full equation on the card and moving the card to the back of the stack. Repeat through the deck until the timer rings. Repeat the activity once or twice a day for one week. To evaluate whether mastery is emerging, give an oral drill. If all the facts were mastered, move to the next fact grouping. 

Check-Off List. Using a check off list, learners can cross out mastered facts. A dry erase check off list has worked well in our home. Once we practice drilling the facts with verbal and visual cues (using cards mentioned above) twice or three times a day for several days, we do an oral drill. Sometimes we do this while driving to a field trip or while enjoying shade outside under a tree. If the leaner knows the answer to the fact I give, we exchange high fives (if I am not driving!) and I tell the child they can cross the fact off the list. If we drill in the car, we high five and mark off facts when we arrive home. Checking off facts is always a CELEBRATION! 

I must add, I was not a fan of flash cards UNTIL I had a child who could only learn multiplication with this strategy. Though I was hesitant, I wanted my child to learn as desired. And, at the child's request, I tried and was pleasantly surprised. We did, however have to review for several years.

You may be on the mountain (as it seems) to mastery. Take courage! You are not alone. 

We are walking the journey together.

Preschool to high school and every stage in between.