Math at Forward Leap: Using the Math Mammoth Curriculum

Math is extremely important and nothing to skimp on when it comes to guiding children in the learning of it. My requirements of a curriculum for Forward Leap students was that it had to be very effective, mastery based and flexible. I eventually realized that I had already been using a curriculum with my son that ticked off those boxes!

That curriculum is called Math Mammoth and I couldn't be more excited to have it as part of the student's education. We will explore more about what it is and how it works in the rest of this post.

About mastery based learning

In the introduction, I had mentioned that I needed the math curriculum to be mastery based. I figured I should probably give an explanation on what that means for those that don't already know.

Mastery-based learning is an educational approach where students progress through a curriculum at their own pace and they only move ahead after they have demonstrated a thorough understanding of the material. The method is different than what you may find in public schools and traditional learning models. This is because teachers often move students forward based on time spent in class or completion of assignments, regardless of their actual comprehension.

In mastery-based learning, the focus is on the quality of learning and ensuring that each student reaches a high level of proficiency in each area before moving on. This personalized learning strategy allows for a more flexible and supportive educational environment. It also accommodates different speeds of learning.

The emphasis on the mastery of content, rather than the mere completion of coursework, aims to build a solid foundation of knowledge that students can build upon as they continue their educational journey.

About Math Mammoth

Math Mammoth is a math curriculum created by Maria Miller. She has a master's degree in mathematics and was a math teacher before becoming a homemaker and homeschooling children.

Maria started creating math books as she found the ones that were being used by homeschooling mothers at the time to be lacking. She wanted the books to teach children in the way that she was teaching them and that is how Math Mammoth came to be!

The Math Mammoth curriculum includes work books for grades one through seven. These are called the "Light Blue Series" and they offer a complete, year long curriculum progression that is broken up into two books per grade. The type of math in them is typical to what children would be exposed to in public and private school in their respective grades and in some cases can be a bit advanced.

Math Mammoth also has "Blue Series" books which have pages that cover specific math topics (i.e. addition problems) instead of the full curriculum. These are better off being used for extra practice and as a supplement but you could make them into a full curriculum if you really wanted to.

In addition to all of the workbooks, there are also math resources on the Math Mammoth website that can be really helpful. These include printable math sheets, online games, placement tests, assessments and learning videos.

The Math Mammoth workbooks can be purchased directly on the website and various online stores. You can also purchase the plushy mammoth she recommends if your child ends up enjoying the curriculum and likes that kind of thing.

Why Math Mammoth at Forward Leap?

There are specific features of the Math Mammoth curriculum that made the choice to use it a no-brainer for me. They are as follows:

• A comprehensive curriculum- It completely covers grades 1-7th.

• Simple- The curriculum is broken down in a simple way that makes it easier for the student to understand and for me to guide if need be.

• Affordable- You can find each workbook for around $22 which is cheaper than other curriculum options out there.

• Adaptability- This curriculum is very easy to adapt to each student's needs.

• Extra practice- I love that there are resources for extra practice materials on the website. They can really come in handy.

• Concept-driven approach- The curriculum delves deep into math and gets into the "why" behind it. I find this extremely important for children as it helps them to keep progressing in the subject.

• Self-teaching- Its ease of use makes it something that first and second graders can do mostly on their own. This is especially true if they are able to read well.

• Not overwhelming to look at- There aren't a lot of colorful things and characters on the pages which is good for Forward Leap students that get overwhelmed or distracted easily.

Implementation Strategies

To make sure that Math Mammoth is being used effectively in our classroom, there are some strategies that I will be using. They are as follows:

• Placement and progression- The first thing that is done is having the children take the Math Mammoth placement test. Once we get those results, they will be given the grade level book that they tested in to. They will each go at their own pace and progress sequentially through the grade levels.

• Level assessment- I will be assessing students on their math performance. This will help me figure out if they are on the right level. If they need more advanced work or need extra help, I will supplement with other Math Mammoth resources and/or resources from another brand if need be.

• Good support and attention by me- I will make sure that I know where each child is in their book and what they are working on before the learning block starts. This will make it so that I can help them whenever necessary without having to spend a lot of time looking at the pages when they need me.

• Use of visuals- There are some math visuals in the workbooks. I will use them on the board when and if we are doing large group math practice or if I am working on something 1:1 with a student. I want to keep things constant and familiar when it comes to the guiding of their math education.

• Use of supplemental materials and manipulatives- I will be using/having around the recommended supplemental materials that are listed in the books and on the website to further reinforce the children's math education with Math Mammoth. These materials include extra practice sheets, teaching clocks, play money and more.

• Celebration of achievements- I celebrate Math Mammoth "wins" with the children. This can include them getting something from the prize bin or me putting a star on a chart that has them working towards something. Doing this can make them feel confident and engaged with the curriculum which in turn makes them keep working hard everyday.

In Conclusion

Math Mammoth is more than just a series of workbooks. It is like an educational philosophy that helps students to think critically and have a deep understanding of mathematics. I am more than happy that I decided on it for our little learning community.

Are you interested in having your child experience a different approach to math than what the public schools do? Contact us today and we can discuss it further!

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