Hi Karen,
While I'm not specifically answering your question, I want to share some interesting information that I've uncovered regarding math instruction.
Some background...My dd is 9 and in 3rd grade. She is very bright and does well in most subjects, but math has been somewhat difficult. Not the concepts, she understands +-x/ concepts well, but has had extreme difficulty in memorizing math facts and would therefore be considered a grade level behind in math were she tested. This stresses me because math comes very easily and naturally to both me and my husband. So I've spent an enormous amount of time and effort trying to "remedy this problem."
In all of my research, I've discovered is that math wasn't formally taught until about 3rd grade up until the 1950s, I think it was. Here is an interesting article on delaying formal math instruction until the 7th grade!
Benezet Math Experiment
Here is another article - Mynah Bird Math - that is interesting, too, in how it relates.
All this is to say, I'm no longer worrying about it and we'll keep on with our lessons in Strayer-Upton and we'll eventually get it. I want her to understand math and be able to accurately use it in day to day life. Right now she can tell time on both analog and digital clocks, count money and can make change (we're working on this), understands how to measure using a ruler or a tape measure and completely understands the concepts of addition & subtraction and can work out the problems herself. All skills relevant to a 9 year old. She doesn't have instant recall of the facts, but she is understanding and that's more important to me.
I don't know if that is helpful to you or not, but it was helpful to me to write it all out and see that we are progressing, even if it's not in a traditional manner.
I have zero concern about keeping in line with what ps kids do in any other subject, so I just realized why should math be any different!
Blessings,
Christie
