MATH FACTS MEMORIZED- The REAL Robinson Curriculum Homeschooling Method

[@ourhouse]

Have you used this method or will you try it? Comment below! RESOURCES & LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS VIDEO: RC Course for Littles- rccourseforlittles.com 2 pack of TImers- amzn.to/31VT78T RC Math Flashcards- blog.robinsoncurriculum.com/2019/06/12/rc-math-flashcards/ Abacus- amzn.to/3iHYPlB RC Board for Littles- kzbin.info/www/bejne/e2imi2l6rd6IaqM

[@lizbeavers9042]

The longer I homeschool, the more I have realized that Dr. Robinson's original methods work. I think sometimes we overcomplicate the simple.

[@ourhouse]

Yes we do, lesson learned lol.

[@megandonaldson4964]

I taught 1-12 addition, subtraction, multiplication, division in order and then after each number was mastered I would add them into a 100 problem fact sheet. That way they can work independently and I can see if they really know the answers. There are tons of free resources for building fact sheets online. My 8 year old is about to start Saxon 54 next week, and she knows her facts better than her 10 year old sister (I didn’t focus on facts early on with my first). I would say she averages 96% on totally mixed function 1-12 worksheets. This method works! Card games work really well for testing knowledge and speed too. :)

[@Suzie-nr7dz]

We bought the flashcards and paid through the nose to have them shipped to the UK... and it was so worth it to buy the physical flashcards. They are bold, durable and uncluttered. We will get so much use out of them through multiple children.

[@TaylorFamFarm]

My son was loooving his math facts this Spring and then we found RC and it was perfect timing :) I don’t have the higher numbers cards yet, but definitely see the benefit to mix them all.

[@Insidethemix]

You are so inspiring and encouraging. I have definitely needed this. the math fact memorization struggle has been REAL with my 8 year old and I just felt so lost. This clears up so much of my fears. Going to go back and read the course of study. Don’t know how I missed this but I am really glad you made this video.

[@ourhouse]

I have already been surprised with the results in a couple weeks, try it and let me know how it goes.

[@Insidethemix]

Our House it has been so helpful. She is doing so much better. It was hard at first but now she is gaining confidence and doing better than the other way!

[@cuteracoons5434]

guys check out soroban abacus system. you can calculate faster than a calculator in your head after training few months

[@JLMABIO]

Interesting! How is the Soroban (Japanese) abacus different from other abacus?

[@frodiva24]

Thank you for doing this! I needed to see this.

[@berrypatch5583]

Your babies are so precious! Thanks for sharing this new method, as I just purchased new all facts math flashcards yesterday.

[@clarkclips8015]

Wow! I was just thinking how much I loved using your math flash card tracker guide. It makes it so easy! But I see what you're saying here. I was wondering about them forgetting the cycles they had been through and I was really struggling with keeping up with 5 kids and 5 different cycles! One thing you never addressed though is the accountability and honesty issue. I get the need for kids to be independent learners. As a mom of 7 with 4 under 8, I LIVE this. But I see accountability as a bit of a different thing. I had problems with my kids just mindlessly flipping through the flashcards and not really thinking about the answers, and then saying they got them all right just so they could go faster and not have to review. Let's just face it, our kids aren't perfect, and mine are no exception. That's why I felt the need to do the flashcards with all the kids myself, but it is a LOT! I'm beginning to think Mr. Robinson's kids were just more obedient and honest than mine and that's why RC worked for him and certain people with the right personalities, but not others. Yes, we correct and teach our kids honesty. We use biblical principles, but my kids are still little sinners.

[@kimberlybrock1579]

My thoughts exactly. How do you address accountability and know that they are really learning and not just saying they are?

[@JLMABIO]

@@kimberlybrock1579 @clark clips Any thoughts on how to address Math Facts cards accountability? Maybe with the a "Math Facts Cards timed round" with parent as "observer" at end of Math Fact session?

[@ThunderStruck15]

“Little sinners” yiiiiiiikes

[@reneed2626]

I feel this comment lol

[@kathrynbates5459]

I am paying the price for making everything "fun" with my kids! 😭 We have always done "gentle lessons" with lots of manipulatives and hand holding. Now I am expecting my 7th child and I NEED my older kids to take some responsibility and they just don't know how. This is going to be a hard year...

[@ourhouse]

I'm working on a free workshop and a course later on dealing with exactly this. I have been there too! Take solace in the fact that many families have gone through it and on the other side! An adjustment period and brief do-over stage is ok. The benefits of having the older kids doing all their work on their own is a huge blessing, once you get through that period of developing those study habits. You can do it! Trust the process ❤️

[@berrypatch5583]

We have found Rod and Staff 3 Math textbook is very independent for a final review of all Math facts plus a few extras like multi addition and subtraction right before 5/4. My children just write right into the textbook and do it almost completely independent as soon as they have memorized addition and subtraction facts. It has almost nothing but the basics so this would work amazing with your flashcard method.

[@JLMABIO]

By "3" did you mean the Rod and Staff 3rd Grade Math textbook? Thank you.

[@kaltaylor01]

We've used Xtra Math in the past, and I wouldn't say my kids ever enjoyed it. However, the stress of the timer and racing the teacher was a distraction. I like the idea of having them race themselves. I always wanted to do it the RC way, but never got around to making all the flashcards. Now that they're available for purchase, I will definitely look into them for the next child.

[@ourhouse]

Yes I agree with you! The flashcards are super nice. If I could only purchase one thing extra with RC it would be the math flashcards.

[@shannonelliott9230]

Hi Karen, love your enthusiasm. One thing you didn't cover was when this math fact marathon ends, and how. Do you suggest gradually removing known facts, or is it just when they can read well enough to start Saxon 54 or other comparable math course? Just wondering. I've had RC a long time, and am now working on it with a grandchild, but never got these fabulous-looking, big, beautiful flashcards. Just wondering how you handle the graduation from them.

[@Cleanwithmepodcast]

Will be trying this as part of our math time...

[@lulu12345575]

I really like your crochet cover in your couch. Did the you and the kids do it? That would be something nice to do as a family

[@ourhouse]

Both my girls do crochet, but they mainly do little animals and gifts. I am a sucker for buying these blankets anytime I see them at a thrift store. I believe this one I found at Goodwill and it's starting to fall apart but still my favorite.

[@gervaisehedrick5411]

Hi Karen! Do you still have that flash card basket in this video? If so what size is it? I have a plastic bin that's breaking so I need a new bin.

[@ourhouse]

I don’t, I switched to the file folder system.

[@jennacdodge]

I just ordered amazon math cards. I plan on buying the full RC curriculum which includes your course in the next week or two. I thought I would get a head start on math facts. Now I’m wondering if I should return those from amazon? I have a 6 year old ready to learn math facts and a 10 year old who never learned them, so two of my kiddos will be using flash cards. In that case should I keep the set I just bought, also? Thanks for this video!

[@ourhouse]

I believe they are having some delays with the printing and shipping of the math flashcards right now, so I would say to keep those and start now. The ones with RC go up higher than the Amazon ones, but the Amazon ones will be a great starting point while you wait for the full curriculum.

[@jennacdodge]

Our House Thank you!

[@michellechannell1219]

Do you have a video on starting the RC course with older children? I had someone ask me and when I told them we actually took a year an only worked on math facts even with my older boys that I was crazy. But they didn't know math facts so they needed it.

[@ourhouse]

Yes, it's foundational! I have a few videos here is one on how to make the transition -kzbin.info/www/bejne/m4qypaVvrLyFhdk

[@michellechannell1219]

@@ourhouse Thank you :)

[@shannonelliott9230]

This is much later to reply, but you are right. If they don't have their facts they won't do well in the more advanced math. The reason is that they'll make mistakes on the fundamental facts, and have a high error rate, not because they don't know the method they are learning, but because they are devoid of the memorized facts.

[@DinahsDoe]

I think im going to try this! We are leaving private school and doing homeschool this year due to covid. This program sounds soo good. I hope I'm not getting in over my head though! 😳

[@ourhouse]

It’s super easy and focusing just on the 3 R’s. You can do it! Yay!

[@brookemenefee9659]

Excellent! Thanks

[@thelittlelearningfarm622]

Hello, I purchased the flash cards and your math Flashcards guide. However, I am having a hard time finding the larger 15 Flashcards (15+5, 15+10, etc). Could you please provide some guidance on where these are in the Flashcards sets?

[@ourhouse]

Did you purchase the RC flashcards?

[@ninilovenana]

If we are not with them as they work on their cards how do we know if they have them down? Do they just come to us and recite the answers? Should I stop how I’m doing it? I usually show them each card as they give the answer and I go around and around through the same stack until their speed is up to par. HELP! And add another card daily...

[@ourhouse]

I can only tell you that that is not what Dr. Robinson recommends, that you should not sit with them while they do this. It can be a sort of coddling, that they will just have to be weaned from later when they do math independently. When they get through a stack and have nothing in the wrong pile on the first run, then they know them all. You can then at that point, test them if you want. I do go over different approaches though in my RC Course for Littles course, but I do believe having tried them all, this is the most direct and fastest way. rccourseforlittles.com

[@ninilovenana]

@@ourhouse thank you so much for responding..

[@JLMABIO]

​@@ourhouse I like the idea of letting student learn cards on their own and then parent test them at end of daily Math session, for accountability.

[@lisachristinaconfirmed5067]

So you start out mixing ALL signs numbers 1-12 ? Even if they are struggling with just multiplication?

[@ourhouse]

For the purist RC way yes, they need to memorize them, not so much understanding the concept yet. I have a different method I developed based of the Charlotte Memory System. kzbin.info/www/bejne/l56YXph3m6iSsK8

[@johannahfaith]

After they have memorized and moved on to Saxon, do you ever need to have them review math facts? If we only memorized 1-12 should we go back and add in the extra flash cards RC includes?

[@ourhouse]

I would let them review those after their Saxon lesson or before as a warm up. If they start having a hard time, or getting computational errors in Saxon, then I would definitely have them review flashcards, sometimes they will ask to do it themselves for this reason.

[@shannonelliott9230]

The Bluedorns wrote about a developmental stage that happens in the brain around age ten, and suggest reviewing the facts then to get them into the more abstract department of the brain. I found this helpful with some of my younger children when I noticed it.

[@sonshineinthereign6051]

Does each of your kids have their own set of flash cards? Or did you buy one set and they share?

[@ourhouse]

Each kid needed to have their own set for their individual progress.

[@milaalvarez3145]

Are the RC math cards best for RC Littles?

[@ourhouse]

Absolutely! They are so nice and big with no distractions.

[@milaalvarez3145]

@@ourhouse thank you! I purchased remedial ones to start transitioning into RC. I really don’t like that it has 2 different facts on one card... and my daughter at first thought she had the answer 😂

[@694khan]

So how do they “say the card”?

[@momof7blessings]

Are you currently using the RC pure math way with any of your kiddos? If so do you find it working any better than your RC for littles math set up? Just curious. Math facts have been very difficult for a lot of my kids to remember and I have to admit I could not remember them when I was a kid.

[@ourhouse]

I have switched over and it might be still too early to tell but they are doing very well with it. I think the constant repetition, old and new, and mixed up operations is helping. Dr/ Lyrband I have an episode going live this Friday all about math facts and how to really memorize them.

[@momof7blessings]

@@ourhouse looking forward to the new episode. I'm considering going RC pure for a time to get us back on track with the basics. My state requires 11 subjects be taught each year, but we are struggling with reading and math facts so teaching every subject feels like too much.

[@ourhouse]

11? That's crazy! Maybe you can just use the RC book list to fill in majority of those for your state requirements and be able to work at your own pace.

[@april73showers]

Are you sure that you have to teach all eleven subjects each year? We are in PA (pretty strict when it comes to homeschool law) and we just have to make sure that certain subjects are taught once within the elementary years and same with secondary years.

[@momof7blessings]

@@april73showers it doesn't have to be a full year course but I am required by state law to send in a curriculum outline and a list of textbooks and resources that will be used to teach that subject for every school year. During the high school years I have been able to get away with stating, for example, the 1/2 credit of physical education requirement for graduation has been met. I am also required to have 900 hours of instruction per year. We are not currently required to keep any documentation of that. We are required to submit a portfolio to a certified teacher for review or complete a standardized test at the end of each school year and submit test scores to the state.

[@TMarieCam]

My child is 10 and halfway through Saxon 5/4. Is it too late to use this math flash card method?

[@ourhouse]

Not at all. If they are really struggling with high error rate, take a break and only do flashcards until memorized then start Saxon 5/4 again. If they seem to be plugging along ok, I would suggest 20-25 min of flashcards first thing, then a Saxon Math lesson. Once the flashcards are all mastered then the full time for Saxon.

[@TMarieCam]

Our House thank you.

[@JLMABIO]

@@ourhouse I think this is a great and informative reply!

[@lulu25754]

About how long should it take the child to go through all the math facts in one sitting?

[@ourhouse]

As long as it takes them to get them all in the right pile. It will really depend on how big the stack is and how old the child is.

[@kelkayla]

@@ourhouse should a five year old girl start with 0-5 in all 4 kinds of math? Will she even understand multiple And division at this age?

[@Jessiemadanat]

Super helpful

[@ourhouse]

Glad to hear!

[@kelkayla]

Do you start mixing math facts at 5?

[@ourhouse]

I don’t have a set age but around there. I have a math game plan in my RC course for Littles. I think they need to understand simple concepts first and counting.

[@averykempf9164]

Thank you! I would like to do this with my son.

[@ourhouse]

Honestly, I wish I would have done this from the very beginning! It's actually faster. Let me know how it goes!