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Using Singapore and we really like it. I am curious why Carrie uses just the workbook and does not add the extra practice workbook or the intensive workbooks?

Thanks
Becky

6yo - 1A (using regular workbook and intensive)
5yo - KB (no other workbooks)

I think a lot of it is trying to keep with the Charlotte Mason philosophy of short lessons. Often the extra practice doesn't necessarily help the students learn more. Instead it ends up being extra seat work.

Ive never needed extra practice on a particular exercise with my kids. I've often given them the chance to do more than one days worth of math, but it's not as more practice.

The hands-on activities written into the guide for A/B and 1A-2B are your "teacher's guide" or your "extra practice." Often we camp out on those, or my DH will work with the kids more if they've struggled in understanding a concept. I think the idea is for this age math to be very hands-on and therefore approachable even for kids who don't take to it naturally. They can count 20 snacks even if they find it difficult to write the numbers 1-20. If you do the other stuff and it works well for you, keep doing it. I don't think it is needed, but I do have the benefit of DH and I both being very strong in math and therefore lots of practice and work with the kids on math in everyday things. Eating peas is math around here. Split the peas up into groups for all of your siblings, etc etc.

Textbooks and workbooks are used from 3A on up. I guess they suggest the HIG for 5A-6B for additional helps and practice.

I agree with others about the math books - I do think though as kids get older or along in the program, the great thing with the intensive practice is that if your child is struggling in an area, you can always get the extra practice. You don't need to but it is available if needed. My oldest can do math well but she forgets steps in things regularly. For her, we do extra practice over the summer. I am not trying to be mean or over bearing on her. But for the last 2 years we have done multiplication with double digit numbers and every single time she sees the equation, she struggles with annexing zeros. I feel like we have the same conversation over and over again . She is getting faster at recognizing her errors but man o man! So for her, she does some extra practice. And I don't over load her on practice. She works for about 15 minutes - 20 minutes a day 3-4 days per week on extra practice.

Thank you, that helps. The intensive workbook takes what they have learned to the next level. The extra practice workbook I think is just more busy work. My older one is a natural at math, so the only time he pauses to think and apply what he has learned is in the intensive pages (there are only a few pages per chapter). My younger one - (sigh) who knows, we are still working on focus and following instructions... when he does that he is fine, so someday... I think anything extra for him would be too much now, and if CM met him she would say no more than 10 min

Math was never my thing, and my parents always had me do math, every day during the summer, or be the banker at monopoly or some other 'math" related thing every day... or else I was a blank slate come the fall! So keep at it with your daughter, it will sink in... eventually!

Becky

thank you that - is encouraging I am a math head so I just don't get how she doesn't get it LOL!!!! But she is a free spirit and artistically and musically talented. God must have a huge sense of humor creating us so differently! Sometimes I just have to laugh