What's Working Wednesdays: Mathematics Enhancement Programme (FREE math curriculum!)

 What's Working Wednesday is my weekly post to showcase something that is working for me or my family at the moment. It may not work for us forever and it may or may not work for you.

Several years ago I was looking for free or cheap homeschool curriculum because we had no place in our budget to buy school materials. I came across oldfashionededucation.com and they recommended the Mathematics Enhancement Programme from Centre for Innovation in Mathematics Teaching. I looked into it and discovered that they offered all the teachers manuals, practice books and other resources for free on their website in PDF form. I decided it was worth a shot and printed the first year out for my oldest.

I always tell people that we started using it because it is free and have continued using it because we love it. We really do enjoy MEP and I love how it approaches math (ex. basic algebra concepts are introduced in the first week of Y1 and they have really creative ways to introduce multiplication, negative numbers, etc).

Before starting using the program you may want to know a few of things:
1. It is based out of the UK so all measurement lessons are in metric (standard units of measurement will have to be taught with other materials or just in normal life with your kids since that is probably what you are used to anyway.). I love that it teaches in metric since metric is base 10 which makes math problems so much more simple!
2. Also, since it is based out of the UK, all money math problems are in pounds and pence. I usually just have my kids write dollar signs instead of a pound signs. One thing that gets a little confusing is that we don't have 2 cent coins here in the US so you get to be creative with a few lessons in early years. It's also brought up interesting conversations about money in other countries.
3. It is designed for a classroom so not all activities are easily converted to homeschool use where there is often a much smaller class size. You can skip those activities or just get creative. One way that I have gotten around it in early grades was to have the kids use their stuffed animals as classmates. This past year Caleb had to graph his classmates' birth months and I put out of request on facebook and instead of having just 4 students in his class he had about 150 ;)
4. There is a great yahoo group with other homeschoolers using the program. I would recommend joining it as these other homeschooling parents are a great resource when you have questions since this is probably not how you were taught math.  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mep-homeschoolers/
5. You will not need much space to store it. (I did Saxon K for kindergarten for my kids and I think that it took more space to store that material, which I had to pull out all the time, than it takes to store the 6 years of math curriculum for MEP, of which I only need 4 of those 11 folders for my 4 students out at a time!)

6 years of Math curriculum in less than 12cm space!

We really love MEP and think that others will to so I want to do a little tutorial thing about how I set up MEP for my classroom.

1. Get folders with brads in the middle. These are so cheap this time of the year (a couple of the folders that we use we already had as you can see for Y4b). I bought them all in blue so blue = math in my house which makes Math folders easy to keep track of. You will need 2 of these per student, one for each semester. Here is all we need for math for this fall. As you can see it is very easily transportable.

Our Math Curriculum for the first half of the year!

 2. Print Lesson Plans.  The first couple of years we used MEP I printed these in duplex, two to a page (as you can see in Y2a's folder) but now I print them in duplex 4 to a page (as you can see in Y4b's folder). I duplex and do multiple sheets to a page to save paper, toner, and space. I hole punch them and put them in the brad section of the folder. (NOTE: a laser printer is a GREAT investment for a homeschooler). You can just look at these lesson plans on your computer if you'd prefer not to print them out. I like having paper in my hand though and a place to scribble down notes for this year and future years in the lesson plans though. I store these after one child is done with it until it is the next child's turn.

Lesson Plans 2 to a page

Lesson plans 4 to a page

3. Print Practice Book.   I print these in duplex as well but just one sheet to a page. I put these in the left hand pocket of the folder. Below are a couple of pages from Y2a's Practice Book.

3. Print an Answer Key. This is not absolutely necessary but has been helpful to me so someone else can grade the work. To make my key I printed the practice pages in duplex, 4 sheets to a page and then did the work myself. I could have gotten most of the answers by looking through the lesson plans but #1 I am a math geek and #2 I also wanted to see what the kids would be doing. Since I have been using MEP from the beginning and store the old sets I only have to do one set of answer keys a semester and I am about half way through Y6a already and school hasn't even started yet. I've been bringing it with me to work on in the car or while watching the kids during swim lessons. The kids think that it's fun catching my mistakes in the key as well. I store the key in the right hand pocket of the folder.

Key for Y2a

 4. Have fun exploring Math with your kids.

MEP Y4b ready to go for the year.

Most of my links here are to the primary curriculum materials. They also have materials for secondary math on the CIMT MEP website as well but I haven't used them yet so I am not sure if they are set up differently. There is a helpful scheme of work to help you see at a glance what will be covered throughout the year. I don't have the website memorized. To find it I always google "CIMT MEP" and it is the first link.

We really enjoy MEP and I hope you do too. If you have questions feel free to ask me or get on the MEP Homeschoolers Yahoo Group and ask there.

The Best Part of Waking Up

I was never a morning person. I like staying up late. I like sleeping in. I do NOT like to get out of bed. Especially in the winter.

I am a mom of 4 kids. I homeschool. I discovered a number of years ago that if I do not get up before my kids I get zero time to myself. I like time to myself. I also discovered that if I didn't get up before the kids I got zero time in God's Word. Time in God's Word and in prayer is so vital to me being able to live in the Spirit and not in the flesh. I need that time to feed on God's Word to help me throughout the day.

Through the baby years I discovered that as soon as the kids fell asleep I would be good for nothing. I may stay up longer but I would get nothing productive done. I knew that I needed to make a change and, though I was not naturally a morning person, I knew I had to make the sacrifice of sleep and get up before the kids for my own sanity.

It has not always been an easy choice and I have not always been successful. Winter is the hardest time. It is so dark and it is so cold outside of under the covers BUT the sacrifice has been so worth it. I am a better wife, a better mom, and I have the chance to live more purposefully.

Last spring I joined the Hello Mornings Challenge and it was so great to interact on a daily basis with other women who were on the same journey as me, with similar goals - get up, spend time with God, plan your day purposefully, and exercise. The accountability it gave me was a great boost, especially in those dark days of the early part of the year when I wanted nothing more than to stay under the covers.

There is still time to sign up for the Hello Mornings Challenge for this fall than runs from August 20 - November 16. My group is full but there is still space in other groups and I challenge you to sign up and get some accountability to help you get up, spend time in God's Word, exercise and plan your day. I am linking up today at Inspired to Action. If you need more convincing that you should get up early or ideas on how to do it or what to do hop on over here and read about some other ladies' journeys  in maximizing their mornings.

I've come to realize that the best part of waking up isn't Folgers in my cup (though, I must say, I do like coffee. I just don't drink Folgers) it is how much better my whole day goes as a result. I am not waking up scurrying around and miserable, snapping at everyone, because I have overslept. Instead, because I get up, I have time to prepare my mind, my heart, and my body for the day.

Try it. It won't be easy but it will be worth it.

Why Do I Worry About God's Bank Account?

God has entrusted some money to us and we keep it in a bank account. We try to steward it well, knowing that it isn't ours, and use it to pay our bills and buy things that we want and need.

This week we had to use some of God's money to pay for the tests that Glenn is going to have to take for school over the next couple of months. The tests are pretty expensive and when we checked our bank account before paying for them we discovered that, after paying for the tests, the amount of money in our bank account would be way lower than we can remember it being for a long time. We actually had to borrow money from one of the kids' bank accounts to cover a couple of bills that are automatically deducted from our account over the next couple of weeks.

My reaction to seeing our bank account almost zero out made me realize that I have been putting too much faith in having money in our bank account and not enough faith in God, the One who actually stores it there. We have needs and we know that God always provides for them. It is easy to trust Him when you know exactly how He is going to do it. Not so easy when you don't. There is no need to worry about us financially. We have a bit of money coming in the near future- an overdue apartment deposit refund for our apartment in Syracuse, reimbursements for things that we've paid for, and our normal disbursement but for the next 2 weeks we are on a mandatory spending freeze.

On our walk to the park for the town band concert after spending all of "our" money I had a talk with myself and reminded myself of whose bank account it really is - God's. Who put the money there? God. Who can both fill it and empty it at times and in ways that make no sense to me? God. I then started hearing Bob Weston, a missionary from Jamaica that used to visit my church when I was a child, singing in my ear, "If you know the Lord is helpin' you, what you got to worry about? If you know the Lord is helping you - why don't you sing and shout? Ohhh, glory hallelujah, praise His name. Everyday He's just the same. If you know the Lord is helpin' you, what you got to worry about?"

The next morning I read My Utmost and it was on "The Discipline of Difficulty." I guess I needed to read it. The last two sentences really stuck out: "The temptation is to face difficulties from a common-sense standpoint. The saint is hilarious when he is crushed with difficulties because the thing is so ludicrously impossible to anyone but God."

So... why do I worry about God's bank account? I don't know. It may have our name on it but it's His. I think know that I can trust Him with it. Praise His name.

"I've told you all this so that trusting me, you will be unshakable and assured, deeply at peace. In this godless world you will continue to experience difficulties. But take heart! I've conquered the world." John 16:33 MSG

What's Working Wednesday: C25K

What's Working Wednesday is my weekly post to showcase something that is working for me or my family at the moment. It may not work for us forever and it may or may not work for you.

I have been wanting to be healthier and more physically fit for some time but it takes more than desire. It also takes discipline.

I have been inspired by many friends who have started running (maybe some of them have always run, I don't know) that have things post to their facebooks to let everyone know that they are out on a run. One of my biggest inspirations is a lady I am super proud of, my friend Kari. She has made lots of healthy life changes and recently completed a 1/2 marathon. Completing a 1/2 marathon is something I never would have imagined her doing when I shared life with her on a regular basis 13 years ago while we were in college together. I still don't know that I will ever be able to do it but I am currently working towards a 5K.

I really like the Couch to 5k plan. It is a plan designed to get you from being a couch potato to running a 5K in 9 weeks. I have started it before but have never made it all the way though. (I think I quit in the past around week 4.)

This time I am walk/ running while listening to the C25K Christian Indie podcast. Some of the music is a little slow for running but I enjoy the chance to listen to some praise music while I run. I am currently on week 7 of the couch to 5K plan and did my first 25 minute run on Tuesday. It went pretty well and I even had a lady in the passenger seat of a car that drove by applaud me on the way up my last hill. I am excited that I was able to "run" for 25 minutes straight. I could barely run two telephone poles 2 months ago!

If you'd like to try to become more physically fit I challenge you to give C25K a try. There are lots of great resources at this website: www.c25k.com

Morning After...

We had a great time this weekend at National Conference - meeting people, researching residencies, eating food, trying to avoid picking up the free stuff.

Late yesterday afternoon we got to the hotel after being dropped off by a first year intern at a program we are very interested in after eating lunch with the program director, a bunch of residents and attendings. (SO thankful for the ride she gave us up to our hotel by the airport for the night.) I was exhausted but couldn't get to sleep so I went to the bathroom to read my Bible. I read Proverbs 30 as part of my "through the Bible in a year" and really appreciated verses 1-9:

The sayings of Agur son of Jakeh contain this message.
I am weary, O God; I am weary and worn out, O God. I am too stupid to be human, and I lack common sense. I have not mastered human wisdom, nor do I know the Holy One.
Who but God goes up to heaven and comes back down?
Who holds the wind in his fists?
Who wraps up the oceans in his cloak?
Who has created the whole wide world?
What is his name—and his son's name?
Tell me if you know! Every word of God proves true.
He is a shield to all who come to him for protection. Do not add to his words, or he may rebuke you and expose you as a liar.
O God, I beg two favors from you; let me have them before I die.
First, help me never to tell a lie. Second, give me neither poverty nor riches! Give me just enough to satisfy my needs. For if I grow rich, I may deny you and say, "Who is the Lord?" And if I am too poor, I may steal and thus insult God's holy name. (Proverbs 30:1-9 NLT)

I love that Auger spoke just what I felt: weary, overwhelmed, inadequate. He then pointed me again to the One who I was looking for, the One who controls all things, who holds everything in His fist, who is The Truth, and my Shield. So thankful!! Then there is that prayer. I love that prayer and reading it every month when I come to this Proverb. It is so true: I want just enough - not too much so I don't think I need Him or too little so I'm tempted to do wrong to have what I need. God has been so faithful to do just that for us all along and I know He will continue to.

This morning the song on my heart was...

"The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases.
His mercies never come to an end.
They are new every morning, new every morning, great is Thy
faithfulness, oh Lord, great is Thy faithfulness."

I'm so thankful for His great faithfulness. I have, in my head, plans of what I think would be the best plan for what to do summer of 2013 - summer of 2016 or 2017 but my faithful God will put us where He will best use us and train us and His plans are not always our plans (if you've known us long, you may have noticed that). Thankful that I can trust Him and His plan.

Five Minute Friday: Beyond

Taking a 5 this morning to link up with LisaJo and write about:

BEYOND

These prompts often cause me to think of a verse or a song. Today it was both. First, the verse:

Now to Him Who, by (in consequence of) the [action of His] power that is at work within us, is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams]-- (Ephesians 3:20 AMP)

This week we are at the AAFP National Conference talking to various residency programs and trying to figure out where Glenn can get the best training and where we should apply to. I loved reading this verse from the Amplified Bible this morning. We serve such a great, amazing God and so often we put Him in such a tiny box and expect so little and ask so little from Him. So often He does this though for us, this "superabundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams."

It is stressful being here. We know that where ever we land next God is going to use our time and training there for His honor and glory and to further prepare us and use us for His purposes both there and beyond. Still the questions come, "What programs should we apply to? Where should we live? What programs will best prepare us for our future?"

It's often scary stepping out into the unknown but I am so glad that I don't walk this path alone. I'm thankful that we will be together as a family where ever we move and that, most importantly, our faithful Guide, Provider, and Friend will be there to "do superabundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams."

The song I thought of when I saw the word "beyond" took me way back to Petra's Beyond Belief. The lyrics were helpful and seemed applicable for me to read this morning.

"We're content to pitch our tent when the glory's evident
Seldom do we know the glory came and went
Moving can seem dangerous in this stranger's pilgrimage
Knowing that you can't stand still, you cross the bridge

"There's a higher place to go
Beyond belief, beyond belief
Where we reach the next plateau
Beyond belief, beyond belief

"And from faith to faith we grow
Towards the center of the flow
Where He beckons us to go
Beyond belief, beyond belief

"Leap of faith without a net makes us want to hedge our bet
Water's never part until our feet get wet
There's a deeper place to go where the road seems hard to hoe
He who has begun this work won't let it go
(Let it go)

"There's a higher place to go
Beyond belief, beyond belief
Where we reach the next plateau
Beyond belief, beyond belief

"And from faith to faith we grow
Towards the center of the flow
Where He beckons us to go
Beyond belief, beyond belief

"And it takes so long to see the change
But we look around and it seems so strange
We have come so far but the journey's long
And we once were weak but now we're strong

"There's a higher place to go
Beyond belief, beyond belief
Where we reach the next plateau
Beyond belief, beyond belief

"And from faith to faith we grow
Towards the center of the flow
Where he beckons us to go
Beyond belief, beyond belief

"Beyond belief
There's a higher place to go
Beyond belief, beyond belief
Where we reach the next plateau
Beyond belief, beyond belief"

I found this old school music video of it on Youtube. It's a stroll down memory lane for me and made me laugh:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7KY7jLQGHA0&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Note: posting from my phone so sorry for the funny formatting

What's Working Wednesday: Keens

Back in the summer of 2008 we were busy researching life in the Caribbean because we thought we were moving there for the first 18 months of Glenn's medical school education. One thing that we wondered about was, "What kind of shoes should we get?" We would be travelling mostly by foot and the roads on the island we would be moving to were pretty rough. From our research we found out that a pair of Crocs would last about a month but Keens would last the whole time we were there (provided they weren't outgrown by the kids). We got a coupon code and put in an order for 6 pairs from EMS. 

Our shiny new Keens July 2008

We didn't end up moving to the Caribbean but we did use those Keens almost that whole summer and fell in love with them. I love how well they protect our feet. You can wear them on any terrain - wet, dry, rocky, steep, full of roots - and your feet stay safe. I especially appreciate the toe protection. We wear them for general everyday wear, for water fun, and for hiking and they hold up great and are comfortable.

We loved our Keens so much that, when the kids' feet grew, we bought them new ones. We keep an eye out for clearance sales to buy sizes that the kids will be growing into. We have also been fortunate to buy a couple pairs of almost new kids Keens at thrift stores.

Do you wonder how they hold up? The kids are each on pair #2-4 and they've only stopped wearing previous pairs because their feet have grown. Glenn & I, on the other hand, are still on our first pair. That's almost 5 complete summers of almost constant wear (by me at least). Even at full price, that is less than $20/yr for great sandals. Which reminds me of a conversation that they came up in back in April 2011.

Glenn's and my Keens July 2012 summer #5 of almost constant use April to October. (I should probably wash them after camping on an island last weekend.)



The bottoms are showing some wear but not too bad :)



I'm so glad that, even though we didn't use them in the Caribbean, Keens were suggested to us. I'm on the look out for a new pair because mine are starting to show wear. I've decided that my next pair needs to be a darker though so they don't show dirt as badly. Glenn's still look good, mine are pretty dingy.