I was recently asked to share some highlights about RightStart Math and explain why it’s so effective in helping kids learn and truly understand math. I am Rachel Anderson, and, as anyone who knows me can tell you, I’m passionate about RightStart Math! Having homeschooled for more than 20 years now, I know that choosing
What’s so special about the manipulatives used for the RightStart™ Mathematics program? Let’s run through the list. NOT AVAILABLE ELSEWHERE: Cotter AL Abacus: This abacus has 100 beads and is grouped in 5s and 10s using color. It is different from the Chinese abacus, the Japanese abacus, and “play” abacuses (where each string of beads is
I recently got to chatting with Kate. She and her son are in RS2 Level E and she wondered how to help her son with the puzzle numbers. He was uninterested in the challenge and was rapidly losing interest in math altogether. I thought this would be a fantastic topic to share with you all.
Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and Happy Holidays! We are all looking forward to a break from schooling and spending time with family and friends, yet we know how important it is for our children to keep up their math facts during a holiday break. Our gift to you We have created fun, winter-themed Bingo cards
Mathematical Words In mathematics, we can’t do much without using language. Even though the mathematician may write a mass of equations, she needs words to explain their meaning. Good math instruction requires careful attention to the terms used. We don’t want students to have to learn a common meaning, then relearn the mathematical meaning of
Mathematics is one of the greatest tools we humans have inherited. Math is given to us both as a dedicated area of the brain and as a legacy from our society. Galileo understood the importance of math when, hundreds of years ago, he said: “The great book of nature can be read only by those who
Fractions have a bad reputation as being incomprehensible and unpredictable. Cartoons and jokes exploit this fear of fractions for amusement. Believe or not, it’s all a huge misunderstanding. Fractions are amazing. Fractions are necessary. Fractions are needed, among other things, for telling time, for counting money, and for cooking. The word fraction comes from Latin “frangere” meaning
For years geometry was not considered a topic that primary students could or should study, even though they are surrounded by geometrical shapes. Some second graders I worked with didn’t consider their geometry work to be math, until they saw numbers included in their work. Sometimes teacher education programs provide little guidance on how to
There are ways a grandparent, family member, or friend can help a child with math. Here’s a list of seven things that will help teach math to your favorite young person. 1. Value math and show a positive attitude toward math. Sadly, about 50% of Americans are afflicted with a strong distaste for math. Unfortunately,
The terms development or developmentally appropriate are frequently used, but finding good definitions is difficult. A dictionary defines develop as growing and becoming more mature or advanced. We see physical development in the young child. We know there is a time to crawl, a time to walk, and a time to talk. These special times, Dr. Montessori called sensitive periods while psychologists often
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September 2025 Newsletter We want to remind you of the many free resources available to you as a school that uses RightStart Math. 1. Year-Round Continue Reading
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We are excited to announce the release of Dr. Joan Cotter’s new book, Start Math Right—a valuable resource designed to empower educators and parentsContinue Reading
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We want to take a moment to say a special thank you for the incredible work you do. We see the dedication, the late nights, the creativity, and theContinue Reading
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Classical education is built on the foundation of strong reasoning, deep understanding, and mastery of fundamental skills. When it comes toContinue Reading
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January 2025 Newsletter Welcome to the New Year 2025! We hope everyone had a fabulous winter break! As you start the new year, here are someContinue Reading
I am a quilt designer. I’ve made over 250 quilts in my lifetime, 98% of my own design. I’m currently working on my sixth quilt from someone else’s pattern.I have the directions in front of me as I’m approaching on the final steps of Bonnie Hunter’s Allietare quilt design. I find myself struggling to understand how
How many different abacuses do you think Dr. Cotter has? Here’s a clue…. Dr. Cotter is holding one of her first abacuses: a Japanese abacus, purchased by a friend who had visited Japan. She became so efficient using this abacus that she was faster and more accurate than she was with a calculator!While you try
Kathleen is here to walk you through the Fractions chapter of the new Start Math Right: The Journey to Mathematics Excellence book. She begins with a story of fractions and confusion from 1972, then goes on to discuss what a fraction is and how to teach fractions. Kathleen also discusses how not to teach fractions!
Listen to how division is addressed in the new Start Math Right: The Journey to Mathematics Excellence book. Teresa Foltin talks about how division is the most challenging of the arithmetic operations, and shares that there are two distinct ways to think about division. One way is to find the size of a group; another
Are you curious how the new Start Math Right: The Journey to Mathematics Excellence book addresses multiplication? Listen to Allison Fitzgibbon share her discoveries from the new book. Allison admits that the multiplication chapter was packed with more information than she had time to cover! She chose to focus on patterns found in math. Multiplication
Rachel is here to give you a summary of the Addition and Subtraction chapters from the new Start Math Right: The Journey to Mathematics Excellence book! Rachel Anderson was one of the proofreaders for Dr. Cotter’s book and shares her insights during the January 2025 Online Conference. She begins with a quote from the book.
