DVD to Teach Lessons
We have been asked numerous times over the years about a DVD to help teach the RightStart™ Mathematics curriculum. Our world has become very visual, so this is a logical request. Sometimes the potential audience is the child; sometimes it is the parent.
The DVD idea has been tossed around for a number of years, but we keep coming back to not providing a DVD for the following reasons:
Children’s needs vary
We believe it is paramount for a young child to have the interaction with the parent/teacher. We are concerned that a child might be sat down in front of the screen, assuming that the DVD lesson is for the child.
The interacting parent can see if the child is not understanding a concept or lesson, then provide additional time or examples to solidify the topic. Or, if the child gets a concept, the parent can move on to avoid boredom.
Of course, a DVD cannot be modified to fit the child’s specific needs. It will plod along, regardless of the child’s individuality.
Math is not a solitary pursuit
Math is problem solving. We know that problem solving is far more effective when there are two heads working on the situation rather than just one.
We want the parent to be working with the child, rather than the child sitting alone, trying to memorize and facts and perhaps not understanding the concepts.
Need to engage all learning styles
Humans learn through visual, tactile, and auditory means. A DVD can address auditory learners, provided no interaction is required. It can provide visual input, but it is passive and disregards the viewer’s learning speed and questions.
A DVD does not address tactile learning. It may ask the viewer to work with the same objects as on the screen, but it’s not the same. Think of watching a DVD to learn how to change the oil in your car. Sure, a video will help, but wouldn’t it be easier to have a live person directing your activities?
RightStart™ Mathematics uses a wide variety of manipulatives; AL Abacus, Math Balance, Place Value cards, Drawing Board, card games, fraction charts, and more. These manipulatives will engage all learning styles and enhance and deepen the understanding of math.
So what about the parents that want the DVD to help them prepare for the lesson with the child?
Lessons are formatted for a quick and easy preparation
Most lessons will need less than five minutes of preparation time. People consistently tell us, once they have the swing of things (which will take a week or two or three, depending on your personality), that they are reading the lesson about a paragraph ahead of where they are teaching.
When a question arises during the teaching, it’s answered right in the next sentence or paragraph. Things to specifically say to the child are underlined and answers are provided, so you will know what answer you’re aiming towards.
Powerpoints presentations and webinars
We do have powerpoints for you to watch as an overview, but these will be more generic and won’t address specific lessons. This will provide a very nice summary of the RightStart™ philosophy.
Webinars are available in the winter months. These are live presentations and have a variety of topics! The host can answer your specific questions during the seminar.
Forum Boards and Customer Service help line
We also have an independent Yahoo forum board and customer service support (888-272-3291) at your fingertips. Customer service is available during business hours and is staffed by homeschool moms using the RightStart™ program.
If you have a problem they cannot answer, you will be sent up the chain until you reach Dr. Cotter herself! So, no matter what, we will get your question answered.
Because RightStart™ Mathematics lays the elementary foundation for children, we don’t see a DVD in our future. We envision teacher and child learning, applying, and enjoying mathematics, delighting in the journey together, hand in hand.
I have used Right Start exclusively for my children in our homeschool. My oldest is now on level G about to begin the video text. Many other families I know have tried Right Start, loved it but eventually abandoned it due to the fact that it is very teacher/student intensive. I agree with them but have stuck with it regardless because I feel it is so worth it. I have never seen such a great math program! But, on the same token finding time to do multiple lessons with multiple children leaves little time for games. I believe the games are a necessary tool aiding in the mastery of math skills. My only wish for Right Start is that there was a cd-rom type game that had the math games on it. I would love for one child to be able to play the games while I was with another child. Even better would be games with a “hint button” that reviewed the skill that the game focused on, just in case. Thanks again for such a great program!!
I have to agree that a game app, or even a demo of how to play each game would be so helpful. We loved playing some of the games; and, agreed they are super helpful in the learning process…but as it sounds like I, as other moms, don’t always have time to figure out how to play the game. So, if my daughter has the concept down instead of playing the game it gets skipped. I think a game program would be so valuable! I know we would have played more games if it were available! Good idea Marlene…such a good idea I took the time to support it.
I completely agree. We would have played the games if there had been a quick DVD video explaining how to play it. While the Games book is good, it isn’t always easy to follow for us. So we skipped the games.
Hi, Fabio.
Thank you for your comment. The Math Card Games Book does come with a DVD (in the back of the book) that demonstrates how to play several of the more popular card games. In addition, on our website, we have pre-recorded webinars showing how to play quite a few more math card games. Here is a link to our pre-recorded webinars: https://rightstartmath.com/resources/pre-recorded-webinars/ Just scroll down to Math Card Games.
Have a great day!
Rachel