A little Q&A with Crewton Ramone.

I get a heck of a lot of email. I answer all of it. Eventually. Here are a couple recent ones:



On Wed, Nov 7, 2012 at 11:52 AM,

Dear Crewton,
I have been browsing your website for a while and I love your approach to teaching maths. I have two young children, the youngest is two and a half, and the other one almost five. I found a small set of manipulatives second-hand, and together we've been playing around a bit with them. I have sometimes difficulty finding a good balance between introducing new insights and making sure it all sinks in and they're fluent with it (I am so afraid I will bore them that I tend to charge ahead). So, with the eldest just having started school, I was looking for some tools to bring a bit more structure to our sessions, and to have some materials to make it feel a bit more like 'real' school (he's so keen it's almost funny).

So, I was thinking of ordering a curriculum starter kit, but I had a few more questions. Firstly, have you any idea how long international shipment would take? We're based in Ireland, so virtually the opposite side of the globe. If that boat is taking 6 weeks to reach the west coast, god knows how long before it reaches these shores. We do have friends living in the states (Texas) who are planning to visit us over Thanksgiving. Would priority shipment to their address still be feasible?

Another question I have is what the range of material is that is included in the curriculum starter kit. What kind of ground does it cover compared to school. Is it first grade, or first and second grade? Or does it go further? Mind you, part of the appeal of your approach, I feel, is that it is so different from the way things are being approached in primary school. The more I can keep the disconnect, the better!

Finally, beyond 'straight counting' (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division) where can the visual approach with manipulatives be taken further to? You eloquently demonstrate basic algebra, such as polynomial multiplication and factorization. But what about, say, geometry? To what level has the Mortensen math approach been elaborated? At what point are students meant to join the mainstream approach? With so young children, this is not an immediate concern, obviously! But I'm just curious where this path leads to over the horizon. :)
kind regards,
-D from Ireland


Okay, I think the best way would be to priority mail it to Texas which would take about a week and then they could just bring it with them...however you have to make sure they search it ahead of time and then tape it shut because if they open it TSA is probably not clever enough to close it back up properly...there is no international parcel post anymore, you have your choice between expensive and really expensive. Send me your address and I'll get you a quote...

At that age lots of repetition is required and you play a lot of the same games over and over again...there a host of games and even the pdf of the games and activity manual...play them, different activities and building projects keep it fresh and fun...play until they know it without symbols then introduce pictures, then symbols the same way they learn to read English...

Here is a link that will answer most of your questions:
http://www.crewtonramoneshouseofmath.com/Getting-Started.html

And here are some general questions answered:
http://www.crewtonramoneshouseofmath.com/Math-FAQ.html

Very hard to compare the traditional method of grade levels with Mortensen because we teach them math concepts from day one which include algebra and problem solving...once you understand math and can decode the symbols you can see how the basic concepts apply to what they call higher mathematics...I have students bring their text books all the time and then show them with blocks what the symbols mean and WHY they learn the rules and process that they do.

With some creativity and imagination there is very little the blocks can't show...counting through calculus. The Geometry in found in the measurement books. And the books cover many math concepts but certainly not all of them. However it has been my experience that with the firm foundation it gives the math becomes easy and understandable, especially when approached with a "can do" attitude. Students can jump in and out of the mainstream approach with ease...because they can see what they are doing and what the symbols mean.

Take a look around my website and blog and if more questions arise: ask.

Here are some classic algebra problems. Note the use of the blocks or pictures to make some problems easy but by now we are focused on applying the basic concepts...

http://crewtonramoneshouseofmath.blogspot.com/2012/10/classic-algebra-problems.html

When you get to the password pages even more will open for you and yours.

Best Regards,

CR

Hi Mr. Ramone,
I am in college algebra at Germanna Community College, recently, I stumbled across your site and was really surprised to see how enjoyable you make learning math. I have struggled with math for so many years, and I have only recently begun to enjoy math and slowly, but surely I am beginning to see how simple even the most complex math problems can be. I believe that having a concrete foundation of mathematical concepts opens up a world of opportunities for an individual, and individuals like you really make a difference in the lives of students.Thank you for sharing your knowledge and gift for teaching, I have told many other students in my class about your website and I know you are making math so much easier for my college algebra class.I would love to utilize your website even more, and If possible, I was hoping I could receive a password for tweets and/or FB postings?
I look forward to hearing from you.
Respectfully,
PK


HELL YES!

Just don't share it with all your friends:

**************

http://www.crewtonramoneshouseofmath.com/Dboyz.html

Do some searches like "Crewton Ramone Kyle" and you will get some precal lessons that way. Also I just uploaded these:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FoCEQRe3sOA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NvnLPwkZVw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=StDPwJFbvso

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2tk7g_BdyBo

There are lots of vids and blog posts...too.

And please tweet the *explitive deleted* out of this: http://igg.me/p/229603?a=1258444

~Crewton Ramone


Comment:
I am tutoring an adult student GED math with strategies and methods from Crewton Ramone’s House of Math. She doesn’t know most of her multiplication tables and has a difficult time retaining information. With help from theh CR website, I am able to teach her area, squares and square roots, percents, ratio and proportion, and solving 2 step algebra equations WHILE she learns her times tables.



Hey Crewton,
Just to clarify, how long does it take to get materials from you?
Thanks! ~CH

to CH
Depends on what you order and how you want it shipped.

If it goes priority mail a week if it goes parcel post for the big items 4 to 6 (6 to 8) weeks...

Also if it's drop shipped by mortensen co it can take a week or two...but often if you order Monday you'll have it by Friday or the following Monday.


Hi again Crewton,
I have two daughters ages 8 and 9 that I homeschool and I am in need of a good math program. Question: Does Mortensen Math work well even if I do not consider myself a math type? I am one of those countless females who were told at a young age that "girls aren't any good at math" and believed it. But I do not want my girls buying into the same lie. And I am really having a difficult time deciding which direction and curriculum to go with this. Last year someone recommended Rod and Staff to me and that was a big mistake. My oldest never did learn how to subtract very well from it.

And my other daughter has only been here with us from China for 10 months now and recovering from orphanage trauma, also having never gone to school before a day in her life until now.

I hope you can help.
~CH


Oct 4

to Cheryl
Just spend more time on my website and blog.
You and your kids can learn math together and it will be fun for everybody...


~CR

FaceBookers: you have questions, I might have answers: