This post was updated for accuracy and completeness after its original publication on March 27, 2024.
Bismillah,
I’m thrilled to share today’s blog post with you! Recently, I got my hands on the Kindergarten Math With Confidence curriculum by Kate Snow, and my excitement is through the roof. With my younger daughter now six, we’re eagerly looking forward to incorporating it into our homeschooling journey this year. We purchased our PDF copy from Well Trained Mind. If you require a hardcopy, you can purchase it through Amazon’s website.
Join me as I share my initial impressions and highlight some key features of the curriculum! Keep reading to discover more!
Important Points:
- Recommended Age: Designed for children aged 5-6.
- No Formal Math Background Needed: While prior formal math isn’t required, basic skills like holding a pencil, counting to 10, and some familiarity with shapes and patterns will help.
- Frustration Management: One of the features I love about this curriculum is its emphasis on recognizing frustration and knowing when to pause or repeat a lesson. For children, especially those with ADHD or autism like my own, this is key to ensuring a positive learning experience.
- Curriculum Structure: It’s divided into 10 units, spanning 32 weeks total. Each unit consists of 2-5 weeks of lessons, ensuring a steady pace without overwhelming the child.
- Math + Literature: The “Math Book of the Week” ties literature into the learning process, which helps deepen the understanding of math concepts. I love this because it encourages both math and literacy development side by side—perfect for my child, who enjoys stories.
- Lesson Breakdown: Each lesson includes a review warm-up, a hands-on activity, and a workbook page. The focus on tactile learning and short activities (typically 15 minutes or less) is a win, especially for younger children who have shorter attention spans or are neurodivergent like my daughters.
- Checkpoints for Progress: I appreciate the inclusion of checkpoint pages, which help assess whether your child is ready to move on or if they need to spend more time reinforcing certain skills. This is crucial for tailored learning, especially when you want to ensure mastery rather than rushing through.
Why This Curriculum Stands Out
One of the reasons I’m so excited about Kindergarten Math With Confidence is how thoughtfully it’s designed to accommodate different learning styles. In our homeschooling journey, I’ve seen firsthand how important it is to have a flexible, yet structured approach. My daughter loves hands-on learning, and this curriculum leans heavily into tactile experiences, which I find ideal for children with ADHD or autism who thrive with sensory engagement.
Another standout feature is how seamlessly the lessons fit into short, manageable time frames. Many math programs can overwhelm younger children with long sessions, but this one is designed with kids’ attention spans in mind. The fact that the lessons last 15 minutes or less is a lifesaver, especially when you’re managing multiple subjects in your homeschool day.
Things to Watch Out For
Since we’re incorporating this program into our Islamic homeschool, I want to highlight a few things. If you’re planning to create your own free math manipulative kit, take note of Kate’s article on how to do this. However, I advise caution with certain suggestions, like using dice or playing cards, as these may raise concerns from an Islamic perspective. As always, you can consult scholars or refer to rulings like Al-Albānī: The Islamic Ruling on Modern Games like Carrom, Billiards, Dominoes, and Cards and Educational Games and Playing with Dice: Permissible or Not? Personally, I plan to adapt or replace these with alternatives to ensure our materials align with our values.
Stay tuned for our next post, where we’ll reveal what’s inside our math basket and how we’ve organized the student workbook. I’ll also be sharing some tips on how to file completed work and make learning math both fun and organized!
If you’re interested in creating your own math manipulative kit, check out Kate’s article but don’t forget to put on your Islamic filter mode while choosing what works best for your family.
