Customer Reviews

Mastering Essential Math Skills FRACTIONS

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1 star:		(2)

 

 

I reviewed all six of the new Mastering Essential Math Skills titles at the 2008 NCTM Math Conference. As a math consultant, I have always been a fan of Fisher's books. It seems that more and more students move through the grades without mastering fractions. This book covers all four operations effectively. The lessons are short, concise, and easy-to-follow. The flow and sequencing make the lessons so easy to learn. The students will actually have fun as they go through the lessons. If students work diligently through the lessons, they WILL have a command of all fraction operations. The book also has many real-life applications.

The helpful hints section does an especially good job of explaining each new topic. Highly recommended.

My daughter was disappointed that there was not more instruction on the worksheets to keep her on track of learning fractions. She needed more instruction. That was our experience with a couple of these workbooks. I had been excited at first to have a workbook that looked good. But it did not have enough instruction in it before delving into the problems. So we were pretty disappointed.

In his customary succinct and painless way, Richard Fisher has written a series of skill specific math workbooks. Like an efficient patch kit, each book seals any holes that might exist in your student's math skills. I had the opportunity to look over these six, streamlined, no-fluff workbooks (just the way I like them). Fractions, Geometry, Percents and Decimals, Problem Solving, Whole Numbers and Integers, and Pre-algebra Concepts are individually and precisely targeted. Each subject is given a thorough yet simple treatment (a rare combination). First, by laying a firm foundation with the basics, building precept upon precept, and finally topping off the skills we have gained with final reviews to ensure hole-free mastery. With my limited understanding of math, I was able to easily comprehend the short lessons in the Helpful Hints section with examples. I could have used a little more explanation for the more complex concepts to nudge my brain to its grasping point; still, I was able to ascertain a concept by looking at the answer and figuring out how it was arrived at (I call it creative learning). I used Pre-Algebra Concepts with companion DVD for a review of Pre-Algebra and would unquestionably have used it as my son's primary text had I discovered this series sooner (the other books in this series do not come with a companion DVD). I recommend these books and will be using them for reinforcing any weak areas that crop up in my son's math comprehension.

Although the materials presented are helpful and concise, this book is not useful in a general classroom. The copyright contains " All rights reserved, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or other wise, without the written permission of Richard W. Fisher" Only one child out of twenty in my classroom would be able to use this book. I am sure in a home school situation, this book would be exemplary to use. However, in a classroom it is too expensive and locks teachers into a prescribed workbook instead of the ability to pick and choose what each student needs to provide differentiated instruction. I was extremely disappointed this book would not provide for all in my classroom as most books of this kind do.