Review: Life of Fred Math books
My wife has graciously agreed to guest post again, and she writes this week on the “Life of Fred” math series. She writes:
All three of our children weren’t as fond of math as other subjects. That doesn’t mean that they were not good at it, but they did not think they were. They would much rather have read a book than do math, actually they would rather have done anything than math.
I heard a recommendation that the Life of Fred math books were good for children who love to read and dislike math. So I figured that I would try them. After all, what we were doing wasn’t working at all. When I first picked up one of the books, I was surprised because it didn’t look like a math book. Stanley F. Schmidt, the author of the books, uses humor and fun pictures throughout the books. Each book is divided into chapters (lessons) that tell Fred’s story and how Fred needs mathematics. In the early books, there are problems that they need to complete in every chapter and at the end of every four or five chapters they have to pass a bridge to move on. In later books, they have “cities” to work through at the end of each chapter in addition to the problems in the chapter. Each concept is clear and easy for my children to understand on their own without any help. The books also explain the why behind many of the math concepts being taught. So my children have a great grasp of the material when they are finished.
When I handed my children their first Life of Fred book, they actually asked me if they could do another chapter. More math? What had happened to my children? I wasn’t sure what to think, but I told them yes! Now as they are doing math, I hear them laughing. And they call me over to them, not because they need help, but because they want to share something funny that Fred did or said with me. We have completed Fractions, Decimals and Percents, and Beginning Algebra. We are getting ready for Advanced Algebra. After that we have Geometry, Trigonometry, Calculus, and Statistics. So we won’t run out of math anytime soon! Sometimes, they even choose Life of Fred over a good book.
Website for Life of Fred math books: http://www.stanleyschmidt.com/FredGauss/index2.html
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