Disclaimer: I received a FREE copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I
compensated in any other way.
Every day we teach our children skills that we hope they hold onto throughout their lives. Starting from birth, we pour life and spirit and God’s Love into our sweet children in order for them to grow into the best possible versions of themselves, and a better version than us. We stretch ourselves in teaching many areas, for there are many, many skills to cover in several areas in what seems like a short amount of time. Knowing that all we teach them begins as a seed in which we must nurture and multiply to as time moves on.
One of the most crucial seeds to plant in our children is the ability to think critically. Life will invite them into countless circumstances where it will be crucial for our children to think on their feet within a complex scenario or with the best possible advantage in mind. It is this reason among hundreds of other reasons why The Critical Thinking Co.™ was founded and from whose book called Dare to Compare Math: Beginning that I used to nurture these seeds with my own children.
About The Critical Thinking Co.™
The Critical Thinking Co.™ was founded in the 1950s with the hope to create a product children could use to practice critical thinking skills. Because the basis of any skill begins with the ability to think critically, they grew their critical thinking projects into several subjects, including math, reading, science, and social studies. The products assist children by helping them understand a situation through analysis by discovering ways to solve the problem and find a solution, while gaining a clearer perspective throughout the process.
The products cover all grade levels from preschool through high school level into college preparation. There products include:
Creative Problem Solving Level 1 (Grades PreK-2)
For the beginner problem solvers, this book approaches problem-solving in a fun way, engaging children to be creative in their problem-solving. Students look at the problems and think of solutions that will work. There are no right or wrong solutions here, but the students should be able to explain why their solution will work.
Dare to Compare Math: Beginning (Grades 2-3)
This book is the one my children worked through and we loved it. It is compiled of problems to make the children think it through just a little bit more by comparison. Students have to do calculations to make comparisons and come to a decision. Even though it includes multiplication and division, the children do not need to know how to do multiplication or division to do the problems in this book. They will come to the solutions in various ways, but they will see how they came to the solutions.
Mastering Logic & Math Problem Solving (Grades 6-9)
This book uses entertaining problems to build real confidence in problem solving and improve critical thinking.
Who Is This Kid? Colleges Want to Know! (Grades 9-12+)
Who is this kid? That’s what the College Deans of Admissions want to know. That’s why this book is written for you. It will help you think about what kind of student, friend, son, or daughter you are. It will give you exercises to write and think about and to talk about with your family and friends. You will use what you learn about yourself as you search the colleges, as you write the college applications, write the essay, take a college tour, and as you interview online or in person. Your job is to separate yourself from the hundreds of other American and international students who are applying to the same colleges and universities
How We Used Dare To Compare Math: Beginning
When we received Dare To Compare Math: Beginning, we were immediately drawn to study, deep green book. I have always loved math, having grown to love it steadily throughout grade school, but seriously getting the big puzzle-like picture when in high school. Because of this, you could say I have a slight selfish inclination to push math upon my kids in different, creative ways in order for them, too, to develop a fondness for math.
The book contains 150 problems, with hints in the back of the book as well as solutions to all of the problems.
Oftentimes, in the mornings I would tear a page out of the book as one of the first things we did in order for them to get their brain juices pumping for more learning thereafter. I have to say, I’m pretty impressed with how effective this slight change in our morning schedule went. I witnessed apt attention during these critical thinking mornings and genuine interest in how to figure out the problems.
What I really liked was how my eldest son took the role of teacher’s assistant and helped his younger sister to find solutions by explaining different ways to work the problems. Wow, right?
I’m not going to force math down their throats to make them love math as much as I do (although I wish!) but I will continue to find creative ways for my children to develop a love of learning for math, and Dare To Compare Math: Beginning really helped me out in this goal of mine. It almost feels like cheating, finding these ways for my kids to share math love because The Critical Thinking Co.™ makes it super easy for me!
Zoey’s Personal Experience
Zoey is 8 years old she does not have a natural affinity for math. Yet. She tries hard, though, to work it out, but mental math is still something she is strengethening. She is a hands-on math learner and flourishes with manipulatives.
With that said, she has blossomed through her thinking skills with the Dare To Compare Math: Beginning book.
Both her and her brother are beginning multiplication, yet many of the problems in the book are in a multiplication format. For instance, she does not know 7 x 4 but she does know that she can add 7 four times to get to the answer. She also knows to create groups with the items within the groups to represent the problem in order to find the solution.
Daniel’s Personal Experience
Daniel is 9 years old and it was at one time in his early years when I feared he would not be too interested in math because he was struggling – like, seriously struggling – with regrouping. The math manipulatives were not helping his understanding and I feared I would have one kid down for the three total I have to love math as I do.
This was our first year homeschooling so I wasn’t really aware of what he truly knew and didn’t know yet at the time. However, after taking the rest of that first year to fill in math gaps and holes imagine my utter surprise and pride when he flew through the regrouping problems.
He went from being a math struggler to a math superstar. And nowadays he absolutely loves math. All I have to do is give him a worksheet and he dives right in. I just need to explain how to solve a certain problem usually one time, and he’s flying through, with most of the problems correct.
Hand him The Critical Thinking Co.™ book Dare To Compare Math: Beginning and he dives right in. But comparing math concepts, especially ones that include multiplication and division, is new for him.
Dare To Compare Math: Beginning is not only for students who know these math concepts, as the book is targeted for grades 2 and 3. They know that all kids will work their ways through the problems differently, yet come to the same solution.
Regarding this, taken from their website, they state:
Comparisons serve as a backdrop for any mathematical topic, including number operations, counting, measurement, logic, geometry, graphing, elementary algebraic reasoning, and patterns. So the comparisons are rich in both mathematical content and critical thinking. The method for solving a problem may vary greatly depending on the student’s age and mathematical readiness.
On the same problem involving 4 groups of 7, some students may draw and count, some may use addition (7 + 7 + 7 + 7), while others may use multiplication (4 x 7). No problems assume knowledge of multiplication or division. Each problem is accompanied by one or more hints and a complete solution.concepts.
We quite enjoyed Dare To Compare Math: Beginning by The Critical Thinking Co.™ as you can see reading my children’s personal experiences, both of whom encompass very different learning styles when it comes to math. It is because of this reason I know that all children will greatly benefit from this book who are in the targeted grade levels of 2 and 3.
Dare To Compare Math: Beginning – A Backdrop For Any Mathematical Topic {The Critical Thinking Co.™ Review}
Comparisons provide a motivating backdrop to perform mathematical calculations in a wide range of contexts which is why I will continue to issue pages of Dare To Compare Math: Beginning to my children to plant those seeds of critical thinking in order to prepare them for a life that will require this skillset.
Go to the Homeschool Review Crew blog to read more reviews by other families who also reviewed this book as well as the other books mentioned above by The Critical Thinking Co.™. And dare to compare!
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