Comments on: How to Teach Your Child Math: Glenn Doman’s Dot Method

By: Alenka

Alenka — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 03:25:30 +0000

In the edition of the Doman books that I’ve read, it is generally recommended to get the reading program well established, and then add math. Math works just for some kids, while reading is called “the staple of learning” in Doman’s books, so it is recommended to start with word cards. However, if you already have math cards, and don’t have reading cards, AND you already started, why stop? I’d continue showing the math cards. According to the GD math book that I have, you retire 1 card in each set that you are showing after the first five days. You are aiming at ~15 glances at each card before it is retired (so by showing the initial set for 5 days, three times a day, on sixth day you are ready to start retiring some cards). If you have two sets of cards (e.g. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 in one and 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 in the other), then on a sixth day you start retiring 2 cards (e.g. 1 & 2) and add two new ones (e.g. 11, 12). The other cards remain in a set – babies like seeing some things that they already know and look forward to new ones. Too much new ones – they get overwhelmed. Hypothetically. Realistically – you’ll see how it works for your daily schedule and your kid!

Equations – on day 20 (or in approximately two weeks of showing single cards), in addtion to showing single cards, you start making equations out of the cards that your baby already knows. So, suppose you would retire cards 31 & 32 and add 41 & 42. Then you would create 5 new equations (2 4 6, 5 5 10, 14 3 17…)… and you would then have 3 sets to show: Set of numbers 1, Set of numbers 2 and Set of equations. Supposedly it should be three separate sessions… three times a day each. Half and hour apart. If you follow the schedule to the brim, you’ll end up with 25 sessions a day.

This schedule never worked for me, so I had only 3 sessions of everything back to back: 5 words, 5 numbers, 5 equations, 5 animals (encyclopedic knowledge), etc. Eventually math dropped off for us but reading became more involved. Now it is smth like this: 1 English set of words, 1 English set of couplets, 1 Russian set of words, 1 Russian set of couplets, 1 spanish… 1 set of Encyclopedic knowledge… and 1 home-made book about my son created with words that we’ve already covered. Just a sample. Use program guidelines as suggestions and create a program that works for you, your baby and your lifestyle!
Good luck!

By: Jane

Jane — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 13:14:57 +0000

Hi, came across your website and really useful. I just started my 9 month old on GD Math. At Day 2 now. I got the kit and it came with the various equations etc. Read that I am supposed to retire 2 cards on day 6 but you mentioned 1 card, so which is which? Am a little confused.

Also, in my notes/kit, it is stated to introduce ADDITION equations on Day 21 which on Day 20, I am retiring 29 and 30, adding 39 and 40.

Should I just follow the notes? I hope to start right with my baby and not end up doing it wrongly.

I have the GD English too but only showed the PICTURE cards when my son is 4 months, then stopped. Read that I should start English first then introduce Math. Am I doing it wrongly?

By: Alenka

Alenka — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 03:17:19 +0000

I had a hard time with math cards too. May be you could find a playful way of showing the cards? My kids really loved pretending to wash it, clean it, blow on it, play hide and seek, even pretend vacuum cleaning… see here for more ideas: http://www.childandme.com/runaway-baby-alternative-ways-showing-cards-active-child/

By: Dr. mamta

Dr. mamta — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 15:40:35 +0000

my baby is 18 month old and whenever i used to show him math cards he is not intrested in looking it but play with them what should i do?

By: Grace

Grace — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 21:45:12 +0000

Thank for your sharing, I also use the same method to teach my kids from his was couple months and I can see a little feedback now….I totally agare that “don’t ask result, just do it!!” because teaching and learning are both long term works….if you put too much expect sometime you will disappoint. Just wanted to share that I found something cool for support teaching baby math. http://babycan.org/

By: Bobby

Bobby — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 02:52:37 +0000

Hi
I still didnot start with the flash card and dots card. My little one is now 6 months. Is it too late. Please advise what should i start with.

By: Alenka

Alenka — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 12:44:29 +0000

It is never too late. You can start flash cards whenever you are ready to have multiple joyful and consistent sessions. Age window for looking at dot cards, I believe, is closing around 2-3 years.

By: Awatef

Awatef — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 05:07:51 +0000

Dear Alenka,
Thank you so much for your time and advice.
FUN FUN FUN should be the leitmotif in order to teach baby
I am picturing your little one closing your mouth as soon as you speak spanish, hillarious!

I am sorry to coming back to you regarding Math (can I introduce it with english or should wait we reach a certain level in reading?)

Muchas Gracias
Awatef

By: Alenka

Alenka — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 16:57:01 +0000

Wow, what a combination of languages! Sounds fascinating.

Your plan to introduce things one after another seem very reasonable to me: get used with one thing, then dive into another. The beauty with babies is that they don’t need to have any previous experience in anything to learn… the downside, is that they often have their own agenda and our best efforts to teach them something new and exciting (to us) may not be part of that agenda. So I strongly believe in trying everything, that you LOVE. Your joy, your love, your enthusiasm can do magic… and, hopefully your ability to stop. I am having issues with the last one (stopping, not pushing), but then – there is always another day and another chance!

When it comes to foreign languages babies are natural polyglots at birth – the more the merrier. Just come up with some system, that works for both of you. I used to be speaking Russian, English, Spanish to my little ones from the very beginning, but somehow got too busy recently and didn’t have enough time to keep up in Spanish: we were watching presentations, but not really speaking. Now my really strong willed little one is determined to ignore Spanish – he closes my mouth with his cute chubby hand and doesn’t let me speak Spanish any more. He doesn’t mind the cards in Spanish or CDs that we keep listening in the car, but gets very mad at me for speaking or reading in Spanish. Lesson learned: consistency, keeping up with what you started – apparently restarting after a break is harder then just continuing.

So, I’d start speaking all languages that you have at your disposal to the baby as early as possible. When it comes to the written language, I loved your system of introducing new language words slowly. This will give you time to adjust and build up your program slowly to keep it up consistently.

Good luck!
Please share your progress!