Math

The first four years of elementary math lay the foundation for the high-level abstract thinking required by algebra, trigonometry, and calculus later on. Basic mathematics- the skills of addition and subtraction, multiplication and division, the knowledge of basic geometrical shapes and patterns, the ability to think through word problems, a firm grasp of the relationships between numbers- as as vital to high-level mathematical achievement as an understanding of punctuation and sentence structure is to high-level language use.
The goal of early elementary math is to move the child from manipulating real objects to picturing those objects mentally. You achieve this through lots of practice with real objects. Therefore, manipulative use will be important during this time. You can't force a child to develop abstract thinking. Instead, lay the foundation for it with practice and much repetition, and the child will have a strong foundation on which to build those higher-order skills.

Resources we plan on using:
I am still reading through a lot of different curriculum reviews. It's hard to say what will work well for my child, as my daughter is still so young and has a lot of time to develop her own learning style. I would like to use Saxon math for older grades. It seems to be more suited for independent working at that age, but really difficult to teach for the lower grades. For the younger grades, I'm interested in either A Beka Math or Singapore Primary Math. They both have their pros and cons, and I'm glad I have some time to figure out what will be best.