Homeschoolers often feel the need to outperform public schools or even other homeschoolers. We love to whip through a curriculum or move from addition to multiplication as soon as our child knows 1+1=2. We justify it by saying if they know it they know it. There is no reason to go over mundane facts or the same lesson if a child has it mastered, right? Well, that depends entirely on if your child has truly mastered the subject.
One thing public schools do that most homeschools do not is drive home facts until you want to die of boredom. A homeschooler rarely sees the need to go so far before moving on to the next chapter or lesson. After all, we need to finish that text book in one year, right? So we make sure the child knows the information and off to the next lesson we go. But did mastery truly occur? There is validity in having a student repeat his math facts until he can do it in his sleep. Repetition will not take away from your creative method of teaching math. In fact, it may enhance your child’s ability to perform. Saying “Columbus sailed the Ocean Blue in 1492” over and over again may not be necessary but it is a nice way to remember a common facts. Many homeschoolers understand a richer fuller explanation of subjects yet lack the basic memorizations. The two do not have to conflict. The repetition of the mundane is not the enemy or a bleak reminder of the bondage of a school system. Repetition simply works. A homeschool student can practice repetition by doing five minute warm ups before his studies or through dictation or copywork. Exercising memory and knowing math facts in your sleep are not parlor tricks. Both will help a child as his memory and math skills are challenged as the years pass on in his education.
So before your train leaves the track make sure true mastery has occurred. From time to time go over past lessons or review them for a few minutes daily or weekly to ensure you child is equipped.