What math curriculum do YOU use and why does it work for YOUR dc?

[wy_kid_wrangler04]

I am happy with most of our math choices. There is 1 dc I am still wondering about. So I want to know why you chose the math curriculum you did for your dc. What do you like about that curriculum and what learning style does it work with and why? If you use different math curricula for different children (as we do) would you please tell me about all? :blush:

 

Im not really looking for recommendations (although I will be getting them based on why you like what you do for your child)

 

Oh, also can you tell me about your dc math skills? Are they natural mathy? Do they struggle? Are they hands on? More wiggly than most? And so on.

 

I know this is alot to ask, thank you for helping with this~!

[blessedmom3]

Ds 7 , CLE 300 & Singapore 2B.

CLE is perfect for him. He gets things easily and forgets easily :)

The repetition and spiral review in CLE made him master everything . He has all his facts and basic math down ( +,-, clock , fractions, measurements and more recently multiplication up to 5).

Singapore works too but he definitely needs a spiral approach in math. I like Singapore as a practical math to apply what he has learned in CLE . He also applies in CLE mental math tricks he learns from Singapore. So both complement each other.

 

Ds 6 .CLE 100 , Singapore 1 A

It takes him A LOT to get things , but once he gets them , he never forgets. Amazingly, CLE works for him too . But we often have to take breaks to master concepts. I use Singapore and Kumon for these breaks. He struggles with Singapore though. I might just give up to use this for him or wait one year and try again.

[Crimson Wife]

I knew from the beginning that I wanted something based on the Asian way of teaching math. At first, it was simply because they had the highest test scores in the world. Later after I began using an Asian-based curriculum and then reading Liping Ma's book, I gained a whole new appreciation for why it's better.

 

My oldest used Right Start B & C, then Singapore 3A-4A supplemented in certain chapters by the single-topic "blue" Math Mammoth worktexts. She's fairly quick to pick things up but not intuitively "mathy" (hence the need for the more step-by-step-by-step explanations of MM). She started out being very "hands-on" which is why RS was a great "fit" for her in K & 1. Then as she got a bit older, she started groaning every time I pulled out the manipulatives and asking couldn't I please just show her how to do it with pencil & paper? Also, I felt that she wasn't getting challenged enough by RS. So that's when I switched her to Singapore with IP in lieu of the regular workbook. I plan to take her through SM 6B and then probably switch to EPGY distance-learning for pre-algebra & up.

 

With my 2nd, I tried starting him in RS A at the beginning of this year but after only getting through 10 lessons in a month, it became clear to me that he wasn't ready. So I shelved RS and switched to MEP Reception. He loved it and flew through the whole thing in one semester. What I think I'm going to try when school starts up again in January is going slowly through both RS A and MEP Yr. 1.

[Ann.without.an.e]

I never thought, in a million years, that Saxon would be my math. I was never even willing to look at it in my earlier HS years. But, it is what I love. After trying 3 other programs, Saxon is the most solid and it works. I just knew that my DS (not a math child) would hate it, but he has made the greatest improvement with Saxon. I love it and I doubt I will ever change.

[Classically Minded]

My dd7 is a wiggle worm and she is a math lover since we started Saxon math. She needs the constant repetition, she likes to time herself doing the fact sheets and I love how easy it is to teach. Saxon math left such a great impression on me when I had it in private school that I knew one day I would use it with my own children. Your child will KNOW math if they do the Saxon way, they just can't miss something because of the constant review while learning new concepts. ;)

[texasmama]

This is our third year using Singapore with both of my boys. It works well for both of them. They are naturally mathy, have strong mental math skills (and did before beginning this curriculum) and have no attentional issues. We have supplemented with Life of Fred fractions to help cement that concept, but Singapore meets our needs well. :001_smile:

[MangoMama]

My son (2E -- twice exceptional: exceptionally gifted with learning disabilities -- SPD, VPD, and a few other things that are in the process of being diagnosed; very wiggly; cannot sit still for even a short amount of time unless he's sleeping; very mathematically advanced) We started him with Singapore and later added in Miquon. Miquon was the core and we supplemented with Singapore. He loved it and it worked very well for him, but the seat work was just too much for him. :( It's a shame because it worked very well for him. So now he uses MUS because he can 'play' with the blocks while standing and wiggling and there's not so many worksheets for him to do in order for him to understand the concepts.

 

My daughter (ADD; right brained; creative; intuitive; not at all a mathematical thinker; not much common sense) She also started with Singapore. Then we added in Life of Fred for her to supplement with once a week. She really liked both of these programs and I thought they worked well for her. When she started getting to fractions I just got too fed up with trying to teach math to her. At every lesson we both ended up in tears (not because the programs weren't good, but I think just because her and I have butted heads since the day she was born). So we switched her to Teaching Textbooks. Truth be told, I didn't want to have to teach her math anymore. I like that TT has the software that teaches the concepts to her and she answers the questions. If she doesn't understand, she can't really move forward with it and I'll know it as the software keeps track of her scores for me. The teacher's 'grade book' keeps track of each problem she got wrong, whether she tried to solve the problem again, and whether or not she looked at the solution. This is incredibly helpful for me as I know what she's having trouble with and can give her review sheets or make her try the problem again (depending on the aforementioned criteria).

 

 

Singapore = Mastery

Miquon = Spiral

Life of Fred = Mastery

Teaching Textbooks = Mastery with a lot of review??

Math U See = Mastery

[Closeacademy]

We use Rod and Staff but add in Montessori and Waldorf ideas.

 

What do you like about that curriculum and what learning style does it work with and why?

 

I like Rod and Staff because it is thorough and just the facts. The explainations in the textbook are very clear and easy to make notebooking pages from for later reference. There is tons of review so we can pick and choose how much to do--a few problems or a lot.

 

Because I use Montessori and Waldorf methods to enrich/teach the concepts, it really works well with both VSLs (oldest) and hands-on/audio (youngest) learners. I use the main lesson (notebooking) ideas with my oldest while I use stories and manipulatives with my youngest.

 

Before I started doing this my oldest was stuck at the same point in math in Singapore and various back-up plans for almost 3 years. Now she is quickly moving ahead and has mastered concepts. She used to be a very mathy child but now hates it because of that huge brick wall we encountered from not enough review/practice of multiplication/division work in Singapore.

 

My youngest is not mathy but is very hands-on and likes to learn from stories. So I use Waldorf style stories and we use manipulatives and draw pictures to understand math.

 

I hope this helps.:001_smile:

[Joyofsixreboot]

I wanted my ds to understand math so we tried mathmammoth, Singapore and RS. RS worked best of the three for him but it just wasn't sticking. I heard about CLE here and purchased it to supplement RS. He has begged to just do CLE and I have finally agreed. The review is what he needs along with the little bits of new stuff everyday. My dd is more 'mathy' and I may switch her to math mammoth after CLE 100 is finished.

[Violet Crown]

We use for math (mastery of mathematical concetps):

 

Miquon

Key To....

Easy Way series

Art of Problem Solving

various math competitions

games dh created (especially in early elementary)

 

The curricula are concept-oriented and don't spend time on memorizing math facts or doing drills.

 

We use for "arithmetic" (which we handle as a separate subject after finishing Miquon; basically it's math facts + review + speed/accuracy improvement):

 

Reader Rabbit's Math Adventure

Saxon

Standard Service Arithmetics

various math games (dice games, etc.)

 

All of these are geared toward mastery of math facts, speed/accuracy improvement, learning techniques for mental calculation, and/or review of concepts learned earlier. We don't use Saxon for learning concepts, but only for review/drill.

 

Our kids are very, very mathy. I don't want to say "naturally" because dh is mind-bogglingly mathy (finished Calculus early in high school, went into a highly mathematical field), and I frankly don't know how much is dh's genes and how much is dh's idiosyncratic curriculum (e.g. algebra from the get-go, fractions first introduced as slope, strange alternative names for math concepts).

[Charles Wallace]

I am happy with most of our math choices. There is 1 dc I am still wondering about. So I want to know why you chose the math curriculum you did for your dc. What do you like about that curriculum and what learning style does it work with and why? If you use different math curricula for different children (as we do) would you please tell me about all? :blush:

 

Im not really looking for recommendations (although I will be getting them based on why you like what you do for your child)

 

Oh, also can you tell me about your dc math skills? Are they natural mathy? Do they struggle? Are they hands on? More wiggly than most? And so on.

 

I know this is alot to ask, thank you for helping with this~!

 

We loved Miquon and Singapore when DD was younger -- the Miquon was especially great for early years because it used Cuisenaire rods, which genuinely helped concretize abstract numbers -- it was easy to tell the difference btw. 1, 10, and 100, for example.

 

Right now, we're doing Life of Fred algebra, and DD loves the story behind it -- she relates to Fred and wants to protect him. ;-D

[boscopup]

My son started out with Saxon math in school - K and 1. He is very mathy and really doesn't need much explanation before he understands a math concept fully. He also doesn't need manipulatives to understand the concepts. Saxon was boring him to death. It was boring ME to death just watching the homework sheets that came home in first grade (I'm mathy also). A few months into school, there would be one page of addition facts (within 0-10) plus a page that still had things like "color 6 blocks red. How many blocks are not colored?", which frankly, my 4 year old could do (and he doesn't do addition yet). I was thinking "If a kid can't color 6 blocks red and then count the blocks not colored, they probably aren't ready for this math facts worksheet that fills an entire page."

 

When I started my research, I was originally planning to use Singapore. I think it would work well for my son, but then I saw Math Mammoth, read a lot of comparisons of the two, looked at samples of both, and decided to give MM a try. My son loves it and has done great with it. I love that the teaching is in the text, so it's easy to just quickly go over the new concept, help him through the first few problems, then let him go. I don't need to worry about using a textbook, workbook, HIG, IP book, CWP book (though I might get that one at some point to go along with MM), etc. I hand him one text, and that's all I need. So that was the big draw for me to go with MM vs. SM, but again, I'm sure my son would have done fine with either one.

 

My 4 year old is a different critter, and he may need a spiral approach. I don't know yet. If he does, I'll probably look closely at CLE. I'm planning to start RightStart A with him next year. He seems like he may be a manipulative type of guy, but it's just so hard to tell yet. He had a speech delay that seemed to delay everything academic for a while. He was well behind his same-age peers in a lot of basic cognitive understanding type stuff, but now he's made leaps and bounds in all those areas, and he's even jumping ahead of average in some academic areas, which I just wasn't expecting. So who knows what will happen with him and what math curriculum we'll end up using. My initial plan is to use RS A and then switch over to MM1, but if that doesn't work, I'll look at doing something else!

Edited December 29, 2010 by boscopup

[Mommyfaithe]

I am happy with most of our math choices. There is 1 dc I am still wondering about. So I want to know why you chose the math curriculum you did for your dc. What do you like about that curriculum and what learning style does it work with and why? If you use different math curricula for different children (as we do) would you please tell me about all? :blush:

 

Im not really looking for recommendations (although I will be getting them based on why you like what you do for your child)

 

Oh, also can you tell me about your dc math skills? Are they natural mathy? Do they struggle? Are they hands on? More wiggly than most? And so on.

 

I know this is alot to ask, thank you for helping with this~!

 

I am using CLE for my last 3 kids. I find it mastery enough and spirally enough without overkill in either direction. I use a lot of manipulatives and hands on with my younger 2 because they need that. I love the drill, repetition, etc. but again, it is not ad nauseum.

 

Faithe.

[LisaKinVA]

My oldest started in Saxon, which drove him to tears. We switched to Singapore... and he loved it. We flew through 3B. At that point, we started hitting some difficulty, and we wound up in Sadlier Oxford... which seemed to be a good fit. We switched to a Dolciani Pre-Algebra text which was a horrible fit, and now are in K12's Pre-Algebra B course... it's pretty much meh...

 

He will be switching to Kinetic Textbooks with Foerster's Algebra I next year, and I will be supplementing with Hands On Equations and LoF (which we have). He seems to do best with multiple approaches. One seems to "click" for awhile... and then he wants/needs different challenge/instruction for something to "click." He bores of curricula easily. Kinetic Textbooks is pretty straightforward. It can be used almost wholly independently of me. We won't do their written work though... for that I'm going to Foerster's. It has thorough explanations & examples, complete solutions...not just "odds." It will be better for us to work through. It also goes "deeper" -- which my son tends to like (likes the why's, not just the how.)

 

My oldest dd started in Abeka. She flew through Abeka K-2, and started in Abeka 3, but the constant review really drained her. She really did well with the K12 Sadlier-Oxford series (moved right into the 4th grade series without skipping a beat), and has done well with the Math+ despite it's flaws. She seems to "get" math really quickly, and not need tons of repetition. She seems to flourish regardless of the program. However, she doesn't like computer-based math. I think she feels constrained by it. She wants to go "faster."

 

Next year, dd will be using LoF Pre-Algebra. I *may* get the Abeka 6 Speed Drills/Tests & Quizzes as a way to keep some of the other basic skills refreshed, but I haven't decided for certain yet. I'll also be getting Hands On Equations, but she isn't really a manipulative girl (she does like to draw the problems).

 

My younger ds *loves* computer-based programs. I am planning on him working in Teaching Textbooks next year. He gets math very quickly, very intuitively, and retains it well. He also started with Abeka. He pretty much taught himself with the work books (as did oldest dd). He does like manipulatives, so I think he will really enjoy Hands On Equations. I have this Lauri Fraction Circles set, which he used, and got the concept of equivalent fractions all on his own... it stuck really well. I'll probably also supplement with an Abeka Drills/Tests/Quizzes book, as a quick daily "warm-up."

 

I plan to start off my rising Ker with Abeka, and probably Kitchen Table Math. She's quite the social girl... not sure how she'll do with a straight work-book thing. But, she'll enjoy the coloring, dot-to-dots, etc. She likes everything to be some sort of "play." I think Kitchen Table Math may be a good thing... giving us some one-on-one time she craves.

 

For my part, I can "do" math, but I do not consider myself a "mathy" person. I don't enjoy puzzles (my children do). We ran into issues with Singapore as much because of me as anything. I do best with math that is straightforward. I don't need a lot of "why's" -- but I enjoy knowing why. I need complete solutions manuals, because I don't have time to go through each equation by myself (or with a child), as I have 4 others that need attention as well. I want a solid curriculum, and had always thought we'd be using Chalkdust from Algebra I-Calculus... but it appears we will be using many different programs from introductory math to Calculus/Statistics, depending upon the child.

[kalanamak]

I knew from the beginning that I wanted something based on the Asian way of teaching math. At first, it was simply because they had the highest test scores in the world. Later after I began using an Asian-based curriculum and then reading Liping Ma's book, I gained a whole new appreciation for why it's better.

 

My oldest used Right Start B & C, then Singapore 3A-4A supplemented in certain chapters by the single-topic "blue" Math Mammoth worktexts. .

 

:iagree:Math has been our big adventure. I feel like I'm trying to grate a house-sized block of cheese with a hand-grater. I keep scratching and scratching, and slowly, I'm getting a mound of shreds.

 

My kid's wiggly, math-minded, but not long on memorization, very much disliked manipulatives. He tries hard to do everything in his head.

[Spy Car]

We loved Miquon and Singapore when DD was younger -- the Miquon was especially great for early years because it used Cuisenaire rods, which genuinely helped concretize abstract numbers -- it was easy to tell the difference btw. 1, 10, and 100, for example.

 

 

We started in Pre-k with Miquon. It totally engaged my wiggle worm. For him the C Rods made the math clear and the teachers materials have continued to be a boon for me.

 

We've continued with Singapore as our "spine" with a great deal of supplementation from MEP, RS materials, and a host of other programs. But I'll be eternally grateful for the Miquon experience as it was just the thing to get us started.

 

Bill

[MyLittleBears]

My 4th grader used Saxon in private school and it was tears for both of us. He is a very bright, right brained, highly distractable, visual learner. We tried Math you see and it has been smooth sailing since. He no longer hates math or thinks he is bad at it. We love it because it seems to cement the concepts with actual understanding of math. My 1st grader loves it also. The pages are very plain which for us is plus because of distractability. I have been tempted many times to switch, but we keep coming to the conclusion that we should stick to what is working. Anyway, those are my two cents. Good luck with your decision.

[Nakia]

We use R&S. It works for my mathy child (5th grader) because she can go as fast as she wants, and we skip much of the review. It also works well for my non-mathy child (2nd grader) because there is so much review. I love it. I did add LOF for my 5th grader recently just to show her a different way of doing things, and we love that too.

[elise1mds]

Math-U-See is our math curriculum of choice.

 

I chose it after reading Cathy Duffy's "100 Top Picks" and realizing that Saxon (MY first choice) probably wouldn't work well for my boy. I bought a Singapore workbook to supplement MUS last year, thinking that he needed to branch out a bit, but he hated it because of all the pictures and other distractions on the page, and it didn't "fit" the way his brain worked. MUS's clean design and visual approach is a perfect fit for him, not to mention that he can spend as much time as he wants on one particular set of problems until he understands it properly and not feel like he's failing. We started with Alpha last year, finished that, started Beta, had summer break, picked it back up in August, finished that, and started Gamma a week or so before Christmas break. He loves it and hardly needs the manipulatives any more, which is my favorite part. I hated dragging those out (see what I mean about Saxon being my first choice? ;)).

[2_girls_mommy]

R&S for both of my very different learners.

 

One dd is mathy, schooly, and a quick learner. She could do division and multiplication when she was 3. We started her in R&S a year early to give her practice writing the #'s and to cement the facts. It was a good fit because she could move through it quickly. She requires very little instruction time, just a quick explanation of the new concept, and she is off. In the 4th grade book, I can easily scan the daily work and assign what she needs to work on. There is lots of review daily. The fact that by 2nd grade she was copying problems out of the 3rd grade text to her own paper was good because it has gave her practice in the things she needed like neatness, slowing down and not rushing etc.

 

The other dd is my wiggle worm. For her R&S at grade level with added manipulatives and movement is perfect. She does require the teaching time and oral practice. It is gentle enough to give her confidence in what she is doing. We do things like jump like a kangaroo when we count by 5's, and like rabbits when we count by 10's like the animals in the book, etc. and it works perfectly for her.

 

I like that I can adjust the same program for 2 different kids. It makes it easier on me. I also like the way that R&S fits the "Classical" mold to me. We focus on memorizing the math facts a lot w/R&S and recite them almost daily the same way that we recite poetry or latin verb endings in other subjects. The plans for the memorization are in the T.Ms, so I don't have to plan this or think about it.

Edited December 29, 2010 by 2_girls_mommy
corrected one horrible grammar issue. Please ignore changing verb tenses, etc. I type quickly and do not usually edit :)

[Moniksca]

My 4th grader is visual spatial learner who is not mathy. We started out in MUS but the repetition just killed him so we moved to Saxon. He still uses the manipulatives but Saxon is just so much better. He needs the review and constant practice but the problem set has a variety of q's, which he really likes. I don't have him do the drill sheets but he does go through his math facts using flash cards. We'll also be supplementing with the life of fred books but we haven't started yet.

Edited December 29, 2010 by Moniksca

[SilverMoon]

Rod and Staff. :001_smile:

 

Why?

-It's very user friendly for student and teacher.

-It's an open and go curriculum that doesn't need several parts to work well. All you need is the TE and the student text/workbook. (A whiteboard comes in handy though.)

-It works well with my mathy and not-so-mathy kids alike, and is easy to tweak for their individual needs.

-The TE will hold your hand if needed. There is a scripted lesson you can do on a whiteboard for every lesson, but it's not required. These are excellent for my kids that need to work out the new concept with me before going to the work, and easily skipped for the kids that don't need it.

-I love the results I see in my older kids.

-The explanations are simple and clear. The instruction is solid.

-Very effective.

-The early years are gentle, yet adequately prepare them for harder math.

-No fuss, gizmos, gimmicks or shiny objects, just straight math

 

All four of my students are using R&S this year. The oldest is still quite wiggly and struggles to hang onto grade level in math. The second seems to speak math's language and plays with math like other people do crosswords. The third simply gets math and often knows new concepts before we get to them. He is fairly tame in the wiggly department, considering he's a 7yo boy. The fourth takes to math fairly easily, and is pretty darn wiggly. I wouldn't necessarily call her mathy, but she's a bit young to determine that.

 

 

We've supplemented with extra stuff over the years. R&S certainly doesn't need anything extra, but we like to switch gears for "light weeks" or summer work. And two of mine like to play with math on the side. Our favorites are Life of Fred and Evan-Moor's Daily World Problems. I just recently started printing bits of MEP for the younger two for this purpose, but we haven't been using it long enough to give a decent review.

Edited December 29, 2010 by SilverMoon
punctuation :p

[Momling]

My younger daughter uses Math Mammoth (Finished Addition 1 and Subtraction 1 -- will start Place Value 1 next). So far, it's been working well. It's not fancy, but she doesn't seem to mind. She does one page each day. She likes predictability and focusing on one skill and I think a mastery approach is working well for her. Last year, when her other math book switched from addition to subtraction, she went through the entire book while I was looking and changed all the minuses to plusses so it would all be the same.

 

My older daughter began to strongly dislike MM (she had finished multiplication 1 and division 1) and so I switched her to TT 5 instead. Teaching Textbooks works because she likes the computer format and it allows her to work independent of me. She used to drag her feet with MM and I would nag her to finish and it was becoming a torturous situation. So we're all happy. She's also such a perfectionist and TT seems to do well for her (though she insists that when she misses a problem, I delete her wrong answer so she can fix it). She also gets one hour of tutoring a week from the public school who uses TERC investigations 3. So she does a packet of TERC homework too. It's a bit slow, but I figure the review doesn't hurt.

[MaMa2005]

I use Horizons with DS. We will be starting Grade 5 on Monday. (He completed the 4th grade book in 4.5 months.) He is very mathy (he is 5) and gets concepts with little explanation. The spiral approach is perfect for him. Many people say that the TE is a must with Horizons, but I have yet to by one.

 

DS has an incredibly enormous attention span. He can easily sit at his desk and work more than an hour without even thinking about a break. He is an unusual child.:D

[wy_kid_wrangler04]

Thank you everybody! :001_smile:

[siloam]

I have 4 dyslexic children. They are visual spacial learners, meaning hands on, need to see the big picture then fill in the pieces one at at time. They are not mathy. They have their struggles, but I don't know I would say they struggle. If they didn't have a program geared to their learning styles they probably would.

 

Right Start is set up the way they think. It has worked for all of them, except for the fact my kids need more practice. Thus I also use Singapore (my first love in math programs).

 

After RS/Singapore my oldest is doing Lial's Basic College Math to shore up her understanding of fractions, decimals, percents and ratio. She is also working through Hands on Equations. I am not sure what I will have her do for algebra. If Lial's works for her I will probably continue with it.

 

They didn't like Miquon math because they want know ahead of time what is expect of them, they don't like to discover it as they go. They also didn't do that well with Singapore alone. I had to sit and walk them through the work for anywhere from a week to a month for it to click, but they did eventually get it. Now that we use Right Start they are able to do Singapore almost independently. They still need help on some of the harder story and IP problems.

 

I also tried Kinetic books briefly and my dd loved it, but she had a couple of problems. One was that when she struggled with a concept, instead of saying there and figuring it out she would move on and take a 0 score instead of sitting on it (UGH!). Second was that she would get to the end of unit problems and not know how to translate what she had learned into written work. To top it off she wouldn't ask me for help, but just skip ahead (in other words take the 0 and then skip the end of unit problems). I really like Kinetic books and hope to use it in the future, but it won't work for this child.

 

Heather

Edited January 6, 2011 by siloam

[TheReader]

I started my oldest on Saxon K when we first began homeschooling. WE ditched Saxon after that first year, because the spiral approach (doing a different thing every day) drove us all batty.

 

We switched at that point to Singapore. He did so so so so well with that, through the 3A and 3B levels. During that time, he seemed to me pretty mathy. Mental math was no problem, he figured out concepts quickly, and just "got it." When he hit 4A and 4B he started to struggle some; he had a really hard time figuring out multiplication -- not figuring out how to do it, but remembering/memorizing the math facts.

 

So, from that point on I added in all kinds of multiplication practice. Drills. Games. Computer games. Practice Sheets. Using a multiplication chart. We even took off several weeks and did JUST multiplication/division workbooks. Then proceeded on to 5A and 5B.

 

Meanwhile, my 2nd son was coming on up through Singapore and doing great. Last year (2009, I mean) my oldest really hit a wall with Singapore; he was in 5B at that time (in his 6th grade year). He still, at that point, did not have a handle on math facts and so was having to stop and remember 7x8 (etc) every time he had a problem involving multiplication. Math was a time of wailing and gnashing of teeth for him. We battled, a LOT. As a result, we skipped math, a LOT.

 

I started researching other things and found Teaching Textbooks. A non-Mom teacher. Whiteboard examples (so giving him the visual he needed). Spoken lecture (giving him the audio he needed). Practice problems. Each problem with a solution worked out in front of him if he needs it. Perfect. I gave both boys a placement test and this year (2010) they started Teaching Textbooks. It took Mom, and therefore the fighting, out of the equation.

 

Now, with my oldest, he prefers to use the book rather than the CDs. So, he reads the lecture. I work through the practice problems with him (if he wants/needs; I sit right there just in case). He does the problem set, circling any he does not understand. I grade his paper, immediately. He then does any corrections and any he skipped with DH that evening. If he misses more than, say, 5 or so, I make him watch the lecture on the DVD and try again, then if he still misses he works through them with DH that night. He's doing TT 7th grade this year and is doing okay with it (he's 13/in 7th grade).

 

Son #2 is doing great and just works through it on the computer. He consistently gets 95 or 100, with no 2nd attempts on any problem. I think switching from Singapore *before* he hit the point of having problems really helped. He's doing TT 4th Grade this year and it's very easy for him (he's 10, in 4th grade).

 

Now, son #3 seems to learn completely differently and I've ordered a whole slew of very different stuff for him. I ordered Miquon for him, as he seems to learn in a very inquisitive/figure it out manner. I also ordered the new MathTacular Activity Kit that Sonlight sells, a slew of manipulatives, pattern blocks (& cards), etc. I do have the Singapore still (and he's working with Singapore Earlybird right now, sort of), just as a back-up.

 

Son #3 is very active. Very strong-willed. Very smart, but in very unconventional ways. His approach to math confuses the heck out of me. For instance, he's 5 (nearly 6). He has, until probably the past 6 months, refused to count in order. If you line up a group of objects (even fewer than 10) he will count them randomly, maybe saying "1,3, 7, 2, 4" He may or may not end on the correct number, but he would not ever count in order. However, if he saw a group of objects, he might take one look and tell you, "There are 5 of us at the table." (or, with one glance, he could tell you how many of the five of us were present; he could do that as early as age 3). He could do that, even at age 3 or 3.5, with up to 10 objects. Yet, he would not/could not count them in order.

 

Now he walks around and one of his favorite games is "How many is ___________?" So, he'll ask you, "How many is 2 and 2 and 1 and 1?" (6). "How many is 2 and 2 and 2?" (6) "How many is 2 and 1 and 1 and 1 and 1?" (6) "How many is 3 and 2 and 1?" (6) and so on. If you answer wrong, he'll repeat the question, "No, I said How many is _____?" so that you answer him correctly.

 

IOW, he usually knows the answer, he's just experimenting with the fact that different combinations of numbers can and do add up to the same number. He also will ask about series of numbers -- "How many is 5 and 5?" "How many is 5 and 5 and 5?" "How many is 5 and 5 and 5 and 5?" and then turn it around "how many is 2 fives? Three 5s? Four fives?" etc.

 

Yet -- he has trouble counting to 20 or beyond. He still mixes up the teens.

 

So, for him, I'm hoping that a combo of Miquon (with the cuisenaire rods) and other manipulative based activities will help him explore and understand math. I hope, I hope, I hope.

 

whew, long, sorry, but that's our math journey.

[hsbaby]

I use CLE with ds. I think the amount of work and review is perfect....not overkill. I like that it introduces new concepts gently and builds upon each new skill in subsequent lessons. The transition from one skill to another is so smooth that my ds is rarely frustrated. I also like that it is open and go...easy for me (math is not my strong point). DS is a wiggly, active 7 year old.

 

I am yet to find a curriculum got dd13. She is Aytistic and has extreme difficulties with the most basic math concepts.

[Tess in the Burbs]

I learned this the hard way. Stick with whatever you pick. We tried MUS but my ds hit a wall with the facts and I panicked and changed programs at the end of the year. He literally did 2 math programs that year! We moved to Horizons. When dd hit the same math fact wall later I realized it was the age. But I wasn't switching back. We had ups and downs with math and I added in Miquon. I dumped the extra Miquon this year due to time. They thought it was fun.

 

But finally(!) I see the progression of Horizons and I truly believe any math program will work if you just stick with it. By not jumping around everything is coming together for my son. My dd is still having her days but I know it's coming when it will click more for her just like it did for my son.

 

mine are wiggly, quick to forget facts, non mathy kids. Both are working 1 grade level ahead in math but I am willing to slow down but they haven't this year. Just pick and stick :lol: I think consistency is key and the people you read who picked singapore early one and did it all are happy. People who picked CLE and stuck to it are happy. The happy math moms are people who just picked something and stuck it out. I am glad we are doing Horizons. We tried Singapore but I didn't like it. I looked at everything out there. I bought Miquon twice! LOL Just pick something and go with it through 6th grade. before algebra decide if you need a change or not.

[patchfire]

My oldest used all of Miquon and Developmental Math up to book 12 or 13. Then she used the Key to... books & the first two Life of Fred books before continuing with Life of Fred Beg. Algebra. She's still using Life of Fred, and she's also using some Art of Problem Solving texts and various other resources.

 

Ds is using Right Start & Miquon... Miquon because we loved it, and Right Start seemed liked it would fit ds well. So far it has.

[Dmmetler]

Singapore works for my DD because it has limited repetition, enough white space to write, color, and pictures.

[mcconnellboys]

Old son: continued with the same math he'd had in private school, which I think was University of Chicago Press. I discontinued it because they were talking about not continuing production of it (although they did). I used a ton of different kinds of math workbooks for drill work. I used flash cards, learning math facts through song (which I don't recommend), a "Flashmaster" sort of game for drill work, Tangrams, and tons of other sorts of hands-on math things..... (this was second and third grade).

 

I moved him into Singapore math when he was in fourth grade. I continued using a variety of things for drill work and used a lot of the Key to.... series of books as he got older.

 

He wasn't ready to do algebra in seventh grade, so I filled in with Saxon 8/7, some of 1/2, and then moved him into VideoText Algebra I and II. (He then went back to private school and completed the rest of his math sequence there....)

 

For my younger son, I used Saxon in first grade because I liked all the hands-on math stuff, the calendar math and other extras they included (money, time, etc.) which Singapore didn't include. I didn't want to have to put it all together myself, again. I also did Singapore.

 

For second grade, I continued with Singapoge, got Saxon 3 to use again for the extra stuff, but got so sick of the repitition that I stopped after a while.

 

For third grade, I think I just used Singapore; can't recall.

 

For fourth, I decided he needed more drill work in multiplication so I got MUS for that purpose, thinking that maybe he needed the hands-on of it (he didn't).... I did the same for fifth and used the MUS for division drill.

 

I used Singapore for fifth and sixth along with various of the Key to.... series books for drill in fractions, decimals, etc. He also began an outside algebra class in sixth grade.

 

This year, for seventh, he's continuing algebra and I'm using Russian Math 6 at home for drilling fractions, etc. I think it makes a good pre-algebra continuation after Singapore.

[Homeschooling6]

I'm really liking Bob Jones 4 with Caleb. I plan to use BJ4 with the rest of my kiddos and continue with BJ5 with Caleb.

McRuffy Math is another. I like teaching it. I'm using McRuffy K and 1st and my plan is to continue through 3rd then switch them to BJ4 because I already own it.

 

Caleb who is using BJ is pretty mathy from what I can tell ;) he gets math pretty easy. Taught himself how to do basic add, sub & multiply.

What I like about BJ is it is some-what scripted (I prefer more scripted like Saxon) and the use of manipulatives. I'm not a math person so I need as much help as possible with the TM.

 

I tried Horizons Math with my daughter Annette but made the switch to Saxon because of the lack of instruction with the teacher manual.

 

McRuffy is fun :D at least for me to teach. I like the use of manipulatives and teacher manual as well.

 

My oldest struggles with math. He is in 7th grade but at a 4th grade math level. He doesn't have a math curriculum because I'm stumped :001_unsure:. He is currently working his way through the Spectrum math books that can be purchased at Amazon or a grocery store. I am going to start Christopherus Math soon with him.

Annette, just wants to get it done.

Caleb, likes numbers and math comes natural to him.

Brent, catches on pretty fast.

Ethan, likes math and catches on fast too.

Lance, is my wiggle worm. It took him a month to learn how to count from 1-5. He is very immature.

[NanceXToo]

We're using Teaching Textbooks 5. My daughter loves it because 1) It's narrated and animated, so it tells AND shows how to do the lesson (and will tell AND show the solution if you get stuck, 2) Because it's fun (she gets to pick a little buddy and she gets cute animations when she does well etc) 3) Because it will never lose patience like Mommy sometimes might (math is not Mommy's favorite subject :P).

 

I love it for all the above reasons plus it allows more independence in math, keeps grades and scores for me, offers instant feedback as to whether she's done something correctly or not, etc.

[SnowWhite]

We are using BJU Math for both kiddos. (fourth grade and first grade).

 

Reasons I chose this curriculum (and came back to it, ds 9 did try another series in Nov.):

 

Concrete and visual demonstrations of the math concepts.

"Word problem" solving exercises nearly every day.

Gentle approach to fact memorization.

Daily review is assigned.

Unit style arrangement has ds concentrating on one main concept for a couple of weeks.

Worktext is colorful and easy to use.

Teacher's manual is arranged in a user friendly manner.

CD included in teacher's manual has extra worksheets, visual aids, etc.

[Celia]

I use RS for my ds6. We're on level B, and plan to continue on to C.

 

I've loved this program for him because I agree with the way it teaches math, it drills facts through games, is very hands on, and doesn't require very much writing which is hugely important to my ds who has motor delays.

 

Math is currently his favorite subject, although I wouldn't say he's an especially 'mathy' child. He is my first though, so I'm not sure how he compares with others his age in this department. He's an auditory and kinesthetic learner as far as I can tell at his age. Seems to be a great fit for him.

[Veritaserum]

Mastery-minded kids use Math Mammoth. Spiral-minded use CLE. I like both programs because they both are taught via worktext directly to the student. :)

[Little Nyssa]

DS 6-- Singapore 1A, almost done with it. This has worked well for us. The short lessons, colorful pictures are good for DS. Only problem: not enough practice. DS theoretically knows add/subtraction up to 20, but can't always come up with the answer if you ask him. We are supplementing with flashcards for math facts, and Games With Math.

I chose it because a friend who is a math teacher recommended it.

We plan to continue with Singapore, with supplementation for practicing math facts.

[greenmamma]

We just started Teaching Textbooks 3 for my 8 and 9 year old. Both are loving it. We switched more for me than them actually. I am not so great at explaining mathematical concepts. My daughter also tends to come at most concepts a little side ways which I am able to handle from a LA point of view.

They have never wanted to do math first thing!

[Ravin]

I chose the math text I chose because it was inexpensive (goes through 4th grade and cost less than $20) and met DD's only criteria when we were at an impasse in her math progress last year: that it be a textbook "like Sister Bear uses in Berenstain Bears." To find an early elementary text I had to go vintage. We use Strayer-Upton's Practical Arithmetics, a reprint.

 

As to why it works, I'm really not sure. I think in part because of the mastery approach--it concretely introduces one skill at a time and moves on to the next once youv'e got it. There are simple games you only need a chalkboard or paper and pencil to play, and practical application word problems which DD can relate to (many about money). I've found it easy to pace it for her; maybe because when it was originally published formal math didn't start until 3rd grade, so everything we did last year and do this year is essentially "working ahead" by the textbook's expectations.

 

DD isn't very mathy, but enjoys math with this retro-traditional approach.

[lulubelle]

As much as I wanted to run away from Saxon, when we were in Saxon 2, it is going really well. My son is bright, but very stubborn and the review has been really great for him. The main reason we chose it in the beginning was just because SWB has it as her first choice. It has helped tremendously to have my husband do half of all the lessons with him. I could not do it all by myself.

[Cabertmom]

Tess, your story sounds so much like ours. We started out with Math-U-See, but my eldest daughter liked it for a short time and then it became a cause for much hair pulling for both of us. We switched to Horizons after a couple years, but we lost a year in the process because of the different order that Math-U-See presented math concepts in way back then (I think that may have changed). I do still pull out the MUS blocks to explain concepts from Horizon to the younger children.

 

At this point, my two oldest are using Jacobs' Algebra, but it has been a real struggle over a year and a half. I think it's a great book with great explanations. At this point though the problem is that I'm not much help. I just discovered Teaching Textbook and am now debating between Jacobs and TT for geometry next year. Any opinions, anyone?

 

Meanwhile, we'll stick with Horizons for elementary so long as it is working. I like that it is spiral like Saxon and similarly straightforward, but instead of having very large numbers of the same type of problem, it has a smaller number of more different types of problems everyday, and I also like the nice color.

[Tammyla]

What math curriculum do YOU use and why does it work for YOUR dc?

Saxon

 

It works because they do the lessons, and I grade them. One uses the Saxon Teacher and the other just the text.

 

I began using Saxon after reading the recommendation in The Well Trained Mind. A complete program that went through high school was a big factor for me in choosing our math program. It isn't difficult to teach, and the DIVE or Saxon Teacher cd-rom lessons are an added teaching bonus.

[Greenmama2]

Singapore or Miquon, I choose whichever seems to fit DD's mood better on the day.

[1GirlTwinBoys]

We're using BJU online and my kid's are doing well with it. They seem to enjoy it and don't complain. :)

[Negin]

Mostly Calvert Math - since we started off our dc with Calvert for everything, and then, like many do, stuck with just the math. We really like Calvert Math. Dd will finish the 8th grade next year. And then I'm not sure what we'll use after. I wish it went on till 12th ...

Someone once wrote this and I so agree:

Calvert Math

The lesson manual is easy to use and provides so much teacher help, the pages are uncluttered, there is review without overkill, more critical thinking than some other math programs (at least in the early levels) and the educational counselors are available to answer questions (although I've never used them).

 

We've also used Singapore. But not often enough. I'd like to use it more this year and from here on out, since we have most of the books anyway.

Singapore

Introduces new concepts in a way that is logical, sequential, and makes it easy for the student to understand.

The pages in the workbook are not overwhelming for the child. There are few problems on each page.

Singapore math is great for a visual learner.

Singapore does not take much parent time.

Some say, however, that Singapore doesn't give enough drill. I tend to agree. Hence why I feel comfortable using a few programs simultaneously.

 

Now, although we're very happy with Calvert (as well as Singapore, I also strongly believe in more emphasis on one topic at a time. Although I like the cyclical/spiral nature of Calvert and Singapore, oftentimes children (or at least my dc) need to just go into them in more depth and get more drill. So we went through some Kumon Math Books and now have recently started and absolutely love, love, love The Key To series :D. I never thought they'd be so good. They're the absolute best. So much drill. So much practice and yet not overkill. Engaging. Very good teaching. Very little parent time and very user-friendly.

[robsiew]

My kids all use Math Mammoth. We used to use MUS which was a great curriculum, I just saw a few things I didn't like about it so we switched. I'm very pleased with Math Mammoth for all my kids.

 

I want a conceptual math program that also provides challenging word problems. I want something that will stretch my kids and make them actually think as opposed to more rote. The variety in exercises makes sure my kids really know and learn the material because they have to manipulate things in different ways, not just one sheet of like problems. I like mastery as opposed to spiral. I also like the ability to print as I see fit as opposed to a workbook. My younger two could never do MM if it was printed out for me because I enlarge it to get bigger writing spaces.

 

I also like the fact the teaching is directed to the student step by step. No big conceptual leaps that I need to fill in. This works for my "mathy" kids as well as my "not so mathy" kids. I see no reason to have different curriculum with each child because I feel like MM can fit the bill for all of them.

[RENEEinVA]

Chalkdust Math works for both of my mathy dds. We have tried many others and had mild success with a few (Saxon, Singapore), but Chalkdust seems to be the best fit so far.

[AngelBee]

We use for math (mastery of mathematical concetps):

 

Miquon

Key To....

Easy Way series

Art of Problem Solving

various math competitions

games dh created (especially in early elementary)

 

The curricula are concept-oriented and don't spend time on memorizing math facts or doing drills.

 

We use for "arithmetic" (which we handle as a separate subject after finishing Miquon; basically it's math facts + review + speed/accuracy improvement):

 

Reader Rabbit's Math Adventure

Saxon

Standard Service Arithmetics

various math games (dice games, etc.)

 

All of these are geared toward mastery of math facts, speed/accuracy improvement, learning techniques for mental calculation, and/or review of concepts learned earlier. We don't use Saxon for learning concepts, but only for review/drill.

 

Our kids are very, very mathy. I don't want to say "naturally" because dh is mind-bogglingly mathy (finished Calculus early in high school, went into a highly mathematical field), and I frankly don't know how much is dh's genes and how much is dh's idiosyncratic curriculum (e.g. algebra from the get-go, fractions first introduced as slope, strange alternative names for math concepts).

This is a really interesting way of seeing it. Thank you for sharing. :) Really made me think.

[Dmmetler]

My DD picks up on concepts easily, is visual, hates manipulatives, loves coloring, loves color and pictures, likes seeing progress, and can handle limited writing. She also wants the more "meaty" problems that she can sink her teeth into, and dislikes anything too easy.

 

Singapore is a good fit for her. The workbook and textbook have the visuals and cute pictures she loves (we don't do every page) and the IP/CWP have the higher level thinking she craves. All of the books have reasonable white space and not too much on a page.