MarieWith3 Posted March 19, 2011 Share Posted March 19, 2011 I have a friend whose child has had great success with Abeka math through 2nd grade, but would like to switch. Can anyone suggest math resources or curricula that have philosophies/methods/materials similar to abeka's? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RootAnn Posted March 19, 2011 Share Posted March 19, 2011 Horizons is similar (spiral, colorful) but some people dislike that the teacher's materials don't explain well how to teach the topic. (ABeka's "curriculum planners" really lay out the lessons, so if someone was used to that and liked it, it might be tough to give it up.) CLE is also spiral, but isn't similar in format as it is set up in "light units" rather than as a great big workbook with removable pages, the explanations are in the children's workbook (the 'light unit' book), and it is not colorful (printed in a green/gray tint). It would be helpful to know why they want to switch? What about the ABeka math isn't pleasing them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovedtodeath Posted March 19, 2011 Share Posted March 19, 2011 We switched from Abeka. I was all set to switch to BJU because it worries me that Abeka moves to fast but then Math Mammoth was on sale at Home School Buyers Coop, so it was all over from there. I really feel that Math Mammoth conveys a fuller conceptual understanding. Math Mammoth isn't cute and colorful like Abeka though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RootAnn Posted March 19, 2011 Share Posted March 19, 2011 Math Mammoth isn't cute and colorful like Abeka though. ... And it isn't spiral. If the kid needs spiral, MM might not be enough by itself. My two don't do well in any subject (especially math) without constant & significant amounts of review. I didn't list R&S or MM or Singapore because they are all mastery, from what I understand. (I'd surely be tempted by MM if my kids could handle mastery-based math.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovedtodeath Posted March 20, 2011 Share Posted March 20, 2011 ... And it isn't spiral. If the kid needs spiral, MM might not be enough by itself. My two don't do well in any subject (especially math) without constant & significant amounts of review. I didn't list R&S or MM or Singapore because they are all mastery, from what I understand. (I'd surely be tempted by MM if my kids could handle mastery-based math.) Yeah, that is why we need to know why they are switching. Math Mammoth has a cumulative review every 2 lessons, so that helps. I think that BJU is mastery also, but has spiraling review in each lesson? I see that you switched to CLE. I have been tempted by that one lately... because we always have problems with math. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RootAnn Posted March 20, 2011 Share Posted March 20, 2011 (Total hijack - sorry!) I switched to CLE for my oldest this year. She HATES it. She begged me to return her to Abeka. Mean mom is forcing her to finish. She'll be done probably next week & we'll finish up CWP 3 & do some review from free online worksheets while we wait for my next Abeka order to arrive.... I liked it as a change of pace & it helped her to realize she can do her math semi-independently. Her knowledge of geometry & decimals is better, IMO, because of CLE. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarieWith3 Posted March 20, 2011 Author Share Posted March 20, 2011 Sorry to be away, thank you so much for the help. Actually, it relates to the thread about Catholics and CLE. Abeka was mentioned there, and she did a little hunting, and now is in a similar position as many of the posters on that thread- Abeka has been great for her girl, but she is torn about how she wants to spend her resources. The only other math that I know she used was Saxon, and I don't think it was horrible for them, but I get the impression that Abeka has been a big success. Thanks for any and all help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowfall Posted March 20, 2011 Share Posted March 20, 2011 I think you could use Math Mammoth more as a spiral program, though. You would just pull pages from a couple different topics for each lesson. I know some people do that. I've specifically seen another poster (sorry, I can't remember who) say she pulls the first page from each of the 5 next topics and puts those in order, then the next page from each, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovedtodeath Posted March 20, 2011 Share Posted March 20, 2011 I don't know if Horizons is acceptable, as I don't check up on who publishes what and where my money is going (it isn't like I am donating, so I don't worry about it.) If Horizons is acceptable in that way, then it is the closest. I would have her look at samples of the workbook and take placement tests. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverMoon Posted March 20, 2011 Share Posted March 20, 2011 Sorry to be away, thank you so much for the help. Actually, it relates to the thread about Catholics and CLE. Abeka was mentioned there, and she did a little hunting, and now is in a similar position as many of the posters on that thread- Abeka has been great for her girl, but she is torn about how she wants to spend her resources. The only other math that I know she used was Saxon, and I don't think it was horrible for them, but I get the impression that Abeka has been a big success. Thanks for any and all help! In that situation, Horizons would probably be a good alternative. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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