Five More Minutes Posted April 2, 2011 Share Posted April 2, 2011 (edited) DD4 is a math-y kid and is a few lessons away from finishing Saxon K. Having used Saxon for the full year with her, I realize it's not going to be a good fit for her going forward. (I love it, but alas, she doesn't like math doled out in small amounts or lots of writing ...) I don't want to rush her, but I also want to encourage her in her love of math ... I'm tending towards Miquon Math for the next year and then moving into Singapore (because I already have Singapore materials for 1A+). But of course, there is the Singapore Essentials program and I'm waffling ... Does anyone with experience with Miquon and/or Singapore Essentials have feedback on those programs and advice for using them with a 4-year old who has pretty typical fine motor skills for that age? Thanks so much ... Edited April 2, 2011 by Lynnita Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FairProspects Posted April 2, 2011 Share Posted April 2, 2011 I'm going with Essentials for mine, but that is mostly because I plan on moving him into RS A for K5 and the abacus concept doesn't really mesh well with the cuisinaire rods. We have tried a couple of pages of Miquon and he loved it, but after reading First Grade Diary, I didn't think he was ready to do the full program and that the writing might be a problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Five More Minutes Posted April 2, 2011 Author Share Posted April 2, 2011 Thanks - that's really helpful to know that the amount of writing in Miquon might be a problem for a 4-year old. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmarango Posted April 2, 2011 Share Posted April 2, 2011 We have done a bit of Miquon and we modify so that there is not much writing. Whenever it asks for a numeral my dd will put down the corresponding C rod instead of writing. We also are going through Essential, but if you have done a K program do you really want to complete another? Maybe the B book of Essential will be plenty for you. As a side note, we use Miquon as a fun math time supplement. Our main programs are Essential Math, MEP, and RS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Five More Minutes Posted April 2, 2011 Author Share Posted April 2, 2011 Christina, you're absolutely right about the advisability of doing another K program. My concern is that my student has only just turned 4 a couple of weeks ago. I'm leaping ahead and thinking that if I move her something beyond the K level this year then ... well, she'll be progressing through math at a rate that I'm not sure I'm ready to accept! :-) I like your approach to using Miquon (using rods instead of writing) - that could really work to keep her math brain working while calming me down about her growing up too quickly. Thanks for the advice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nart Posted April 2, 2011 Share Posted April 2, 2011 My son doesn't like to write so he was reluctant to do all the problems in Singapore EB, so I bought Miquon and C-Rods. He is still exploring the C-Rods but I don't feel he is ready to do all the writing or coloring in Miquon, so I bought Right Start A. I started using RS A with my 4 year old and he flew through the first 10 lessons, until we got to the first worksheet page. He wasn't interested in copying numbers. There aren't many worksheets in RS A and we could have skippped it and been able to move on, but since he is not yet 4 1/2 I also worried that he would finish level A and still be a few months away from turning 5 because he asks to do a math lesson every day. So we are doing MEP Reception, playing with the C-Rods, and doing some fun activities / games from the first 10 ten lessons of RS A. At first glance MEP Reception is really different than other math programs because nowhere in the 60 lessons do you read any numbers or write any numbers. There are word problems in every lesson and they work on building up and taking apart numbers. They also teach patterns, math vocabulary, taking apart and putting together numbers, and following complex directions. For example in the last set of lessons there is a picture of three flowers and only the first one is colored in. The directions to the child state "Color in on the second flower: the part which is red on the first flower should be yellow on the second flower; the part on which is yellow on the first flower should be red on the second flower; the part which is green on the first flower should be green on the second flower also.....the part which is yellow on the second flower should be blue on the third flower." The added bonus is that MEP Reception is FREE! You just have to print out the teacher's guide and 109 pages in color for the child. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Five More Minutes Posted April 2, 2011 Author Share Posted April 2, 2011 I hadn't considered MEP Reception, but from the way you describe it, it sounds like it would be a great fit. That's something I will definitely look into as well - thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kristinannie Posted April 2, 2011 Share Posted April 2, 2011 I have been doing Miquon with my DS4 and he LOVES it. He has really picked up a lot of mathematical concepts in a short amount of time. I haven't found the writing to be a problem, but I have only used the orange book. On the pages that require writing, I will write the answer for him if he doesn't want to. I have also let him use tiles with the numbers and put them in the correct boxes on some sheets or to put the correct number of lines instead of the numeral. Most of the sheets we have used have only required him to draw lines or trace something and not writing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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