Need info on MCP Math

[tonygirl]

I posted in k-8 forum to

 

Hi all,

I needs as much info on the MCP Math curriculum. The good and bad how you liked or disliked as well as how yr child did with it. I have read that some people have have used it with special needs as well as regular learners.

Are the concepts laid out for me so I can teach or do I have just take info and create it myself?

Do you use any manipultives or just it give you ideas on how to do so?

Do they present alot of info from about of diffrerent concepts or go one by one?

Is it a fast pace curriculum or advanced

Thank you I would love to hear from anyone who has had any experiance with this program.:)

[CactusPair]

I've used k-2 levels. what grade level will you be using? If it's k-2, I'll be able to answer some questions.

 

It is not advanced or fast moving at all. But it is solid. If you want something that moves more slowly, Rod and Staff might fit the bill.

 

I do use manipulatives of our own making. Straw bundles helped teach place value. I used yarn circles to show part-whole circles and practice addition and subtraction equations. We played a memory type game with dominoes to master addition facts. We used pencil dots added to the larger number to make a 10 in addition problems.

 

There are lots of problems on the page. We do all of them, but some people cross some out and use those for review later. MCP has a mastery approach rather than spiral. It is mostly black and white with an uncluttered appearance. The new editions are supposed to be even less cluttered than the 1994 ed.

 

My rising 3rd grade ds does very very well with MCP and knows his math facts.

 

Let me know if I can help some more.

[CactusPair]

Oh, I do think the TM is a must. It tells you what to do for each day's lesson in an easy to follow format, though it's not scripted. It gives ideas for mental math and review. We do follow almost all of those suggestions. The TM also gives ideas for trouble shooting for common challenges and enrichment activities. We don't do either of those. It also gives ideas for presenting the day's lesson. Again it does not move fast. Each day's work is front and back of a worksheet, though you can work at your own pace.

 

I could not have taught my ds math without MCP's TM. It helps me be a confident teacher, though math is my weakest subject.

 

MCP is marketed as being a great alternative for all kinds of learners, including ESL students. I would definitely look at the new ed. as the appearance is supposed to be even clearer for special learners.

 

It's an old-fashioned do-it-till-you-know-it kind of math with no gimmicks. It has a brief recap and small "test" at the end of each chapter and then moves on to the next topic. There are some review chapters here and there. The book looks plain and boring--exactly the look I want. I understand MCP's approach to math so far and so does my ds.

[tonygirl]

I am not sure what level to start my DD she still finger counts and can't rattle of math facts. She can do single digit addition with fingers most the time. Very difficult time with double digit addition. No concept as of yet for place value. She can identify money but seem to struggle with putting it all together. I asked her for .35 and asked her to give it to me with the least amount of coins. There were pennies nickles dimes and quarters.

I think she gave me some dimes nickles and pennies and she had to count each indiv amount out on her fingers sometimes toes. I have tries to find some more info on MCP see if there was a placement test or something haven't found anything yet. Teresa

[CactusPair]

have you looked at other programs such as math-u-see or rod and staff?

 

MUS has a really good way of teaching place value, is mastery based, uses special blocks to teach facts (the blocks help you *see* the equation) and moves at the student's own pace. The alpha level focuses only on addition. Subtraction doesn't come until the Beta level. You might want to look into it.

 

I have heard people say that their children counted on their fingers until they used MUS.

 

Rod and Staff moves at a slower pace than MCP to really cement facts. In 1st grade R & S uses a ducks in a pond theme to show the equations. Place value is taught with animals in different barn stalls, which helps the student understand an abstract concept in a concrete way.

 

If you used MCP you'd probably want to start no higher than the A level. Level B is mostly double digits and triple digits (later in the book).

 

HTH