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Any one use MUS all the way thru?


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My oldest has just started using MUS this year. She is starting on Zeta now and just finished Epilson. I was looking at moving her to Saxon 7/6 next year but looking at it she will have covered most of it in Zeta or in Epilson. She is really get MUS so now I am wondering if I should just stick with it thru high school. Just looking to see how other kids did using thru their HS years.

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We planned to use it all the way though, but didn't make it. I'm really not a fan of MUS Algebra (1 or 2). I do like the Geometry though.

 

My oldest used MUS Algebra 1, MUS Geometry, started MUS Algebra 2 and switched because there just wasn't enough instruction or practice. Trying to pack a week's worth of math into one lesson at that level, just doesn't allow there to be much depth. On the plus side, he did the PLAN test (Pre-ACT that covers Algebra 1 & Geometry) while doing MUS Geometry and didn't miss a single geometry problem even though he wasn't even finished with the book yet. Math is his weakest subject and his score was still very good.

 

My youngest used MUS until half way though Algebra 1. At that point I realized she wasn't even doing the lessons, just acing the tests. It was just too easy for her. 

 

Both kids were able to with easily to another math program for Algebra, so I didn't feel like they were behind or had missed anything by doing MUS. If it is working for your dd I would use it through Pre-Algebra. Pre-Algebra finishes the unusual scope and sequence for MUS and will have your child ready for any Algebra program. At that point you can decide if you want to go ahead with MUS Algebra or switch.

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I used it through Algebra 1 with DS12.  He is currently in public school taking Algebra 1; there were no other math options that would work.  While he is taking it in 7th grade, it will count as high school math when he passes the end of year test.  There is exactly one topic the public school class will cover that he didn't learn in MUS Algebra 1; that is functions which MUS puts in PreCalculus.  The problems on DS's math homework are no more difficult than MUS's problems.  

I plan on using MUS exclusively with DD14.  She's not a STEM-type student and dislikes math, in general.  I'm not concerned with her getting a rigorous math education; getting through the basics will be fine for her.

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We are on Algebra 1 as well.  We had thought of switching to something else for the upper grades, but it has worked beautifully with my dds!  I know many families who have used it all the way through, with STEM kids, and they have gone off to college math very successfully.  One is even a math major.  My oldest is a computer science/programming kid and MUS is great for her.  If it clicks with your kids, just keep going.  Grass is not always greener.  But if there are problems (like it's way too easy or they're not getting it) feel the freedom to switch.  I agree, don't switch out till after Pre-Algebra, that is the year that it fully covers everything the other curriculums do.  (The scope and sequence "catches up.")

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We use MUS alg and geo as pre-alg and pre-geo. MUS teaches some concepts well, but skims the surface of a lot and most definitely lacks solid unique real world application problems vs plug and chug replication problems. I like it well enough to use it as an introduction to the concepts that I have had 5 kids use it as pre type course.

 

I would not use MUS as high school credit unless it was with a child that struggled with math. (I lent my MUS to my sister for my niece that has barely passed every math course she has ever taken. MUS was a blessing for her. But for my avg to above avg kids......definitely not a go here.)

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We did not use MUS until now.  Dd is 13 and really struggled with Horizons Pre-Algebra.  We hit lesson 70 and I said enough.  I could either sit and cry alongside her for every lesson, or we could switch to something else.  So we went to MUS Algebra I.  It has been perfect.  I really worried about making the switch because of all the "it's not enough" reviews.  I finally decided not to worry about that.  She's grasping the math and can do 90% of it independently.  I have her do the Honors lessons, too.  If she really seems to be lacking word problems, I can add in Singapore Challenging Word Problems from the elementary years and see if she can solve them using algebra instead of bar graphs:)  Or, there are a thousand other options for filling in gaps later down the road (Khan Academy, etc.)  So, I'm not worried.  Do what works!

 

Sidenote: I've talked to enough mathy and science-y moms IRL that use MUS all the way through high school, and are not concerned about its scope.  Their students seem to do fine in college level math.

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Not quite all the way through (i.e., K-12), as we didn't stumble onto MUS for our math-struggling DS until 5th grade. But, we did use it for the rest of his schooling:

 

5th = MUS "classic" intermediate (gr. 4, 5, 6 material)

6th = MUS Delta & Epsilon; supplements: Singapore primary 4A/B

7th = MUS Zeta; supplements: Singapore primary 5A/B; Keys to Decimals & Percents

8th = MUS Pre-Algebra; supplements: Singapore primary 6A/B

 

9th = Jacobs Algebra 1

10th 1st semester = MUS Algebra 1

10th 2nd semester = MUS Geometry; supplement: Jacobs Geometry

11th = MUS Algebra 2

12th = Abeka Consumer Math

 

I really believe in using more than one program (a main "spine" and then supplements) when at all possible to give students the ability to see math from more than one perspective, to make math connections, to fill in with weak areas in the "spine" math program, and to encourage problem-solving by seeing a variety of types of word problems.

 

I also think it's important to find a "spine" program that initially best "clicks" with the student (esp. math strugglers), so their initial exposure to the concepts is in a way that is most likely to naturally/easily be understood. Also, a spine is important for building up concepts, without gaps.

 

MUS was really the only program that helped DS "click" with math concepts (although, he did pretty well in early elementary grades with Miquon).

 

That said, DS really struggles with Algebra, so we did Algebra 1 twice -- in 9th with Jacobs only sort-of getting it, and then again, flying thru it getting it well with MUS. But Algebra 2 was a bear -- even only using MUS, we went through the entire program about 3 times -- stopping after about 6 lessons, and then going back and re-doing everything up to where he started to struggle. It took all of 11th AND all summer working solidly. Since DS was planning on going to the community college right after high school, we felt it was in his best interest to stop the higher math and do a year of very practical every-day math that he'll need to use in his adult life, so we went with Consumer Math (and the Dave Ramsey Foundations in Personal Finance).

 

in 9th, we actually started with MUS Algebra 1, got to about lesson 6 and discovered problems that had not been explained in the video lesson, and DS started to struggle, so we switched to Jacobs (mastery-based, like MUS, and really connects the abstract topic in each lesson with real-life use of the concept -- also very critical way of learning for our math-struggling Visual-Spatial Learner). I think that Algebra is so abstract to DS that he needs multiple, repeated exposures to each new lesson to "get it". That's why we ended up doing two Algebra 1 programs, and doing Algebra 2 three times.

 

I do think MUS worked well for DS, as, in his senior year, just after completing MUS Algebra 2, he took the community college assessment test (required for admission to any college) in order to do dual enrollment, and scored high enough in math to go straight to the College Algebra course level! And that was being a math struggler and only going through MUS Algebra 2.

 

 

Here's my opinion, FWIW:

If your student can handle a different format / teaching style than MUS, and can handle a more rigorous high school math program, then I encourage you to explore and see what could work, as I do think MUS is "lite".

 

However, if you have a struggler and MUS is what's working, then our experience is "don't rock the boat". Use MUS through high school -- and as much as possible add in some supplements for exposure to different ways of seeing the topics, more depth in topics, and improve problem-solving skills.

 

 

Here are some past threads with both success & failures in using MUS in high school and effects in college:

MUS question (anyone do it all the way through high school and score well on SAT?)

Does Math-U-See really work?

MUS in high school

Happily ever after stories sought

MUS for a STEM student?

MUS Algebra 2 for a strong math student?

If you HAD to pick between MUS and TT

 

 

BEST of luck in finding what works best for each student for high school math! Warmest regards, Lori D.

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Yes, we are using MUS all the way through. My youngest will continue on next year with Pre-Calc and Calc. Her slightly older sister is choosing to finish with Algebra 2 this year and plans to use her senior year to CLEP College Math.

 

The real blessing in MUS comes from having used it all the way through, IMO. Each lesson is just one more step on a path that started in Kindergarten. I can imagine I would feel differently about it if I were picking up a level here and there. Very thankful that I could follow this path with my youngest two and not the one of switching in and out that my oldest two suffered.

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Thank you everyone for your answers. I have a lot to think about. She does not really struggle but math is not her favorite thing. I do not think she will be a "mathy" person or choose a career that requires higher level math. MUS is working for her and she does not hate it.

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Use what works now.  Figure out later later.  My eldest started in Alpha and it was wonderful.  He went through many levels and loved it, but I noticed Pre-Alg was a little watered down.  But he still loved it, so we did it.  Then came Alg I.  Not only was it watered down, but it was terribly boring.  We left half-way through for AoPS.  MUS prepared him for that though - the early levels do a great job at getting the basics down for many levels of students.  So, if it works now, continue on!  As for switching out for rigor, it's fine to stick with it if your child is just trying to get through math and it works.  I'd consider MUS high school levels to be above the tech-prep level but below college prep - even with the honors sheets.  It is very below honors level. (I'm a former public school middle/high school math teacher, using that to base the level). So, an average to advanced child should move out.  But it's perfectly fine for a struggling math student.  In fact, with a struggling student, the key is they've found something that they can learn well from.  It's better to have a child learn a bunch in a weaker curriculum than little due to confusion in more rigorous curriculum!

 

*My second child moved out of MUS for LoF partway through Delta however.  With her, the plan is to move out of LoF after Pre-Alg.  Then she'll do Jacobs Alg I and Foersters Geometry.  I'm not so sure after that.

 

**Edited after another poster pointed out that I said Foerster's Geometry:  I meant Foerster's Alg I and Jacob's Geometry.  I think I needed more sleep!

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