I love MEP, but ... (looking for alternate recommendations!)

[travelgirlut]

...the amount of teacher time needed seems to ramp up just as kids are wanting more independence.  We've done MEP from 1b, and have just started 3a.  The lesson plans have gone up to three-plus pages per day!  Also, in addition to the workbook page, you now have to print out quite a few of the copymasters to complete the lesson. (Oh how I wish the workbook pages included it all!)  But to top it all off, my ds is wanting to be a bit more independent now and the increase in one-on-one time in math is rubbing him all wrong.  (He turned eight this summer and is starting 3rd grade.)

 

What I love about MEP is the way it gets kids thinking about numbers.  My ds loves the logic/number puzzles.  I do wish it had a bit more drill, but we add that in ourselves.  But between the time it's taking us and the need for more freedom, I think both of us are ready to move on to something else.

 

So what would you recommend, dear internets?  I want something with the conceptual learning of MEP, but more independent for ds.  I'm looking for something spiral, since working on the same topic for days on end would lead to whining and forgetfulness.  He would love something colorful or even computer based (but neither of these are requirements for me).  I would love something all in one book so we aren't having to shuffle things all over the place (I'm looking at you, Singapore Math).

 

 

Here are things I've used in the past:

 

Singapore Math: We used this for 1A, and he could see the patterns in the answers without having to look at the problems. I don't know if this continues into higher levels, but I also hated all the books needed to teach it.

 

Math Mammoth:  We used 2A and B last year over the summer and then along with MEP.  He did it on his own and only a page or so a day since it was our supplement. I find the books a bit dull, and I can already hear him whining about having to work on the same topic he worked on yesterday and the day before .... hence me leaning towards something spiral.

 

CLE:  My dd10 uses this.  It works great for her.  Ds would do fine in it, but it definitely doesn't have the challenging logic and word problems I'm looking for.

 

Beast Academy:  Both kids love to read the books but have never shown interested in working out the problems.  This also has the same mastery approach that I think would drive ds bonkers.

 

 

Things I've looked at after searching the forum:

 

Horizons:  I like the all-in-one and color and such, and I know that this is advanced as far as content, but I wasn't seeing any sort of logic or conceptual thinking problems in the samples.

 

Teaching Textbooks:  He would love this since it's on the computer and easy.  He would for sure test into grade 4 in this.  I would definitely supplement if we went this route.  Also, it's on the pricey side.

 

Math in Focus:  I kind of like Singapore style, and this makes it more manageable.  My OCD might force me to buy all the things, which would make this kind of expensive.  But it does have the color to hold his interested and a bit more of the rigor I'd like to see.

 

Mathematical Reasoning:  This claims to be a complete curriculum, but the samples look light on repeated practice.  Maybe something to pair with TT if we go that route??

 

Saxon:  Good old Saxon.  Definitely spiral, but maybe too much?  I'd need to test him to see where he'd land in this.  The lack of white space might be an issue.  Does this have enough logic type things?  Hard to tell from the samples.

 

 

Those are the ones that stand out to me right now, but I want to make sure I've covered all my bases before making a choice.  Please help me choose what direction to go!  Feel free to suggest other options or comment on the ones I've looked at.  Thank you for any help you can give!! (And for reading what apparently has become my first novel!  Time to look for a publisher! :laugh:)

[blondeviolin]

We are doing TT 4 and BA this year with my 8yo. So far, she's loving TT, but I have concerns about how easy it is. We're only 7 lessons in, though. I do like that it's mostly independent. (I'm in the room to make sure she's not fooling around.)

 

My kids absolutely live Beast Academy. I don't think you can go wrong there.

[Farrar]

How about doing Beast Academy and letting him alternate from section to section?  Some of the sections build on each other, but most of them are discrete enough that you can skip between them.  Ds and I were doing this a bit ourselves - he's been doing the counting and the logic sections in 4A at the same time.

 

Beyond that, I don't think you're going to find what you're looking for as a single resource.  I think you'll either have to pick something easier for him (like CLE) and get a second resource (Challenging Word Problems, Process Skills in Problem Solving, Challenge Math, etc.) for the challenge.  Or you'll have to compromise on the challenge level.  Or he'll have to compromise on the mastery component.  I have to say, I don't think MiF is that different from Singapore or MM in that way.

[SilverMoon]

Horizons sounds like a good match to me. The logic aspect is stealthy. Two of my DC just finished their first year with Horizons, and one has been with it for about 2 years. I'm thoroughly impressed at the foundation it's laid. Horizons gives them the parts and pieces steadily, and tosses them together when you're not paying attention. The story problems can build on each other and link concepts that had been separate.

[ladydusk]

I've noticed this too. My son is in a difficult section and we are doing the teaching parts one day and the worksheets the next day. I also have been doing more pick and choose. Only one of the sequence patterns, not every teaching section. Also, even for the lessons we complete in one day, we do all the lesson portions and then they complete the worksheet more independently knowing I'm available to help. HTH

[SilverMoon]

You could alway add Zacarro books and such on the side of anything. Apps like Dragon Box and Hands on Equations have been big hits in my house.

[stripe]

Not really sure. Galore Park isn't spiral but maybe you could make it work. I think it could work with Murderous Maths.

 

The worksheets for MEP for year 3 and above are online by the way. ;)

[mohini]

We're doing TT as a supplement (I got it on HS Classifieds for $60 ;)

It's great for motivation but I wouldn't personally use it as a stand alone - or even as a spine. I also supplement with Developmental math which has really improved my ds's mental math (though it can be tedious at times.)

Right now I'm using it with CLE  as the spine but the TT really adds that je ne sais quoi that makes math palatable.

 

If your dc likes puzzley, logicy things, why not consider a coding class (like Youth Digital.) Then he could apply his mathy thinking.

[Roadrunner]

If you love MEP, why not just order the printed version? I have no idea how much the shipping is, but books seem reasonably priced.

 

Never mind. I just checked and it looks like they don't have printed version of teacher materials, just student books.

[travelgirlut]

So after thinking long and hard about why MEP was taking so long, I came to the realization that ds' math facts are not as far along as they need to be for the level of recall MEP was asking for.  MEP does not do any drill/memorization at all.  It just says "make sure you have these facts memorized" and moves right along.  At the end of last year ds had most of his facts down, but we took the whole summer off, and now they're just not there.

 

So here's what I've decided to do.  Instead of completely switching curriculum, I'm going to postpone MEP until ds gets a firmer grip on his facts again.  In the meantime, I picked up book 3A from Math Mammoth to give us some worksheet style review that still requires deeper thinking.  It also covers American money and time which don't get solid coverage in MEP, so two birds with one stone.  We will hop around in MM while working on his facts, and when it appears he's got them more or less down, we will pick MEP back up.  We'll also continue using MM as a review supplement, like we did last year.  I'm hoping this will allow MEP to go smoother and faster when we pick it back up.  I just couldn't bear to let it go completely since I love it so much!

 

Thank you all for your advice and input.  It helps so much to be able to spout off somewhere where people understand what I'm talking about!  I appreciate you all!

[stripe]

MEP does not do any drill/memorization at all. 

There's a lot of drill in the first 5 - 10 minutes of many lessons, but if not, what I did was add my own in. Just a few minutes a day made a difference. But I did have to get tough and insist the multiplication facts were learned. Computer games helped.

[Miss Tick]

I've been compressing MEP and alternating days with BA. My ds doesn't need all of the teacher-intensive discussion and introductions. I skim through, pencil a note about the bits I want to go over with him and then work this in during math time. The BA days he is pretty much on his own.

[lorisuewho]

So here's what I've decided to do.  Instead of completely switching curriculum, I'm going to postpone MEP until ds gets a firmer grip on his facts again.  In the meantime, I picked up book 3A from Math Mammoth to give us some worksheet style review that still requires deeper thinking.  It also covers American money and time which don't get solid coverage in MEP, so two birds with one stone.  We will hop around in MM while working on his facts, and when it appears he's got them more or less down, we will pick MEP back up.  We'll also continue using MM as a review supplement, like we did last year.  I'm hoping this will allow MEP to go smoother and faster when we pick it back up.  I just couldn't bear to let it go completely since I love it so much!

 

Thank you all for your advice and input.  It helps so much to be able to spout off somewhere where people understand what I'm talking about!  I appreciate you all!

This is a good plan.

I had a similar plan last year when we got to 3a. My ds just couldn't do it because of the math facts. So we actually completely dropped MEP for 1/2 a year and did Rod and Staff Grade 3 arithmetic which totally solidified his facts. We then dropped R&S and jumped back into MEP and really went through it rather easily. This year he is starting MEP 4a with no problem. We needed that 1/2 year though to do facts or he was going to drown in MEP.

[Lisa in the UP of MI]

So after thinking long and hard about why MEP was taking so long, I came to the realization that ds' math facts are not as far along as they need to be for the level of recall MEP was asking for.  MEP does not do any drill/memorization at all.  It just says "make sure you have these facts memorized" and moves right along.  At the end of last year ds had most of his facts down, but we took the whole summer off, and now they're just not there.

 

So here's what I've decided to do.  Instead of completely switching curriculum, I'm going to postpone MEP until ds gets a firmer grip on his facts again.  In the meantime, I picked up book 3A from Math Mammoth to give us some worksheet style review that still requires deeper thinking.  It also covers American money and time which don't get solid coverage in MEP, so two birds with one stone.  We will hop around in MM while working on his facts, and when it appears he's got them more or less down, we will pick MEP back up.  We'll also continue using MM as a review supplement, like we did last year.  I'm hoping this will allow MEP to go smoother and faster when we pick it back up.  I just couldn't bear to let it go completely since I love it so much!

 

Thank you all for your advice and input.  It helps so much to be able to spout off somewhere where people understand what I'm talking about!  I appreciate you all!

 

Hope this works well for you.  We just made a switch from Beast Academy to MEP while waiting for the next book to come out.  The presentation is different but the problem types, level of difficulty,  etc. is more similar between these two than anything else I've found.  My dd isn't allowed to read ahead in BA, making it more motivating to finish her workbook.