Another CLE math placement question

[busymama7]

I know they have tests. But we are switching from math u see and the topics covered are just so different and in such a different order that I'm not sure I can use the placement accurately in this case.

 

I have an 8 year old boy, halfway through beta having no issues at all. It's easy for him. He struggles with reading though and is (most likely) dyslexic. He is about half way through AAR 2 and it's slow going. Thankfully he does not also struggle with math. At this point in beta he has mastered adding with regrouping but has not gotten to multiple digit subtraction. He is picking up higher level math concepts from an older sibling and I can tell he's going to kinda be a wiz. I don't want to start him at the beginning of 200 if I can help it but looking at the placement test that's probably where he would place. He will technically be in 3rd grade and I would like to have him up to grade level in math as efficiently as possible. I will need to continue to work with him due to the reading delay so working on concepts that weren't introduced in beta as they come up seems that it would work. Looking at the placement test it seems like simple things he could pick up once explained how to do it and since there is so much built in review, I don't want to go back too far. Somewhere I thought I had seen a list of the main skill introduced in each light unit but I can't find it now.

 

I'm wondering where multiple digit subtraction with regrouping is taught and if we could just start there.

 

I wish I had found CLE earlier. It seems to be everything I ever wanted in a math curriculum. I think we will miss having the instruction on DVD but I'm hoping that the short daily lessons will be manageable with multiple kids.

[Paige]

I would place him where he tests into and plan on accelerating it by crossing out stuff he already knows well. You can skip tests and quizzes and go quickly.

[OneStepAtATime]

Give him the placement test.  Place him where he tests into.  You don't want him placed too high that he struggles and ends up hating math when he has such a good start.  Attitude/motivation are huge.  Don't think of it as grade levels.  Think of them as levels.  Present it that way if he asks.  

 

CLE is easy to accelerate, especially for a child that is good at math.  If he places into the 200s, you can probably skip 201 (reviews all of level 100) and just start with 202.  Present the new material for two lessons and have him do the review material for only the second lesson (he would complete two lessons a day).  Skip the quizzes.  That means as long as he doesn't run into areas he needs to slow down he would be completing a light unit every 8 days instead of every 17.  He could complete all of the 200s pretty quickly.  (Look at the date you plan to start and work it out on a calendar, including when you plan to take breaks).  

 

Just make sure you work with him on the new material (maybe with a dry erase board if he likes that) and check his independent work DAILY.  If he runs into an issue and you don't catch it right away he may mis-learn how to do something and it could take significant effort to unlearn and relearn.  It could also demoralize him.  

 

The TM makes it very easy to quickly grade the material, and it also includes extra practice pages, alternative tests, suggestions for what to do if a child is struggling or is accelerated, etc.  I also strongly recommend the CLE flash cards.  They have a great system for math fact review and their flash cards are great for use with that system.

Edited July 25, 2016 by OneStepAtATime

[busymama7]

I must have really weird kids. Skipping stuff makes them super crazy. 😂 they prefer to do it all. But I will consider that. The thing is looking through the test, it seems pointless to even take the 200 test as he has not been introduced to fractions, geometry concepts, probably can't put his months in order (he can't even read them!) He knows his facts really well, can do multiple digit and column addition easily. I just really hate to start at 200 as I'm not sure we could ever really catch up. He loves math so possibly he could could two lessons a day pretty easily if I can squeeze out the time to do it with him since he can't read well enough to do it independently. But we have to work on reading intensely daily and he is one of 5 students with 2 toddlers added in 😬

Edited July 25, 2016 by busymama7

[busymama7]

Give him the placement test. Place him where he tests into. You don't want him placed too high that he struggles and ends up hating math when he has such a good start. Attitude/motivation are huge. Don't think of it as grade levels. Think of them as levels. Present it that way if he asks.

 

CLE is easy to accelerate, especially for a child that is good at math. If he places into the 200s, you can probably skip 201 (reviews all of level 100) and just start with 202. Present the new material for two lessons and have him do the review material for only the second lesson (he would complete two lessons a day). Skip the quizzes. That means as long as he doesn't run into areas he needs to slow down he would be completing a light unit every 8 days instead of every 17. He could complete all of the 200s pretty quickly. (Look at the date you plan to start and work it out on a calendar, including when you plan to take breaks).

 

Just make sure you work with him on the new material (maybe with a dry erase board if he likes that) and check his independent work DAILY. If he runs into an issue and you don't catch it right away he may mis-learn how to do something and it could take significant effort to unlearn and relearn. It could also demoralize him.

 

The TM makes it very easy to quickly grade the material, and it also includes extra practice pages, alternative tests, suggestions for what to do if a child is struggling or is accelerated, etc. I also strongly recommend the CLE flash cards. They have a great system for math fact review and their flash cards are great for use with that system.

Thank you! We were posting at the same time. I switched an older sibling over and the flash cards and drills in the book is what sold me. I always wanted to do timed drills and we were sporadic with flash cards. But since it's all built in to the program we are actually doing it now!

 

For the addition and subtraction cards, are they printed double sided? Or could I put each letter set together on a ring? I was planning to make my own with the guide in the back of the TM for 400 but maybe that would save me time. I don't want to have to sort out or pull cards daily. I need all the A cards together ; all the B etc. I made my own for multiplication and division this way for the child in 400 and it's working great.

 

Thanks, you are right. I want him to continue liking math. I am so excited to find this program. I had no idea what I was missing. I could never do Saxon as it stressed me out but this I can do!

[RootAnn]

There is a scope & sequence document. I think you'll want page 36 to see what they cover when in Math 200.

 

I would give the placement test. Then, you will know for sure what you need to cover. You might be able to start in the mid-200s instead of at 202. 300 starts in with multiplication number lines and multiplication tables. You MIGHT be able to start with 301 and use it to fill holes, but I wouldn't suggest it. I'd just suggest starting mid-200s, depending on what the placement test shows as far as gaps.

 

If it is just months, fractions, and geometry - those are hit over & over again. But you'll want to see exactly where the holes are to see where you can start.

[OneStepAtATime]

I must have really weird kids. Skipping stuff makes them super crazy. 😂 they prefer to do it all. But I will consider that. The thing is looking through the test, it seems pointless to even take the 200 test as he has not been introduced to fractions, geometry concepts, probably can't put his months in order (he can't even read them!) He knows his facts really well, can do multiple digit and column addition easily. I just really hate to start at 200 as I'm not sure we could ever really catch up. He loves math so possibly he could could two lessons a day pretty easily if I can squeeze out the time to do it with him since he can't read well enough to do it independently. But we have to work on reading intensely daily and he is one of 5 students with 2 toddlers added in 😬

Yeah, I understand hating to skip.  What you might do is remove the binding on the light units (you need to do this anyway to pull out the test), introduce the new material for the first and second lesson, then give him the light unit pages for the review material.  That way he doesn't know he is skipping anything.  I actually did this for DS at one point.  I just stapled the pages together that he needed for each day and put them all in an accordion file by month.

 

I am a bit concerned, though, that you feel he won't even pass the test to place into the 200's but you hope to start him with the 300's?  Or mid-200's?  Is that what you are saying?  That means skipping an awful lot of material that he has not been exposed to.  And he is struggling a bit with reading?  You could be setting him up for failure.  There is ample time for him to move through math.  He is very young.  Seriously, don't rush him and then cause him to flounder and start hating a subject he is good at and has enthusiasm for.

 

Personally, with what you have added, I would have him do 201 completely to fill in anything he did not have from the 100's.  Use the TM to help you teach the material he has not had.  201 will be great for filling in the areas he has not had exposure to yet.  Use a dry erase board and manipulatives to help him through.  

 

Then have him do 202 in full to solidify the new material he has just learned.  After 202, if he is doing well and seems to grasp everything, do 203 new and review material accelerated as I posted above through lesson 14.  Do all of lesson 15.  Give the test.  If he does well, move on to 204 and do the same thing.  You could complete the 200s very quickly but not leave him with tons of gaps and potentially massive frustration.

 

 

Thank you! We were posting at the same time. I switched an older sibling over and the flash cards and drills in the book is what sold me. I always wanted to do timed drills and we were sporadic with flash cards. But since it's all built in to the program we are actually doing it now!

 

For the addition and subtraction cards, are they printed double sided? Or could I put each letter set together on a ring? I was planning to make my own with the guide in the back of the TM for 400 but maybe that would save me time. I don't want to have to sort out or pull cards daily. I need all the A cards together ; all the B etc. I made my own for multiplication and division this way for the child in 400 and it's working great.

 

Thanks, you are right. I want him to continue liking math. I am so excited to find this program. I had no idea what I was missing. I could never do Saxon as it stressed me out but this I can do!

 

The add/sub flash cards are not printed double sided.  They are set up to use with the CLE program and come with dividers to help keep the cards separated and the specific cards called for with each day's requirements are easily located for lessons.  If I recall correctly the cards will be set up for use with the 100s but there are instructions for how to set them up to use with the 200s and beyond.  They would already be divided into the letter section designations for the 100s but the file dividers for the 200s and above will be included and are easy to set up.  Really, really easy to do and once done that is all you need.  Every day they will already be filed in the correct letter designation and can be pulled out when needed.  The addition and subtraction card system is wonderful.  I don't know why they didn't do a similar filing system for multiplication and subtraction.  Like you, I set up my own for those (but I did use their cards since I liked them).

[OneStepAtATime]

Just to add, if he is grasping concepts very quickly and the material is sticking, starting with 208 or 209 you might consider doing only new material for lessons 1-4 on the first day, doing new material for lessons 6 and 7 but review for lesson 7 the next day, same for lessons 8 and 9 on day three, then just new material for lessons 11-14 on day 4 then maybe new material and review problems for Lesson 15 on day 5 then the test either on day 5 or day 6.  He would complete 209 and 210 in 12 days or 208, 209 and 210 in 18 - 20 days or so.  

 

Once he gets through the 200s, if he is really solid on the material then you can easily skip 301 and just do the accelerated path through the 300s.  He could conceivably finish both the 200s and the 300s in about a year, maybe a bit longer, depending on how he does.

Edited July 25, 2016 by OneStepAtATime

[busymama7]

No I wasn't wanting to use 300. I was hoping to place him part way through 200 instead of doing all of 200.

 

Several ideas I see working here. We school year round so it seems we should be able to catch him up. By we have always had a really hard time getting through a whole MUS book in 12 months even doing math every day.

[busymama7]

Can I put the flash cards on rings instead of in a file system?

[OneStepAtATime]

Can I put the flash cards on rings instead of in a file system?

I guess you could.  Trying to figure out how that would work.  Maybe.  I never thought of doing it because the filing system is so easy to use.  

[OneStepAtATime]

No I wasn't wanting to use 300. I was hoping to place him part way through 200 instead of doing all of 200.

 

Several ideas I see working here. We school year round so it seems we should be able to catch him up. By we have always had a really hard time getting through a whole MUS book in 12 months even doing math every day.

Why do you think it was challenging to complete the material?  Was a mastery program a harder fit for him?  Does he need lots of time with his math lessons? Did you run out of time to teach him?  Or...?  You don't have to answer.  I would just be looking at why it was hard to complete the MUS material in a 12 month period with a student that grasps math well.  Ask yourself some hard questions regarding this and be honest with yourself, whatever the answer might be.

 

By the way, CLE can be accelerated really easily as mentioned but if he needs extra time to grasp a concept and get it solid please don't rush.  I think it is more important to get basics really solid than to stay on grade level or try to "catch up" and rush through.  This is especially true when you are homeschooling since you have time to really get material down well and can go at the best pace for your child to be successful.  You can more easily accelerate later levels if the lower levels are solid than you can if you skip over concepts he hasn't even learned yet.  Most students who struggle in higher levels of math do so because they have critical gaps in basic math concepts/algorithms. 

 

Again, since you think he won't pass the placement test for 200 I would not start him mid-way through the 200s.  The placement test for 200 means he is ready to start 200.  If he can't pass that, he needs to be introduced to the concepts he is missing.  Start with 201.  It will help you see where the gaps are and how to address those gaps.  If he does really well with 201 you can move through the rest of the 200s at a quicker pace.  He might finish the 200's by Christmas.  If he catches on quickly and the accelerated pace works well for him he might finish the 300s by end of May 2017 or sooner.  And if not, you still have the summer to get him through the material.  Truly, you have time.

[Paige]

No I wasn't wanting to use 300. I was hoping to place him part way through 200 instead of doing all of 200.

 

Several ideas I see working here. We school year round so it seems we should be able to catch him up. By we have always had a really hard time getting through a whole MUS book in 12 months even doing math every day.

 

You don't need to worry about not catching up if you start in 200. My DD who has always struggled in math- really, really struggled- has managed to go through almost 3 grades in one year with CLE. We skip the 01 books, tests, and quizzes, and she does 2 lessons a day including most weekends. I cross out most of what she is really good at- so she reviews it every 3 days or so instead of every day, and she likes it. It still takes <=1hr a day most days. She's working towards a goal, however. You don't need to match her pace to catch up on one level. 

 

If he hates skipping, you could look at it as also time for learning to chill out! Or he could do it all and you could offer to cross some out every day until he takes you up on it. He probably will because it gets really repetitive.

[busymama7]

Why do you think it was challenging to complete the material? Was a mastery program a harder fit for him? Does he need lots of time with his math lessons? Did you run out of time to teach him? Or...? You don't have to answer. I would just be looking at why it was hard to complete the MUS material in a 12 month period with a student that grasps math well. Ask yourself some hard questions regarding this and be honest with yourself, whatever the answer might be.

 

By the way, CLE can be accelerated really easily as mentioned but if he needs extra time to grasp a concept and get it solid please don't rush. I think it is more important to get basics really solid than to stay on grade level or try to "catch up" and rush through. This is especially true when you are homeschooling since you have time to really get material down well and can go at the best pace for your child to be successful. You can more easily accelerate later levels if the lower levels are solid than you can if you skip over concepts he hasn't even learned yet. Most students who struggle in higher levels of math do so because they have critical gaps in basic math concepts/algorithms.

 

Again, since you think he won't pass the placement test for 200 I would not start him mid-way through the 200s. The placement test for 200 means he is ready to start 200. If he can't pass that, he needs to be introduced to the concepts he is missing. Start with 201. It will help you see where the gaps are and how to address those gaps. If he does really well with 201 you can move through the rest of the 200s at a quicker pace. He might finish the 200's by Christmas. If he catches on quickly and the accelerated pace works well for him he might finish the 300s by end of May 2017 or sooner. And if not, you still have the summer to get him through the material. Truly, you have time.

 

 

Thank you. I was pondering why it takes us so long to get through a MUS level and the big reasons is at the lower levels there are between 210-240 pages each level and we do skip some but it just has ended up taking us longer than it needs to. For him, it is definitely not that he doesn't grasp it. Math is coming really easy. I am very consistent with doing math daily but we do only school four days a week for most of the year. And then aim for 3 days a week of math in the summer. So, I think it's just the way MUS is set up and the fact that my kids hate skipping. Also I want them to get a lot of practice and review and I haven't been great about flash cards or drill games for facts. Somewhat but that's what I'm most excited about with CLE. The fact that it's built in daily with the lessons.

 

I really believe what you say about needing a strong foundation so I will just start with 200 and see how it goes. My concern is that with my oldest kids, I didn't push them in the lower grades to go a little faster and we couldnt accelerate much when we got to pre-a and Algebra so I'm always worried about that. I was really bought into the idea of schooling at their own pace, that I didn't even look ahead to when they would get to algebra 1 untill it was too late to move faster if that makes sense. Im trying hard not to repeat that mistake which is why I'm concerned with being close to grade level it ahead. My 4th was a year ahead in math and it was so nice when we were facing algebra 1 the end of 7th grade. I knew we had plenty of time. This child I'm speaking of now is my 6th, FYI. I allowed my 5th to go too slow again and shes only starting 400 at age 11. 😢. But I do think there is something going on there as she has no number sense. At all. Anyways thanks for your thoughts. It is so nice that the materials are so inexpensive that I don't have to worry about buying a level we might not need all of.

 

Oh and the test he won't pass is 200 which would mean he's ready for 300. I know he's not as he hasn't even done subtraction with regrouping. I was just hoping that with the way the light units are available separately we could choose one half way or so through to start with.

Edited July 25, 2016 by busymama7

[OneStepAtATime]

Ah, makes sense.  Good luck and best wishes, whatever you decide.   :)

Edited July 25, 2016 by OneStepAtATime

[busymama7]

I just looked through the scope and sequence chart (thanks!) and yeah there is so much in all of 200 he doesn't know. I can't see how to do anything but start at the beginning. I am so excited about this program though. It covers so many things that either aren't covered in MUS or just not until later. I think it's going to be a really good fit for us.

[OneStepAtATime]

I just looked through the scope and sequence chart (thanks!) and yeah there is so much in all of 200 he doesn't know. I can't see how to do anything but start at the beginning. I am so excited about this program though. It covers so many things that either aren't covered in MUS or just not until later. I think it's going to be a really good fit for us.

FWIW, I love it, too.  :)  And I have used a LOT of math programs.

[mommymonster]

My DS10 does CLE. While he *wants* to do all the problems, he's a slower worker, and we'd never get through a year's worth of materials if we don't skip a decent amount. I cross out some of the review problems that I know he has down, prior to us doing the lesson. If I have them already crossed out, he's somehow OK with doing fewer problems. It helps get us through the materials. 

 

Best of luck! 

[busymama7]

I guess you could. Trying to figure out how that would work. Maybe. I never thought of doing it because the filing system is so easy to use.

I want to because I have already created a space and system to do it this way. I started with multiplication and division because I was starting a sibling on 400 but was planning to do the others the same way. If I can use their cards and have a ring for the A cards and a ring for the B cards etc it would save me some time in creating them. This is the inside of our school cupboard door.

 

ETA: I can't figure out how to attach the pic. It says it's too big of a file but it's just rows of hooks with each stack of fact cards on a ring (laminated and color coded)

Edited July 25, 2016 by busymama7

[OneStepAtATime]

I want to because I have already created a space and system to do it this way. I started with multiplication and division because I was starting a sibling on 400 but was planning to do the others the same way. If I can use their cards and have a ring for the A cards and a ring for the B cards etc it would save me some time in creating them. This is the inside of our school cupboard door.

 

ETA: I can't figure out how to attach the pic. It says it's too big of a file but it's just rows of hooks with each stack of fact cards on a ring (laminated and color coded)

I am uncertain what you mean by A and B cards.  The addition and subtraction cards are filed by a letter designation going up the alphabet.  There are several groupings.  I guess you could have dividers on the ring to keep the groups clearly delineated?  I just checked again and there IS print on the back but it isn't set up with front and back flash card material.  The second side has the letter section designations for 100s and the 200s and beyond systems (so you can organize the cards with whichever of the two systems you currently need) as well as the flash card material for that card in small print along with the answer.  I'm not sure that makes sense.  Anyway, if you put them on a ring, the other side might be confusing.

[busymama7]

Ok I must be really confused. I haven't used anything except the beginning of 400. But in the back there is a list that says how the flash cards are divided. It says something like

 

A

1+2

3+4

3+9

 

4-1

6-3

8-2

 

Or whatever. I just made that up. I want a ring with a card that says "A" and all the flash cards listed under A on that ring. Repeated all the ways up to M. So I would have 13 rings total. I have started to do this myself but using their cards would make it faster. I would laminate them, punch a hole and keep each set (A-M) on a separate ring. I will go downstairs again once my toddler goes to sleep and try again to take a picture of the set up.

 

The only reason the back matters is that most cards have a fact on each side which means you can't separate them. If each card is only one fact, it would still work for what I'm doing.

 

I will have kids in both 100s, 200s and 400s. Are you telling me that set A for instance isn't the same for all the levels? I was assuming it was.

Edited July 25, 2016 by busymama7

[OneStepAtATime]

Ok I must be really confused. I haven't used anything except the beginning of 400. But in the back there is a list that says how the flash cards are divided. It says something like

 

A

1+2

3+4

3+9

 

4-1

6-3

8-2

 

Or whatever. I just made that up. I want a ring with a card that says "A" and all the flash cards listed under A on that ring. Repeated all the ways up to M. So I would have 13 rings total. I have started to do this myself but using their cards would make it faster. I would laminate them, punch a hole and keep each set (A-M) on a separate ring. I will go downstairs again once my toddler goes to sleep and try again to take a picture of the set up.

 

The only reason the back matters is that most cards have a fact on each side which means you can't separate them. If each card is only one fact, it would still work for what I'm doing.

 

I will have kids in both 100s, 200s and 400s. Are you telling me that set A for instance isn't the same for all the levels? I was assuming it was.

Ohhhh, ok.  I thought you meant that you had the cards divided into only A and B sets.  Since the flash card system is from A-M that confused me.  Yes, if you created 13 rings for A-M that would work for your students in the 200's and the 400's but it will NOT work for the student using the 100's series.  The cards are set up completely differently for the 100's.  

 

The cards will actually come set up for the 100's and will already have the dividers in place for the letter sections.  It won't take much to restructure them to the 200's and above, though.  They have a guide that walks you through it.  Doesn't take that much time.  It would be a royal pain to have to do that every day, though, especially if you have them on rings.  Using the same set of cards for your child in the 100s will not work.

 

What you COULD do is buy two different sets of the cards, set up one set for the 200's and above and put them on rings/hooks but for the 100's you could keep that set already set up for the 100's and color code the second set by drawing a highlighted line on one side.  You could still hang them from the same hooks, just use different rings.  Does that make sense?  I realize it would be more money but if the hook is big enough I think it would save you quite a bit of time.

 

Oh, I just thought of something...the cards are pretty long.  They are large print cards and are done that way deliberately.  It is supposed to help with math fact retention to have the larger print.  They may be too long for your system.  They are a little over 8 1/2 inches long, I believe.

Edited July 25, 2016 by OneStepAtATime

[busymama7]

Ohhhh, ok. I thought you meant that you had the cards divided into only A and B sets. Since the flash card system is from A-M that confused me. Yes, if you created 13 rings for A-M that would work for your students in the 200's and the 400's but it will NOT work for the student using the 100's series. The cards are set up completely differently for the 100's.

 

The cards will actually come set up for the 100's and will already have the dividers in place for the letter sections. It won't take much to restructure them to the 200's and above, though. They have a guide that walks you through it. Doesn't take that much time. It would be a royal pain to have to do that every day, though, especially if you have them on rings. Using the same set of cards for your child in the 100s will not work.

 

What you COULD do is buy two different sets of the cards, set up one set for the 200's and above and put them on rings/hooks but for the 100's you could keep that set already set up for the 100's and color code the second set by drawing a highlighted line on one side. You could still hang them from the same hooks, just use different rings. Does that make sense? I realize it would be more money but if the hook is big enough I think it would save you quite a bit of time.

 

Oh, I just thought of something...the cards are pretty long. They are large print cards and are done that way deliberately. It is supposed to help with math fact retention to have the larger print. They may be too long for your system. They are a little over 8 1/2 inches long, I believe.

Very helpful thank you! I would need two sets of cards regardless with kids in multiple levels. So probably what I will do is continue with my system for the 200 and up cards and buy theirs for the one going in to 100. They sound too big to be able to hang where I want them anyways. A little frustrating that their system doesn't carry across the grade levels but I will deal with it :). Thanks again Edited July 25, 2016 by busymama7

[busymama7]

 

There we go. Had to use the tapatalk app for it to post the exact same picture [emoji23]

 

 

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[OneStepAtATime]

I get what you are saying but the focus in the 100's is different because a child in that level is just starting to be introduced to the flash cards and concepts so the structure is different. Once they move on to the 200s the system shifts from exposure to mastery and speed. They change the way the flash cards are used. Same cards. Just a different structure for different goals. Works great if you don't have kids in both but yeah kind of a pain if you do.

[busymama7]

I didn't know about the large print but that's ok. Flash cards and speed drills are getting done and that is an improvement and a huge relief. The cards are shuffled around inside the set and could be shuffled again but I will probably just sometimes start from the back or middle. This is working because my daughter can pull the cards listed on the lesson and place them on the table right above her book and get started. As soon as I can drill her I do and then we hang them back up. When I have 3 students in the system I think it will still work too although now I know I need to have a different system for the one going into 100.

 

 

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[busymama7]

I get what you are saying but the focus in the 100's is different because a child in that level is just starting to be introduced to the flash cards and concepts so the structure is different. Once they move on to the 200s the system shifts from exposure to mastery and speed. They change the way the flash cards are used. Same cards. Just a different structure for different goals. Works great if you don't have kids in both but yeah kind of a pain if you do.

That actually make a lot of sense. When I saw the list in 400 I was thinking it was a weird way to teach the facts, all mixed up. I will be able to work this out just fine :)

 

 

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[vaquitita]

Busy Mama 7, can you update on how the switch from MUS to CLE went? :)

[busymama7]

I see that this thread is mostly about my then 8 year old boy. I ended up placing him in 200 and attempting to accelerate as much as possible. It still took nearly the whole school year and 80% of it was too easy for him as he is just naturally mathy. We are about to start on 301 and still accelerate.

 

I do LOVE the program. love, love, love it. The only downside is the amount of time it take daily especially for my almost 11 year old who struggles and is only in 408. She has said that she still hates math but that it makes a lot more sense than it did in MUS. she definetly prefers it. I do too but wish there was more time for games and fun. It completely drains us to get through it. We do skip and such some but honestly all the parts of the program like integrated flash cards and speed drills are what I like so much. So sometimes we figure out how to not do every problem that is similar and such. I do wish it was a bit shorter in the lessons but we are sticking with it. It's everything I wanted in a elementary math program and I wish I had used it all along and for everyone.

 

I wish they were all on their grade level especially the 7 and 9 year olds as math comes easily for them. Even though we do math "every day" it still takes us 12 months at least to get through a grade level and that's frusterating to me but has nothing to do with the program and everything to do with me 😂

 

This is a rabbit trail but I am really liking the made for small schools program like CLE and rod and staff but I really wish there was something very similar that didn't have 180 days. I feel we are so consistent with school and yet still we can't get that done without going year round.

[vaquitita]

Thank you for telling me about your experience. :D I'm thinking of switching my math struggler from MUS to CLE. I'm seriously thinking that I'm not going to worry about catching her up (she'll be a year behind) just because of the length of the lessons. If the review sections are easy, then she'll be able to do them fairly quickly. She needs the repetition, so I don't want to skip things and she likes doing easy math. Lol

 

This is a rabbit trail but I am really liking the made for small schools program like CLE and rod and staff but I really wish there was something very similar that didn't have 180 days. I feel we are so consistent with school and yet still we can't get that done without going year round.

Yes I wish they'd have 160 days. Our charter school only has 175 days and I need days off for testing as well. Have you looked at the School Aid programs? It's also written for small schools and it seems like they have less full schedules. It's somewhere in between R&S and CLE, they stick with workbooks like CLE but have more crowded pages like r&s.

 

Another rabbit trail: I find I really like the work text format, it's so much simpler than having to look the lesson up in a TM. I'm switching my mathy kids to Math Mammoth and my daughter to CLE. Don't know about my youngest yet, but it'll be one of these two.

Edited June 19, 2017 by vaquitita

[busymama7]

My googling is not finding a program called school aid?

[Syllieann]

My googling is not finding a program called school aid?

http://www.milestonebooks.com/list/Schoolaid_Math/

[busymama7]

http://www.milestonebooks.com/list/Schoolaid_Math/

Ahhh thank you! We are using climbing to good English :) I thought the name was familiar!

[vaquitita]

Ahhh thank you! We are using climbing to good English :) I thought the name was familiar!

Yes that's it. I tried using CtGE a couple yesterday ago, but levels 1&2 didn't go so well. A combination of my kids not being used to workbooks and me just following it blindly instead of making it work for us. I'm planning to go back to it next school year, but this time picking out just the lessons that teach stuff I want.

 

Eta: I'd just going to use level 3& up, but now that I'm thinking about it again - maybe I'll use it for my already reading 1st grader instead of ETC. I just want some easy writing for him to do to help get him spelling/writing. $4 vs $40 :D ETC is more fun tho.

Edited June 19, 2017 by vaquitita

[tdbates78]

W e switched from MM to CLE a few months ago. We love it! But I agree with the OP in thats its difficult to place a child that has done another program. We are still in the 100 level (rising 2nd graders) and trying to accelerate. I wish we could skip a few light units but each one has at least a few topics we hadnt yet covered in MM so I felt it necessary to start with Light Unit 100. We will finish 104 today. I do cross out sections and we skip the quizzes, tests and many of the speed drills.

 

I love the gentle way it adds new concepts. MM did not work for us and I'm already seeing vast improvement with CLE. Just wish we could accelerate at a little quicker pace!