Wheres Toto Posted March 24, 2017 Share Posted March 24, 2017 We have been using Math Mammoth since ds was in 1st grade. I LOVE Math Mammoth. I like how it teaches, how it build gradually, how it shows different approaches, how it shows how it works rather than doing memorization. Unfortunately, now that she's in 4th grade dd isn't feeling the love. The pages are too crowded and busy, and it seems to make her shut down. She can't separate out and concentrate on one problem. For a little while I was highlighting some of the problems on that page and that seemed to help some, but only on things that came easily to her. When a topic is hard, that doesn't help. We've just started 4B - division.She's doing Beast Academy 3B as a supplement but we're not going to continue. She doesn't like it and I don't think she needs the math supplementation like my son did. It doesn't have enough instruction to be her primary program. I know this has come up in the past but I just searched a bunch of posts and tried to do a google search but didn't come up with anything. I'm looking for: -most likely Mastery math. I think spiraling too much would just confuse her more. We use Evan Moor Skill Sharpeners Math for a type of Daily review, but it's far from a full curriculum. -not too many problems on a page -good, incremental instruction -color or B&W doesn't seem to matter. -printable or bought as a book doesn't matter. -not a lot of manipulatives. She doesn't like them. Hated cuisinaire rods, hated base 10 blocks, etc.I've thought about just writing the MM problems out on paper with more space but that would be a LOT of work. I'd have to re-write or cut out all the descriptions and instructions as well. It may come down to that if I can't find something else. :sad: Thanks! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EKS Posted March 24, 2017 Share Posted March 24, 2017 I know what you mean about MM. My son started crying within about 30 seconds of me pulling it out for the first time! Singapore is solid and far less busy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jess4879 Posted March 24, 2017 Share Posted March 24, 2017 Because MM is working so well otherwise, I'd be more tempted to tweak it. How does she do with the pages when it's an easier concept? Have you tried covering the bottom of the page with a piece of paper and just having her focus on one row of problems? We haven't used MM4 in entirety, but I have heard from others that it's a tough book to get through. As far as switching...maybe BJU? It's very teacher intensive though and isn't a great fit for independent kiddos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
My4arrows Posted March 24, 2017 Share Posted March 24, 2017 Maybe mus? It's a mystery program and the pages are very clean and simple. It works well for my ds who was overwhelmed with the mm clutter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wheres Toto Posted March 24, 2017 Author Share Posted March 24, 2017 Because MM is working so well otherwise, I'd be more tempted to tweak it. How does she do with the pages when it's an easier concept? Have you tried covering the bottom of the page with a piece of paper and just having her focus on one row of problems? We haven't used MM4 in entirety, but I have heard from others that it's a tough book to get through. As far as switching...maybe BJU? It's very teacher intensive though and isn't a great fit for independent kiddos. I did try cutting the page in 1/2 and hiding problems but having 5 problems across the page and the instructions on top in small boxes was still a problem. When the concept is simple (haven't been many lately), she can do okay if I highlight problems. She wouldn't like teacher intensive. She likes to be somewhat independent. Maybe mus? It's a mystery program and the pages are very clean and simple. It works well for my ds who was overwhelmed with the mm clutter. Does MUS still have a lot of manipulatives in the older grades? That's the one with the blocks, right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wheres Toto Posted March 24, 2017 Author Share Posted March 24, 2017 I know what you mean about MM. My son started crying within about 30 seconds of me pulling it out for the first time! Singapore is solid and far less busy. I think I have a friend doing Singapore, I may ask to take a look at it. Singapore is the one that has multiple books? Which ones are necessary? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EKS Posted March 24, 2017 Share Posted March 24, 2017 I think I have a friend doing Singapore, I may ask to take a look at it. Singapore is the one that has multiple books? Which ones are necessary? The only book that is absolutely necessary is the textbook. Most people also use the workbook. If you want more challenging problems after that you can use either/both the Challenging Word Problems book or the Intensive Practice book (we did CWP, though I'm not a fan of the new edition). There is also an extra problems book, which is only necessary if your child need more practice on top of the workbook problems, and a book of tests. It's important that you teach the "Singapore way," so the HIG is necessary if you don't already know how to teach that way (if you've been using MM, which I seem to remember uses a similar presentation, you may not need it). We just used the textbook, though I always got the workbook just in case my son needed more practice. I knew how to teach the Singapore way from reading the book Elementary Mathematics for Teachers (highly recommended!). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HomeAgain Posted March 24, 2017 Share Posted March 24, 2017 MUS came to mind, too. The upper grades don't use them *as much*, we never used the decimal blocks even though I bought them, but the fraction tiles were invaluable. A child doesn't have to use them if they understand the concepts without. The first year the blocks were with us all the time, by the second it was about 1/3, and rarely from then on because he could visualize it all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
letsplaymath Posted March 24, 2017 Share Posted March 24, 2017 We did Math Mammoth orally, with a white board and colorful markers for scratch work. It's a simple tweak, but much less intimidating! See my description here: Buddy Math. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clementine Posted March 24, 2017 Share Posted March 24, 2017 We used Modern Curriculum Press - I don't see a lot of love for this program very often. But, it worked really well for us from K-6th. Because some assignments have many problems per page, I would assign either odds or evens only. If the score of the assignment was below a certain grade, I would assign the remaining for more practice. I read lots of reviews, previewed sample lessons, and loved the no frills/no busywork aspect of it. We used the 1994 editions, which can still be found on some websites. I have no information on how the new versions have/have not changed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
My4arrows Posted March 24, 2017 Share Posted March 24, 2017 As pp said they aren't used as much. Honestly my ds rarely uses them now (he's in the division book). I jell be using the fraction tiles when we get to that book. He likes it since it is a very independent program for him now. On mondays he watches the DVD and does the A worksheet and then progresses from there. Sometimes he finishes the chapter before the end of the week. Sometimes it takes longer. It just depends on quickly he understands the concept. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jess4879 Posted March 24, 2017 Share Posted March 24, 2017 I did try cutting the page in 1/2 and hiding problems but having 5 problems across the page and the instructions on top in small boxes was still a problem. When the concept is simple (haven't been many lately), she can do okay if I highlight problems. She wouldn't like teacher intensive. She likes to be somewhat independent. Does MUS still have a lot of manipulatives in the older grades? That's the one with the blocks, right? If she does well with MM otherwise, maybe just take those tougher units and use a worksheet generator? http://www.homeschoolmath.net/worksheets/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wheres Toto Posted March 24, 2017 Author Share Posted March 24, 2017 If she does well with MM otherwise, maybe just take those tougher units and use a worksheet generator? http://www.homeschoolmath.net/worksheets/ That's an interesting idea. I could still follow the scope/sequence of MM but make worksheets that will work better for her. Even all the printing would probably be cheaper than buying a new curriculum. I will definitely check this idea out more. Thanks! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fourisenough Posted March 24, 2017 Share Posted March 24, 2017 (edited) I've thought about just writing the MM problems out on paper with more space but that would be a LOT of work. I'd have to re-write or cut out all the descriptions and instructions as well. It may come down to that if I can't find something else. :sad: Thanks! That is EXACTLY what I was going to suggest. Around level 4/5 is when MM got to be a little overwhelming for my DD. I added in Simple Solutions Common Core Math to give her some spiral review. I also pulled out problems for her to work on the white board if she was feeling overwhelmed and eliminated problems if it appeared she understood a concept well. I'm so glad I hung in there through 4 & 5. I think by MM6 it got much better and she was able to complete the series through 7B. She is doing very well with Derek Owens Algebra 1 this year, I think due in large part to the foundation laid by MM. My recommendation is to tweak and hang in there. It seems like more problems are created than solved by switching math programs if not absolutely necessary. Hugs & good luck...math is so important and can be so tricky to find just the right fit! ETA: fix a typo Edited March 24, 2017 by fourisenough 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pegs Posted March 24, 2017 Share Posted March 24, 2017 If she does well with MM otherwise, maybe just take those tougher units and use a worksheet generator? http://www.homeschoolmath.net/worksheets/ I was just about to suggest this, but I'll second the idea instead. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alisoncooks Posted March 24, 2017 Share Posted March 24, 2017 Can you cover bits of the work up with small post-its? For my daughter, I just cross out sections -- the visual crowding doesn't seem to bother her as long as she doesn't have to do it all, haha. But if it did, I'd take post-its and cover the sections that we were skipping... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wheres Toto Posted March 24, 2017 Author Share Posted March 24, 2017 You know, I wonder if she would do okay if I completely blacked out the problems she didn't have to do. I was highlighting them so if she had a lot of trouble, I could highlight a few more for her to do. But it might be worth blacking them out completely and then if she struggles, doing a few more on the whiteboard or generate a worksheet at the site above. THAT is probably what would be the least work for me. :thumbup1: Thank you all for helping me to work this out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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