Masers
-
Posts
255 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Events
Blogs
Classifieds
Store
Posts posted by Masers
-
-
5 hours ago, Angela Mora said:
Thanks for your response! Do you feel like the review in TGATB is adequate for a fairly mathy child? My boys seem to catch on pretty quickly to most concepts. I do feel like the review in MLFLE is lacking...my son definitely needed more review in long division and 2 digit multiplication than they gave, but at least they do spiral back to it pretty regularly. Still—it could definitely improve with more mastery. How do you feel like MLFLE and TGATB compare? And what do you think about Kate Snow’s kindergarten curriculum? I’m planning to start my preschooler with that next year. Thanks—it really helps to hear from parents who have used the programs, even though things vary so much between kids!
-
I have recently made posts along the same line! (“Torn on math” and “Does this math curriculum exist?!”) I can so relate to this! Finding the right math curriculum is HARD. We are also using MLFLE, but are going to switch next year, as I feel it is too light and is not giving my kids the strong math foundation I want them to have. I’m sad to hear that TGATB was not great for you guys, since that’s one of the programs I am strongly leaning towards.
I would look at Kate Snow’s website and read through all her math curriculum reviews. I have found them really helpful. I am also really strongly considering Math Mammoth—maybe that would be a good fit? It’s a mastery approach. I am also more of an English person—struggled with math a lot more—so I am feeling increasingly uneasy as we get into older elementary grades. I definitely will be brushing up on my math...I think I’m going to order the first two books of “Learn Math Fast” to help get me up to speed. (Maybe you could use that program as a supplement for your daughter? Supposed to be great for people who struggle with math.) But, like you, I really want a program that is pretty instructive and will hold my hand through the teaching process. (Which is why I’m more drawn to TGATB! However, many posters have assured me that Math Mammoth gives parents enough direction.)
Have you looked at Math-U-See? It’s supposed to be really good for kids who struggle a bit more, and I think it has a kinesthetic element to it. I think I might start there, actually! After reading and re-reading a zillion math reviews...it seems like that might be a good fit!
-
3 hours ago, TK5004 said:
Masers and simplyalethia- I hope you’ll keep us updated and let us know how math ends up working out for you! I was in your shoes about a year and a half ago and it really is so stressful not knowing what to do for math. It’s such a relief when you finally find a great program that clicks with your kids!
Yes! I will. 🙂 I’m so glad that you found a successful program. I hope I will be able to say the same!
-
1
-
-
14 hours ago, Eilonwy said:
Maybe play math games with both together, it will be easier for the older but still practice & exposure? We’ve used Kate Snow’s games that way (Addition Facts that Stick) for my 7, 9 and 12 year olds all together, and I think Math for Love would have some that could work for mixed ages.
It’s hard being the oldest!Yes, for sure...he’ll insist on being part of any game playing. He stops his work every time I try to do something fun with his brothers, no matter how young it is. Which is frustrating, because I just want him to focus! 😜
-
1
-
-
15 hours ago, simplyalethia said:
I just saw this after posting lol.
Is this a 2nd son thing? My 2nd son is the same.
But what I plan to do if I really buy Math Mammoth is to get manipulatives specific to him.
So I'm thinking of STEM blocks, popsicle sticks and even cheap Matchbox cars as counters. He's obsessed with action figures so maybe toy soldiers? Not sure but I'm planning it out.
Thanks to @TK5004 I'm really considering it now.
Yes! That’s a good idea. I am just not sure what direction to go with him.
-
1
-
-
15 hours ago, simplyalethia said:
I totally understand and relate to everything you said!
I was leaning towards BJU. A friend of mine showed me Math Mammoth and I've rewatched YouTube flip throughs and it really does look like it's everything I'm looking for.
I guess it just doesn't look very pretty but the colored version seems doable. It seems straight forward that even if you don't like Math, you could still teach it.
So I've added the 2 sets in my cart on Rainbow Resources. The set has the work texts, answer keys and reviews. I know that I could buy the CD and print but since I would need to print for my 7 and 5 (soon to be 6) year olds, I think the set is cheaper. Or maybe I just love books?!😁
If I do buy it, I'm going to start them both at 1a ( go quicker with my 7 ) and then just move on to the next level when either is finished. But since both would be using it then I would just need to buy the extra books not the set twice.
Oh and she suggested that I could use Mathematical Reasoning by Critical Thinking Co and Singapore word problems occasionally.
That's where I'm at as of this afternoon. 😀
How does this sound to you?
Thanks! I think I’m going to buy a book regardless, just to have. They’re cheap enough that it’s definitely worth a shot. I’m going to still look at TGATB when it comes out, to see what I think. If it looks like like it hits our wish list, I’ll probably try it, too. Maybe use both for awhile and see what seems to be working best. I don’t know! That’s where I am right now!
-
1
-
-
1 hour ago, ElizabethB said:
There are several people who print it to have more space, I'm not sure exactly, you can ask or Google.
You can also cut down the number of problems:
If you get at least 9/10 right, that's all we'll do, otherwise we'll do them all--pick a few of each type, including more of the hardest.
That’s true...good idea! Thank you!
-
1
-
-
1 hour ago, TK5004 said:
Math Mammoth! I initially was hesitant to try it because of Kate Snow’s review. I believe she said it’s not for math-intuitive parents and that when a child has difficulty understanding a concept the program doesn’t offer a lot of help. Don’t let this scare you! I am so glad I went ahead and gave it a shot anyway because it has worked fabulously for my son.
Yes, the books are not visually appealing and it’s not “fun”. However it is a solid conceptual program with straightforward instruction that I can spend 5 minutes going over with him and then have him do the remainder of the page independently. I then review his work and we correct any mistakes together. We watch Maria Miller’s video lessons and play some of the practice games on Math Mammoth’s site. I add in Xtra Math for facts drill.
Because I am not a math person, I review the lessons myself before going over it with him. If we hit a concept that he or I struggle with, we can stop and take the time to research and find a way to understand it. I really wish I had had a program like this when I was in school, I struggled with math all throughout and always just thought “I’m bad at math”. Most likely what I needed was a conceptual, mastery program with lots of facts drill.
Math Mammoth is also among the cheapest options, and the teaching videos and games are free. Highly highly recommend!
Thank you for this! That’s exactly what I saw on Kate Snow’s review that has made me hesitate. I felt the same way as you, and the math I did in school was definitely procedural. Not good for someone like me. However, I feel like my son might balk at all the drill and the visually crowded pages, etc. in math mammoth. He catches on pretty quickly, and I feel like MLFLE has worked for us in part because of the LACK of review. He can handle doing three review problems, but would flip out at 30. And I kind of get it...I am definitely drawn to clean, simple, and minimalistic, and I feel a little stressy looking at the math mammoth samples. Which I know is a stupid reason to second guess something!
i May end up just buying it and going for it, since it’s not very expensive. It definitely seems like a strong program, and that’s really important! I don’t know that I would use it for my second son,though. I’d rather do something with games and stories for him, since he’s so drawn to that. And then I feel like if I do TGTB or right start or whatever with him, my oldest will freak out because his brother gets to do fun math, and why does he have to always do hard stuff, and life isn’t fair, waaaahhhhh! 😝🙄
-
11 hours ago, simplyalethia said:
@Masers Have you decided yet?
I want to switch from Singapore and I posted about that today in a new topic.
Lots of people (in real life) say Math Mammoth but I don't know why I'm hesitant.
I too looked into Horizons.
I had narrowed it to BJU PRESS math and Rod and Staff but I got an excellent comment today which made me scratch Rod and Staff.
I would love to hear what you decided.
Thanks.
I have not decided. If anything, I feel more confused than when I first posted. 😝
for my older son, I’m currently thinking either math mammoth or TGTB, but I’m not sure. I don’t think he would like math mammoth, but I could always supplement with “Fun math”. But then I think, “would I actually DO the supplements?” Because I was going to supplement more this year, too, but by the time we’re done with what “needs” to be done, nobody really has the time or energy or desire to do more. (Especially my son.) I think he would prefer TGTB, but I have concerns about the rigor and also about the “fluff”....that it’s time consuming without adding much. However, they are supposedly streamlining it...trying to keep the good and get rid of the “meh“. I Am anxious to look at their samples of the new materials before I make a decision. Ultimately, I want him to be a strong math student, but I also want him to enjoy math and I want to enjoy doing it, too!for my second son, I have even more choices. I’m looking at math mammoth, TGTB, right start, and Kate snow’s new line, “math with confidence.” I would go with hers, as it seems to hit everything I’m looking for, but I need to see the first grade samples, which haven’t been released yet. I suspect it will be too easy for him, but I’m not sure . I think he’ll be somewhere between first and second grade for next year.
I may order “learn math fast” to do over the summer, to hopefully get them up to speed on any gaps they may have, but also to give me a refresher course in middle school math!
So are you leaning towards BJU?
-
17 minutes ago, cougarmom4 said:
Could your husband make videos of the math lessons that you show to your kids each day?
Then you could watch them together and work through the assignment with your kids throughout the week. It could even be audio recordings, actually.Hmm! That’s an interesting idea! I’m sure my husband would be on board for helping in whatever way he can...it’s just a hard season right now with little (no?!) spare time. I’m seeking refuge in the bathtub right now after being with the kids for the past 12 hours while my husband was at work. And he’s trying to juggle tantrums (I can hear my 3 year old screaming now) with getting the kitchen cleaned, instruments practiced, younger kids ready for bed...sigh! But I love the idea!! Thank you! (And now I better hop out and rescue him!)
-
1 minute ago, Eilonwy said:
We do the books, yes. I haven’t tried the online version. We use other resources like games and Kate Snow books and sometimes “newspapers” that I write up with goofy bogus news and a Puzzle of the Day that is related to whatever needs more practice at the moment.
Wow, you are creative! 😆
-
1
-
-
2 hours ago, Not_a_Number said:
I think for easily frustrated kids, doing it occasionally isn't a bad idea 🙂 . I do think working on frustration tolerance is a good idea... but maybe not every day.
We were doing Beast at way younger ages than it's aimed it, which meant DD8 could do the concepts but couldn't handle the level of frustration. Now she can manage the level of frustration but she's past the concepts 😛 . We still do puzzles of that kind sometimes, but it's not the main course for us.
That’s true...there’s nothing to say we couldn’t just do it occasionally!
-
3
-
-
2 hours ago, countrymum said:
My 4th grader is not very independent either. A checklist and being 9.5 seem to help some. I have been working him to self motivation this year;) Patiently and persistently training children is as hard (or harder) as teaching them, hang in there, and don't give up on good habits;)
For sure! Working on character training and stuff like resilience, persistence, etc. we’re some of my major goals with homeschooling. I feel like I’m failing majorly...I just want to snap at him constantly. Like...just DO it! You’d have been done an hour ago if you just did the work! 😜
-
6 hours ago, Eilonwy said:
Changing methods midway does seem to create gaps, because they approach things in a different order. The books I know best are Beast Academy, because that’s what we’re using. From what you’ve said about your kids not liking frustration, BA may not be a good match, because a degree of frustration is designed in. As well, a friend who wasn’t so mathy found that Math Mammoth worked better for her because when her son got stuck with BA, she wasn’t sure how to solve it herself to help walk him through it, and with MM, it was more straightforward.
Yeah, beast was a disaster for my easily frustrated kiddo. Maybe it will be a better match for my younger son. He doesn’t seem to be as easily frustrated. I’d like to try it in a few years with him, because it does look like a great program. So you do the books, though, and not the online version?
-
16 hours ago, countrymum said:
I usually teach younger math lesson while older does warm up. Then i teach his while she works on the practice part. I do turn some of the "games" into worksheets. Not all of them, because sometimes the oral practice with mom is just what someone needs. It's not bery hard. I read the game directions, then jot down drill problems based on it. I do a parent intensive spelling program with them together, and do 1 on 1 language lessons. 1 does independent work while i do language and perhaps science with the other. We break for "morning" time about 10 or so to give the toddlers a refresh time. I am teaching them to play together without me in the a.m. and simultaneously teaching my school aged ones to focus with noise....a great lifelong skill!
I'm not sure how next year will work when I add a Ker student. Right now, I do phonics with him for about 15 min 3-4 days a week and math about 2x a week.....next year that will go up.
Just some ideas....
thanks! I switched things around a bit today, similar to this schedule, and it seemed to work pretty well. We had been basically all doing the same things at the same time...I just need my 3rd grader to be able to work a little more independently. He has always been so needy and gives up on things so easily! My *kindergartner* is much more independent and focused! Sigh!
-
1 hour ago, countrymum said:
Well I did use Abeka for 1st grade for my oldest.....RightStart B takes less time for me;) It is teacher intensive through C, but so far my younger than 3rd graders arent independent at all, and are way more productive under my nose. RightStart makes good use of my time. D and E move toward more independence, especially in warm up exercises, but still have me actively involved in teaching. My oldest isn't self directed anyway so I view it as time efficient as well as me having to be there. I had him do some multiplication lessons from math mammoth this year because he was stuck. I think they took as much time from me. Math is just teacher intensive;)
Very true! I think I just need to restructure how we do school so that I can have individual time with each kid, without the other 3 clamoring for my attention. I just need to figure out what that will look like for us. But I definitely need to accept that whatever new curriculum we choose, it is going to take more time and focus than our current program, and that is okay!
-
1
-
-
1 hour ago, countrymum said:
Just another angle. I have used/ am using RightStart 2nd edition. Currently, I have 1 child in level C and 1 in E. I have used levels A-E. It allows you to start algebra in 8th if you only do 1 level per grade with A in kindergarten. There are 140 lessons per level and a handful are enrichment and tests some of which I skip. The 2nd edition is way more teacher friendly than the 1st edition. I have found it mostly used and bought the e-workbooks since we have 5 children. Also i bought a cheeper balance from Rainbow resource....I bought other cheeper "off brand" manipulatives. Sometimes they dont work so well for a certain lesson (like their centimeter cubes weigh 1 gram), but mostly it works, or I make it;) I've upgraded some manipulatives as we go along and I see using it long term.
I dont find it time consuming mostly 15-20 min for A and only a bit more for B. C and D are more like 20-30 depending on focus of child and whether it is a geometry drawing lesson. Those take longer. E is longer like 45 min or an hour if my son is not focused. Some days though it's more like 30 min. I find that there is sometimes not enough drill. I use Math mammoth pages or more likely problems from Strayer-Upton, make my own, add flash cards or reciting facts, or another game.....depends on the concept and the child.
I would look at the placement on the RightStart website. Your daughter is probably in B. They have great e-mail and phone placement help too. They will help with a sticking concept too.
A is the most "jumpy". It is really just a playful and interesting introduction to formal math...I really like it for 5 year olds;) The later levels (D and E) are more like several lessons on 1 topic then move on and come back later more in depth. C drove me nuts with the first child. It is going better this time around. It is kind of a transition level and also stretches math thinking. Older had not much patience for it;) Also the objectives in the front of each book are a great help for kbowing what to focus on and what is just an introduction.
Sorry for the novel...let me know if you have any questions.
Also, I'd do math mammoth for older, unless he's really hands on or pencil phobic then I'd talk to RightStart about placement. I'd do RightStart with younger. Math Mammoth is visually cluttered and lots of black and white. They do have a color edition now! Also RightStart will go into Math Mammoth well if you want to switch younger later. Both these programs are written by mathematicians and have a good long track record. These were important points for me.
Thanks, I agree with you. I think right start looks ideal for kindy-first grade, and math mammoth for later. I also like that they have good track records and see, very mathematically sound. I keep seeing every single review say that right start is very time and teacher intensive, and that’s the main hesitation for me. Although good to hear that you get through lessons more quickly. I have seen reviews that say that math mammoth is not good for moms who need extra Instruction and hand-holding, so that is my hesitation with that program! (Although other posters on here disagree, so who knows!) I still like the sound of TGTB, but I do agree that the unproven track record is concerning. I like that a lot of moms can say, “my kid did math mammoth and ended up with great SAT scores and majored in math”, you know? I should have thought more about that with MLFLE...there aren’t those testimonials out there...just math-phobic moms like me who are like, “oh, it’s so easy and wonderful!” Lol.
-
1 minute ago, lewelma said:
This nonprofit group got a grant from the UK government to research the best math teaching methods in Europe. They found that the Hungarian approach was the most rigorous and the most based in educational theory for how children learn math. They took the Hungarian program and translated it into English, and then over the next 15 years created a full program K-12 including a complete 'how to teach' section for teachers. It is a well researched, well designed program. Plus its free!
Argh! So many options! 😜
-
1
-
-
8 minutes ago, lewelma said:
Have you looked at MEP? It is a full K-12 program out of the UK that is available for free. It takes a bit of time to understand how to implement it, but it does have strong content for the teacher, and it has great puzzlers to challenge kids. And since it is free, you can just look at it to see if you like it.
No, I haven’t! But thanks for the suggestion, I’ll check it out! 🙂
-
35 minutes ago, seemesew said:
If your first grader is doing level 1 master books than he might not be ready for tgab level 2. I have used mlfle for a 3 years and its a good year behind tgab. Tgab K program is similar to level 1 mlfle in the concepts taught but it goes much deeper into them.
Whatever you choose do the placement! mlfle is behind all other curriculums I have tried.
As for the question about rigor I think it is. Its a little deceptive though because my son likes it so much sometimes I feel like maybe he isn't learning, lol! But he has been applying that learning to real life and not one of my other kids has done that with anything else we've used (they even had GOOD teachers in school and never had this). But you may need to summarize like the previous poster said as the wording gets long in some lessons.
Dang. Yes. I’m bummed that I used MLFLE for two years. I feel like I’ve set them back. At least I at least had them working a grade ahead, so hopefully they’ll be somewhat at grade level. 😞 my goal was to have them AHEAD, not behind! Gah.
-
3 hours ago, SRoss5 said:
Good questions. My girl loves TGTB it will be hard to switch her. TGTB was easy to accelerate and because my kids know their facts from Kate snows books the lessons are about 30-40 min. I combine lessons when we can. TGTB does an excellent job with place value for the average kid. Beast 2A has a fun unit on place value we did last year. My kids loved it and couldn’t wait to do pirate math, especially my boy. Beast is more his flavor. I would love to get my hands on the upper levels of TGTB so we can see how in depth it is. I want my kids to love math and right now TGtB does that.
With right start I swear my kids sat there why I tried to figure out what we were doing. Even after I read ahead. It was not open and go and it was academically too easy. I probably should have started them with B. I love the abacus though. We still pull it out.Interesting! Yes, I think my sons would like TGTB the most, so I’d like to look at it in-depth. I’m really leaning towards math mammoth, though. But I’m not going to make a decision until I see the new release of TGTB. I might actually look at Kate snow’s program for my first grader, too. I think he might be ready for a second grade level, so I’ll have to see. Thanks for the info! That helps!
-
1
-
-
3 hours ago, AnneGG said:
Coming back to suggest Outschool. You could outsource math once or twice a week and look for classes specific to what your kids are struggling with or focus on classes specific to conceptual or discovery math.
You’ve already received lots of curriculum suggestions, but I’ll add one more. Apologia. I haven’t heard much about it from other homeschoolers, but I think it looks hands on and engaging.
Ooh, funny you mentioned Outschool! I had never heard of it before, and stumbled across it last week and was super intrigued. I think my son would love some of those classes!
And Apologia does sound intriguing! I’m not seeing many reviews, but I’ll check into it further! Thanks! 🙂 -
18 minutes ago, SRoss5 said:
I highly suggest TGTB for your 1st grader. We have used it for the last 2 years and loved it. It is fun engaging and quick for all of us. I add in Kate Snow facts that stick book and occasional Beast unit. The lessons are a smidge light, but not at all light like master books. Much much more rigorous with the thinking required. The 1st and second grade books are definitely comparable with Singapore’s 1st and 2nd grade. We are able to work through the books quickly. I read a bit ahead and Often summarized. Our lessons are never long but we never used the math box. I had manipulatives and my kids don’t love games. (They end up arguing). Currently my 2nd graders (twins) are beginning TGTB 3rd grade. I’m bummed though. It doesn’t look as good. It feels really basic without the problem solving skills embedded. I think we can fly through the books before summer. I’ll probably end up switching to Singapore 3 for next fall or just keep adding more beast. Again I LOVE the 1st and 2nd grade books.
(FYI. I bought right start for k and it’s was my biggest and most expensive curriculum mistake. I don’t like spiral in a lesson and switching topics each day drove me nuts. I couldn’t see the forest through the trees and couldn’t accelerate because I was afraid to skip something they didn’t know. Everything we did was review. I think they only learned through prodigy that year. I found it very parent intensive, and I like teaching math).
Eek, it’s just sooo hard to know without actually using it for awhile! So, I’m your opinion, TGTB is rigorous enough and sets a good solid foundation for math? That’s kind of a bummer about the 3rd grade book, though. My first grader will either be doing first or second grade math (he is doing first grade for MLFLE, but he probably has too many gaps and not solid enough of understanding of some concepts to go into second grade for more rigorous curriculums), so I would hate to have him do 1-2 years and then have to switch again. Ideally, I want something that we can stick with for the long haul, so they don’t have these gaps.
How long were you doing math each day for right start?
Do you do Beast academy online or workbooks?what do your kids like the best?
thanks so much!
-
36 minutes ago, Not_a_Number said:
So, for what it's worth, I don't think order of operations is a concept. It's just something you memorize.
Place value, on the other hand, is a hard one. I really like playing poker chip games for place value, where I let one color be a ten and the other color be a 1. We used to play blackjack and have bets in green (10) and blue (1) poker chips. We'd also play this game with poker chips:
https://mathforlove.com/lesson/double-digit-and-dollar-digit/
I generally love the mathforlove site and recommend you explore the games they have on there. A LOT of games I've seen out there are really flash cards in disguise. The games on that site all demonstrate the ideas, which is much more important.
Perfect! Thanks! 🙂
-
1
-
Math Curriculum Woes
in K-8 Curriculum Board
Posted
Thank you!! Yes, Kate Snow’s program sounds pretty ideal...I know she was trying to take the best components out of different curriculums. I wish she had it for older grades. I LOVE that MLFLE is open and go...I am just not currently on top of things enough to do a lot of pre-planning and preparation. I’m deciding between TGATB and Math Mammoth for my older son next year. I just feel like I’m not going to be totally satisfied either way...and also like maybe he’d LIKE TGATB better, but Math Mammoth might be more what he NEEDS. So. I very well may get both programs, since Math Mammoth isn’t very expensive, and TGATB is going to be less expensive next year, too...and then try them both out. Idk! Let us know what you decide!