noseinabook: what math is it you use? and which science?

you all have been such blessings to me tonite. I am overwhelmed right now and trying to take a deep breath. I feel i have chosen many "intensive" programs because I love them so much, but it may be that I am overworking myself (and maybe my kids). I plan on doing: kinder: RSA, handwriting without tears, Logic of English Foundations, MFW K 2nd: RSB, cursive, Logic of English Foundations, MFW ECC, FLL, WWE, readers 3rd: SM, cursive, Logic of English Essentials, MFW ECC, FLL, WWE, readers MFW covers all social studies/science. I have considered dropping this in lieu of something more "doable". maybe SOTW and apologia? alternating, as you suggested. I am most concerned with stressing myself out so much that my days are not joyous:( I feel like I am choosing SM because I love the feel of it but i might also be choosing it because i want my kids to be very well prepared and i have just heard it does the job well. i am not sure if my kids are ready for the abstract part of SM. i mean, coming from RS they are at least somewhat ready for it. I would LOVE to just go with Saxon at 3rd (intermediate book) but I just think they'd hate the workbook heavyness of it and I worry it isn't building the concepts as well as SM/RS/Beast. MUS is what "I" want to do simply because i don't stress thinking about it. it seems so easy to teach. but i am not sold that it is what i think is best for my kids.

so you carve out one hour for each child and do all the intensive subjects during that time. makes sense:) what is AO?

I agree, 100%. that wasn't what I meant, per se. I need something that she can do a little on her own. She likes workbooks and so that part of RS doesn't fit her personality. For her, something more independent (after the initial teaching of the lesson and practice problems) would suit her better than my boys who did RS and did NOT want worksheets at all.

abb12- how extremely helpful of you! thanks so much for that info!! i agree on all points. and you brought up a few ideas i hadn't thought of. are you referring to MFW type four year cycles? that is what we use and i have often though that it is just TOO MUCH to fit in. i just hate dropping it though. I have considered doing something else, like SOTW for history, that can be adapted to CD use and easy to use for multiple kids (instead of MFW). i don't know. but you raise all good points. and Paige, I had to giggle at your honesty :) ! i am glad i'm not alone here. i just can't do math together and they aren't independent, so i HAVE to do that together. and LA too. those are our two intensive subjects.

I use RS now but I am entertaining switching. I like it but its pretty time intensive for me. What is your fav math for kinder? is Singapore Essentials as good as RS? Also, for review, i've heard of people using Simple Solutions, Math Minute, and then others using Saxon/Horizons, etc to hit review topics in addition to their math spine. What is your favorite?

LEXI! you are my hero!! how in the world... you wake up your kids at what time? that just sounds so painful. i am a morning person but i am not sure that I can do that. I do think, however, that I need to start earlier than I do. which is 9am. my kids are slow risers and take awhile to wake up and get going. I also plan to use FLL and WWE. I use Logic of English for reading and RS A and B, then I suppose we will move to singapore. I see you use MM... do you kids just not mind the cluttered layout and overstimulation? I wish it was layed out better...

I have a friend who used it and she loved it. she didn't use a teachers manual.

I have four kids, ages 7,6,4,and 3. I school my 7 and 6 yr old now (1st and 2nd grade) but next year I will have my K'er and then also my 2nd and 3rd graders (as well as my preK girl running amok). I sat down to preemptively set a schedule, you know the "what would my day look like" type thing. well, I do not know how I will get it all in and have time for my K'er. my boys are still young and so LA and math are not independent yet. I am working on it, but it will for sure require my attention at least for parts of it. If i could combine the boys it would be nice but I cannot. I am switching math and am heavily considering singapore... will this be a terrible decision for a math program for a mom on a time crunch? do you consider it an independent program (after the teaching from the HIG and textbook)? I have looked at MUS but i just don't care for the scope and sequence. I WANT to like it though. I am freaked about its more "easy approach" and the reviews i've read that it is easier and not as challenging and doesn't prepare kids for college as well. i don't know if it's true but it sways me against it. Teaching textbooks is out too. Math mammoth is visually unappealing. Saxon is to workbook'y. As you can see i've thought of alot of options. so how do you bigger families do it? and what do you use for math? would you recommend singapore?

thanks ladies;) so let me ask then: are you both using anything extra for review/practice, like the IP or CWP? Or the extra practice SM puts out? Would those make it a better program since people seem to think it lacks review?

that is a great idea Syllieann, I love that approach. especially the highlighter! I have a question about the C rods... I really want to start teaching this approach but do I need to do the miquon to do that? is there a simple or easier way to teach it? Ive seen some of the education unboxed videos, could i just watch those to help teach myself what to do? i really don't want to start a whole other curriculum (miquon) but i do want to do the C rods...

thank you all so much! you have all helped me greatly. I already own grades 1-3 of MM light blue series. I tried it but both my boys were very overwhelmed with the layout. It's not that math needs to be "pretty" but i think a certain child needs a certain thing, kwim? So i am hoping once he grows a bit that we can come back to MM. because I love it as well. Maybe in the mean time I will try singapore to see how it goes...

Debra, I didn't know you could use MM on the tablet... how is that? Is there an app?

I have four kids:) only schooling 2 now, but 3 in the fall and 4 soon after that. I want to know if MM has been easy to teach, or if it lacked in explanation?

hilltopmom- oh bummer! so what did you land on? I am thinking SM is my best bet. i hope it is as easy to teach as MM... i guess if i get stumped I can use MM or RS to introduce the concept... I really wanted a more open and go type program but it sounds like i may need to be okay with adapting the program.

wow, too easy, that's great! i have always heard SM is very easy to accelerate or slow down... but I have not used it. I do know that Saxon placement tests appear to be accurate. I think SM is so much more advanced than Saxon andthatis why she placed higher. Saxon is great but the conceptual teaching I think works wonders in SM. So I have a question for YOU if you don't mind, I am considering switching to SM for my 2nd grader. Do you find it difficult to teach? I am not terribly mathy but I know enough to be helpful:)

My kids do Right Start now. We are finishing up B and I want to switch to another curriculum. I like both MM and SM but for different reasons. My son does not love the visual look of MM and usually gets very overwhelmed. I could maybe help by covering some problems, etc, if I went with that curriculum. So please tell me your honest opinions on either for a big family to use (I need ease of use, ease of teaching, strong but appropriate even for not extremely MATHY kids or parents). I know both can be difficult to use for different reasons. What is your take on them? I've heard SM makes conceptual leaps where MM maybe doesnt. But then I've heard MM can sometimes be too brief in the explanation and more is needed.

attachedmama: i love your posts! they are so helpful! do you think singapore is easy enough to teach for a mom who isn't EXTREMELY mathy? i have use RS A and B for two kids so I understand their concepts well, I think that may help me in Singapore, but i've heard there are conceptual leaps that can be confusing. how difficult to teach is singapore? I would think it's easier than RS (intensive wise) which is what I am hoping for, since I will be teaching 3 kids next year and eventually 4... lastly, since there is all those great books(which i did not know about the process skills or mental speed book),could a person use those with another program (say... CLE?) to beef it up on the conceptual side? Or would it be too confusing having only a little "piece of the pie" of singapore?

mrsivy- what types of reading to do use, to help you teach singapore?

thanks guys:) I am considering the activities for the al abacus you mentioned Scoutingmom! Sweetpea- I cannot combine my boys either. they may be close in age, but far apart in math ability. I worry over your comment on the HIG... I have heard it many times... I dont' want to have to scour the web on "what was singapore talking about" kwim? but i honestly having found another program that seems as strong. MUS was boring to my kids. it simple moved to slow. we need mastery, but not THAT level of mastery. I wish MM worked, but it is too visually overwhelming. I feel "OK" teaching math, i mean, i have taught RS for 3 years and I like the concepts. I would hope maybe that might make singapore easier for me to grasp? anyone use CLE?

this is exciting:) Do you guys use BA as your spine or as a supp? Can it stand alone? I am thinking of using it next year for my then 3rd grader. Not sure if I want to switch to singapre in between then or stick with RS (currently on B)... thoughts?

Hello all! I have lurked on here for a LONG time and it finally occurred to me to sign up and post:) So here is me in a nutshell: four kids, homeschooling my oldest two at the moment (boys, ages 6 and 7, so 1st and 2nd grades). I have used RS2 since they were in K. My oldest is currently in RS2B. I like it, and he has made huge strides, but he picks math up easily. He hates mastery math, we tried MUS and I wanted it to work so badly! but he hated doing such similar problems every day. The issue is that RS is TOO scattered. He isn't recalling enough and I admit, I am horrible at the games. I have a 3 and 4 yr old also and life is just too busy often times. and before you ask, no, the boys just never want to play the math games together. SO... I am looking into what to move to once he finishes RSB. I have heard that RSC isn't that great,even the second edition. however I like the subtraction they teach. do i buy it just for that and then switch? kind of pricey... :( I am wanting to know, is Singapore Math easy to use for larger families? Is it less mom-intensive than RS at least? I am worried I might have difficulty teaching it. I am not "mathy", but after teaching RS I feel like I HAVE picked up a few skills:) Is singapore easy to teach? I want a strong mental math program. I have looked at CLE (not mental math enough for me though...) and MUS (bust...) and tried MM but the sheer amount of problems per page were major no-no's for my boys. I need something with less clutter and not so intimidating looking. thoughts? thanks:)