sagira Posted June 22, 2009 Share Posted June 22, 2009 (edited) Hello, everyone. Hope everyone had a great weekend. I'm addressing this forum again because I need help making math decisions. I'm following Charlotte Mason's methods for the most part, and we're having short, focused lessons (ds is only turning six this September), nature studies, computer study, picture study, poetry, nature walks and a nature journal/almanac. I have a question regarding math. I'm using MCP Math and Miquon Math. My original plan was to use Miquon Math as a supplement, but now I see the beauty of Miquon even more and I'm considering using Miquon alongside MCP. The plan is to have only 15-20 minutes per lesson. I was going to alternate days with MCP and Miquon, but I'm not sure I will finish MCP this way. MCP has a lot of problems on the second page. I could technically drop the second page and go back to it later as review and drill. WTM suggests 30 minutes a day every day on math for first grade. If I combine MCP and Miquon in one day, we could have one math lesson and one math lab a day, making it 30 minutes. What do you think? I will not have them right after the other, but instead have MCP Math, then Poetry, Penmanship, and other subjects. Later in the day I would have the Miquon math lab. It would look something like this: MONDAY MCP Math Poetry Penmanship History Spanish Reading Miquon Math Should I do math drill (should take just about three minutes with Calculadder) too, or just drop it for this year and consider MCP to have sufficient built-in drill? Is this too much math? My goal is for him to be solidly grounded in his math facts, but I do not want to overkill. Which of four ways: 1. Do Miquon Math one day, MCP the next, alternating between the two during the week, together with Calculadder drill (2 minutes) 2. Do Miquon Math one day, MCP the next, alternating between the two during the week, no Calculadder 3. Do MCP and Miquon on the same day, spaced apart, with Calculadder 4. Do MCP and Miquon on the same day, spaced apart, no Calculadder Thanks for any insight you can give me! :bigear: Edited June 22, 2009 by sagira Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted June 22, 2009 Share Posted June 22, 2009 Can't I give you another option? Miquon Math only, with Calculadders. Miquon will cover all the concepts that MCP will, and there's no use in doing them twice. Calculadders will fill in with the math facts that many people think are lacking in Miquon. I don't think it's necessary to predetermine how much time you'll spend doing arithmetic. I think you should just do the lesson for the day, however long that takes, and move on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sagira Posted June 22, 2009 Author Share Posted June 22, 2009 Hmm... I hadn't thought of that. The reason I like MCP is that it helps me teach math. So far ds enjoys it, especially the mental math in the beginning. At least in first I would like to use MCP Math. I already have it, I like the lessons and the teacher's "how to teach" sections, enrichment, etc. and ds likes the workbook format. I'm also weak in math, and enjoy the format, teaching helps and prompts. I need more hand-holding than Miquon alone would offer me :tongue_smilie: I do like Miquon a lot, and it is re-teaching me some concepts very well :) Any other suggestions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alison in KY Posted June 22, 2009 Share Posted June 22, 2009 I never did like to use more than one program at once, it just wasn't that easy for us to do. I do better finishing up one, then going to the next. Keep in mind, you do not have to use more than one program, kids have done great with just using either of these programs alone, so don't work yourself or ds too much. 30 minutes is too much time, even for my 10 yr old (he's all boy, full of distractions). So I would suggested starting off slow and seeing how it goes. You will probably find that you have to keep at those math facts, we're still doing addition and subtraction facts for the 10 yr old :001_smile:. I like to use MathuSee's free onine drill for my kids, so you could switch it up some with calculadder if you would like. You won't go wrong with combining, or just picking one...even though that probably doesn't help answer your questions. Just don't where him out on math by doing to much, play some of it by ear, maybe he's ready for 30 minutes, maybe not. Alison Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sagira Posted June 23, 2009 Author Share Posted June 23, 2009 Bump :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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