MUS, Rightstart, Moving With Math

[Quiver0f10]

So many choices LOL. If you use one of these, which one did you choose and why? And why didn't you choose the others?

 

Thanks! :001_smile:

[jail warden]

I LOVE it! It amazes me how they teach mental math in such a concrete way that almost anyone can get it! My ds needs some more practice than they give sometimes, so we're working on games right now, but the thing is the WAY they teach it is just AWESOME!:thumbup1: And once he's had a little practice it clicks. I can't say enough great things about it.

[PeterPan]

Well that's kind of a huge question, lol. Seems to me each of those has their niche and would be best suited for certain situations. Even if you like RightStart (which I do), you might not have time to do it with so many kids. You might use it for levels A and B or just do the transitions book or some games to deal with a problem, but then use their original form (Activities for the ALAbacus) to supplement a more traditional program that lends itself to independent work. (BJU, Horizons, whatever) You might prefer MUS for the videos. Are you trying to pick math for a specific dc or issue?

[Stirsmommy]

Well I have my dd12 doing TT alg II for now. But for my ds with visual issues I have picked MUS. I like having the videos to show me how someone else has used all of the elements so that I can do it. Also ds may watch some of them with me. We are going to be starting as soon as all of my pieces parts arrive. My blocks should be here today and the student books will be here soon. The student books were the only thing I had to order new.

[Quiver0f10]

Well that's kind of a huge question, lol. Seems to me each of those has their niche and would be best suited for certain situations. Even if you like RightStart (which I do), you might not have time to do it with so many kids. You might use it for levels A and B or just do the transitions book or some games to deal with a problem, but then use their original form (Activities for the ALAbacus) to supplement a more traditional program that lends itself to independent work. (BJU, Horizons, whatever) You might prefer MUS for the videos. Are you trying to pick math for a specific dc or issue?

 

 

I am going to be using BJU math and homesat for all the kids and was planning that for my soon to be 3rd grader too. He has some learning issues and we are in the process of having him evaluated to find out exactly what is going on. I do think he is dyslexic, but I am not sure what else right now.

 

He has been using Abeka math and is almost finished their book 2. He can do the work, with my help, but he doesn't have his math facts down and he uses his fingers. They have him doing beginning miltiplication and division and he gets the concept, but he needds help doing the actual math.

 

So, I am either going to switch to BJU with him and use manipulatives, which I think would really help, or switch program types completely to one of the three I asked about.

 

The Activities for the ALAbacus book is extra help type stuff? I wonder if we worked through that over the summer if it would help? I am also thinking of buying their math games kit.

[Quiver0f10]

Well I have my dd12 doing TT alg II for now. But for my ds with visual issues I have picked MUS. I like having the videos to show me how someone else has used all of the elements so that I can do it. Also ds may watch some of them with me. We are going to be starting as soon as all of my pieces parts arrive. My blocks should be here today and the student books will be here soon. The student books were the only thing I had to order new.

 

Having the video is a big plus for me too and one reason why I prefer MUS over the other two.

[Quiver0f10]

I LOVE it! It amazes me how they teach mental math in such a concrete way that almost anyone can get it! My ds needs some more practice than they give sometimes, so we're working on games right now, but the thing is the WAY they teach it is just AWESOME!:thumbup1: And once he's had a little practice it clicks. I can't say enough great things about it.

 

 

Sounds good, thanks!

[siloam]

So many choices LOL. If you use one of these, which one did you choose and why? And why didn't you choose the others?

 

Thanks! :001_smile:

 

Jean,

 

We use Right Start here and enjoy it, especially the games and they can be played with multiple children.

 

Heather

 

[Tess in the Burbs]

I loved the program and spent a year deciding between MUS and Rightstart. I liked the video that taught the lesson and I would just be there to answer questions.....ah but it wasn't that way. My son struggled with the mastery of it all. While he loves the blocks for building the problems, it just didn't work. we both wanted it too. :-(

 

Rightstart is taught and then you play the games to cement the lesson. I knew that I wouldn't make the games a priority and they wouldn't get as much out of the program. they have however played some of the games with friends. It's worth getting the games pack just for fun. but my kids have so many games they enjoy...it wasn't the right program for us.

 

good luck deciding. we just started with Horizons. so far both kids like it!

[PeterPan]

Jean, The Activities for the ALAbacus book is the original form of the RS program. Later Dr. Cotter went back and broke it into individual grade levels of material that contain all the state standards (geometry, time, etc.). With AfA, you're getting just add/sub/mult/divid, etc. the RS way. It's the perfect way to supplement another curriculum. RS is so very similar to BJU that I think you'd find it very easy to mesh the two. We went from RS D into BJU and have found it a very happy transition. Also, did you know BJU has a number of supplemental workbooks meant to correlate to their math? You can see samples of each at http://www.bjup.com

 

-Spread Your Wings--This book provides remedial review. It might be just the thing to have your ds do over the summer, using AfA as a guide for how to present the concepts. AfA will present them in order how you teach them, so you would teach from it then do the exercises in the workbook then play some games. (Yes, you'll like the Games Kit!)

-Spring Into Action--This has more practice on the topic of the day. My teacher friend assigns it as homework in her class. Maybe your homesat class does that too?

-Stretch Your Mind--This is a challenging problems book.

-Reviews--This has fact drill and spiral review. Might be something for him to do next year along with his regular assignment, if he's the type who needs spiral review to keep things fresh.

 

I don't know about learning issues and what might suit him best, but those are the resources I know about with BJU and RS. Obviously it would be easiest for you if you could keep him in BJU, since the homesat will do the bulk of the work, and just supplement with more manipulatives, etc. to get things to click. Also, have you called the homesat people to talk with them about his situation and see what they suggest? Those are experienced, veteran teachers teaching the classes, so they should be able to give you some good help. (Not like every kid in the classes breezes by! He's not the only one!)

[Quiver0f10]

Jean, The Activities for the ALAbacus book is the original form of the RS program. Later Dr. Cotter went back and broke it into individual grade levels of material that contain all the state standards (geometry, time, etc.). With AfA, you're getting just add/sub/mult/divid, etc. the RS way. It's the perfect way to supplement another curriculum. RS is so very similar to BJU that I think you'd find it very easy to mesh the two. We went from RS D into BJU and have found it a very happy transition. Also, did you know BJU has a number of supplemental workbooks meant to correlate to their math? You can see samples of each at www.bjup.com

 

-Spread Your Wings--This book provides remedial review. It might be just the thing to have your ds do over the summer, using AfA as a guide for how to present the concepts. AfA will present them in order how you teach them, so you would teach from it then do the exercises in the workbook then play some games. (Yes, you'll like the Games Kit!)

-Spring Into Action--This has more practice on the topic of the day. My teacher friend assigns it as homework in her class. Maybe your homesat class does that too?

-Stretch Your Mind--This is a challenging problems book.

-Reviews--This has fact drill and spiral review. Might be something for him to do next year along with his regular assignment, if he's the type who needs spiral review to keep things fresh.

 

I don't know about learning issues and what might suit him best, but those are the resources I know about with BJU and RS. Obviously it would be easiest for you if you could keep him in BJU, since the homesat will do the bulk of the work, and just supplement with more manipulatives, etc. to get things to click. Also, have you called the homesat people to talk with them about his situation and see what they suggest? Those are experienced, veteran teachers teaching the classes, so they should be able to give you some good help. (Not like every kid in the classes breezes by! He's not the only one!)

 

Thank you so much! I didn't know @ the supplemental workbooks from BJU! I am going to look at them, but I am thinking I might do what you suggest and use Spread Your Wings with AfA over the summer and then in the fall use BJU with the review workbooks, using the Al Abacus as help. I really like that plan and I would still get to use BJU.

[Quiver0f10]

OhElizabeth, do I need both books-the Activities for AL Abacus and

the Worksheets for the AL Abacus?

[Sunshine State Sue]

When we started 7+ years ago, Right Start didn't exist. I looked at Moving With Math extensively. It is an extremely thorough curriculum. They had tons of different manipulatives. It was very expensive, too. If I was nervous about teaching math, that's what I would have used. But, I have a degree in math and didn't really feel like I needed a 1 inch thick teacher's manual for K.

 

I also looked at Making Math Meaningful. Inexpensive. But you had to collect all sorts of household goods as manipulatives. Also, I didn't like the scripted TM.

 

I chose MUS because it was in between the two. One set of manipulatives. Not scripted. Not a ton of teacher material. Middle price range.

 

MUS and MMM both have a reputation for being good for "learning differently" kids.

 

Good luck :tongue_smilie:

[PeterPan]

No, you don't need the RS worksheets if you're going to use one of the BJU workbooks.

[Quiver0f10]

Thanks!

[TundraAcademy]

We used both of these programs. We used MWM for 1st and 2nd grade, and Math Mammoth for 3rd (and 1st for my youngest son). MWM has a lot of good hands on ideas and moves a little slower. Sometimes I skipped over things. It is a bit more expensive and takes more teacher time.

 

Math Mammoth is very thorough. To me it is like Singapore Math with a lot more problems. My 3rd grader really took off with Math Mammoth, and actually seemed to enjoy the challenge. There is no teacher prep with MM. It's also very affordable. We bought it through Winterpromise. Im planning on using again for 4th grade and continue using the 1st grade with my youngest.