Scuff Posted October 20, 2009 Share Posted October 20, 2009 I'd love to hear from those of you who have used these books. I've searched the forums, but there aren't many to read. Without a TM to fall back on, is it difficul when you need help. I'm fairly confident at teaching math, and really don't like using a TM on a daily basis. But sometimes it's nice to have that help if I'm having trouble explaining something. Typically, how much do you do each day? To get through the book in the intended 2 years, do you just do a page a day? How have your children liked it? Are visual children ok with it? Or does it bore them? It looks solid, but dry. I was good at math and had people trying to convince me to go into math. But I hated it because I thought it was boring. I am just now discovering that it doesn't have to be. I don't want to kill the joy of math in my children. What about a child who does best with small incriments? (actually, it looks pretty good for that, but I'm just skimming the first book) Is it good for understanding, rather than just following the steps, but not knowing why? I really need to drop MUS next year. I just spent 4 weeks trying to clear up misunderstanding in my son with double-digit multiplication. Turns out the explaination Mr. Demme was giving is what started it all. And this hasn't been the first time. I homeschool! I shouldn't have to deal with conflicting explainations between me and a teacher! I originally passed MUS by because I didn't want a DVD program, but eventualy tried it when trying to find domething for my wiggly, hands-on DD. But she's doesn't like the blocks and doesn't connect with math the way he's teaching it. She's understanding the math, just not the way he teaches it. I'm going to stick with it through this year. We already have it. I don't want to spend $ on something new and couldn't convince DH to anyway. And DS is excited to do Delta/division this year. I'm debating between BJU and SU Practical math (and by the time I make purchases, could be totally looking at something else!) And will likely keep the CWP and IP suppliment for DS. I want somehting that will give them a solid foundation, of course. I like the looks of BJU and we've used it in the past, but I don't like using a TM and am somewhat concerned they'll be missing something if I don't use it. (since I've often heard that much of the teaching is in the manual) I was hoping to find something like R&S English, where the book is pretty self contained. The child can read it themselves, learn, do the lesson and be done. I still work with them, but if I need them to work independantly, they can. And I'd like them to at some point be able to self-teach. So that they know how to learn themselves instead of feeling like they have to have a teacher tell them everything. SU looks perfect for that. But I'm not sure how to impliment it. I'm also thinking BJU just looks more fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chloe Posted October 20, 2009 Share Posted October 20, 2009 I was hoping to find something like R&S English, where the book is pretty self contained. The child can read it themselves, learn, do the lesson and be done. I still work with them, but if I need them to work independantly, they can. And I'd like them to at some point be able to self-teach. So that they know how to learn themselves instead of feeling like they have to have a teacher tell them everything. Why not use Rod & Staff Math then? It sounds like exactly what you want. My other recommendation would be Modern Curriculum Press. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walkermamaof4 Posted October 20, 2009 Share Posted October 20, 2009 I love right start for wiggly ones. my 9 y.o. is reviewing with RS and doing R&S 4 at the same time. It is going great. Math is not her strong point either. but RS is really helping her think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debbie in OR Posted October 20, 2009 Share Posted October 20, 2009 (edited) We use Rightstart as our spine but do S-U also. We will do one lesson of RS and one lesson of S-U every day. We are just about done with RS E and will go S-U and Systematic Math at that point. My VERY audio/visual son LOVES S-U and hates RS! RS is SO teacher-intensive (which is why my ds doesn't like it....the teaching part slows him down :glare:). But we are going to finish it because I spent months researching RS thinking it would be such a great fit for him and because he now has terrific mental-math skills. So, for what it's worth, at least for one very visual learner, S-U has been a huge hit. Plus, I love that I can throw the book in the car for trips and they can work problems and we have the answers with us. It has enough oral math that it keeps me involved as well. Edited October 20, 2009 by Debbie in OR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scuff Posted October 20, 2009 Author Share Posted October 20, 2009 I'm not really wanting to use Right Start. We use a lot of the same manipulatives and I like to get ideas from RS people. But I don't think I'd like it day after day. I start DD on the abacus for her MUS addition work. She hasn't yet made the 5 & 10 connection. The abacus should help with that. I've considered going back to R&S for DD, but we (DS & I) hated it when we tried it. And I found it to be heavily dependant on the TM. At least in the 2nd grade. Not really including instruction, like the English books. Are the older grades different? Good to hear from someone who has used SU. I'm glad your visual son liked it. Do you find there's enough explaination in the book? Do you ever feel lost on how something is supposed to be done? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debbie in OR Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 I'm glad your visual son liked it. Do you find there's enough explaination in the book? Do you ever feel lost on how something is supposed to be done? He does love it....asks for it specifically, as a matter of fact. But I do wonder if in some part, it's a reaction to not liking RS. At any rate, he does the work without complaining, which is huge, and always tells me he loves this math when he's done. (Where is the "Hallelujah Chorus" smilie?!) I have not found that I needed additional information to complete the lessons; however, we are using Book 1 with dd8 and Book 2 with ds10, so we haven't gotten into anything more complicated than mixed fractions! So, yes, at this point, there is enough explanation (and I am NOT a mathy person:blink:). I haven't seen Book 3 so can't speak to that. I also have a Math Dictionary that I keep on hand and use regularly. It has solved our math conundrums more than once! (That, and my mathy dh!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scuff Posted October 21, 2009 Author Share Posted October 21, 2009 What math dictionary? :D I'm probably overthinking it. But looking at Ray's (we tried Ray's a few years ago, for first grade) the other day made me nervous. There are some things that I never learned, like buisness math and figuring interest. I did take math into Calculus, though, so I could probably figure it out! But it scares me. :) I'm still going back and forth between this and BJU. I'm kinda thinking at this point of using SU as a spine and switching to BJU occasionally when we need a break. I do that now with MUS, when the kids have just had enough addition (or whatever) and want a change. And your son liking it because it's different reminds me of my son. I think part of the reason he liked MUS was that it was not R&S. We used it for 2nd and he hated it! Then MUS came along with a DVD to watch. Too bad the DVD drives us all nuts sometimes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tani Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 book 2 and my son is now in book 1. I have never needed a TM. With dd she did SU till this year, her 7th yr and now we are using Tablet Class math. She gets math but doesn't like math and has always tested very, very high with good mathmatical understanding. It has tons of word problems and the fractions were so good that she has never had trouble there, either. Ds I just started this year as he is has been slow for math to click. It has now clicked and he is zipping along nicely in 4th grade. He is learning multiplication but it also, at the same time teaches the fraction and the division, showing the 'whole' multiplication/division picture. I found with dd that by the time she finished book 2 and part of 3 she had covered everything that the main stream maths had covered. Has been completely prepared for pre-algebra and geometry. This reads somewhat disjointed, think I had better go to bed. It has been a looooooong day. Hope I made sense :tongue_smilie: Goodnight all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thowell Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 Am I seeing this correctly? Is the price around $15 for two years? Do all the years come with DVDs and how often are these watched. You have me curious now. I looked through the website and really like what I am seeing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scuff Posted October 21, 2009 Author Share Posted October 21, 2009 No DVDs. It's an old-fashioned, from the 30s, I believe. Here's a link Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thowell Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 OK I get it. What are the dvds mentioned on their home website for the K-2 grades? Do you feel this covers all the topics? We are using MEP and doing well with it but it is heavy on the TM and since I was not taught alot of mental math with dd9 I have to look up alot! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debbie in OR Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 Am I seeing this correctly? Is the price around $15 for two years? Do all the years come with DVDs and how often are these watched. You have me curious now. I looked through the website and really like what I am seeing. The K-6th math is Strayer-Upton Practical Mathematics. There are 3 books in the set and they include the answers in the back. Those books are about $15 each and are good for two years of math. At 6th grade, the recommendation from their site is to go into Systematic Mathematics, which is a DVD-driven program. These sets are still really reasonable, at around $99 for the DVDs and CD-rom. They are a bit dry, although the man who does the teaching seems like a dear, but I have watched parts of the Level 6 and I have had a few big "AHA!" moments. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zantoc Posted October 27, 2009 Share Posted October 27, 2009 We are using SU after a total crash with MUS and my boys are learning so much!! My husband poured over quite a few math curriculums(he's a math whiz) and really likes this one! I love the price and the ease of use. THe kids pretty well teach themselves and my husband does the teaching to them and correcting once a week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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