ChristusG Posted October 20, 2009 Share Posted October 20, 2009 We're using the kindergarten math book by the Critical Thinking Company. Has anyone used this? My DD loves doing workbook pages and these are bright and colorful. And we also break out the counting blocks when needed too. However, we're about halfway through this book already. So we'll be finished with it before I know it. I wonder what I should move on to? The first grade book by the same company? Or is there something else that I should be doing? Another route to go? Another program? Keep going with this method? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChristusG Posted October 20, 2009 Author Share Posted October 20, 2009 oops...didn't mean to add to this! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissKNG Posted October 20, 2009 Share Posted October 20, 2009 We are using that book too....Math Reasoning Level A, right? We use it as a supplement. I can't imagine using it as a core. My dd flew through the Beginning Math Reasoning Book for 3 and 4 year olds (the green combo book) in about 2.5 months....that was when I decided to use it as a supplement. We use Singapore Math as our core. When we complete a unit in SM, we do a few pages in CTC math before going onto the next unit in SM. SM is also workbook-like with bright colors (we use the Standards edition). We are in Earlybird Level B right now. DD likes it and so do I. And she likes the "change up" when we do CTC between units. I am a fan of CTC and I did buy the 1st grade book (Level B) to supplement when we are done with the Level A book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChristusG Posted October 20, 2009 Author Share Posted October 20, 2009 The front of the book says it can be used as a core curriculum. Should I not be using it as that? This is my first go-round since my kindergartener is my oldest. :D We've covered patterns, even/odd, number lines, and addition. We're just about to begin subtraction and then move into time, fractions, money. I've heard really good things about the Singapore math. Maybe I should get that book and see how she works through it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aurelia Posted October 20, 2009 Share Posted October 20, 2009 I like MEP a lot, and so does Ariel. It's challenging, with varied activities, and free! You could use that until your daughter is closer to 1st grade, or just move on to the 1st grade level of the program you are using. Year 1 is designed to be used with 5 year olds, if I understand the British grade levels correctly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LadyAberlin Posted October 20, 2009 Share Posted October 20, 2009 Yeah it says that it can be a core. It is new though so it remains to be seen how kids perform on tests after using it. I am using it alongside Abeka. I would just use CTC if it had a longer track record. I really like the Abeka we are using though. So it is up to you whether you want to use it as a core or not. I'm tempted to use their Language Smarts next yr. it is supposed to be a core too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissKNG Posted October 20, 2009 Share Posted October 20, 2009 The front of the book says it can be used as a core curriculum. Should I not be using it as that? This is my first go-round since my kindergartener is my oldest. :D /QUOTE] Yes it says it can be used for a core but that just doesn't work for us. My dd loved the even/odd stuff! I can't remember what they called each object but I told her if everyone has a friend, then it's an even amount. If someone doesn't have a friend, then it's an odd amount! She liked that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChristusG Posted October 20, 2009 Author Share Posted October 20, 2009 The front of the book says it can be used as a core curriculum. Should I not be using it as that? This is my first go-round since my kindergartener is my oldest. :D/QUOTE] Yes it says it can be used for a core but that just doesn't work for us. My dd loved the even/odd stuff! I can't remember what they called each object but I told her if everyone has a friend, then it's an even amount. If someone doesn't have a friend, then it's an odd amount! She liked that! LOL, my DD loved it as well. For days afterward she would go around the house looking for things that "had a partner." LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reya Posted October 20, 2009 Share Posted October 20, 2009 I LOVE the CTC, but I use it as a supplement! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NavyWifeandMommy Posted October 20, 2009 Share Posted October 20, 2009 You could just go onto the next level if you feel the child is ready or you could just slow down. My son is whizzing thru his math so I slowed him down to three days a week so it will be done at the end of the year. He gets it and really enjoys math but I don't want him 'ahead' of his grade. I fill in with math games on the other two days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissKNG Posted October 20, 2009 Share Posted October 20, 2009 (edited) I used the same book with my son. We then moved onto Singapore Earlybird. That is interesting because I think EB is easier (especially EB Level A) than the CTC Level A Math. Some of the concepts in EB B aren't brand new to dd, which is why I like to supplement with CTC - that is where she is getting some brand new concepts (like recently even/odd and the 4th and 5th position). EB does go higher with numbers (up to 100), I think. After we finish EB B, we are going to move onto Horizons Math K. That takes you way farther than EB does. I don't want dd to start 1st grade core math until she gets closer to 5 years old and I think Horizons K will be a good fit along with the CTC Math books (Level A now then Level B when that is done). Edited October 21, 2009 by MissKNG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emmy Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 Christy don't panic - it's fine you've been using it as a core. There really isn't all that much to kindergarten math and from what you've described you've covered a lot of it. No worries. :) In the past I've used MUS alpha for kindergarten and I've used Singapore Earlybird Math. This time around I'm using Math On the Level for the most part along with math games and various math activities. My 5yo loves the Sonlight math video which has visual explanations of lots of early math concepts. He also plays with manipulatives a lot and does various worksheets I find online. I'd start researching options for what you might like to use for 1st grade and beyond - when you figure that out then you can decide when to start that 1st grade book. Spring semester, summer, next fall, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dinsfamily Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 That is interesting because I think EB is easier (especially EB Level A) than the CTC Level A Math. Some of the concepts in EB B aren't brand new to dd, which is why I like to supplement with CTC - that is where she is getting some brand new concepts (like recently even/odd and the 4th and 5th position). EB does go higher with numbers (up to 100), I think. After we finish EB B, we are going to move onto Horizons Math K. That takes you way farther than EB does. I don't want dd to start 1st grade core math until she gets closer to 5 years old and I think Horizons K will be a good fit along with the CTC Math books (Level A now then Level B when that is done). I haven't used CTC, but I think this is accurate for EB and Horizons. EB is really easy. My ds had no problem with it at 3. Horizons K would have been perfect at 4 and he loves Singapore PM 1A at 5. Horizons K was a great lead in to Singapore PM 1A (YMMV with ages...ds#1 is pretty advanced in math). I won't be using EB for any of my other children because we didn't like it much and it didn't teach ds#1 anything he didn't already know. I might try CTC with ds#2 before going into Horizons K. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calandalsmom Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 Horizons should be arriving at my house soon thank God, bc earlybird gives me HIVES. It seriously annoys me so much. After horizons K we will go back to singapore most likely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissKNG Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 I haven't used CTC, but I think this is accurate for EB and Horizons. EB is really easy. My ds had no problem with it at 3. Horizons K would have been perfect at 4 and he loves Singapore PM 1A at 5. Horizons K was a great lead in to Singapore PM 1A (YMMV with ages...ds#1 is pretty advanced in math). I won't be using EB for any of my other children because we didn't like it much and it didn't teach ds#1 anything he didn't already know. I might try CTC with ds#2 before going into Horizons K. Yes, that is my exact plan: EB at 3, Horizons K at 4 and Singapore PM 1A at 5. I'm hoping to stretch EB out until next year with the CTC supplement. The only "new" EB concept that we haven't covered elsewhere is the tens/ones place values. But everything else has at least been introduced in the CTC math books. EB definitely doesn't have a kid adding and subtracting like HM does towards the end! I don't think the original poster should go to EB if she is looking for something after CTC Math Reasoning A. Horizons K may be a good bet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dinsfamily Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 I don't think the original poster should go to EB if she is looking for something after CTC Math Reasoning A. Horizons K may be a good bet. :iagree: Horizons should be arriving at my house soon thank God, bc earlybird gives me HIVES. It seriously annoys me so much. After horizons K we will go back to singapore most likely. Hee, hee...that was pretty much my reaction too. EB isn't a bad program, it just didn't mesh well with us. However, we love PM so far. D-Man did 14 lessons after dinner the day we received it in the mail. Around lesson 42, we slowed down to 1 lesson/day and it's the perfect pace. We're going to add in CWC 1 soon...just because he loves word problems and always asks for more. Horizons K was a great program for us. It would have been better a year earlier, but it still taught him skip counting and telling time well. He got bored by the end (around the time we received PM), but I just crossed out exercises that he'd mastered and all was fine. I will definitely be using this again with his younger brothers. I think it was the perfect precursor to Singapore PM 1A. After all of the addition and subtraction in Horizons K, he was solid on his math facts to 10 without any drill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skaterbabs Posted October 24, 2009 Share Posted October 24, 2009 My workbook-loving k/1-er is thriving with CLE. It's VERY, VERY gentle at the beginning, and really dosn't ramp up until after lightunit 105. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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