Math Mammoth, not enough review?

[Lovedtodeath]

True? and what can be done about it? Supplement with Singapore? Abeka Speed drill and test book? Something else?

[Corraleno]

I'm not sure what you mean by "not enough review" ~ do you mean it doesn't revisit previously learned concepts enough (like Saxon or another spiral curriculum) or do you mean there aren't enough practice problems?

 

Maria Miller (the author) describes Math Mammoth as a mastery program with a bit of spiraling built in, and I think that's pretty accurate. Both my kids are using it (DD7 & DS11) and it seems to have plenty of practice problems to me ~ in fact I often have DS only do the odds or evens. But if your child needs additional practice, you can buy packages of additional Math Mammoth worksheets that integrate perfectly with the worktexts ~ either by grade level (3rd-7th) or by topic (e.g. Fractions) ~ quite inexpensively ($4-7).

 

I think Math Mammoth is quite similar to Singapore in approach, although perhaps moving a little bit slower and breaking down the concepts into more manageable chunks. I think it may actually have more practice problems on the worksheets compared to Singapore (unless one is also using the Intensive Practice or Challenging Word Problem books).

 

Here's a helpful comparison of Math Mammoth to several other homeschool math curricula, by Maria Miller.

http://www.mathmammoth.com/comparisons.php

 

The page linked above also includes comments by several parents who are using it ~ interestingly, the first comment at the top of the page says "I love the way a new concept is introduced and then practiced, practiced, practiced!"

 

Jackie

[Lovedtodeath]

Thank you. I have seen several posts that say that MM does not have enough review. That is why I asked. I was planning to switch to it next year, and perhaps try out some of it this year.

[Homeschooling6]

We are using MM and have not supplemented or combined math programs. Although Brent wants to use two math programs so he is now combining with schoolaid from R&S.

 

I think if you felt the need for more practice you can use the "Gold" series or the 'Green'.

 

.

[Guest 4boys]

Also, it comes with plenty of quizzes and tests that you could use for review, as well as tons of links to online math games. I think MM does a great job at mastery. Once you are at the end of a unit, the child has a really good handle on the concepts. I find the units build off each other as well. So even if you aren't technically reviewing concepts, you are always using them in order to master something else. For example, my 7yo just finished the adding and subtracting unit in MM 2, where he learned to add in columns. Now he is onto the money and coins unit but he is using his knowledge of adding in columns to add up money amounts.

[razorbackmama]

I am one that said that it doesn't have much review. However, I will clarify.

 

The light-blue series does not have built-in review of other topics. However, when you revisit topics, there is review from when the child studied that topic earlier. For example, the child will do one-digit addition, and then when they come back around and study 2-digit addition, of course the concepts they covered the first time around will be reviewed.

 

But, for example, when the child is on a unit about fractions, the practice problems will all be on fractions, not 2-digit addition for review. MUS does something like this...my oldest just finished a lesson about writing numbers in exponential notation, but there were several problems on the pages that covered equivalent fractions, as a review. (I *wish* they would include some subtraction problems such as 20,000 - 13,789...he has seemingly forgotten how to work problems like that, and now I have to come up with review on my own.:tongue_smilie: )

 

So that is what I mean by "review." There are a LOT of practice problems in MM, but they are practice problems for that particular topic that the child is working on at the moment. There are NOT problems where the child basically has to revisit a topic he has covered currently but isn't right now. (This is also different from something like Saxon, where the practice problems of a lesson are essentially ALL review, and there are little to no practice problems for that particular lesson.)

 

Some kids can (and clearly do!) do fine with this lack of review. Mine don't. (As evidenced by Mr. Can't Subtract I mentioned above.;) ) *ALSO* if you DO find that your child needs to review certain topics, you can use the blue series, which focuses on topics rather than grade-levels. You would just need to figure out what needs reviewing and pull it in yourself. I personally need a more systematic approach, due to our school situation.

 

So by "not enough review," I mean that MM does not have built-in, systematic review of previously covered concepts in unrelated units.

 

Does that clear things up a bit?:)

[Lovedtodeath]

Does that clear things up a bit?:)

Yes, and it sounds problematic. :confused:

 

I will check out the Gold and Green series and how Singapore or Abeka could be used with MM to rectify. Or maybe I should stick with Abeka as my spine and just add MM in for extra practice.

[razorbackmama]

Yeah, I think it all depends on how your child learns best. My kids need some "reminders" of stuff they have learned before. Just dumb stuff like how to calculate the area of a triangle, how to divide fractions, etc. They can do a gazillion problems at the time that they learn it and get them all right, and they have mastered the concept. But then when they move onto something else they'll forget it somewhat (as evidenced by when it DOES come up in a review they go all "duh" on me:tongue_smilie: ).

 

Some kids don't have this problem at all. And still other kids need even MORE review, a la Saxon. So I think it just all depends.

[Corraleno]

Yes, and it sounds problematic. :confused:

 

I will check out the Gold and Green series and how Singapore or Abeka could be used with MM to rectify. Or maybe I should stick with Abeka as my spine and just add MM in for extra practice.

 

Actually it would be very easy to include review of previously learned topics, if your child needs that, just by adding in a worksheet on that topic once a week or so. For example, if you're working on fractions for several weeks, every Friday you could toss in a worksheet on multiplication, or division or whatever. There is a pack of 280 Math Mammoth worksheets from all levels available for free download here:

http://www.mathmammoth.com/worksheets/free.php

 

BTW, Singapore is also a mastery program; I don't think it reviews previously taught concepts any more than MM does.

 

Jackie

[razorbackmama]

Actually it would be very easy to include review of previously learned topics, if your child needs that, just by adding in a worksheet on that topic once a week or so. For example, if you're working on fractions for several weeks, every Friday you could toss in a worksheet on multiplication, or division or whatever. There is a pack of 280 Math Mammoth worksheets from all levels available for free download here:

http://www.mathmammoth.com/worksheets/free.php

 

Yep!:D

 

BTW, Singapore is also a mastery program; I don't think it reviews previously taught concepts any more than MM does.

 

:iagree:

That's why Singapore isn't our main math either LOLOLOL.

[Homeschooling6]

From MM website

 

 

"9. I am concerned that there won't be enough review. Do your books have review problems that continue to review previous concepts?

The program includes cumulative reviews meant to be used after each chapter. These have various kinds of problems, including word problems. When you notice that your child needs additional review of any kind of calculation topic (such as after using the cumulative reviews), you can use the worksheet maker included in the downloadable curriculum, and generate additional worksheets with it.

This worksheet generator requires an Internet access. If you don't have Internet at home, you can use it in an Internet cafe or public library or a friend's house, and save the generated worksheets on a memory stick to print later.

Also, the major concepts, such as addition, subtraction, multiplication and division, or fractions, actually get reviewed in a sense because they get used all the time. For example, a child who learns their multiplication tables will keep using them all the time in division and multidigit multiplication. Addition and subtraction strategies are used in word problems about money or measuring, or again when studying place value and large numbers. Division facts are used in long division.

I never make word problems to exactly match the lesson. By this I mean that a word problem found in a multiplication lesson might require both multiplication and addition to solve. Similarly, word problems in the other chapters will include multiplication. So, the word problems dealing with various topics (money, measuring, division, fractions) include the usage of all operations all the time (once the operation has been studied), and thus review these operations. The word problems in this curriculum constantly use important concepts that have been already learned."

HTH,

[lovemykids]

Well, I am one that tried to use MM as our main math program, and I felt that it didn’t have enough review. But then I am accustomed to Abeka, so, different strokes I guess. What works for some may not work for others...

[hmschooling]

Don't forget when you get the grade level packs, you also get the computer software for free, or you can purchase it. You can make worksheets, play games, make tests, etc. It's great! You can get very skill specific or a little more general, or even drill facts. It covers math and some Language Arts. The Grade level packs include reviews and tests as well.

 

We're using Add/Subt 2A&B and then moving into MM Grade 3. We came from Singapore 2B...my dd8 is making such progress! She uses the visuals on the pages to model with manipulatives and is suddenly having some great Ah Ha! moments!

 

I've said it before, but I think MM is a program with the best of two worlds...it has the good of saxon combined with the good of singapore, and dropped the things I didn't like from both. I'm using Earlybird K with my K'er and will move into MM Grade 1 afterwards. He could do EB in a month, but we're really trying to get the concepts, not just complete the page...it will be a much needed solid basis for MM b/c like Singapore, it's very conceptual. I think it's a great program and I don't see a need to supplement with another program. Just in the early years, use manipulatives (rods and snacks :) )along with the visuals and add in the fun of the Soft-Pac program she has.

[Lovedtodeath]

It looks like I will have to purchase early to get a good look at it. I am thinking that the Abeka test and speed drill book might be the ticket to keeping up with review, but I will need to see that as well.

[razorbackmama]

From MM website

 

 

"9. I am concerned that there won't be enough review. Do your books have review problems that continue to review previous concepts?

The program includes cumulative reviews meant to be used after each chapter. These have various kinds of problems, including word problems. When you notice that your child needs additional review of any kind of calculation topic (such as after using the cumulative reviews), you can use the worksheet maker included in the downloadable curriculum, and generate additional worksheets with it.

This worksheet generator requires an Internet access. If you don't have Internet at home, you can use it in an Internet cafe or public library or a friend's house, and save the generated worksheets on a memory stick to print later.

Also, the major concepts, such as addition, subtraction, multiplication and division, or fractions, actually get reviewed in a sense because they get used all the time. For example, a child who learns their multiplication tables will keep using them all the time in division and multidigit multiplication. Addition and subtraction strategies are used in word problems about money or measuring, or again when studying place value and large numbers. Division facts are used in long division.

I never make word problems to exactly match the lesson. By this I mean that a word problem found in a multiplication lesson might require both multiplication and addition to solve. Similarly, word problems in the other chapters will include multiplication. So, the word problems dealing with various topics (money, measuring, division, fractions) include the usage of all operations all the time (once the operation has been studied), and thus review these operations. The word problems in this curriculum constantly use important concepts that have been already learned."

 

HTH,

 

I would say that this is completely accurate. Unfortunately, for my kids, a cumulative review at the end of the chapter issn't enough, and I need a little more hand-holding as to when to bring in other review; otherwise I just sort of flounder.:tongue_smilie: