Can we talk about Math-U-See too?

[michelle l]

I'm loving the info on the Horizons math thread, as that was one of the math programs I considered. We ended up going with MUS. We do really like, and I'd say it's working well for us. However, I'm wondering what you all think of it. Ds10 is very mathy -- very intuitive. He hates writing down steps to a problem because he just does it in his head. I think sometimes he doesn't even know how he got there, he just gets it at a level where he knows the answer. Now, I DO make him write the steps because I know someday those numbers will be bigger and the problems more complicated. Ds8 is not as mathy, but he gets it and likes it. Dd5 is progressing very nicely with her MUS. I love that they are all able to understand and do everything that is taught and that math is not frustrating! ( I am not mathy at all)

 

I like the instruction given in MUS and love the hands-on and visual aspects. I don't think I'd switch, but am wondering if I need to suplement it with something else. I did just order a Mind Benders book and a Building Thinking Skills book for each child. I don't want to neglect this area with Ds 10 as this is a strength for him and something he could potentially really excell at. I welcome your thoughts on MUS and suplemental materials!

 

One other thing, do I need to introduce myself? I'm on another forum for something else and have been there forEVER. It's funny to be new.:blush: I'll just do it quickly here, then it will be done! New to hs, 4 kids, SIL and neighbor both hs so helped me jump into it, former ps 1st/preschl teacher which is why I feel comfortable jumping into reading/writing discussions but know very little about the nuts and bolts of different hs programs, enjoying reading and thinking about different educational philosophies and approaches, been home since my oldest was a baby, really liking hsing, really overwhelmed by all the choices. That's probably enough. Very happy to have found all of you!:seeya:

[rafiki]

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[Sunshine State Sue]

We used MUS from K through Algebra. You may read my review here. We supplemented with Singapore's CWP because MUS is weak in word problems. I hear Sinapore is coming out with a new word problem series this year. Some people supplement with Life of Fred Fractions and Decimals at the Epsilon/Zeta level.

[Lori D.]

Younger DS uses MUS, and we also supplemented with Singapore to help him see math from another point of view. He is our math struggler, so we also used various math booklets with manipulatives, and then some of the Key To... workbooks for extra practice. He is currently grade 10 and doing MUS Geometry (no supplements, but we will finish early, and so will use some material out of Jacobs Geometry to finish the year).

 

Older DS is very math-minded; he enjoys seeing younger DS's MUS video lessons, but has preferred other math programs for himself. He used and enjoyed:

gr. 2 = Miquon

gr. 3-6 = Singapore (3A/B, 4A/B, 5A/B, 6A/B)

gr. 7 = Singapore's NEM1 (half), and a skim review of Saxon Algebra 1/2

gr. 8 = Jacobs Algebra 1

gr. 9 = Jacobs Geometry

(gr 10 = sidetrack for Consumer Math)

gr. 11 = Foerster Algebra 2

 

I've never seen any better program for teaching math thinking and making math connections than Singapore, and highly recommend it. I also really like the video lessons for MUS, as Steve Demme makes the concepts VERY visual and concrete (an absolute must for our math struggler!).

 

If you can at all pull it off schedule-wise, supplementing your spine math with a second math program that comes at the topics from a completely different angle is SO helpful for students. Singapore is very easy to use as either a spine or a supplement.

 

Just our experiences, FWIW! BEST of luck in your own math adventures! Warmest regards, Lori D.

Edited January 6, 2010 by Lori D.
added info

[Lori D.]

He hates writing down steps to a problem because he just does it in his head. I think sometimes he doesn't even know how he got there, he just gets it at a level where he knows the answer. Now, I DO make him write the steps because I know someday those numbers will be bigger and the problems more complicated.

 

 

Kudos to you for enforcing that good habit early! Both our DSs, esp. younger math struggler, HATE writing the steps out. What helped when we hit pre-algebra: I awarded 2 points per problem -- 1 point for the right answer, and 1 point for writing out the steps. They quickly saw that they could get all the problems right and still fail the day's lesson because they hadn't done half the work (writing out the steps)! Conversely, they also saw that I would give them credit for their labor, even if they made a mistake somewhere and the final answer was wrong. Eventually they saw that writing out the steps actually DID help them, as it was much easier for them when we would go over the missed problems for them to see where they went wrong.

 

cheers! Lori D.

[Sunshine State Sue]

Kudos to you for enforcing that good habit early!

Yes. We have had to implement SESS or Show Every Stinking Step for Algebra. ;)

[Lori D.]

Yes. We have had to implement SESS or Show Every Stinking Step for Algebra. ;)

 

 

:smilielol5:

 

Fantastic technique acronym!!! :lol:

[LoveBaby]

We love MUS at our house! It has taken my DD from struggling and "I Hate Math" to really understanding and enjoying math. She even comments when I'm talking about a different math, "no, mom! I *love* MUS". I do supplement with Math Mammoth (similar in approach to Singapore) for extra practice on tricky concepts.

 

My very math minded DS is using MUS as well, but he is also doing Math Mammoth to give him more challenge. MUS is great for introducing a topic and Math Mammoth is good for expanding it and looking at it a bit differently.

 

I love the accessiblity of math in MUS both for my children and myself.

[robsiew]

We use MUS and absolutely love it! I think I'm probably in the minority that I don't feel the need to supplement. The older two kids do 2 pages of math a day, the younger ones 1 page. I fully buy into the "mastery" concept of learning math, which means you'll progress in a different fashion than other curriculum. Just the fact that my oldest ds, after spending an entire book on multiplication, is now flying through division is enough to "sell" me!) As far as word problems... the newer editions have more complicated word problems and mental math in the teacher's guide. I do those with the kids for extra practice. I also have them do the online drill on the MUS website.

 

I see all over the place that people are supplementing, but honestly I don't know why. My kids are learning their math facts, doing really well and loving math. They understand the **why** of math and I couldn't be more pleased. My eldest is really strong in math and he still loves his math. Why make things more complicated? Just my personal opinion....

[Quad Shot Academy]

I supplement with Focus on Math and Life of Fred

 

I am not sold on Life of Fred, but really like the Focus On Math series. I start them in Beta. They are very inexpensive and full color.

 

ETA: I supplement mainly for the sake of testing. My son could not identify 3-D geometric shapes or simple fractions like 1/2 on his standardized test. He also could not transfer the math he had learned, to the test, if the problem looked slightly different because he had only seen the math problems written a certain way. He could not think outside the box. The second reason is for math enrichment that is fun.

Edited January 6, 2010 by Quad Shot Academy

[kewb]

We use Math-U-See as a stand alone. I have not yet seen a need to supplement with my kids.

[jensway]

I have used MUS since Alpha and are on Zeta now. My son loves MUS, and understands it.:001_smile:

[michelle l]

Thanks for all the replies! I am learning so much from everyone here. One thing I struggle with in hs is that I can't touch and flip through the books to see what they're like. I'm very tactile when I shop, just didn't realize it would translate over to hs materials!:smilielol5:

 

Hmm...maybe that little emoticon is a bit over the top. I'll have to get used to the ones on this forum.

 

Singapore keeps coming up, so I will check that out for sure, as well as the others that were suggested. It makes me feel better to hear that people do think it's a solid program, and Sue, I really appreciated the review. Thanks for sharing that.

 

Great suggestions, keep them coming. I'm just trying to soak it all in.

[Mommy7]

The only reason I supplement MUS is because of achievement testing. I just don't like my dc getting stressed because they haven't seen something before. Then, I ask myself why I do that because testing is only for a few days out of an entire year. I guess it's just because I want my dc to feel prepared. I can tell them until I am blue in the face that they *shouldn't* know fractions because we haven't done them yet. But, somehow, when they have that test sitting in front of them, they get all freaked out and panic. I do hate achievement testing!!!! :glare:

[michelle l]

Luckily I don't have to do testing, though it will come up eventually if we hs into their high school years. We're just doing this year and seeing you it goes, so I'm also trying to keep in mind what they would be doing at school. I've let go of much of that already, but I still need to be sure they would be prepared to go back into school since we have only made a one year committment and will rethink it again once this year is over. Of course...I'm already looking at what I might use next year.

[mrsrevmeg]

We use MUS and absolutely love it! I think I'm probably in the minority that I don't feel the need to supplement...

 

I see all over the place that people are supplementing, but honestly I don't know why. My kids are learning their math facts, doing really well and loving math. They understand the **why** of math and I couldn't be more pleased. My eldest is really strong in math and he still loves his math. Why make things more complicated? Just my personal opinion....

 

I fully agree. One thing I always hear is that MUS is "behind" other programs in the younger years. My kids are doing things that their ps friends are not in math. They are learning, they are understanding, and they are ahead of the curve. I see no reason to add something. We have a full day of school as-is, adding more would just be overkill, imo.