If you've left MUS in the upper levels, when and what did you switch to?

[rafiki]

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[Chloe]

:lurk5:

[specialmama]

*shyly raising hand.*

My name is Karyn and I used to be a faithful MUS user.

 

I left a year ago and switched to TT (a year ahead what they label the product: put my 5th grader in TT6). I left MUS because I watched the Epsilon & Zeta demos and just about died. It seemed to me that the content was made MORE difficult by the use of the overlays and other manipulatives. I just couldn't wrap my head around it. I thought, ok, so you want to SEE it, you want to use your manipulatives, that's fine, but ummm, you're making this WAY more complicated than it ought to be.

 

That said, I plan on returning to MUS for their Stewardship program. It looks great. Aside from that, I'm sticking with TT. If I had the money I'd spring for Chalkdust, but TT works great for us if a year ahead. :D

[Guest Cheryl in SoCal]

We are finishing up MUS Algebra 1 and will be sticking with MUS through high school because I've never seen a program that does a better job of teaching concepts. If I was to switch or combine programs it would use Chalk Dust because it too is mastery. I will never again use a spiral math program.

[HollyDay]

Epsilon is a very difficult program. Even the reps say Epsilon is a stumbling block for many. We were committed MUS users until 3/4 way through Epsilon. I switched that year to Saxon and finished the year out with 54. It was a great choice for the 2nd half of 5th grade. But, dd did not learn well in the Saxon style, so the following year, 6th grade, we did TT 7. That was a good transition. We continued into TT pre-algebra. But, for some strange reason, we went back to MUS for Algebra. Mostly, I did not want to commit to TT for 4 years (another story that). TT pr-Algebra did not prepare dd enough for MUS algebra. We had to go back to Saxon 1/2. She is finishing up 1/2 as I type (lesson 116, so about 2 weeks left). It was the best decision I could have made, she is learning so much and filling in so many gaps.

 

I tried to make MUS work. We supplemented with LOF and Key to.... But, it just remained stuck. I agree with the other poster who said the decimals (Zeta) video was...well.....more complicated than it needed to be. I will not go back. I feel I've given MUS a good try and it did not work for us. Locally, it is well thought of and used by many. I would say TT is used more locally, but Saxon and MUS are running neck and neck. A lot depends on your dc's learning style and goals too. HTH

[robsiew]

Here is a link to where I asked a similar question over on the HS board... hopefully it will give you some more info....

 

We are in the same place you are (Epsilon), supplementing with LOF. I would have to say this book is the first time my ds hasn't followed Mr. Demme as well. He understands the concepts though so he's able to do the work, just not the way Mr. Demme does. It's almost as if there are too many steps for ds. He's very mathy so I don't think he needs all the in between steps sometimes. I also have MM and asked ds if he wanted to try that instead, but he is partial to MUS so he doesn't want to switch at this time. I'll let it go awhile... I already have Zeta so we'll be doing that too.... not sure after that.... I haven't decided yet.

Edited April 30, 2010 by robsiew

[Lori D.]

We used MUS for gr. 5-8, using the old MUS Intermediate; and then the new levels of Delta, Epsilon, Zeta and Pre-Algebra.

 

For gr. 9, we started to use MUS Algebra, but starting in lesson 6 there were a few concept not taught in the video, and since MUS does not cover quite so many algebra topics overall, I decided to switched over to Jacobs Algebra, thinking it was very incremental and had a concrete example of how each algebra topic was used in real life to help our VSL DS connect with very abstract algebra. (The very same reasons MUS had been such a great fit for DS). Jacobs was only "okay" for this DS (older DS thrived with Jacobs Algebra and Geometry).

 

By the end of gr. 9, I could tell DS really didn't "get" algebra, even though he'd completed the Jacobs Algebra... So, we started this year (gr. 10) with MUS Algebra, and finished it for the first semester. It REALLY helped solidify all of the algebra topics for him and was a great choice for DS. This semester he flew through MUS Geometry and will finish it in just a few weeks (he is a very 3D thinker and geometry concepts connect easily for him).

 

So, we left MUS at the high school level, BUT... we're back again. At this point, I plan to have DS do MUS Algebra 2, and then reinforce/supplement with either Life of Fred or Lial's Intermediate Algebra. DS will not be going into any math/science fields, so no need for us to go the rigorous route with high school math -- but, we're not slouching either, as he WILL have a solid understanding of algebra (2 programs, 18 months!) even though it is not easy or natural for him.

 

 

re: MUS Epsilon

While DS had no problems with Epsilon, I think spending an entire year on fractions -- isolated from division, percents, and decimals which are all "kissin' cousin" concepts with fractions -- is rough. We had used the old MUS Intermediate program (has gr. 4,5,6 concepts in one book) BEFORE Epsilon, so DS had had some previous exposure to fractions, and in context with other math concepts. We also supplemented MUS in grades 5-8 with Singapore 4A/B, 5A/B, and 6A/B, which helped him see those concepts from more than one point of view. Using a supplement alongside Epsilon gives you something else to go to every so often for a break. Just an idea!

 

 

Just our experience! BEST of luck finding what math works best for your family! Warmest regards, Lori D.

Edited April 30, 2010 by Lori D.
added info

[Kate CA]

We are finishing up MUS Algebra 1 and will be sticking with MUS through high school because I've never seen a program that does a better job of teaching concepts. If I was to switch or combine programs it would use Chalk Dust because it too is mastery. I will never again use a spiral math program.

 

I could have written this post. :001_smile:

[meet me in paris]

We are finishing up MUS Algebra 1 and will be sticking with MUS through high school because I've never seen a program that does a better job of teaching concepts. If I was to switch or combine programs it would use Chalk Dust because it too is mastery. I will never again use a spiral math program.

:iagree:

Just switched to MUS - not in Alg 1 yet, but that was the purpose of the switch. Spiral approaches do NOT work for my dd, plus I love the way the concepts are explained in the videos.