Choosing Math curriculum

[mommy4ever]

DD11 is currently using Math Mammoth level 4, as our math program here is set up a little different, and most of the level 5 items in most programs was well above her. We chose it, 1 - it was recommended by a few people. 2 - it was a download and we had to start the homeschool process suddenly so it was a quick solution. 3 - it had supplements to include Canadian money! And the metric system. Being Canadian, that was great!

 

 

Now, I have more time to decide next year So I'm investigating what to use?

 

Can one move from Math Mammoth to another program easily? Is Math Mammoth a solid, complete program? Are there any holes in it that I need to be aware of if I stay with it, so I can supplement.

 

I see many families use it as a supplement rather than a main program. Why is that?

 

I am also using it for dd6. We started with 1 and working through it from the beginning, to be sure she has a strong beginning.... but is she?

 

What are your recommendations for grade 2 and grade 6(math is more of a level 5 for her next year).

[PenKase]

:bigear:

[Wee Pip]

I own the 4a/4b (4th gr Light Blue) books and the Multiplication and Add/Sub 3 supplementary books (Blue series). I think the Light Blue series is complete enough. The Blue series makes a good supplement. For us, I am currently (and may continue, but not sure yet) supplementing with MM because I feel that parts of the books are too difficult. But I do want to challenge my kids a bit, and provide some of the mental math explanations that MM provides. So that's it in a nutshell for us! By supplementing, I can freely skip the pages that are too hard without feeling like we are missing something. (BTW, my 9yo didn't last 3 pages on 4a/b before I swapped it for Add/Sub 3)

[Corraleno]

The Math Mammoth Light Blue series is a complete curriculum; I've used MM as my primary program with 2 kids, and it's been very successful. I think the reason many people here are using it as a supplement is because they were already using another program, and they just added MM to it. Plus, it's a fairly new program, so not as many people are familiar with it. I've compared it in depth to several other programs, and it's very similar to Singapore (although IMO much easier to use). If you wanted to add *extra* challenge, you could do Singapore's Challenging Word Problems, but it's certainly not necessary.

 

Unless you're unhappy with it for some reason, I would stick with it, especially for 5 & 6. I think MM's explanations of fractions/decimals/percents/ratios are really exceptional. They are quite deep conceptually (better than Singapore, I think) and the problems are really good, emphasizing the relationships between them so that kids really "get" the idea that a decimal is a fraction, a fraction is a division problem, etc. The problem sets often present the concept from several different angles, so you know your student really understands the concept, rather than just plugging in numbers. If you do decide to switch (either next year or in the future), you shouldn't have any problem; my DS tested into TT Prealgebra after MM5b and is currently combining MM6a with LoF Prealgebra and a bit of KB Prealgebra.

 

Did you happen to read the article "Why Are Finnish Kids So Smart?" that was linked here recently? Finland came first in a comparison of international test scores, and the article cited the quality and training of the teachers. The author of MM has a Masters in Mathematics and a teaching credential from Finland, and she based her curriculum on Asian math, so I think combines the best of both worlds. :001_smile:

 

Jackie

Edited May 13, 2010 by Corraleno

[Lovedtodeath]

DD11 is currently using Math Mammoth level 4, as our math program here is set up a little different, and most of the level 5 items in most programs was well above her. We chose it, 1 - it was recommended by a few people. 2 - it was a download and we had to start the homeschool process suddenly so it was a quick solution. 3 - it had supplements to include Canadian money! And the metric system. Being Canadian, that was great!

 

 

Now, I have more time to decide next year So I'm investigating what to use?

 

Can one move from Math Mammoth to another program easily? Is Math Mammoth a solid, complete program? Are there any holes in it that I need to be aware of if I stay with it, so I can supplement.

 

I see many families use it as a supplement rather than a main program. Why is that?

 

I am also using it for dd6. We started with 1 and working through it from the beginning, to be sure she has a strong beginning.... but is she?

 

What are your recommendations for grade 2 and grade 6(math is more of a level 5 for her next year).

We haven't used it for long, but I will try to answer your questions. I started out with Abeka and started supplementing with Math Mammoth. The reason so many people supplement with it is because the blue books, yellow books and green books are written for this purpose... supplementation. Math Mammoth is so thorough and DD started understanding things that she didn't get before even after only missing one on her last Abeka test, so we switched to the Math Mammoth Light Blue series. The only area that I am unsure of at this point is drilling the math facts. Abeka has that as part of the curriculum and I am not sure if Math Mammoth does because of where we have started. Edited May 13, 2010 by Lovedtodeath

[mommy4ever]

Thanks for the clarification on it. The girls like it enough, sometimes I have to 'fight' to get dd11 to put it away. She gets on a roll and just wants to do more. Which is awesome. Although she is grade 5, she is working through the grade 4. But at the pace she is going, she is going to complete it over summer and complete grade 5 and start grade 6 next fall.

 

There is lots that I like about it.

 

 

1. It's a PDF. I know printing is costly, but I only need purchase it and pay shipping again. If she loses her pages when we are out, no big deal. It's easier to pack when we are out for appointments, just bring a few sheets, not the whole book. And dd6 can use it when she hits that level.
   
2. I like the flow, the repetition, the built in review sections. DD6 was struggling when we brought her home. Now she often just 'knows' the answer, doesn't need to count it out every time. She is on track, that she will finish grade 1 books in early fall and move into the grade 2 ones!
   
3. The explanations are clear. I was hesitant not sure I could do it. MM makes that pretty simple.
   
4. supplements included. As I mentioned in OP the Canadian money was exciting to me..lol. I love my neighbors, but it will be a long time before dd6 needs to learn the US monies by sight, as we don't travel. One day we will, but not in immediate future.
   
5. The links to math games online. Instructions for simple math games. It keeps it interesting. DD11 doesn't have as many and gets pouty, but she is invited to come and learn them and play with her sister and help her sister learn it(She feels so grown up during these times).
   

 

I'm sure there is more I love about it. I just was uncertain if it was a solid curriculum, since it is so new, and more so because I am so new at this. This thread has helped and I did further searching as well. I think we'll stay with it for next year and go from there.