What is your favorite math program for elementary age?

[MommyInTraining]

I am looking for something that will make math concepts STICK!

 

Thanks!

[sagira]

No doubt this means different things to different people. As someone who's starting all over again (first grade review) now and a chunk of next year, I would like to know too :bigear:

[MommyInTraining]

For the record, here is what we have used in the past:

 

Shiller Math

Singapore

MUS

RightStart

Miquon

[sagira]

What about Singapore didn't work put for you? I'm sure answering this question will help others answer you as well.

[Woodland_Mom]

Saxon math has TONS of built in review. Maybe that would be a good fit for you.

 

We've been using Horizon Math for the last 3 years and I plan to continue with it. My boys like the colorful worksheets and seemingly fun "activities". I like the simple outline in the TM. They don't offer much concrete instruction, but plenty of drill work suggestions, hands-on activities and a guide to get me through each lesson.

 

The best way to make math concepts stick in the elementary years is to DRILL BABY DRILL. :)

[Closeacademy]

I like the way Singapore Math teaches concepts but Rod and Staff makes it stick.:001_smile:

[Aludlam]

I have a love/hate relationship with MUS.

[JudoMom]

We use (and have been pleased with) Saxon.

[hose]

I like the way Singapore Math teaches concepts but Rod and Staff makes it stick.:001_smile:

 

:iagree::iagree::iagree:

[Susu]

I've tried many programs, but for my kids (who are not math whizzes), the ones that really stuck were Horizons for Elementary, and Saxon for the middle years.

 

My kids liked them too. I think they are solid.

[Guest hometeachcolo]

My son and I love Horizons math--it has tons of repetition without getting boring, colorful pages, fun riddles and puzzles, and covers tons of material.

 

It is the spiral method, which means it doesn't drop a concept once presented but gives opportunity to practice with it, mastering it. It helped a lot with learning times tables. It also isn't overwhelming--some curricula have a page of 30 or more multiplication/division problems; Horizons usually has a page with many different types of problems, not too many of any one kind. This is way less overwhelming for my son--and less boring/monotonous. He gets practice with math facts, then, daily, but not so much it wears him down.

 

We used it for 4th, and are looking forward to it for 5th.

 

We in the past tried Singapore (1st, 2nd), which didn't have the repetition we needed to learn math facts and my son found very frustrating. We tried Seton math, which was good but had overwhelming pages as described above and did not spiral, giving practice all at once instead of throughout the year.

 

I hope this helps.

[Chris in VA]

Saxon Lady raising hand and waving.

 

I did it a year ahead, but you don't have to.

[EKS]

If you're not successful in getting concepts to stick with the programs you've tried, my recommendation is to read Knowing and Teaching Elementary Mathematics by Liping Ma.

[Catherine]

Rightstart for kids who are not math-intuitive, Singapore for kids who are.

[Mandy in TN]

I start Saxon with 54. Saxon would be my spine for middle school math unless I had another dyslexic like my oldest and then I would use MUS.

 

My youngest used MUS Alpha, Miquon book1, Singapore books 1 and 2, and Kumon math at the center. Everything he learned with all of this I could have taught him much cheaper and probably quicker with just the manipulative and some Kumon workbooks. So, for elementary math, if I had another, I would teach math through manipulatives (dominoes, dice, cards, cuisenaire rods, MUS blocks, etc) and Kumon workbooks until he was ready for Saxon 54.

 

HTH-

Mandy

[Nakia]

Check out Rod and Staff. That's what I use for my mathy kid and my not-so-mathy kid. I love it. There is a perfect mix of new concepts and review.

[SilverMoon]

Check out Rod and Staff. That's what I use for my mathy kid and my not-so-mathy kid. I love it. There is a perfect mix of new concepts and review.

 

:iagree: My kids who struggle with math can take it as slow as they need it, or repeat sections that were particularly hard. At the same time, my math whizzes can race ahead as fast as they please. The explanations are clear and easy to understand, and the TEs are great for telling you how to teach the new concepts.

[Pretty in Pink]

I've always used Saxon and been quite pleased with the program. My kids are pretty math-y though. YMMV, of course.

 

I do really like Kumon workbooks as well.

[Corraleno]

Math Mammoth provides a strong conceptual foundation by teaching math "the Asian way" like Singapore does, but with much better explanations, more practice, and more review. It's all-in-one (no separate textbook, workbook, TM, supplementary books, etc); it's written to the student; it includes very clear, well-illustrated, step-by-step explanations; and it was designed specifically for homeschoolers rather than for classroom use by trained math teachers. It's incredibly easy to use, it's reusable for multiple kids, and it's cheap!

 

Here are some threads on it:

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=195462

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=177719

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=190849

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=154086

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=156464

 

Jackie

[Guest momk2000]

We love Horizons. We use it for early elementary grades and then move on to Teaching Textbooks. My oldest dd used Horizons through grade 2 and then began with TT4 in grade 3. I am now just starting youngest dd (grade K) with Horizons. :001_smile:

[blessedmom3]

Christian Light education !

Combined with concepts from Rightstart and Singapore .

Have tried these:

Rightstart

Singapore

(still own these and keep them as "reference math" )

Horizon (like it as a supplement )

Math u see ( like it for the video part only , the kids are watching it for fun)

MCP (boring for us)

Saxon (same)

and I have looked at Math Mammoth .. still drool over it sometimes but for now I am very happy with CLE .

[Lovedtodeath]

If I were starting all over I would start out with McRuffy then switch to MM. I am considering Teaching Textbooks as well.

Edited August 22, 2010 by Lovedtodeath

[Guest TheBugsMom]

All my kids have used either Bob Jones or Abeka throughout elementary.

[Alphabetika]

We use (and have been pleased with) Saxon.

 

:iagree: We also tried Teaching Textbooks with my middle dd, but it wasn't a good fit for her. Saxon makes for a much longer math day, but I think that's a good thing, and dd is retaining things better.

[Guest storybookmum]

RightStart all the way here. We tried Miquon, Horizons and Singapore first. RightStart let's my kids prove math concepts to themselves, and hang on to them.

[miracleone]

CLE Math

[Ellie]

If I were starting at the beginning, my first choice would be Rod and Staff. I might go to Saxon's Math 54 and then stay with Saxon, or I'd do R&S until my dc tested into Math 87, then finish with Saxon.