Packing up RS Math and almost in tears

[carlyincali]

Both my girls used RS Math from K-5th and we loved it. I am so pleased at how much my girls have learned and retained. But in those 5yrs, our family has grown by 3 children, and it became harder and harder to do RS Math with the girls since it is quite time consuming.

 

I made the very difficult decision to switch the math curriculum over to a traditional style (BJU) for my boys, who are now 6 & 4. (K and PreK.)

 

I hope I am doing the right thing. I feel so guilty for packing up such a great math program. I feel like I will be jipping my boys by not giving them the great foundation that RS Math gave my girls. Then, another side of me feels more freedom with the choice I made. Less time consuming means more time to the other children.

 

Not sure what to do... Any advice? Anyone been in my shoes?

 

TIA

[CamperMom]

They can teach what they have learned using the manipulatives and games.

[swainsonshawk]

Absolutely been there, done that. I loved Right Start math, but I just couldn't keep up the high level of teacher time when other kids needed me, too. We moved to Singapore math (which is not perfect, either) and I don't feel guilty anymore. I KNOW RS math now and I use its theories to teach Singapore. I use the abacus and the games all the time and I think they were the main strength of the program. Whether we like it or not, the younger kids grow up in a different family than the olders. We just can't keep everything the "same." They will get your time in other ways and will learn math well, too from BJU! You know as well as I do that you can only divide yourself into so many pieces and then you lose your mind and nothing gets done. I wish you well!

[prairiegirl]

Um, are you familiar with BJU Math?

 

I have used RS math for the last 5 years and I love it. I changed programs with my middle child as I didn't think Level E had enough practise for the concepts that it teaches. I switched to BJU. I, then, decided to switch my youngest to BJU as well because I think it matched her learning style better than RS.

 

So we are doing BJU 4 and 1. I was surprised at how teacher intensive it is. I find that it is more so than RS. With RS I could just open it and go. I can't do that with BJU. I have to read it over the night before and I still have to teach it the same way that I did with RS. Now, we just started this ( a month ago) so maybe I need more time to get used to it. I just know that I am finding this program to be very overwhelming for me.

 

BJU is a great program. I think my kids are going to enjoy it. I just wanted to tell you that if you haven't used BJU before, you may be surprised to find that this is fairly teacher intensive as well.

 

This is only my experience so take it for what it is worth.

[sbgrace]

I think any math at these ages is going to be "teacher right there with the child" type of intensive? With RightStart (as you know) you don't have any planning. I'd be more inclined I think to do RightStart A with the six year old at just 15 minutes per day and/or have the olders work with the younger. Or if the little one can handle A combine. When I got through B (maybe a bit of C) and the six year old is older and more independent but has that solid grounding I'd switch to something like Math Mammoth/CLE/etc. that is less teacher involved. Then I'd tackle the young guy at 15 minutes a day again--I'm imagining your olders, though, could handle 15 minutes a day with the little ones to teach RightStart.

 

If I didn't have 15 minutes a day for math I'd skip formal math for now honestly. They'll learn through life and you can start when they are older and more independent and grasping it all is faster and easier. I just can't imagine kids that young getting a solid math basis without someone right there guiding.

Edited July 12, 2010 by sbgrace

[KinderSafari]

We switched math programs for the same reason.

 

We switched to Saxon math with the DIVE Cds. The kids had many repeat questions for me, and the CDs allowed them to repeat the basics of each lesson as many times as they needed. The time they need me now has decreased probably 95% from when we did RS math.

 

This year I ordered a Saxon Teacher CD to try out. It explains EVERY problem - which is what my daughter needs. Haven't received it yet, curious to see how it will be.

 

We kept the abacus from the RS and still use it when I get a chance, so the youngest two know how to use the basics. The beginning levels are so awesome especially.

[PeterPan]

Carla, I used RS A-D and switched over to BJU. We're now in the BJU7. It was a good transition, very similar conceptually, and it was easy to integrate in RS manipulatives and methods. That said, I totally agree with the others that I don't see the benefit of doing BJU over RS with a 6 yo. It's not any faster. Personally, I would at least do RS B and through the 4 digit subtraction in C. Then switch them to BJU or Singapore or CLE or whatever you want. I think what you're really hitting on is the reality of a spread in ages. Mine are 9 1/2 years apart, and I feel that jolt of trying to think in algebra and preschool at the same time, lol. But I don't think the answer is to ditch all time with your 6 yo. The 4 yo needs nothing. That 6yo needs 15 to 20 minutes, no matter what math curriculum you use. They ALL need some time. You already know RS and like it, so you'd be super fast at teaching it.

 

Are you thinking you're going to do the online/dvd, and that's why BJU will be faster? You're still going to have to supervise. You might find yourself wanting to teach some of those subjects yourself so they're not doing SO much on dvd.

 

I'd see if you can swing the time at least to do RS B, then switch guilt-free.

[carlyincali]

Thanks everyone for your suggestions! I know I will have to spend a lot of time w/my K'er no matter which curriculum I use. I didn't know however that BJU requires so much teacher time, even in the higher grades. I have heard of Singapore, and that it was similar to RS Math, but never looked into it. I am going to check it out. I like the fact that you can use the RS manipulatives with Singapore too.

 

Thanks again.

[PeterPan]

Yes, BJU is designed to be teacher-driven. The meat is in the tm and the student book is often a trimmed down version. If you just hand your student the worktext or textbook, he WON'T be getting as much as he should be. In math, the extra drill, conceptual instruction, etc. are in the tm. In science it's all the thinking questions, extra hands-on stuff, etc. So yes, BJU is definitely meant to have teacher involvement. You can trim that down, and some kids can even do without. But that's not the norm, especially at age 6.

[Crimson Wife]

Thanks everyone for your suggestions! I know I will have to spend a lot of time w/my K'er no matter which curriculum I use. I didn't know however that BJU requires so much teacher time, even in the higher grades. I have heard of Singapore, and that it was similar to RS Math, but never looked into it. I am going to check it out. I like the fact that you can use the RS manipulatives with Singapore too.

 

Thanks again.

 

Math Mammoth is another program you should look into. It's based on the same Asian way of teaching math as Singapore & RS but designed to be "all-in-one". Also, MM does a better job of walking the students through the concepts step-by-step-by-step where Singapore makes conceptual leaps.

 

Definitely keep playing the RS card games no matter what "spine" you decide upon :)

[unity]

I have heard of Singapore, and that it was similar to RS Math, but never looked into it. I am going to check it out. I like the fact that you can use the RS manipulatives with Singapore too.

 

 

I think you could use the RS manipulatives and games with any math curriculum, couldn't you?

 

And, I don't think I agree that Singapore is similar to RS. RS is all scripted and full of games and tells you exactly how to use all the manipulatives. Singapore is a very strong program, but unless it's a new product, they don't hold your hand in the teaching of it. My boys went through Primary 1-6 and half of NEM 1 before we switched away, and my little one is using the EB right now, and it seemed very workbooky and in some ways the antithesis of RS.

 

I don't mean to put down either program; I think they are both excellent. Just maybe not very similar.