Another R&S math question--If you use it, do you supplement

[Nakia]

and if so, what do you supplement with and why? Is your child a mathy child or not? And does that make a difference in your decision about supplementing and the materials to use? Thanks!

 

ETA: I think what we might be missing is more "puzzle-like math" and game kind of stuff. Both my girls are doing great with R&S, but I just wonder if they would benefit from doing something kinda different once a week or so. Kind of like the way MEP does math, but I tried MEP last year as a supplement, and it was a flop. I couldn't figure out where to place them, and I hated having to use all that ink and paper to print if all off.

 

Any help for the clueless? TIA!

Edited September 3, 2010 by Nakia

[Closeacademy]

I used to use Singapore and supplement with Rod and Staff. Then Rod and Staff was the lead program and finally I just ditched Singapore because we weren't using it anymore.

 

We never hit roadblocks in Rod and Staff like we did in Singapore and there is just so much more covered in Rod and Staff and so much more practice.

 

I actually do introduce new topics with Waldorf style stories and have Rod and Staff do the practice work from behind. We really don't miss the puzzles because really I'd rather have them able to just do the math.:001_smile:

[daybreaking]

We use R&S as our core program, five days a week. We've been through 1&2 and are now in 3. On Monday-Thursday, we supplement with Singapore and on Fridays we do math lab activities (ex. probability, geoboards, pattern blocks, etc.). I do think R&S is complete on its own, but I have a very bright, mathy child who I felt needed extra stimulation. Last year, R&S 2 had a lot of writing, so we tended mostly to do the IP. This year, per my husband's suggestion, we let ds write in his textbook instead of copying over the problems and ds is able to finish each assignment in about 10 minutes, allowing us to do Singapore's WB, IP & CWP. I make sure to do a lot of hands on with Singapore, using the TB as a guide, as well as Heart of Dakota's suggestions. I especially like the Singapore IP, as it really makes ds think, since some of the challenging problems can be very tricky. Ds likes to call them brain teasers. :001_smile:

[2_girls_mommy]

We are in R&S 4 w/one child and 1 with the other. I have supplemented graphing from store workbooks and on my own. That is one thing that is missing from the early grades of R&S math, and I want them to have some basic knowledge. I have never purchased another curric, just store workbooks and I have used some lesson plans online from Core Knowledge here and there. Graphing is picked up in later grades, so I am not too worried about it. Everything they cover is covered so well, I know that there will be no problems.

[Nakia]

Whew! You all are making me feel better! I do.not.want.to.supplement! LOL! I have no much to do, and I think if I added anything, they might revolt! :lol:

[Jenn in Mo]

We paused in 1st grade and in 3rd grade for about a month or so to reinforce addition/subtraction and then multiplication. I supplemented with Rod & Staff and homemade worksheets and such. Singapore is excellent, but it assumes that parents will be helping the child at home with these basics.

 

I didn't schedule it in, but we also played math games for fun that helped reinforce the basics. Dominoes, dice, and an awesome board game called Can't Stop. This old board game helped more than anything with those addition skills...and the whole family loves it.

[Mallorie]

I'm just starting out with homeschooling, so take this as such. But my oldest went to public school where they did Everyday Math, until he was in 4th grade. We then moved the kids to a parochial school where they use Saxon. He's a smart kid, so he did well, and completed through Algebra 1/2. But there were holes. I think he could figure it out day-to-day, to get the homework complete, but if time went by, and I asked him to do the same math again, he couldn't. He did well, so was progressed quickly, but it just didn't stick.

 

We chose Rod and Staff this year for our homeschool. I put him in 7, at grade level, which I know is behind Saxon 1/2, maybe even by quite a bit. But he is really enjoying the "clean-ness" of it, and has requested that we stick with it. It's giving him review, it's simple and straightforward, and I think he's going to retain more.

 

The mental math exercises that I'm seeing my 4th grader doing with R&S are helping him too. I could see the hesitation with math starting this year with homeschool. After two weeks now, they are doing well, and much more relaxed.

 

Between doing R&S math and English, i'm starting to wonder why I didn't order more subjects through them.

 

(Not to knock Saxon, I have a veteran homeschooling friend who has done Saxon from the beginning with hers, and is very pleased. Perhaps if my kids had done Saxon at home, from the start, it would have worked better.)

[Colleen in NS]

and if so, what do you supplement with and why? Is your child a mathy child or not? And does that make a difference in your decision about supplementing and the materials to use? Thanks!

 

 

 

R&S user, with mathy kid here.

 

I've never used another math program with R&S. I sometimes wonder if I should use something else, too, or have my kids try to do a lesson from another program, as rec'd. in WTM, but I can't afford to do that. But, I do see my kids using their math skills in other parts of life, and I just rely on games and library math activity books. I have found some really cool activities in books, that occupy ME for hours! (geometry - I love geometry!)

[SilverMoon]

I have four using R&S math this year.

 

My oldest is not mathy, and gets no formal supplements. He does some Life of Fred for reinforcement after he's already learned the concept in R&S. He likes this and asks for it. Running both books at once will end up bogging him down in both, so Fred is saved for summer or "light" weeks when we don't want to drop math entirely.

 

My second is very mathy, works well ahead in R&S, and supplements herself all the time with random sources. She will pull out extra math worksheets for fun after school is all done for the day. She enjoys math like some people do puzzles. You could call it a hobby of hers. :001_smile:

 

My third is going to end up racing ahead this year too, I think. Another mathy kid. Right now I do add Evan-Moor's Daily Word Problems because he asks for it. He used the first grade DWP book for a space filler last year and really enjoyed it. This adds no planning or effort on my part. All he has to do is pick it up and do the next word problem.

 

My fourth does straight R&S for math. She's already using it a grade ahead, but sometimes it takes more than a day for her to finish a lesson. She's K age this year, using the 1st grade R&S set. She is academically precocious across the board, but I wouldn't say she has a mathy bent just yet.

[johnandtinagilbert]

I used it for one school year w/ my non-mathy kid. By the end of the year, we continued with it (7th grade) and began using Life of Fred pre-Alg, too. The combo was great and my son said he liked RS. He liked it was easy to follow, clearly instructed, and gave him the review of elementary math skills he knew he needed.

 

He hated Singapore, MUS, Saxon, and Abeka. We've gone on to only LoF and he finally loves math :)

[AHASRADA]

We combined R&S 7 with LOF Decimals & Percents. I'm sure R&S 8 would be a good fit with LOF Pre-Alg., now that it is available.

 

This is a great combo, because they have totally opposite approaches. R&S provides the step by step, clear and straightforward mastery approach. LOF offers out-of-the-box problem solving that stretches the student's understanding and application of what was thoroughly explained and practiced in R&S.

 

HTH,

[Nakia]

If I did want to supplement with either some simple puzzle type books and something with more of the why behind math instead of the rules, what would be a good one to use? I have actually been thinking about ordering the first book in the Life of Fred series for Anna. She actually doesn't love math, even though she is really good at it. She would rather do science or read all day. I think LOF might be kinda fun for her. BTW, any supplementation must be cheap. :D

 

What about something more "fun" to add for my non-mathy kid (the 7 year old). I do think R&S is a fantastic program so we won't be changing our main curriculum at all. But I think is she had something more fun added in, she might be more inclined to actually do it and not whine and cry half the time. If it doesn't come easy for her, she gets upset. Maybe I should revisit MEP for her. I just don't know.

 

I know I am asking a million questions, but I am trying to fill every gap. It seems to be a bit impossible to find the perfect math. :lol: Thanks for all your help!

[Nakia]

I think I might know what we are missing, and I started a new thread. I am thinking it is the logic type puzzles, mazes, sequencing, etc. For some reason, I was thinking this was all math, but I realize it's something different, and I can find a lot of that stuff from The Critical Thinking Company and Prufrock Press. I have been over browsing their sites, and I found lots of fun stuff!

[johnandtinagilbert]

If I did want to supplement with either some simple puzzle type books and something with more of the why behind math instead of the rules, what would be a good one to use? I have actually been thinking about ordering the first book in the Life of Fred series for Anna. She actually doesn't love math, even though she is really good at it. She would rather do science or read all day. I think LOF might be kinda fun for her. BTW, any supplementation must be cheap. :D

 

What about something more "fun" to add for my non-mathy kid (the 7 year old). I do think R&S is a fantastic program so we won't be changing our main curriculum at all. But I think is she had something more fun added in, she might be more inclined to actually do it and not whine and cry half the time. If it doesn't come easy for her, she gets upset. Maybe I should revisit MEP for her. I just don't know.

 

I know I am asking a million questions, but I am trying to fill every gap. It seems to be a bit impossible to find the perfect math. :lol: Thanks for all your help!

That's exactly how my son described LoF to a new home schooler this week. (Bolded above)

[Jenn in Mo]

I answered earlier that we used Singapore and loved it and paused for a month or so to reinforce the basics with Rod & Staff. I didn't mention that my kids were begging to be finished with Rod & Staff and get back to Singapore. I love R&S, they have excellent drill, but they can beat a horse to death. It's excellent stuff for those basics though. My boys are very mathy and thrive with the Singapore. Helping them (even as early as 2nd grade) with their Singapore math has even improved MY math skills. :D