SpiritCatcher Posted September 22, 2010 Share Posted September 22, 2010 I was all set this morning to order CLE math and LA, now I'm not so sure. After reading the boards (I know, I need to give it a break :D) I have seen several posts about MM. I have not had time yet to check out this program. Can anyone tell me the differences of these two programs? Why do you think MM is so great? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpiritCatcher Posted September 22, 2010 Author Share Posted September 22, 2010 I just checked out Singapore and didn't care for the look of it. I tried to look at Saxon but it seems you have give info and log in to view samples. Am I looking in the correct area in Saxon? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8filltheheart Posted September 22, 2010 Share Posted September 22, 2010 LOL.....you are asking a question that will give you as many different opinions as there are posters on the forum. No one math program is the answer for every child. All kids learn differently. Some kids understand things intuitively. Some kids need to be taught them. Some need manipulatives to see the concepts. Some would be driven bonkers by manipulatives. Some need repetition; some don't! Honestly, what makes a good math program means something completely different to different families. There are some math programs that people rave about as the only means to a certain end (mental math and Singapore/Miquon/MM all come to mind). My experience with my kids differs. My kids have all managed to master the same concepts via a completely different path. I own MM 3A&B, 5B, and 6A. I think they are perfectly great math books, but I do not find them any better or more thorough than Horizons. MM is mastery whereas Horizons is spiral. I actually think the explanations in Horizons are better. It could be b/c I have taught Horizons with all of my kids and I know when I see what they are teaching where the concepts are going, so I can see the big picture of a 3rd grade assignment that seems strange but know where it is going in the long term. I think that b/c mastery programs have everything in a single section, seeing that direction is easier. CLE has plenty of people that love it. Before you abandon it b/c people are raving about MM, really evaluate what your needs are and what your child's needs are. Those are the concerns I would address far more seriously than what strangers are posting on a forum. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corraleno Posted September 23, 2010 Share Posted September 23, 2010 One of the main differences is that CLE is spiral and MM is mastery. MM is also more "Asian style" math. Here are a few threads on MM: http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=195462 http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=190849 http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=177719 http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=173774 You can find many more by clicking on the "Math Mammoth" tag at the bottom of some of the above threads. Jackie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disney Dreaming Posted September 23, 2010 Share Posted September 23, 2010 You can check samples of Saxon on christianbook.com. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpiritCatcher Posted September 23, 2010 Author Share Posted September 23, 2010 Thanks ladies! We have been using MUS because I liked the idea of the mastery approach, unfortunately it doesn't seem to be working for us at this time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corraleno Posted September 23, 2010 Share Posted September 23, 2010 MUS is at the extreme end of the "mastery" spectrum, since it only covers one topic per year. MM is more of a "mastery-oriented long spiral," in the sense that it covers multiple topics each year, and it will introduce a topic (e.g. fractions) lightly/gently in one year, explore it in depth the next year, and then go further in depth the following year. The practice problems are often multi-step problems that incorporate previously learned concepts, and there are also multiple cumulative reviews in each level that go over all the concepts from previous chapters. The problems in MM are considerably more challenging than MUS, which may be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on how your child did with MUS. Jackie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjpeter Posted September 23, 2010 Share Posted September 23, 2010 LOL.....you are asking a question that will give you as many different opinions as there are posters on the forum. No one math program is the answer for every child. All kids learn differently. Some kids understand things intuitively. Some kids need to be taught them. Some need manipulatives to see the concepts. Some would be driven bonkers by manipulatives. Some need repetition; some don't! Honestly, what makes a good math program means something completely different to different families. There are some math programs that people rave about as the only means to a certain end (mental math and Singapore/Miquon/MM all come to mind). My experience with my kids differs. My kids have all managed to master the same concepts via a completely different path. I own MM 3A&B, 5B, and 6A. I think they are perfectly great math books, but I do not find them any better or more thorough than Horizons. MM is mastery whereas Horizons is spiral. I actually think the explanations in Horizons are better. It could be b/c I have taught Horizons with all of my kids and I know when I see what they are teaching where the concepts are going, so I can see the big picture of a 3rd grade assignment that seems strange but know where it is going in the long term. I think that b/c mastery programs have everything in a single section, seeing that direction is easier. CLE has plenty of people that love it. Before you abandon it b/c people are raving about MM, really evaluate what your needs are and what your child's needs are. Those are the concerns I would address far more seriously than what strangers are posting on a forum. ;) Thanks for this! My youngest uses and prefers Horizons, (even though I try to supplement with MM) and I was beginning to think I had made a detrimental choice. I need to get off the boards. :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8filltheheart Posted September 23, 2010 Share Posted September 23, 2010 MUS is at the extreme end of the "mastery" spectrum, since it only covers one topic per year. MM is more of a "mastery-oriented long spiral," in the sense that it covers multiple topics each year, and it will introduce a topic (e.g. fractions) lightly/gently in one year, explore it in depth the next year, and then go further in depth the following year. The practice problems are often multi-step problems that incorporate previously learned concepts, and there are also multiple cumulative reviews in each level that go over all the concepts from previous chapters. The problems in MM are considerably more challenging than MUS, which may be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on how your child did with MUS. Jackie :iagree: Don't get confused at think that mastery means the same as MUS. MUS is not even what I would call mastery; I don't even have a correct term for it. Mastery is an entire chapter on a topic like multiple digit addition with carrying. You focus on that in that chapter. Then there might the be next chapter which is multiple digit subtraction with borrowing. Spiral means that each lesson covers multiple topics and the mastering of topics takes place over a time while you are reviewing old concepts and learning new concepts simultaneously. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8filltheheart Posted September 23, 2010 Share Posted September 23, 2010 Thanks for this! My youngest uses and prefers Horizons, (even though I try to supplement with MM) and I was beginning to think I had made a detrimental choice. I need to get off the boards. :tongue_smilie: You're welcome. These boards tend to be very opinionated and definitely "flavor of the month." A lot of people that disagree won't post b/c the voices **pro** something are so overwhelming and sometimes just plain ugly if you disagree with them. I do believe that SM/Miquon/MM are all great math programs. I just completely disagree that Horizons doesn't cover the same concepts (and I have owned all of SM (still own the challenging word problems somewhere), Orange/Red/Blue levels of Miquon, and I already posted the MM levels I currently own) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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