MEP math - starting with Year 1 instead of Reception?

[JRmommy]

I am thinking about starting my son with Year 1 instead of the Reception level. Would we be missing any important concepts?

Edited October 14, 2010 by justicesmom

[Amy Jo]

I hope not because I've started 2 kids with year 1. But no, year 1 has a very gentle start.

HTH,

Amy

[Rivka]

We skipped Reception here, and so far no earthquakes or plagues of locusts.

[Spy Car]

There was no Reception when we started (old-timers :D) so we began with 1A.

 

Bill

[Farrar]

We started with Year 1. Reception seems different in style from the rest of the program in some ways anyway.

[MissKNG]

We started in Year 1 as well so I doubt reception has anything that is needed to move on.

[stripe]

No. But reception doesn't have handwriting: it has hand exercises (coloring and so on). If your child needs extra practice with this, it could be beneficial. It also has lots of games.

[Zoo Keeper]

No. But reception doesn't have handwriting: it has hand exercises (coloring and so on). If your child needs extra practice with this, it could be beneficial. It also has lots of games.

 

My youngest boy has needed this more gentle start to math; he does not have the fine motor control for number writing yet. My older two started at year one with no troubles. Depends on the child...

[stripe]

Indeed -- that's why I like it. Even Y1 does not have nearly such a heavy reliance on handwriting as, say, Singapore does (where the child is expected to know how to write all the numbers). The lessons in Y1 schedule one number per week, and then the child practices writing the number during that time. Obviously if your child knows them already, this could be omitted, but if you need extra practice or a slower pace, this allows that. MEP is very clear that they believe very young children should do other things to develop motor skills before attempting handwriting, such as rolling up ribbons and so forth, and also coloring.

[delaney]

No. But reception doesn't have handwriting: it has hand exercises (coloring and so on). If your child needs extra practice with this, it could be beneficial. It also has lots of games.

That is good to hear! I just sent 50% of it over to Staples to be printed and I was hoping it wouldn't be a waste of $$. I even treated myself to the putting the colored pages on glossy paper!:lol:

[Zoo Keeper]

Kristen,

 

Put the nice color pages in page protectors and have your student use dry/wet erase markers; this will make your investment last even longer. This has been great for my youngest boy--he is a bit of a perfectionist with his math and this has allowed him to erase and erase and erase (without spoiling the page) until he gets his lines the way he wants them.

[sleepymommy]

We started in Year 1, there was no Reception at that time. We went REALLY slow with it and only got through the first 20 or so lessons, we're moving along quite nicely now though.