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Dd is starting to hate R & S math.


Chloe
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She has used it since first grade and, although math is her least favorite subject, she has been content with R & S. Well, now for the past week she has been in tears doing math. She says she hates it, it's boring, and it takes too long. I only make her do about 80% of the problems, but it still takes her a long time. She is only about halfway through the fourth grade book because we have always supplemented with Singapore (one level below), and it took her much longer to work through the 3A/3B books this year. Math is not her thing. She asked if she could stop Singapore and just use R & S, but now that she doesn't get that occasional break from R & S she's getting tired of it.

 

Should I pick something else for her to use with R & S to change things up a little or should we switch completely? I don't mind taking a week off from R & S once in a while for a change, but now this has made her behind in the book. I am worried about that.

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I'd pick one or the other. Which text does your dd prefer as far as understanding goes? I can see picking out a few exercises from another text, to provide extra challenge, etc., but using two complete texts in their entirety seems a bit much. If she prefers R&S, why not just use Singapore's CWP series? These are the best I've seen, and I feel my dd has benefited greatly from the challenge.

 

I'd definitely heed the complaints, and switch to a more manageable plan for your dd.

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We've experienced the same thing! We've used R&S from grade 1 but about 1/3 of the way through grade 4 we just hit a huge brick wall. My dd especially just shut down. Even though we were doing half the problems, it just completely freaked her out. My son, who *loves* math began having problems as well. We actually backed up and did some Singapore 2A/2B ~ they LOVE Singapore. I want us to go back to R&S because I feel it is a solid program that we've had great success with, but they are doing so well with Singapore that we are most likely just going to stick with that for now.

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I feel that R&S is very thorough, so I don't really understand why a supplement would be needed. If it was me, I'd drop the supplement and keep going with R&S. Maybe take a week off from math right now, then start up fresh.

 

Another thing I do with R&S is, after I go through the mental drills and such from the TM, and teach ds the concepts (he has done the 4th grade book and is on the 5th grade book now), I scan through the actual lesson and see what can be done orally. Things like measurements (? qts. = 1 gallon) or "write the missing number".....anything that doesn't require writing out and solving a problem. There are times when there is nothing that can be done orally, but other times when a lot of it can be done orally.

 

Also, as a little possibility to catch her up a bit....many times the chapter review lesson has much that can be done orally with you - so we do a lot of that together, then I give him the test on the same day. You'd have to judge that, though, sometimes it can be a bit much.

 

hth

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We love love love CLE math! Check my blog for a thorough review of CLE math. Also, I've got a post comparing CLE and R&S math. This should be helpful for you. Click on "Curriculum Reviews" to find these posts. Let me know if you have further questions. R&S was too repetitious and dry for our tastes. All the best!

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with my dd who hates sitting down to do her math! I have heard great things about it, and I think having a scripted program will help me as a busy teacher!

 

Pammy,

We switched to R&S 1 after no luck with Saxon. DD does very well with the program. It's very laid back at the early levels. The only thing we've had a struggle with is DD memorizing all her facts. There's lots of drill with R&S but I'm thinking she needs more oral/audio practice so I'm ordering a set of addition and subtraction cd's for her to help her along. Otherwise the program is very solid. I usually only have her complete every other row of problems on her worksheet (front side) and then to the entire back of the page which encompasses other types of problems (skip counting, measurement, telling time, counting money etc.). I do plan to add in Miquon math for 2nd grade just for some added skills and a change of pace every now and then. So...all this to say, don't worry about your choice!

 

Blessings,

Caryn

Mom of 5

DD in 1st

then ages 4, 2, 17 months and 6 months

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Should I pick something else for her to use with R & S to change things up a little or should we switch completely? I don't mind taking a week off from R & S once in a while for a change, but now this has made her behind in the book. I am worried about that.

 

I've used R&S math gr 1-7 for four of my five children (didn't know about it with my oldest). I can understand the "sameness" factor in R&S. I agree *completely* with the poster about doing some of the work orally--there is much that is actually (IMO) more suited for oral work than for written work. And *especially* if your daughter is an auditory learner... It will probably be a relief to her to use her favored learning "channel." (You can also use flash cards quite effectively with an auditory learner to help cement those math facts....)

 

Also, for several years (grades 2-5) I chose to have "Friday Math" which consisted of doing 6-18 problems from Singapores Challenging Word Problem book instead of an R&S lesson. I didn't use Singapore as a complete program (R&S is our basal program), but I did like the looks of the word problem booklets. Like you, we used it a grade behind. Because of devoting one day/wk to non-R&S math, we had to finish the R&S book at the beginning of the next year.

 

However, because we did so, and R&S has such a great review scheme (including even the beginning chapters at the end of the year), I found that by taking the time to complete one year's text, we were able to cover the first 30-40 lessons of the next year's text in little more than a week.... The easiest way is to complete the chapter review, see if there is anything shaky, brush up, take the chapter test, and move on. That is because the first 3-4 chapters are mainly review anyway. By the end of sixth grade, all my children finished their math text "on time."

 

So, I wouldn't *necessarily* be concerned about being behind in the R&S text. And see if an increased oral "component" eases the frustration....

 

HTH,.

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I feel that R&S is very thorough, so I don't really understand why a supplement would be needed. If it was me, I'd drop the supplement and keep going with R&S. Maybe take a week off from math right now, then start up fresh.

 

 

:iagree: Great advice! There is rep coming your way. Another area I might think of checking is how well your dd knows her math facts. Summer might be a good time to get to know them really really well.

 

Gretchen

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I agree that R & S is very thorough. I only supplement to give dd a break and add variety. Sometimes I supplement with things printed from the computer or math games, but I also like to have something ready to go if I don't have time for a game or to print something. I used Singapore because I really liked it (didn't feel comfortable using it alone though), and dd liked how there was variety in the types of exercises. However, since she struggled with the 3A/3B books she doesn't want to continue using Singapore.

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:iagree:

Pammy,

We switched to R&S 1 after no luck with Saxon. DD does very well with the program. It's very laid back at the early levels. The only thing we've had a struggle with is DD memorizing all her facts. There's lots of drill with R&S but I'm thinking she needs more oral/audio practice so I'm ordering a set of addition and subtraction cd's for her to help her along. Otherwise the program is very solid. I usually only have her complete every other row of problems on her worksheet (front side) and then to the entire back of the page which encompasses other types of problems (skip counting, measurement, telling time, counting money etc.). I do plan to add in Miquon math for 2nd grade just for some added skills and a change of pace every now and then. So...all this to say, don't worry about your choice!

 

Blessings,

Caryn

Mom of 5

DD in 1st

then ages 4, 2, 17 months and 6 months

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I agree that R & S is very thorough. I only supplement to give dd a break and add variety. Sometimes I supplement with things printed from the computer or math games, but I also like to have something ready to go if I don't have time for a game or to print something. I used Singapore because I really liked it (didn't feel comfortable using it alone though), and dd liked how there was variety in the types of exercises. However, since she struggled with the 3A/3B books she doesn't want to continue using Singapore.

 

Hmm....then how about making the oral work the "break and variety" - I know my son loves it when he can do oral work in R&S! It makes the lesson time shorter and less tedious. Then just have games separate from official math time, just for fun for her in her free time.

 

I'm sure you'll figure out a system that works for her! :)

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