Supplementing RS with MM

[Celia]

For those who have done this, am I best to go with the light blue series, or the blue series? Because RS jumps around in topic so much, I don't know how one could possibly align another program with it. How do you do this? My toddler is going through a very high needs time right now, and RS just isn't getting done as frequently as I wish I could, but math must go on and I hear MM isn't quite as teacher intensive.

 

Just not quite sure where to start with this!

 

Thanks!

[Devotional Soul]

I could have written the same thing a few months ago! RS just wasn't getting done with a toddler on a search and destroy mission. So, I got MM 1A from the Light Blue series with intentions to supplement when RS was too much to be sure some math was done daily.

 

I tried to align MM worksheets with the RS sequence, but it was jumping around way to much for both me and my ds...and he needed more practice and review. Now, I'm supplementing MM with RS and it's going much better. I'm following the MM scope and sequence and doing 1 page per day, and then adding in RS activities that go along with it when possible. It's easy to look at the RS table of contents and find the lessons to pick activities from. We love the abacus and my ds uses it instead of drawing on the MM pages.

 

MM is way less teacher intensive. I still have to be with my 1st grader to encourage and correct him, but the lesson is based on the worksheet, not the teacher, like RS. I can be with the toddler more and my ds is learning to work more independently.

 

The Light Blue series is complete by grade level. The Blue series is by subject and covers more than one grade. I suggest going with the light blue for your situation. Be sure to check out all of the free stuff MM offers. HTH! Good luck!

Edited November 22, 2010 by Devotional Soul

[Celia]

Thanks for the input! I was wondering if maybe using MM as our main course was the better way to go, and hearing your experience with trying it both ways has been really helpful! I love the foundation RS is giving him, and with MM getting such consistantly great reviews, I hope we end up with the best of both worlds!

[PenKase]

Funny enough, I had my copy RSB out this weekend. I too am thinking of supplementing MM with RSB. Although we love, love MM here, RSB is phenomenal! I thought dd6 (almost 7) could use the additional place value reinforcement and mental addition that RSB provides. As we near the end of 1B, I see that my dd can "do" the problems, but has not quite cemented the abstract ability needed to master the skills. As it stands now, I do not know how MM addresses place value and mental math strategies in 2A/B, but I figure adding RSB a couple of times per week will be of great help.

 

HTH

[Celia]

Yes, it does. Thank you!