Could you explain the abacus? Any reviews of Right Start for K?

[rafiki]

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[Greta]

We've used RightStart from the beginning -- now in Level C with my 8yo dd. I can't praise this program highly enough! We LOVE it.

 

It doesn't have a very high learning curve for the teacher in my experience. The lessons are semi-scripted (to me, just the right amount of direction on what to say, but with enough flexibility to personalize it) and there is a list at the top of each lesson of what materials you need. So you can just open it and go without any prep time. There is, however, a lot of interaction time between student and teacher for each lesson. This is not a program where you hand your child a workbook and they do it independently -- you're "doing math" together. It's really fun and engaging, though, and I think that it's a big part of why the program is such a success for us.

 

As far as how to use the abacus, you will learn that right along with your child. I couldn't remember ever using an abacus in my life before we started this program, but I just learned as we progressed rather than taking a "crash course" first. Of course, you could if you wanted to. And I'd be happy to explain in more detail if you'd like. But you really don't need to in order to use the program effectively.

 

Lessons for us typically last 20-30 minutes.

 

Did that cover all your questions?

[Tonia]

I'm using RS A with a four year old and we are loving it. I just did a review of level A a few weeks ago - here. My dd loves using the abacus - I think it is one of her favorite things to use during math time. Lessons are very short for us - about 15 minutes - not counting the time we spend playing math games. As far as teacher intensive - it is a one-on-one program - you have to teach it. It isn't as simple as explaining a few directions and handing a child a worksheet - which is one of the things I enjoy. DD is very social so she loves math time because it is something we do together. As for the learning curve - I find it very easy to use and I am not a *math* person. We like it!

 

Forgot to add - in my review I mention that it is one book with the worksheets included, but they've changed that now. The worksheets are now in a separate book.

[Holly]

We're over halfway through RS A and love it! We spend less than 1/2 hour. Some lessons we finish in one day, some take longer. There are about 75 lessons so it's intended to complete 1/2 lesson per day.

 

The abacus is really easy to figure out and really helps DD understand new concepts. Their abacus is different than ones with multi-colored beads. It only has two colors to help them visualize groups of five.

 

We're planning on using this program all the way through. :001_smile:

[prairiegirl]

I have been using RS for four years now with my kids. My oldest is in Level D and my middle one is finishing up Level B. I will be starting Level A with my youngest in the fall. I love RS. I have always been puzzled by comments that RS is hard to teach. I find it very easy. It is scripted and everything is spelled out for you. In the first two levels, you may want to look ahead because there are lessons in which you need to copy a sheet from the appendix. In the beginning, I would look at the next day's lesson so I would be familiar with what was happening, but I didn't have to do that for too long.

[GailV]

 

The abacus is really easy to figure out and really helps DD understand new concepts. Their abacus is different than ones with multi-colored beads. It only has two colors to help them visualize groups of five.

 

 

 

I think this is an important distinction. RightStart's abacus is different from others on the market. I think the RS abacus is absolutely brilliant -- the groups of 5 beads make is so easy to learn to think in groups of 5 and 10.

 

I have a hazy memory that Singapore encouraged seeing numbers in groups of 10, or else 5s and 10s. Maybe I'm wrong on that -- it's been years since I've looked at Singapore. Anyway, RightStart and its amazing abacus makes it (visualizing numbers that way) second nature. And that, in turn, makes mental addition and subtraction simple.

 

ETA: I do virtually all lessons "seat of the pants" -- I just glance through it as I'm getting out the book. Pretty much zero learning curve for me as a teacher. Right now I have a child in Level C; some days a lesson might take 20 minutes, others might take 30. I'm not necessarily sitting with her every minute. Some of the lessons do take longer as you get into D and E.

[Reya]

I've always been curious about programs that rely on this, but am not sure how it works. I used Singapore EB with my oldest up until this year, Horizon with my middle, and am considering Right Start for my youngest next year.

 

Any reviews of Right Start? My youngest (4) is a very active learner. Does RS have a high learning curve for the teacher? How long does it take you to teach a lesson?

 

RS is THE best K program out there, period. :-) It is so elegantly conceptualized and so brilliantly set up to lead from one concept to the next--it's wonderful.

 

I love Singapore primary, but EB just isn't well organized, and they spend soooo many pages on writing the numbers in EB 2 that it's really annoying. It's also a bit cluttered and chaotic--the exact opposite of Singapore primary. DS has lots of fun in Singapore EB, but he LEARNED in RS.

 

Edit: The key to being successful with RS is to think about what you're teaching as the adult. I've heard so many people say that their kids slow WAY down in RS B around lesson 35-45, but I've found that if you really teach the material that comes before so the kids always have the deepest understanding at every step, this doesn't need to be the case.

[siloam]

I used Singapore Earlybird with my first three and I wish, wish I had Right Start then. I still love Singapore and introduce the Primary books in 1st grade, but Right Start builds a much better foundation.

 

Right Start is pretty scripted, so it is easy to use. It did take a whole year of using it for me to feel comfortable with the program. It just takes a while to get used to managing all the maniuplatives, and I personally could use about 4 of the green decks, one for each kid so I didn't have to sort the cards so much for working on specific skills. But I did get used to it and think RS is worth all the effort.

 

Right now I have my ds in A, my 7yo in B my 8yo finishing B and starting C and my 10yo is doing an overview of C. Because she knows most of it, she doesn't do the warm ups, but just hits the main idea, does the worksheets and plays the games, and she adores the games. Given I have so many students using it I do tend to break the younger kids sessions into smaller chunks, which also works fine here because we hs year around. I figure the worst that can happen is later on we do overviews like my oldest is doing and they still get the concepts and have fun with the games.

 

How much time? At least 15 mins a child here, but it could be as much as 30 a day. Given I want my oldest to, "catch up," I spend the most time with her. My guess is because we do a lesson, worksheet and game every day she is pushing 20-30 mins. For the other three I will do the lesson one day (and sometimes even break that down by subheadings) then do the worksheet on a different day, then play a game on yet another day. It isn't the way things are scheduled, but it works here.

 

Heather

 

 

 

[nmoira]

 

I used Singapore Earlybird with my first three and I wish, wish I had Right Start then. I still love Singapore and introduce the Primary books in 1st grade, but Right Start builds a much better foundation.

I wholeheartedly agree, but would apply this to 1A/1B as well. My oldest did RightStart through almost halfway through Level C and was very frustrated by its teach led nature. We then switched to Singapore and haven't looked back. But, after looking at the 1A/1B Singapore materials, I'd say that there's no contest between the two programs the first level. It's not that RightStart covers more advanced material (though this is generally true even though fewer topics are covered), but rather that with the use of the alabacus, it helps the student develop superior visualization skills. It's impossible to say enough good about the alabacus.

[jail warden]

I will be using it again in a few years with my younger dd, that's how much I believe in it and LOVE it. (Can I say that enough!) I am a very Mathy person, but it just cemented things for me in such a way that it even strengthened my skills! And it helped me to describe things I naturally do in my mind, but could never explain to another person because I just 'got it', wasn't ever taught to think that way.

[GailV]

And it helped me to describe things I naturally do in my mind, but could never explain to another person because I just 'got it', wasn't ever taught to think that way.

 

 

Yes! This is true for me, too!

 

And I think that is deliberate on Joan Cotter's part. I seem to remember reading that some people just naturally figure out how to think about certain concepts; she is trying to bring that thought process to all students.

 

Also, RightStart has helped me learn how to teach math. I think I could do a better job with Singapore now that I've spent a few years with RightStart.

[April in NC]

I have to agree that the AL Abacus is incredible. It is so simple, and yet so versatile, and it just makes things make sense. I too have noticed a substantial increase in my own ability to do mental math. I've always had a sort of "panic" reaction when I need to do math in my head. On paper, no problem, but in my head - aaaack! Working through Level B with my twins over the past couple of years (we started it in kindergarten), my mental math has improved by leaps and bounds!

 

I think this might be a common reaction among RightStart parents - a friend and I were talking just a couple of weeks ago about how we were trying not to be embarrassed that our math skills improved by using a kindergarten or 1st grade math program.

 

Be sure to take a look at the powerpoint presentations available on the RightStart website to get a better understanding of exactly why the abacus helps and how. (And let me know if you have trouble finding them!)

[nmoira]

 

I have to agree that the AL Abacus is incredible.

It's been a long day proofreading a novel for a friend printed in tiny, tiny text. My poor old eyes are seeing moiré patterns everywhere. I read this as "the Al Abacus is inedible." Well, Duh!

 

[kimmyandgracie]

Wow! I just looked at the Right Start program on their website and it looks awesome. The concept of thinking in fives and tens really resonates with me because that is what I have always done. I have been struggling to decide what math curriculum to use with my dd4 (almost 5) and now I am seriously considering this one. It seems to have most of the elements that I liked in the other programs combined. Great thread!

[chiguirre]

with ds it was a complete and total bomb, but dd is enjoying it so it depends on the child. If your dc dislikes manipulatives or needs to see a picture instead of a demonstration of a concept, this is not the program for you. The rhymes and tapping and manipulatives drove ds batty. I thought the math was just too hard, but Singapore EB 2 was fine for him so it really was just the presentation. Now, dd is doing fine with RS. She enjoys the manipulatives and games and is learning well. I'm sure the majority of kids would do well with RS, but if your child is like ds this will be the most painful math program you will ever try. If it's at all possible to borrow the program and give it a try even if it's just for a couple of lessons, do that before buying it.