Is a conceptually taught math program really better/necessary for….

[Aconnolley]

... a musical, very auditory kid who just wants math straight out and wants to get it over with.

 

I am strongly considering changing math programs for my almost 10yo ds. He started with Abeka through 2nd grade. He did well with the spiral part, but trudging through it together each day created so much strife around here that I was desperate for something different and more independent for 3rd grade. We tried Time4Learning. It didn’t have enough review, so I ended up heavily supplementing it all year. (mostly from an Abeka 3 teacher’s manual and some online worksheets)

 

Last year I heard about MM. I was really impressed by the way it taught the conceptual understanding behind everything. I bought the Lightblue Series. He reviewed parts of 3rd and has completed all but the measuring chapter and a bit of the decimal chapter of 4th this year. It has been a pretty hard year. He just goes on and on about how much he hates math. There have been tears, and not just his. In some ways, I am glad that we kept going this far, however hard it was. He is much better at mental math and I see bits of conceptual understanding of concepts every now and then. It just seems that after the curriculum has presented something in 5 different ways, that he doesn’t really get enough practice of the standard algorithm to be secure in how to do a certain concept. He gets some of how things go together, but isn’t really solid in anything. He is just grasping for something solid and is feeling pretty insecure about math all around. Even doing the review pages, I don’t think that he gets enough review of the basics to retain things. And if I added more practice on top of the work he is already doing….well, I don’t think that either one of us would survive that. :tongue_smilie:

 

Lest it come across that I don’t like MM, I will say that it is PERFECT for my 5yo dd. She likes patterns and numbers. She is almost done with MM1 and is asking to start MM2. I love the understanding that I see happening. Her little light bulb goes on over and over. But she is very different from my son. She is visual, loves number puzzles, and likes to work as independently as possible. She takes great pleasure in figuring out the puzzle corners all by herself. My 8yo dd is just completing MM3 and though it is hard for her at times, she is making it and unless something changes, will be using it through 6th. I have also seen a big improvement in her mental math skills and understanding.

 

So what do I do for a 9yo kid who is so auditory that I almost can’t get him to even look at the math paper while I’m trying to explain things? He does the same thing in his violin lessons when his teacher shows him something. He often just listens and has to be reminded over and over to look. He loves to read, reads well and scored in the 99th percentile for both sections of the Iowa test that we are required to take at the end of 3rd, (math problem solving and interpretation, and reading comprehension) so I don’t suspect a LD. He is just struggling with the difficult word problems and many of the concepts and all around hates it. If he worked better with me, I would continue to just keep doing most of it with him, but he doesn’t. It is not going well.

 

Honestly, he would love TT. Being on the computer with everything said out loud, and being spiral, I think that he would do well. It is just so hard for me to get rid of this ideal in my head. MM is really amazing and challenging. Comparing the placement tests between it and TT was a real eye opener. But I just wonder if sometimes a really good thing isn’t so good if the student’s eyes glass over before even attempting the 1st problem. They can be stretched, (I have seen that this year) but their basic learning style doesn’t seem to change. Is it really worth having major struggle and sometimes tears (both his and mine) 50-75% of the time? It uses so much of my energy, that I don’t have much left for the long list of things that I want to accomplish with the 3 kids each day. :glare:

 

Any suggestions for 5th grade? I really need something spiral, or at least lots of review, something on video or computer, would be best, solid but not overwhelming. And I want to find something that I can stick with at least through pre-algebra without causing WW3 around here. I considered LOF, but then heard that it needs supplementing. I have also considered TT with a couple Singapore word problems a day added in. We might be able to handle that, but is it enough? Is there something that I am missing?

 

Advice greatly appreciated!

 

Angela.

[Joyofsixreboot]

I understand. I love conceptual math. We've used RS and MM. DS hates them. I tried CLE and he loves it :glare: The review has really solidified things for him. My dd prefers it too:confused: So our compromise for them is this: We do a CLE lesson each morning. My dd does one page of MM (had 2nd grade from ds) in the afternoon and ds is finishing up RS E one lesson every afternoon. I don't know if it would work for your ds but knowing it's just one page in the afternoon keeps them ok with doing it again.

[Momling]

I think you're right about TT being a really good fit for him. It is very straightforward, auditory and non-conceptual. I think that last piece is a little troubling, but with some probing from you to see if he really understands -- some base 10 blocks or abacus or 100 chart or fraction rods and you'll be able to add that conceptual element in pretty simply.

[joyfulhomeschooler]

What about this one? A teacher I know says they are using it at her school and all the kids love it. So does she. May be worth looking into. http://pearsonschool.com/index.cfm?locator=PSZu6e&filter_161=&filter_422=&filter_423=6731&filter_424=&filter_7=&filter_281=&filter_446=&filter_425=&programFilterTypeList=161%2C422%2C423%2C424%2C7%2C281%2C446%2C425&PMDbSiteid=2781&PMDbSolutionid=6724&PMDbSubSolutionid=&PMDbCategoryid=806&&PMDbProgramID=67741

 

you can see samples here

http://envisionmathtexas.com/

Edited March 30, 2011 by joyfulhomeschooler

[Aconnolley]

What about this one? A teacher I know says they are using it at her school and all the kids love it. So does she. May be worth looking into. http://pearsonschool.com/index.cfm?locator=PSZu6e&filter_161=&filter_422=&filter_423=6731&filter_424=&filter_7=&filter_281=&filter_446=&filter_425=&programFilterTypeList=161%2C422%2C423%2C424%2C7%2C281%2C446%2C425&PMDbSiteid=2781&PMDbSolutionid=6724&PMDbSubSolutionid=&PMDbCategoryid=806&&PMDbProgramID=67741

 

you can see samples here

http://envisionmathtexas.com/

 

I will check it out. :auto:

 

Thank you to each of you who replied. I appreciate your input! :001_smile:

 

Angela