Starting with Miquon

[KristenR]

So after doing some more research and asking loads of questions on the forums, I think I want to attempt the Miquon/Singapore approach with my daughter.

We have been doing Saxon 1 for a couple months but it just doesn't feel like a fit for us.

 

I want to get the First Grade Diary... What else should I include in my initial

purchase? Do you suggest more than one set of rods?

 

I figure I'll get our feet wet with Miquon before I add Singapore to the routine.

[NancyNellen]

I found the Lab Sheet Annotations also helpful to have around for the periodic pages that I couldn't figure out. One set of rods should be fine.

 

Enjoy! Miquon is lots of fun!

[kristinannie]

I really suggest getting all three of the books. They all give you some good information on how to use the program. One set of c-rods is enough, but it is better to have the larger set (155 I think). I got the individual set and I am going to order some more. The system has kids play with the c-rods (they learn A LOT from that) and more would be better. Good luck on using miquon. It is such a fun math program. My son has made huge leaps in understanding math so quickly. The hardest part of the program is to let your child try and figure it out on their own! I just want to show him all the time! :001_smile:

 

Let me know how you like Singapore with it. We are using McRuffy Color Math for K, but I am undecided after that!

[Spy Car]

I would advise all 3 teachers books: the First Grade Diary, Lab Annotations, and Notes to Teachers.

 

Starting at the beginning you would also need at least the Orange student book, but you might want Red as well. Miquon does not need to be done in page front to back, and one book to the next, so there might easily be pages in the Red book you and you child might want to do before finishing the Orange book. Miquon can be odd seeming in being potentially "non-linear", embrace the weirdness.

 

Also, don't panic when you look at the first couple pages in the Orange book :D

 

One 155 "small group" set of C Rods should be fine. I really liked having a set of (10) base-10 "flats" (100 values) to use for modeling 3 digit numbers. This is not in Miquon per se but using Orange C Rods as 10 and the rest as Units is a good way to built number sense.

 

Also consider using "Math Names" for numbers along with English names. We referred to 423 as 4-Hundred 2-Tens 3-Units when we first explored numbers. It seems to helps young learners learn place value (where English names can be confusing).

 

Bill

[....]

Yeah, I second at least buying First Grade Diary and Lab Sheet Annotations. Lab Sheet Annotations are absolutely necessary IMO (yes, I could not figure out some of the worksheets :D).

 

I don't think you'll regret it. I add in flashcard work and Timez Attack to Singapore/Miquon (because I expect my kids to know their math facts) - but I know that other people have different philosophies about that - which is OK! Just telling you that I add that in because I am old-fashioned in that area.

[KristenR]

Thanks everyone. I'm adding up my cart in rainbow resource now!! Can't wait to try it out! I've been reading up on old threads so I was already trying to psyche myself up about not getting freaked out in the first few Orange pages.

 

One more question.... I read another thread where the plastic c-rods seemed to have the most votes. But do you recommend the interlocking C-rods or the regular ones?

[Ellesmere]

Thanks everyone. I'm adding up my cart in rainbow resource now!! Can't wait to try it out! I've been reading up on old threads so I was already trying to psyche myself up about not getting freaked out in the first few Orange pages.

 

One more question.... I read another thread where the plastic c-rods seemed to have the most votes. But do you recommend the interlocking C-rods or the regular ones?

 

nm

[KristenR]

Hi! I'm in the same situation, sort of, with you. We are going to try Miquon with your 4 y.o. and based on the advice on this forum, I got the non-connecting (regular) plastic rods. But I'm sure others with experience will chime in as to why. Here's one thread that talks about it, below. I just got my set from RR. I also will be starting with the three recommended teacher books and the Orange book. So, I have no experience but can only tell you what we are also going to try! :001_smile:

 

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=266756&highlight=cuisenaire

 

Thanks!! I wish you and your dc the best of luck with Miquon! Feel free to PM me with any words of advice as you go! I'd love to see how you guys are doing since you'll be a bit ahead of us.

[KristenR]

Hi! I'm in the same situation, sort of, with you. We are going to try Miquon with your 4 y.o. and based on the advice on this forum, I got the non-connecting (regular) plastic rods. But I'm sure others with experience will chime in as to why. Here's one thread that talks about it, below. I just got my set from RR. I also will be starting with the three recommended teacher books and the Orange book. So, I have no experience but can only tell you what we are also going to try! :001_smile:

 

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=266756&highlight=cuisenaire

 

 

I just reread the thread you posted. I had read it earlier but must have just focused on the plastic versus wood comments and totally missed the connecting ones. Thanks for the heads up. I will go purchase the regular ones!

[Ellesmere]

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[twoforjoy]

We've never used more than the one set of rods. I don't think we've come close.

 

Miquon is funny, because I felt like DS was getting nothing out of it, and then all of a sudden I'd see him talking through math stuff in everyday life in ways that I know he got from doing Miquon.

 

I'm too uptight to use it as our only math curriculum, but we love using it as a supplement. DS really, really enjoys doing it, so he will usually be inspired to finish his other math so he as time to do some Miquon pages. And, since we do use it as a supplement, if there's a page we don't understand or like, we just skip over it. Mostly for pages that I'm unclear on, I just let DS play around with them if he wants to, and he'll usually come up with something to do.

 

This is mostly just to say that, if you don't see immediate results with Miquon, hang in there, because it took us probably 3-6 months of doing it before I really started to see it really make an impact on DS's thinking.

Edited April 27, 2011 by twoforjoy

[Ellie]

Starting at the beginning you would also need at least the Orange student book, but you might want Red as well. Miquon does not need to be done in page front to back, and one book to the next, so there might easily be pages in the Red book you and you child might want to do before finishing the Orange book. Miquon can be odd seeming in being potentially "non-linear", embrace the weirdness.

Some people buy all the books at once. There's a chart in the Teacher's Lab Notations that shows the concepts covered in the whole series, so you could either do the books in order, or work on one concept through as many books as it's covered.

[Spy Car]

Some people buy all the books at once. There's a chart in the Teacher's Lab Notations that shows the concepts covered in the whole series, so you could either do the books in order, or work on one concept through as many books as it's covered.

 

True.

 

Bill