Best 1st grade math for a bright, impatient learner?

[pookel]

I haven't done any formal math with my son this year for kindergarten, because he really hasn't needed it. Just from playing math games on the computer, watching his video game scores (heh) and talking about it, he is pretty comfortable with numbers up to a million or so, basic addition and subtraction, the concept of fractions, negative numbers, and other stuff that's not coming to mind.

 

What he doesn't have is the patience to sit through something he finds boring. :glare: I know a lot of math textbooks are geared toward kids who find math hard, which is totally understandable! But I don't know if those books would work well for him. My mom, who is an elementary math teacher, loves teaching with Saxon Math, but doesn't think it is a good fit for kids like my son.

 

Any suggestions?

[Dinsfamily]

Sounds like my oldest :D. A Singapore and Miquon combo has been a great fit for him. Singapore keeps us moving so he doesn't get bored. With Miquon, he gets to explore concepts much earlier than they would come up otherwise. The two programs complement each other very well.

[rootsnwings]

I would say Singapore would fit him pretty well. It's challenging, but FUN. My mathy ds(10) loves it! :)

[pookel]

I should also mention he has severe ADHD. But I guess I covered that with short attention span. :)

 

I had heard a lot about Singapore but not much about Miquon. Looking into it, Miquon seems right up his alley. Do you think it needs to be combined with something like Singapore, or can it stand alone? I'm trying not to spend extra time drilling on math skills that come easily to him, because it's reading he's really struggling with and I want to focus on that.

[rootsnwings]

I think for 1st grade, and with his intuitive math abilities, Miquon would probably be fine by itself for him! That really may be best with the ADHD because he will be able to pick & choose what he wants to work on (which labsheets). We've used Miquon (and Singapore Essentials K) with my pre-k'er and both are great programs. :)

[Spy Car]

Miquon sounds like a natural choice for you.

 

The Singapore-Miquon combo is popular with many (including myself) because these programs compliment each other so well. They are synergetic.

 

A third very interesting (and complimentary) choice is MEP (Mathematics Enhancement Programme). Very engaging for a child who likes to think.

 

He is probably not quite ready for Primary Challenge Math, but soon. And you will want to do this.

 

You might also want to look at the CSMP materials that are (like MEP) available free on the web. Watch the videos to get as fast feel for this program.

 

The Right Start math games are a very effective tool for working fast recall.

 

It's a start :D

 

Bill

[boscopup]

Singapore and Math Mammoth would be ones I'd look at. My son learns very quickly, and we've easily skipped things in Math Mammoth as needed. Both programs have clear labels on their topics, so it's easy to look at the whole chapter and say "Yep, we know that" and move on.

 

Just be aware that you may need to move faster than average. Don't be afraid to do more than a year's worth of material in a year.

 

I'll also ditto the recommendation Bill gave to do PCM when he gets ready for that. We started it when we were in MM2A. It's my son's favorite math to do! Many of the topics are things we haven't formally done in math yet, but he's figured out some on his own and I use those problems to teach him something new (or rather I'll often lead him to figuring it out himself).

 

I use the Singapore IP and CWP with MM. We only use the CWP because my son LOVES word problems. The IP has some nice, challenging problems. I had to look up the answer to one in IP 2A so far. :lol: We skip some of the regular problems in the IP, but the "Take the Challenge" ones are very good.

 

I got Miquon, but my son doesn't really use manipulatives for math. He gets distracted by them and wants to build with them or play Star Wars or hockey or Star Wars hockey with them. :tongue_smilie: I've been meaning to list my Miquon stuff for sale. I never used any of it.