Spiral math vs. mastery ?

[Lots of boys]

This is all new to me. Can someone explain the differences between spiral and mastery math and which major programs are which? Why would one work better for my kids than others? Thanks:001_huh:

[Ellesmere]

As far as I know, Horizons uses a spiral approach.

 

On this link, the third question talks about spiral vs. mastery. It certainly isn't exhaustive, but might help.

 

It's on the RightStart website, and we are using that & Miquon. In no way am I suggesting these are the best for you, though. :001_smile:

 

ETA: Welcome! I'm just getting started with homeschool and posting here, too!

Edited May 31, 2011 by Clairelise
added a welcome

[kristinannie]

Spiral means that you get a lot of review built into the program and mastery means your dc masters the subject and moves on to something new. I think most mastery programs still have some review built in, but you focus on learning a new skill instead of learning many skills at once. (I hope I said this right). It really depends on what kind of kid you have (and I think it probably takes awhile to determine that). If your kid gets really bored, then spiral probably isn't the way to go. My son actually is comforted by having some review in every lesson (something easy for him) so spiral may work for him. I don't know yet!

 

Saxon is probably the most famous spiral program out there. I am really not sure what each program is so I am :bigear:.

[twoforjoy]

I'm using both with DS: We do CLE, which is spiral, and Math Mammoth, which is mastery. He prefers the spiral approach; he gets bored/frustrated if he's doing too many of the same kind of problem at a time, and the built-in review is good for him. So CLE is our main program and MM is more of a supplement for areas I want to work on more.

 

I can totally see how for other kids the spiral approach would annoy them, though, because they'd feel like they were jumping all over the place. I think it's one of those things that would really depend on the kid.

 

I had no idea what the difference was, or that there were differences, until recently. I wish I'd known sooner, because I would have realized DS would do better with a spiral approach and I think our last year of math would have been much more pleasant.

[kchara]

My kids did very poorly on a purely spiral approach. We went to MUS for remedial work, and they're doing SO much better. Recently, we started adding in Saxon as well, and with both of them together, they're doing quite well. I don't think one approach is "better" than another, or will necessarily provide a more complete education in math, but rather that it depends on your child.

[LAS in LA]

If I'm understanding the terms correctly, then Miquon is set up to be taught either spirally or mastery-ly. :tongue_smilie:(That got a little weird).

For a spiral approach, one would work straight through the books. For a mastery approach, one would do all of the "A" lettered pages (from all six books), then the "B" lettered pages, etc.

[simka2]

It is actually a bit more complicated than Mastery and Spiral. There are sub-sets within Spiral :tongue_smilie:.

 

Saxon is "incremental." Think of it as juggling tiny balls. They start with a few and then slowly one ball at a time they add a concept to the ones they are already juggling. 3 of my kids are fine with this. They learn a concept and run with it...

 

One of my son's does not handle this well. If a concept is not solidly cemented without distraction, he will not retain it. I tried MUS with him, because it is mastery based. The problem is that it introduces 1 concept in multiple ways. So if the child is learning to multiple by 7's they will count by 7's, fill in the missing number by 7's, find the missing interger in the 7 times table....things like that. My son could not make the connection between all those things...and memorize the basic multiplecation facts.

 

So, now we have moved to Rod and Staff. It is spiral...in that it adds more to every concept, year by year. At the same time when a concept is introduced they are given tons of practice to cement it. Hope that helps!

[morosophe]

I'm using both with DS: We do CLE, which is spiral, and Math Mammoth, which is mastery. He prefers the spiral approach; he gets bored/frustrated if he's doing too many of the same kind of problem at a time, and the built-in review is good for him. So CLE is our main program and MM is more of a supplement for areas I want to work on more.

 

I can totally see how for other kids the spiral approach would annoy them, though, because they'd feel like they were jumping all over the place. I think it's one of those things that would really depend on the kid.

 

So which is Math-U-See? Every lesson focuses on a new topic, but each also reviews old ones. And there are three pages of problems for each aspect, but you're only supposed to do as many as you think your kid needs, both for the new material and for the review.

 

Like agarnett, I'm a little :confused: about the differences between the two myself. I mean, I know the difference between spiral programs and immersion programs for science, and I know that I hated the "spiral" history my school did where I never studied much but American history. For an incremental skill like math or spelling or grammar, I keep wondering, don't you always have to review what you've already "mastered" anyhow? Even when you're working on, say, multiple digit addition, you're constantly "reviewing" single digit addition just to do your new kind of problem, right?

 

I'm heading off to check that RightStart link, now. Maybe it will help clarify the difference to me.