What's Not-To-Miss on the MUS DVDs?

[threeturn]

My daughter just finished K and we do math on our own using Math On the Level and Living Math resource. We like that very much. Having said that, I have heard wonderful things about MUS from friends. Just last night at our mom's meeting one mom offered her sets of DVDs whenever we wanted to borrow them and watch. Since I have this generous resource available I was wondering what lessons are not-to-miss? My daughter is first grade this year so we are focusing on addition, subtraction, place value, skip counting, basics in measurement, time, and money, introduction to fractions, perimeter and probably a couple of other things I haven't thought of yet. I also have a 4yo who will likely be asking for something to do as well. What standout lessons do you remember for the younger set on MUS?

 

Thanks for your time.

Pam

[Emmy]

Honestly, it sounds like you aren't missing anything. I used MUS as our main program for a few years, then switched to MOTL for about a year and a half. Now I am back with MUS and use MOTL for supplementation (with the # of kids I was homeschooling MOTL was too high prep for me as our main program). The MUS videos come in handy for non-mathy moms because we can watch them and get an example of how to teach our kids, or we can have the kids watch them directly. if you comfortable teaching what you're teaching on your own, I really don't think you need them. You could borrow them for your friend and check them out, but I'm guessing you won't feel like you need them.

[threeturn]

Thanks Emmy! Maybe I should mention that I am "non-mathy" :D That is one of the main reasons I got MOTL instead of just going it alone. And I had forgotten that the MUS DVDs were for mom to watch, not so much the student. Maybe I will just get them and watch them and take some notes. Thanks!

[Emmy]

You sounded so "with-it" in your first post, my first thought was no-way she doesn't need that LOL. You might want to view them and see what you think. I actually do have my kids watch them, they like Mr. Demme and enjoy the aspect of watching the video before doing their lesson.

 

I love MOTL and the whole idea behind it, I really like being able to look up a concept and get teaching ideas. I do think MUS and MOTL work nicely together.

[threeturn]

I do talk a good game. :tongue_smilie: I considered MUS because I like the idea of the alternative methods (to the standard algorithms). I was afraid my type-A personality would get bogged down in the pages of workbooks, though, so I passed. I do like the idea of watching the videos for presentation ideas and using it in conjunction with our MOTL (and math readers and RS games and... well you get the idea).

[BatmansWife]

Sorry that I won't be much help in answering your questions. I found this interesting because I never thought of just getting the MUS dvd's to watch and not use their workbooks/program. Interesting idea. I'll have to keep that idea in mind. I've used MUS years ago (in fact, that's how we ended up buying our first dvd player....so I could order MUS on dvd). There used to be a demo dvd you could request (I think it was for free) and Mr. Demme has a section on there about the Greek alphabet. My kids loved that. :lol: FYI: I wanted some math dvd's to pop in, just for a fun supplement, for my 7 year old. I ended up ordering MathTacular.

[MyLittleBears]

First off, let me say, MUS does an excellent job of teaching place value. We used it for my oldest because he needed this approach, but I will only be using the dvds as a reference from now on. We really like Steve Demme's sense of humor, and the way he presents certain topics is fabulous, but not so much past Beta. His way of teaching division (upside down multiplication) was so unconventional, that I felt clumsy teaching it. Perhaps it's my own fear of stepping away from the traditional algorithm. My other two seem to get math more easily so MUS is not my first choice as a standard curriculum. But many love it and use it sucessfully.:001_smile:

 

Just two more cents!

[truebluexf]

I can't imagine skipping the dvd's, personally. The visuals of how to do it all is wonderful. Also, I can have DS watch it himself if I want. He teaches to a group of students in the video.

[veggiegal]

His explanation of place value--via "decimal street"--is inspired, but there are lots of other subtle things he does throughout. For example, when introducing the concept of addition in Primer, he is careful in the video to use all kinds of regular English language that means "addition" in math: he has the kids get their blocks and put them in order, starting with one, then "adding one more" for two, take two "plus one" for three, take "one greater than" three for four, etc. Ditto when he gets to multiplication in Gamma; I love that he teaches the various ways we write multiplication in math: 'x', a dot, or brackets next to one another (as well as just being next to one anther, like 2y means 2 times y) from the very beginning.

 

I also think he has a knack for analogies, at least for ones that stick with my boys. In telling time, end of Primer, which I just watched with my younger this morning, he uses an analogy of birthdays to explain why when the hour hand is just about, but not quite, pointing to 9 (like at 8:55), the hour is still in the 8s. Cuz just like a birthday, once you are 8 you are 8 the next day, next month, Christmas that year, even the very day before your 9th birthday you're still 8! I know from experience that this concept is tricky for the K-3 crowd (who I used to teach), and wished I'd thought of that birthday analogy years ago.

 

I also found the visual representation of double-digit by double-digit multiplication in Gamma quite fascinating (as did my then 8 year old), but you're a few years from that yet.

 

I say pop some corn and enjoy the videos! :D

[SnMomof7]

Well, seriously, my daughter (8) thinks Demme is a genius. Watch it all! At least for your sake :).

[julikins]

I also can't speak highly enough for the MUS videos. It's a different approach, dealing with one main subject (i.e.addition one year, subtraction the next). But throughout he does introduce fractions and decimals, and always prepares the way for the next thing, so that when it comes, the child is already familiar with the terminology. I am not mathy and this was the main reason I was resistant to homeschooling. I just didn't know how I would be able to teach my children Math when I didn't ever learn it well myself. But when I found this, it gave me the confidence that my kids will receive a good education, despite my shortfalls. So, I praise the Lord for this program. And we have our children watch the videos with me and then go over the first workbook page together. It works really well, and I've done Primer through Gamma (K-3). Oh, by the way, I also had a really good experience with their reps at the HomeSchool Fair and their shipping department went out of the way to help us get our materials in time for our trip when we moved overseas. I was impressed.