Using Rightstart and Singapore together?

[PhotoGal]

I'm thinking of using Rightstart B along with Sinagpore 2 for my second grader. He is actually pretty mathy, but has lost confidence after being in school for K/1st. So my question is, has anyone used Rightstart and Singapore together? If so, how did it go?

 

Right now I'm thinking of doing Rightstart first and adding in Singapore maybe in October or so? I noticed that Singapore 2 starts with a lot of place value, adding two digit numbers (without and with regrouping) - which I though Rightstart would really help with. But I don't know if we would get far enough by October to really help. On the other hand, I don't want to start Singapore too late in the year because that it the program I am planning on using in the long term. Any advice? :bigear:

[JenniferLynn]

I've been using RS A and Singapore Essentials for my rising K'er and we are about to begin SP 1A/1B and RS B. I mostly follow the Singapore schedule and supplement with RS lessons using the abacus and games.

[EmilyGF]

I think most people would consider that overkill.

 

If you feel drawn to both of them, how about Singapore with RightStart games for practice? Or, you could use RightStart and Singapore CWP.

 

I'd focus on lack of confidence over math skills first. Games might be really good for that.

 

Emily

[Satori]

I think it would be too much, having done both RightStart and Singapore but at separate times. For a second grader, I'd use Singapore with the RS card games if I wanted to combine them.

[PhotoGal]

Thanks for your input! I agree that it might be too much. I really bought Rightstart for my dd, but started to become enamored with it. So I didn't want ds to "miss out" on all the advantages. :)

 

When I say he lost confidence, I guess I mean that he is no longer brave enough to tackle something challenging. He was already adding/subtracting before kindergarten, but then spent his whole kindergarten year doing adding & subtracting, then his whole first grade year doing adding and subtracting! So now he is (a) no longer excited by Math like he used to be and (b) expects Math to be REALLY easy - so he doesn't like anything he can't figure out right away. So I thought Rightstart might be a way to try something different that isn't so hard that he gets anxious, but is still new material?

 

I guess the main thing I want him to get out of Rightstart is using the abacus. Would it be more reasonable to add in abacus lessons/discussions along with Singapore? I really like how you can add two numbers (like 8 and 7) on the abacus and see the two fives and the extra numbers in the ones place. There is something just really cool about that. :D

[Satori]

Yeah, that abacus is really cool. We still sometimes use it with Singapore. We also have used our old MUS blocks. Since you already have RightStart, maybe do a few months of RS to get used to the abacus methods and then Singapore, using the AL Abacus? I just wouldn't be able to do both at the same time myself. Singapore is what got my daughter really interested in math, but I still have a fondness for RightStart. :)

[Aloha2U]

First of all, we love RightStart! We've used A, B, C and my little man will be starting D next week. We initially supplemented RS with Singapore and, as you've similarly stated, thought that perhaps we'd eventually switch entirely to SM at some point for the long term. That being said, we've ended up staying with RS (where others have jumped ship) and now supplement with Math Mammoth (review via independent rote work), though we still may dabble with SM IPs and CWPs on the side.

 

I vote for giving RS B a try.

 

:001_smile:

 

ETA: You're 5 yo could even follow along in the lessons.

Edited August 20, 2011 by CMama

[AmyinMD]

We do both RS and Singapore for my 7 year old twins. We mainly use Singapore as I find it more open and go than RS. It will likely take us 2 years to do Rightstart B but I'm fine with that and right now I don't think we'll do C although I did already purchase it so may use parts of it. My son loves anything math related and is always asking to do math anyway. My dd seems to need a lot of review for math concepts so it seems to work out okay.

[Monarch Room]

I was in your shoes too on this decision. I bought both RSB and SM because I just plain couldn't decide. On the suggestion of others here, I have been working on RSB over the last month with my kiddo. It was suggested that since I already had RS that I should go ahead and use it first for a while. I'm on lesson 27 now, and I'm glad we started with RS. I can already tell it's building a great mental math foundation. The abacus is really awesome. I wish I had been taught this way. I'm learning to love math just by virtue of learning about all the creative ways it can be taught :)

 

I plan to get to about lesson 50-60 something in RS (which will take about 6 weeks), and then switch to SM. My kiddo is a little younger than yours, and the lack of worksheets is helping him build his confidence without the struggle of writing. I figure I can finish the rest of the lessons in RS very slowly as enrichment, and then maybe through next summer. My little guy is already learning a lot in the short time we've been using RS, so I think this was a great way to go. I also just got LOF elementary (which I LOVE) that I'll use 2 days a week throughout the year. I obviously have math curriculum addiction!

Edited August 20, 2011 by waternclay

[cmarango]

Well, we use about 4 different math programs and I am looking at a 5th now. Anyhow, Singapore is our "spine" and from RS I use the geometry concepts, grouping by 5s, and the abacus.