4th grade math - Calvert vs. Singapore? Others?

[provenance61 22]

Hi, We are planning to start homeschooling our son this fall. We plan to use the 4th grade Calvert curriculum as a "spine" but also work off reading lists on Well Trained Mind and add a couple of unit studies. We like the ability to cover set material but adapt to areas where he is above grade level or has specific interests. He really likes math (although long division, not so much so yet).

 

I was wondering if anyone had thoughts about Calvert math (4th ) vs. Singapore math? I've heard some prefer one over the other, but not sure why. Any other thoughts on math for 4th that would fit for us?

 

Amy

[Calming Tea 4,533]

Is what I use. We also use Calvert and love their 4th grade program. I use Calvert 2 math with my younger child and I do like it, but Saxon seems better to me since the continual review is always built in. This is great for my son and for me as a homeschool teacher.

 

Whatever you choose, be sure to take placement tests.

[provenance61 22]

Calming Tea,

 

Thank you...do you use Calvert Math and Saxon? We were planning on the whole Calvert package but I've heard some people supplement one math program with another.

 

I also saw your signature had programming for your 9 year old--our son would also love something like this. He is now working through the scratch for teens book (with a brief break as it had to be returned to the library!). Any recommendations for this?

 

Amy

[Calming Tea 4,533]

My 4th grader just uses Saxon 5/4. He is about halfway through and will start 6/5 by January. It seems advanced but Saxon covers topics slower than many PS math programs so the placement test is highly advisable.

 

I find the Calvert day long enough and so I do not use 2 maths. Calvert math has more critical thinking and great explanations but there is very. Little. Drill there is plenty of review but not tons. Some people remedy some of that by waiting a week or two to begin the practice book, so that the practice book is always review, being 2 weeks behind.

 

It's very hard to recommend a math because so much depends on your child. Does your son have great rote memory? For example is he the first to memorize Sunday School verses, family phone numbers, and adddresses? Then he will be fine with Calvert.

 

If he stumbles over memorizing and seems to get concepts quickly, but forgets facts, then Saxon may be a better fit.

 

As far as programming, we use W3 schools, he finisged HTML and CSS and started Java Script. My son messed around with Scratch but the book we wanted from No Starch Press got cancelled before printing. What book did you get for your son?

[Calming Tea 4,533]

And are you on the Calvert yahoo group?? It's a great group.

[provenance61 22]

Calming tea,

 

Here's the link on Amazon to the book our son is using for Scratch:

 

http://www.amazon.com/Scratch-Programming-Teens-Jerry-Ford/dp/1598635360/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1314485878&sr=8-1

 

There don't seem to be many books on Scratch out there, but I found several reviews from others who had younger children working through it--most seemed to agree that it's good for 8 and above. Our son likes it too. It comes with a disk and he has been working through each chapter reading and doing the exercises. We saw the book and asked our library to order it (they had a couple of Scratch programs for kids last year).

 

Thank you so much for your thoughts on the math. Our son is great with memorizing facts (he memorized the name of every street in our town!). He sometimes needs prompting with multi-step things though like 3 digit multiplication and long division. He does have an attention issue so that could be what is making it harder. Do you think the Calvert math will work ok? Also I like the idea of doing more practice and starting the workbook later--are there also practice problems as he works through the text itself?

 

Amy

[provenance61 22]

And yes we did find the Calvert Yahoo group. They've been great over there too as we try to figure everything about 4th and placement.

 

Amy

[NoPlaceLikeHome 2,448]

MY ds is signed up for Calvert 4th grade with ATS:D I hope to use it as a spine somewhat and play with other curricula such as FLL/WWE as well if feasible;) I hope to use Calvert Math as a spine as well but focus on SM and MM. Now obviously as we get into it I might change my mind so as not to overwhelm ds but that is my plan:tongue_smilie: I am on the Calvert group too.

[jayb842 11]

We're using 3rd grade calvert. We have the full box and ATS. We were using saxon this summer and it was a lot easier for him. Actually it was to easy. We're enjoying calvert so far but it has been a jump.

 

Jenn

[TracyR 71]

I've used Calvert's 1,2,3,4,5th grade math and my oldest did fine with it. But it brought my 2nd daughter to tears and caused her to hate math for a good long while.

Even though my oldest did well with it. I hated using it. I've used many math programs and its not one of the best I've ever used. The teacher's manual was worthless, sad to say. There are some people who like it but I'm not a fan of it at all. Your probably asking why I used it for so many grades. That is because we were with a cyberschool. Saxon worked for my 2nd daughter at the time and I dropped it because my youngest daughter was born with health problems so I could only juggle one program at the time, and since Saxon didn't introduce the same concepts and we had to send tests in I had to go with the Calvert.

 

Singapore is less expensive and better set up than Calvert's math. That's my opinon. I used Singapore for a brief time and if someone gave me the choice between Singapore or Calvert, I would chose Singapore.

 

Us though. We use Christian Light. I love their math program. I'm using it with all four of my daughters and they are doing extremely well with it.

[SnegurochkaL 40]

Hi, Being in 1 st grade my daughter was using 2nd grade Calvert math book and enrichment book and they both were too simple for her. Singapore IP, Russian math and MEP had more challenging/ critical thinking assignments than Calvert.

I agree with a previous poster who said it all would depend on your child.

 

If you want more challenging problems, go with SM IP and CWP as supplements to your Calvert math.:D