jeffcolemanfamily Posted September 17, 2011 Share Posted September 17, 2011 I am using RS B with my special needs kiddos and my kindergartener and we are loving it! However, after reading through some threads on this board I am concerned that maybe that my girls may not be getting enough or may need more math than what RS is providing. Is there a specific program that anyone here uses along with RS as a supplement? Would love some ideas!! Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boscopup Posted September 17, 2011 Share Posted September 17, 2011 Many here use multiple programs because they (we :tongue_smilie:) love math and can't just pick ONE. :lol: If you are loving what you are doing, I see no need to add to it. It is a complete math curriculum. If you have something specific that you think (based on what you see in the curriculum or your own children) needs to be supplemented, THEN start looking for supplements. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blondeviolin Posted September 17, 2011 Share Posted September 17, 2011 I started this year thinking we'd do RS B and Miquon. When I got RS, though, I quickly decided against it because of how teacher intensive RS is. It's all intensive at this stage, but not like RightStart. RS is a complete curric so if you like it, stick with it and play the games a lot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sbgrace Posted September 17, 2011 Share Posted September 17, 2011 RS B is a great curriculum. You're giving them an excellent foundation. You don't need anything else imo. If they master B you're doing great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crimson Wife Posted September 17, 2011 Share Posted September 17, 2011 Many people have been successful combining RS with a spiral program like Horizons or CLE. Here is a thread on combining RS & Horizons and here is one on combining RS & CLE. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffcolemanfamily Posted September 17, 2011 Author Share Posted September 17, 2011 Thanks everyone for your ideas/suggestions! My husband LOVES math and is very good at it. I don't and I'm not! LOL But I do not want my children knowing that and I would love for them to love math and do it well. The more math we can do in our house then I feel the better that will be for them so I am not opposed to doing more than one math program! Thanks so much! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boscopup Posted September 17, 2011 Share Posted September 17, 2011 Thanks everyone for your ideas/suggestions! My husband LOVES math and is very good at it. I don't and I'm not! LOL But I do not want my children knowing that and I would love for them to love math and do it well. The more math we can do in our house then I feel the better that will be for them so I am not opposed to doing more than one math program! Thanks so much! I wouldn't use more than one math program out of fear. Only use it if you have particular gaps to fill or particular challenges to meet. There IS a point where you can have too much math, especially if the children aren't gung-ho in math. Sometimes less is more. ;) RS B is excellent and provides a great foundation. You really don't need anything more as long as the children are understanding it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crimson Wife Posted September 17, 2011 Share Posted September 17, 2011 RS B is excellent and provides a great foundation. You really don't need anything more as long as the children are understanding it. Some kids might need more spiral review as they go along than a "soft spiral" program like RS, Singapore or MM have. That's why you see so many folks using a conceptual program and a spiral program together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boscopup Posted September 17, 2011 Share Posted September 17, 2011 Some kids might need more spiral review as they go along than a "soft spiral" program like RS, Singapore or MM have. That's why you see so many folks using a conceptual program and a spiral program together. Yes, I understand that. I didn't see any indication in the OP that her kids were having any problems though. If they were, I would agree with adding something in to supplement as "review". That is a good reason to supplement. The OP seemed to be feeling like she needed to supplement just because other people were, not because her kids actually need a supplement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffcolemanfamily Posted September 18, 2011 Author Share Posted September 18, 2011 I don't really have any big concerns with using RS. I worried that it wasn't 'enough' because it seems so different than what I am used to using for math! :) My youngest who is 5 and my 7 and 8 year old that have learning issues are ALL learning together with RS B. Its like our own little math class and we do have a great time and the girls love it! However, the one thing I am concerned about is that my 5 year old seems to be struggling with seeing the numbers in her head and she looks to her sisters to get the right answers sometimes. My older girls will yell out the answers before she has a chance to think it through or "see" it and so she looks to them to figure it out. Very frustrating. i am concerned that either we are going too fast for her or she shouldn't be learning with them or I should supplement with something else for her? I do have MUS Primer and Alpha that I can use with her but I don't know how good that would be to do along with RS? I also don't want to have to teach her separately the exact same lesson. Anyone have any thoughts? Should she have started at RS level A? When I did the test online it said ALL three of them should start at Level B! Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sbgrace Posted September 18, 2011 Share Posted September 18, 2011 If you can time wise and financially I'd do RS A with the five year old alone. You could also do RS B alone with her at her pace. I don't think the average 5 year old is expected to go through all of RS B anyway. If they need to be all together I don't think the exposure will hurt her even if she doesn't grasp all the concepts. I prefer the way RS introduces the most important concepts (10's and place value particularly) so I would not switch to a "lesser" program with her myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crimson Wife Posted September 18, 2011 Share Posted September 18, 2011 If you have MUS Primer, I'd be inclined to use that for the 5 y.o. and then re-start RS B individually after she's finished. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffcolemanfamily Posted September 18, 2011 Author Share Posted September 18, 2011 Wow these are great ideas! Financially I don't think I could pull off buying another curriculum. I have already gone over budget this year unfortunately. How much is needed for Right Start A? I bought Right Start B and all the manipulatives and the alabacus and the card games. Would I just need the Right Start B textbook and worksheets? If I can't get that, I may just do the MUS Primer first. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soror Posted September 18, 2011 Share Posted September 18, 2011 We just used RS but added on MM when we took a break. He was having difficulty getting Place Value so we camped out for a while, in hindsight we should have just used more of the RS games and methods, he really didn't care for MM. Otherwise we just used RS as written and it was great. For the 5 yo I think it is just likely too much. Personally, I would break off what chunks you could of the lesson- like include him in the warm-up as much as he knows and the other parts just slowly adding on what he can handle. At that age I'd be working on number facts up to 10, counting to 100, counting by 2,5, and 10, recognizing money(not necessarily adding it) and basic idea of time and shapes. First I'd make sure he can write, recognize and count to 10. Next perhaps work on the Buckle My Shoe to introduce skip counting- RS does this in the warm-ups very slowly and painlessly. I don't think you would have to buy anything else to accomplish this and next year he will go through RSB quite easily. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
go_go_gadget Posted September 18, 2011 Share Posted September 18, 2011 You know your child best, but I would be inclined to do RS B with the five year-old alone and at her pace rather than buying another curriculum. If she gets stuck on a lesson just leave it a few days and make up new problems of the same sort when you come back to it. As everyone else has said, RS B is a complete curriculum for first grade. There are varying opinions about the program from C on, but A and B are stellar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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