Math program help

[jentenn]

I'm new to homeschooling, my daugther is in kindergarten. I feel very good with all our curriculum except math. Well, I was feeling ok with it. I was just using a workbook, Evan-Moor Skill Sharpeners First Grade. She flew through it and now I need something else. I read somewhere recently while researching what to get next and saw that this may not be a full math program. So, now back to the dreaded math search. I don't have too many options to actually see the different math programs in person to pick. And they all seem to be expensive so I want to make sure I pick best one for our daughter.

Would you all be so kind to share what you are using and why?

I'm sure this has been questioned here many times and forgive me for asking again.

Just having hardest time choosing one. Thank you in advance for helping me out.

Jen

[morosophe]

Well, my son's math program, Math-U-See, certainly fits that "expensive" profile. But you can preview it for free and see if you think it'd be worth the money to you. Warning: I got the "free DVD" and was watching it at about the same time my son was learning how to work the controls on the DVD player. By the time I realized that he'd figured that out, he was begging me to get the program. I never had that much choice on the matter! On the other hand, I'm certainly not regretting using it.

[boscopup]

If cost is an issue, take a look at:

 

MEP (free UK program... Note that year 1 is K in the US, though the scope and sequence is more advanced)

Math Mammoth (grades 1-6 available for $65 from HSBC a couple times a year)

 

You might check the MM site for K recommendations also, because she lays out what you need to do for K without curriculum.

 

Both are excellent programs. You'd have to see which one fits your teaching style.

[MeganW]

RightStart sets a great conceptual foundation

 

We are also using MEP (free) for thinking/puzzling through, as well as Miquon (discovery based).

[Willow Creek Academy]

When money is tight, we do a lot of MEP. And even when it isn't, we do to, lol. We love MEP and I have one doing Recepetion and one doing 1 right now... I will be transitioning to MCP when we complete the current years, though. For a change and something a bit more Mastery. MCP is also reasonably priced and you can find it on Christian Book with free shipping through December 24th.

[acurtis75]

Well, my son's math program, Math-U-See, certainly fits that "expensive" profile. But you can preview it for free and see if you think it'd be worth the money to you. Warning: I got the "free DVD" and was watching it at about the same time my son was learning how to work the controls on the DVD player. By the time I realized that he'd figured that out, he was begging me to get the program. I never had that much choice on the matter! On the other hand, I'm certainly not regretting using it.

 

I also use mus and both dd and I like it. It's not the cheapest thing out there but the dvd's and manipulatives are worth it IMHO. I would recommend checking out the free samples from th first few books before investing. I usually buy the teacher book and DVD used from my local homeschool store if I can find it because it saves me $20 or so.

[Guest]

We love Christian Light Education Math. Not expensive, thorough, and easy to teach. You do not need the flashcards as the Light Units have plenty of practice. The work is found in Light Units which are small workbooks. At the 300 level, it becomes independent. It is advanced compared to other programs. It is spiral but not like Saxon. The amount of work is more manageable. We have used levels 100-500 over the years. I have tried just about all the other programs out there but this one is the best for us. Start with the 100 level from the beginning even if it seems a review. This covers a great deal.

 

http://clp.org/store/by_subject/4

 

This is link tot the scope and sequence in pdf format.

http://clp.org/store/by_grade/23

[go_go_gadget]

RightStart is expensive but exceptional, and my favorite choice (if making only one) for K-1. I didn't know about MEP when we did K, but if I had I probably would have supplemented with it. If unable to afford the complete RightStart curriculum, I'd probably just get the RightStart Math games and use them to supplement MEP. If I couldn't spend a dime, I'd use MEP and still feel great about the math education I'd be giving my children.

[jentenn]

Thanks ladies! I'm going to look into every suggestion you posted.

[jentenn]

Sorry one last question - what is MEP.

I found MCP modern Curr on the abbrev site, but not MEP.

Thanks!

[Aurelia]

MEP is Mathematics Enrichment Programme, found here: http://www.cimt.plymouth.ac.uk/projects/mepres/primary/default.htm

[siloam]

I use Right Start and Math Mammoth.

 

Heather

[Mrs Twain]

I am a Horizons Math fan. It is important to use the Teachers Manual in general (for all years from 1st grade on up), but you can get away without using the TM for K, just using the workbooks.

 

I also supplement with MEP, and with Singapore's Challenging Word Problems, Mental Math, and Extra Practice workbooks when the kids get older.

 

Hope you find what you like.

[She Reads a Lot]

We love RightStart at our house! It is so thorough but my son is never bored b/c of the spiral approach.

 

You might want to consider whether you and your child will be happier with a mastery approach or a spiral approach, which makes a big difference in how a math program is structured.

 

Re: the cost for RS, while it does look expensive at first, I'm finding that I hardly had to spend much to go from level B to level C since a lot of the manipulatives overlap (and I think this is even more true for level A to B, though we never used A).

 

I found the worksheets and teacher's guide used here on the sale board and paid $44 for both (!), then hit the Cyber Monday sale at RightStart and got the last few items I needed (ruler, tangrams, etc.) with free shipping. So going up to level C cost me about $70 for a full year of math--pretty good for such an amazing program!

 

I think it is worth the initial investment since my son actually likes math! The minimal worksheets were the biggest factor for me in picking the program. We both love the games, too.

 

HTH,

C

[Tracy]

We use CSMP.

• It is free online.
  
• Dd6 hates worksheets, and CSMP does not require a lot of writing in the early years.
  
• Dd6 loves the stories. She is very verbal, and she likes the student-teacher interaction that it affords.
  
• It teaches more advanced concepts in the early years. (For example, multiplication is introduced in 1st grade, and division is introduced in 2nd grade, but a level younger students can understand.)
  

We had previously used Horizons K, which didn't work well. It was too easy, so all the worksheets were just busywork for us.

[wy_kid_wrangler04]

With my elementary aged kids I use Horizons. My kids need alot of review in order to cement the concepts. However, they also would not handle doing a whole page of fractions or whatever we are working on. I LOVE Horizons because its spiral. They get to do different things (ex: addition problems, money problems, work with shapes) would be an example from my younger kids. It mixes things up which my kids need. Then after not seeing a concept for a while they will throw in some review problems to make sure the retention is there. My kids are really thriving with this curriculum.

 

 

If you find ones you like between Rainbow Resource and Christianbook.com you can usually see a decent amount of samples of them!

[Alison in KY]

I love Math-U-See here. However, if you are okay with a standard math program, I'd give samples of Modern Curriculum Press math a try. We used it off and on for a few years and it's a nice, affordable, standard math workbook.

 

Also, you can see samples of it online, usually at CBD. Take a look at http://www.homeschoolreviews.com to see other math reviews.

 

Another reasonably priced one is Developmental Math.

 

Alison

[KristenR]

We LOVE Miquon here. It has totally changed my mindset on the subject. I was a total mathophobic person and the thought of teaching my children had me in a panic. But Miquon has been enlightening for us both!