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Is MM enough for my main math program?


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We were using RS and I like it but my daughter really needed more worksheets for retention. At first I was only going to supplement but we are really enjoying it. The price difference is amazing and I just do not want to shell out $60.00 if I do not need to for the next level of RS.

 

I would like to add in LOF for extra fun but I need to know if MM will be enough by itself. We are using the Light Blue Series. I have two children using it. First and Fourth grades.

Thanks!

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If you are already using it and happy with the teaching involved, then go for it!!

 

I also teach from RS and use MM to supplement - but after using MM I personally know there is NO WAY I'd be able to teach from it. It just doesn't match my teaching style & my kids learning style. It works great for a cheap worksheet supplement that ties fairly well with RS, but that is as far as it will go for us.

 

In fact, my ds7 dislikes the worksheets in MM so much that I've started doing "buddy math" and out-loud work to work through it with him (knows the knowledge & has the ability, just doesn't like the worksheets). We are likely switching to ALEKS for supplement next year. It is way more expensive, but it will still be a supplement to teaching from RS!!

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Yes, MM is absolutely enough.

 

It is also very flexible. Don't overlook the supportive materials folder - it has the cumulative reviews, tests and extra worksheet maker. And, of course, don't hesitate to add in manipulatives from RS if it suits you all for a particular lesson.

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We love MM here. I did add in some lower grade Singapore Intensive Practice but only b/c we were going through it quickly b/c they do about an hour 4x a week. We also play math games for fun but these are all just for extra enrichment which is the beauty of homeschool.

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MM was a much better fit for us as well. The explanations are much clearer for me and it fits my teaching style better. I can easily tell where Maria is going with an exercise, whereas with RS I often couldn't tell what the point of each lesson was until many lessons later. I'm still doing RS A with my youngest, but as I teach it again I'm seriously wondering if there isn't a better fit for us with K math.

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I bought the full MM curriculum through 6th. I think it is flexible and can be used as a complete curriculum for many learning styles. I use it with my accelerated kid, because I can teach by concept/unit and move on at a quicker pace without having to buy so many books. We suppliment with living math books to make it more interesting, but you don't have to.

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We just bought Grades 4-6 Light Blue as I am strongly considering switching older after he finishes SM 4B, simply for reasons of cost and ease of acceleration/skipping. I hope it goes well!

 

 

If acceleration is what you are after, MM is SOOO easy! We have always used MM, then very very briefly I wondered if I was missing something having not even tried SM so I got the 2nd grade. I went right back to MM because it's easier for me to condense years and concepts by unit. And talk about cheaper! I am using the SM CWP with it

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What do you all plan on using after Grade 6? Will you continue on with her Pre-Algebra or switch to something else? I will not be comfortable teaching after Level 6 unless it is very teacher friendly.

 

She does not have prealgebra texts. She only has supplemental worksheets for that level. She has recommendations for prealgebra and algebra.

 

Your elementary program does not need to be the same as your prealgebra/algebra on up programs.

 

I'm using Singapore as of a few weeks ago, but my plan would be the same either way... I plan to use Singapore 5, then AoPS Prealgebra. IF that doesn't pan out (ie, if young son can't handle AoPS yet), I'll do Singapore 6 and then go to Foerster's Algebra (which does have DVDs from Math Without Borders).

 

There are a lot of good options for those levels. Don't worry about tying them to your elementary program, whatever you use for elementary.

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Yes, MM is absolutely enough.

 

It is also very flexible. Don't overlook the supportive materials folder - it has the cumulative reviews, tests and extra worksheet maker. And, of course, don't hesitate to add in manipulatives from RS if it suits you all for a particular lesson.

 

 

I never noticed a supportive materials folder! Off to check it out, thanks! :D

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We use it as our main curriculum. I use the Light Blue Series Curriculum for Grade 3 & Grade 5 levels right now. We have been using MM for two years now and it's working really well for us. I downloaded the pdfs for their grade level, along with the tests & cumulative reviews onto their laptops and they complete the work on lined paper. Occasionally I may find myself printing a page (multiplication table, geometry page, etc) but for the most part they work all the problems on lined paper. It has done amazing things for dd10s organizational skills and I noticed that after a month or really working to get things neat and tidy, most of her answers are now correct... so it has made a huge difference using it this way.

 

We do two pages a day and if they get done within an hour I add in a page from MEP at their level. I also use the additional fact sheet generator page from MM to give them extra practice in measurement conversions, multiplication or whatever we are on and I think they need extra work in. I think it is a brilliant math curriculum and have been very pleased with it.

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