Xilka Posted January 18, 2012 Share Posted January 18, 2012 Could someone tell me why MEP math is so much more difficult than everything else we've used? We're in 4th grade and doing MEP Year 4. We're also using other 4th grade math curriculum. All the other stuff is pretty much at the same place, but MEP just seems so much more advanced. My son is really good at math, but we're BOTH having such a hard time with MEP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted January 18, 2012 Share Posted January 18, 2012 I did do a comparison of UK and US maths progression here, however. Laura Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xilka Posted January 18, 2012 Author Share Posted January 18, 2012 Thanks Laura! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
serendipitous journey Posted January 19, 2012 Share Posted January 19, 2012 Have you been doing MEP all along, or did you transition in? We've just begun adding MEP in and I'm planning to transition to it as our main math right now, replacing MathUSee. Button is accelerated in math; he's at about the middle of the 4th "year" of MUS, tested for the middle of year 3 for Singapore (this would contain mostly material he'd mastered, with a few new concepts), and is working through the beginning of MEP year 2 quite happily (so far no new computation, but very different presentation and also the Roman numerals), sometimes skipping lessons. For comparison, we purchased Singapore 2A a few months ago and it bored him silly. So MEP is clearly doing something differently ... Which questions are especially hard for y'all? Statistics/probability, maybe? Are you reading the Lesson Plans? though in MEP I think the later years have less teacher guidance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nmoira Posted January 19, 2012 Share Posted January 19, 2012 Could someone tell me why MEP math is so much more difficult than everything else we've used? I'll give it a shot. :D Some of the problems require the type of out-of-the-box thinking as the Singapore IP books. However, IP is designed to be post-mastery, whereas these problems in MEP are part of the road to mastery. Do carefully read the TM, as not all problems are "individually" assigned. Not all students in the class would be expected to get the tougher class problems without guidance. What types of exercises are you having trouble with? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khall Posted January 19, 2012 Share Posted January 19, 2012 MEP requires thinking, and that's not really how math is traditionally presented. Most American programs present an algorithm, then give lots of practice with applying the algorithm. For example, in many math programs, the teacher tells the students that the formula for finding the volume of a cube is V=lwh Then students practice on finding the volume of lots of cubes where they're given the length, width, & height. So they're essentially just practicing multiplying. In MEP, a discussion of volume happens, & the teacher guides the student in figuring out how to find volume before providing the algorithm. The practice problems that follow require thought, sometimes lots of it. The student might be given the volume, & has to come up with as many different values for l, w, & h as possible that would give that volume. Totally different thought process going on! I'm just giving volume examples because that's what DS11 is currently working on in Year 5. You're right that it's hard, but it teaches how to think, so we love it! Just take it slowly, or back up a little, and give yourself time to get used to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SorrelZG Posted January 19, 2012 Share Posted January 19, 2012 I'm glad this thread came up. I was just reading a post the other day about Year 1 of MEP being far too easy for a first grader along with all the many times I've heard that MEP is a year behind American math programs. I seriously can't keep track of things on this forum! Not that I'm using or even considering MEP ... ... or am I? grr @ forum :glare: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crimson Wife Posted January 19, 2012 Share Posted January 19, 2012 MEP 1A is deceptively easy. It looks so basic at times, but some of the problems require pretty impressive thinking skills for a 5 or 6 y.o. I did wind up switching DS to Singapore because the spiral aspect of MEP wasn't a good fit for my teaching style and he preferred the visual look of Singapore. However, as far as the actual math goes, MEP is an excellent program. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted January 19, 2012 Share Posted January 19, 2012 I'm glad this thread came up. I was just reading a post the other day about Year 1 of MEP being far too easy for a first grader along with all the many times I've heard that MEP is a year behind American math programs. UK school years and US school grades are numbered differently. US K is the age equivalent of UK Year 1, US first grade is UK year 2. There are thirteen numbered years in English school education, not twelve as in the US. People get confused by this and start talking about UK programmes being 'behind', when in fact the age groups are just differently numbered. To use MEP in the way that a UK educator would expect, a US K pupil would be using MEP year 1, a US first grader would use MEP year 2... Laura Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NilaGroveSchool Posted January 19, 2012 Share Posted January 19, 2012 SCGS I believe that Year 2 is considered 1st grade, not Year 1. My DD6 and I are in Year 2 and she is 6, 1st grade, the lessons plans and the worksheets together are a good fit for us. I support the previous posts in that MEP math challenges and helps the brain to stretch a little further (conditioning exercises for the brain). MEP math encourages the teacher to demonstrate many of the problems with the help of the student. The first time a new type of problem is covered the student can sometimes barely follow along with the teacher, but eventually they can do those problems themselves; it really stretches the brain of my dd6 and is not boring for us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SorrelZG Posted January 19, 2012 Share Posted January 19, 2012 UK school years and US school grades are numbered differently. US K is the age equivalent of UK Year 1, US first grade is UK year 2. There are thirteen numbered years in English school education, not twelve as in the US. People get confused by this and start talking about UK programmes being 'behind', when in fact the age groups are just differently numbered. To use MEP in the way that a UK educator would expect, a US K pupil would be using MEP year 1, a US first grader would use MEP year 2... Laura OK, I went and actually read the post you linked to earlier in the thread. That was helpful. :) Total tangent but I really don't like the U.S. system. I'm from a country that also sends you straight into 3 year, major specific, university course - i.e. I went from 12th grade into a 3 year bachelor of Communications (Journalism major) and ALL of my first year courses (well, electives aside) were communications/journalism specific. Here it appears that the universities host a 13th year of high-school to make up for all the work that wasn't done before they got there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladydusk Posted January 19, 2012 Share Posted January 19, 2012 MEP 1A is deceptively easy. It looks so basic at times, but some of the problems require pretty impressive thinking skills for a 5 or 6 y.o. I did wind up switching DS to Singapore because the spiral aspect of MEP wasn't a good fit for my teaching style and he preferred the visual look of Singapore. However, as far as the actual math goes, MEP is an excellent program. :iagree: My 4 yo (who completed Reception last year and is definitely math-ready) started Y1 in January. We've done through Lesson 7. Lesson 7 introduces >, <, and = and has some super-tricky questions. We talked through them and she did great, but it isn't as easy as it looks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blondeviolin Posted January 19, 2012 Share Posted January 19, 2012 UK school years and US school grades are numbered differently. US K is the age equivalent of UK Year 1, US first grade is UK year 2. There are thirteen numbered years in English school education, not twelve as in the US. People get confused by this and start talking about UK programmes being 'behind', when in fact the age groups are just differently numbered. To use MEP in the way that a UK educator would expect, a US K pupil would be using MEP year 1, a US first grader would use MEP year 2... Laura If you look at it this way, MEP is actually ahead. My oldest is K aged and completing MEP 1B, so by British standards, chugging right along with where she should be according to her age. BUT, we were just at a church function where there were a smattering of my oldest and her agemates. An adult was mumbling about how many slices of cake we would need and said, "We have six adults, three teens, ten children and two who don't want cake...I should double the cake for the teenagers..." and Abby said, "So you would need twenty slices." And then there was much eye popping and jaw dropping because they know she is only five. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted January 19, 2012 Share Posted January 19, 2012 My oldest is K aged and completing MEP 1B, so by British standards, chugging right along with where she should be according to her age. MEP was specifically set up to address issues with the maths teaching which is common in schools. I suspect that there is more high-level thinking in MEP than in a standard UK programme... Laura Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xilka Posted January 19, 2012 Author Share Posted January 19, 2012 Thanks everybody. This has been very helpful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nmoira Posted January 19, 2012 Share Posted January 19, 2012 UK school years and US school grades are numbered differently. US K is the age equivalent of UK Year 1, US first grade is UK year 2. There are thirteen numbered years in English school education, not twelve as in the US. People get confused by this and start talking about UK programmes being 'behind', when in fact the age groups are just differently numbered. To use MEP in the way that a UK educator would expect, a US K pupil would be using MEP year 1, a US first grader would use MEP year 2...Y2 may technically be first grade, but I know of no other program that covers all of the multiplication facts in first, or even in second. I'm under the impression that most people using it in North America use Y1 more or less in first grade, Y2 in second, etc. After Y6, a bright child can start algebra. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted January 19, 2012 Share Posted January 19, 2012 (edited) Y2 may technically be first grade, but I know of no other program that covers all of the multiplication facts in first, or even in second. I'm under the impression that most people using it in North America use Y1 more or less in first grade, Y2 in second, etc. After Y6, a bright child can start algebra. By the end of Key Stage 1 (age 7, so perhaps US first grade) pupils are only expected to know all the multiplication facts for 2s and 10s. The rest (up to 10, as we work in decimals) are required by Key Stage 2 at age 11 (so perhaps US 5th grade). So it does look as if the MEP scope and sequence is different from the standard UK one, although it will still need to end up at the same point: GCSE exams at age 15 or 16. ETA: when I am explaining the difference between UK and US educational systems, I am comparing standard schooling with standard schooling for general information. I have one child who could read Harry Potter with enjoyment at 4 but couldn't form letters adequately until 8 (and still struggles with writing), so I am absolutely in favour of home educators using materials in the way that suits the individual child. Laura Edited January 19, 2012 by Laura Corin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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