MEP: it's love/hate thing

[blondeviolin]

I've written some about the MEP meltdowns my 5yo has had while we work through the teens sections of 1b. Today, at the bottom of the sheet, she was given a series of numbers (1, 2, 3, 4, 5). She was asked to place them in two different groups that would have equal sums. She pulled out the corresponding rods, and before trying any combination she said, "Nice try, but that's impossible.". Then she went on to explain that the sun of all five numbers was 15. And with 15 being odd, it did not split up to two equal parts.

 

And this is why I LIKE MEP and want to keep it up. I just have to decide if we'll run through SM 1b or finish up MEP 1b (10wks left) first...

[KristenR]

I've written some about the MEP meltdowns my 5yo has had while we work through the teens sections of 1b. Today, at the bottom of the sheet, she was given a series of numbers (1, 2, 3, 4, 5). She was asked to place them in two different groups that would have equal sums. She pulled out the corresponding rods, and before trying any combination she said, "Nice try, but that's impossible.". Then she went on to explain that the sun of all five numbers was 15. And with 15 being odd, it did not split up to two equal parts.

 

And this is why I LIKE MEP and want to keep it up. I just have to decide if we'll run through SM 1b or finish up MEP 1b (10wks left) first...

 

For some reason MEP and never clicked here. I tried it with my with my oldest dd when she was 4 (here learning style is similar to mine) and it just didn't "do anything" for either of us. I can't put my finger on what it was but something didn't work. Then we switched to Saxon :glare: Big Mistake. I can see its appeal for certain people. I did keep it because I have a feeling it might work well with my middle daughter.

 

But then we went to Miquon {input heavenly music here}. We've had many a-ha moments like the one you explained with MEP except without any of the occasional MEP frustrations we experienced.

 

That being said, as much as I love Miquon I felt like we needed something to supplement with. I did a (rather wordy) post about it here and explained why we ended up picking up SM as well.

 

After all this curriculum hoping, I have come to realize how valuable it is when something works for your child. It really can make a world of difference.

[Crimson Wife]

Those kinds of problems were what I liked about MEP as well. I just felt like I couldn't quite tell if DS was actually making any progress overall.

 

I wish MEP collected some of the more interesting problems into a "challenge" book similar to Singapore IP, organized into chapters by topic.

[Dmmetler]

Those kinds of problems were what I liked about MEP as well. I just felt like I couldn't quite tell if DS was actually making any progress overall.

 

I wish MEP collected some of the more interesting problems into a "challenge" book similar to Singapore IP, organized into chapters by topic.

:iagree:

 

DD didn't like MEP at ALL as a main curriculum-she's much happier with Singapore, so I find myself sifting through MEP to find the challenging, fun stuff to add on.

[nmoira]

Those kinds of problems were what I liked about MEP as well. I just felt like I couldn't quite tell if DS was actually making any progress overall.

Of course you shouldn't stick with any program if you aren't comfortable with it. However, I see you mention this in every single MEP thread, and I'm unsure as to what it is you felt you needed to see. Didn't you only use it for one term?

 

I wish MEP collected some of the more interesting problems into a "challenge" book similar to Singapore IP, organized into chapters by topic.

But the methodology is completely different: Singapore IP is designed to be post-mastery, while MEP busts the brain on the way to mastery.

[nmoira]

And this is why I LIKE MEP and want to keep it up. I just have to decide if we'll run through SM 1b or finish up MEP 1b (10wks left) first...

I'm pretty sure we'll be moving DD the Younger to Beast Academy in the fall, but my affection for MEP is making the choice more difficult than I would have anticipated.

[stripe]

I wish MEP collected some of the more interesting problems into a "challenge" book similar to Singapore IP, organized into chapters by topic.

 

i'm glad they don't.

[Crimson Wife]

i'm glad they don't.

 

*IN ADDITION* to their standard curriculum, not in place of it. I would love to get interesting problems from MEP related to a given topic without having to go combing through each lesson individually. It's the exact same frustration I have with MCT- I want something organized by topic so that I can easily flip to it, open-and-go.

 

Of course you shouldn't stick with any program if you aren't comfortable with it. However, I see you mention this in every single MEP thread, and I'm unsure as to what it is you felt you needed to see. Didn't you only use it for one term?

 

I want to see that there is a point to all the activities beyond them just being interesting. With other math programs I've used, I can very clearly judge that my student is actually making progress. There is a very clear linear progression to Right Start or Singapore or MM. With MEP, I just couldn't tell. Almost halfway through Yr 1 and DS was still doing the same sorts of activities, only now the total quantity was 9 instead of a smaller number. I just didn't get it :confused::confused::confused:

[stripe]

I want to see that there is a point to all the activities beyond them just being interesting. With other math programs I've used, I can very clearly judge that my student is actually making progress. There is a very clear linear progression to Right Start or Singapore or MM. With MEP, I just couldn't tell. Almost halfway through Yr 1 and DS was still doing the same sorts of activities, only now the total quantity was 9 instead of a smaller number. I just didn't get it :confused::confused::confused:

because I started with another program first and then moved to MEP, it actually was obvious to me when the rote equation solving switched to something more thoughtful. It is definitely stealth learning in some cases. It's subtle.

[poetic license]

*IN ADDITION* to their standard curriculum, not in place of it. I would love to get interesting problems from MEP related to a given topic without having to go combing through each lesson individually. It's the exact same frustration I have with MCT- I want something organized by topic so that I can easily flip to it, open-and-go.

 

I just ignore the lesson plans completely, print off the student books and then glance through and highlight the puzzle type problems or any other activities I want DS to do. Not quite open and go, but almost.

[poetic license]

I've written some about the MEP meltdowns my 5yo has had while we work through the teens sections of 1b. Today, at the bottom of the sheet, she was given a series of numbers (1, 2, 3, 4, 5). She was asked to place them in two different groups that would have equal sums. She pulled out the corresponding rods, and before trying any combination she said, "Nice try, but that's impossible.". Then she went on to explain that the sun of all five numbers was 15. And with 15 being odd, it did not split up to two equal parts.

 

And this is why I LIKE MEP and want to keep it up. I just have to decide if we'll run through SM 1b or finish up MEP 1b (10wks left) first...

 

Too cute! :001_smile: I'm having a similar issue as we finish up Miquon Red--not sure if I should do MEP 1B first or finish up SM 1B. I'm trying to drag out "1st gr" math until the end of this school year and come at it from a few different angles before moving on.

[stripe]

I just ignore the lesson plans completely, print off the student books and then glance through and highlight the puzzle type problems or any other activities I want DS to do. Not quite open and go, but almost.

Some of the best puzzles are in the lesson plans. ;)

[poetic license]

Some of the best puzzles are in the lesson plans. ;)

 

aww, don't go and make my life more complicated now! :tongue_smilie:

[Crimson Wife]

Some of the best puzzles are in the lesson plans. ;)

 

:iagree::iagree::iagree:

I really, really wanted to like MEP because it has some amazing problem-solving work and you can't beat the cost ;). I just couldn't quiet the nagging little voice of doubt in the back of my mind that my student was actually going forward rather than spinning in circles (very interesting circles, but circles none-the-less).

[serendipitous journey]

:iagree::iagree::iagree:

I really, really wanted to like MEP because it has some amazing problem-solving work and you can't beat the cost ;). I just couldn't quiet the nagging little voice of doubt in the back of my mind that my student was actually going forward rather than spinning in circles (very interesting circles, but circles none-the-less).

 

I think this makes a lot of sense. I myself am in the middle of working out Button's math program, which includes MEP, MUS, LoF, & some Math Mammoth stuff; but starting with Bot-bot, I think I'll do MEP out of the gate and pair it with a computational mastery program.

 

One thing I'm grateful to MEP for is identifying Button's math talent. He is flying through MEP and this made DH & I notice his talent for math thinking, which we'd underestimated.

[nmoira]

I want to see that there is a point to all the activities beyond them just being interesting. With other math programs I've used, I can very clearly judge that my student is actually making progress. There is a very clear linear progression to Right Start or Singapore or MM. With MEP, I just couldn't tell. Almost halfway through Yr 1 and DS was still doing the same sorts of activities, only now the total quantity was 9 instead of a smaller number. I just didn't get it :confused::confused::confused:

Thanks. :)

 

I think part of the trouble may be is that what MEP is teaching is not so easily seen as, say, RS's "adding four digit numbers with regrouping," etc. I was resistent at first because it looked, well, strange. After going through the TM Y1 and Y2, settling on a pattern of looking at every week's Day 4, I was able to see where it was going, but still wasn't sure MEP would be enough without supplementation and so added in Miquon. Well, I'd either underestimated my child or MEP, because DD was getting the underlying mathematical concepts I'd thought might prove elusive. We dropped Miquon after the first book. Now, a bit past 2/3 of the way through Y2, she is cementing her multiplication/division tables and is not only prime factoring like a pro, but using factoring techniques to solve problems the "lazy" way (e.g. 4x6=?x3 ... she'll see that 6 is 2x3, so the answer must be 8). She gets that one somethingth is found by dividing by that something and means one part/group of something, and that "divided by" has more than one meaning/interpretation in a problem solving context.

 

FWIW, since we started, CIMT has added overview, objectives, and additional support materials. I'm a huge fan of the program, but am the first to admit that no one program is for everyone.

[LittleIzumi]

:iagree::iagree::iagree:

I really, really wanted to like MEP because it has some amazing problem-solving work and you can't beat the cost ;). I just couldn't quiet the nagging little voice of doubt in the back of my mind that my student was actually going forward rather than spinning in circles (very interesting circles, but circles none-the-less).

 

I dropped MEP for that reason (the going in weird circles--some of it seemed to make NO sense, and the ability jumping was confusing), but then I brought it back out, and after going through it for a while the "ah-ha" moments are jumping out. The Drama can't remember if 8 is an 8 or a 6, but she can answer mental math within 10 very accurately, and sometimes faster than The Sponge, who has three years of math on The Drama. That's just from Reception!