MUS Alpha?

[4maybabies]

Can you walk me through a lesson? How long does it take on average? Do the kids watch the video, then you do the worksheets with them?

[Momma4Boys]

We have used MUS for years and LOVE it!!

 

Here is what we do:

 

Monday - my ds watches the video on the computer (with headphones on so he can concetrate and the rest of us can also :D) Then he does worksheet A

Tues - he does worksheet C

Wed - he does worksheet D (cummulative review)

Thurs - he does worksheet F (again, cummmulative review)

Friday - he takes test.

 

We save worksheets B & E for extra pratice if needed.

 

now, with that said there are other ways to do it - some people watch the video ahead of time and teach their dc directly - totally fine!

 

others watch the video WITH their dc - I did this with my youngest but now don't have time to watch 4 videos a week, plus I have seen most of them :001_smile:

 

The teachers manuals are fab as well for teaching hints.

 

IHTH

[elise1mds]

We watch the videos together. I pause/stop the video as needed, and we work through the concepts and problems together to make sure he's really understanding the concept. Then he does page A. If he aces that and truly seems to grasp the concept, I go straight to D the next day. If he needs more work, we'll do B and/or C over the next couple of days. After he masters a review page (which also sometimes takes more than one day, depending on the subject), we do the quiz. He averages about a lesson per week; sometimes we do more and sometimes less, since the lessons do get more difficult toward the ends of the books.

 

The video days do take the longest. Those days probably average about 45 minutes of math (45-60 minutes now, but 30-45 minutes during Alpha). Then the subsequent days take 20-30 minutes. I do help when asked, and sometimes we have to re-cover a topic to make sure it's really being grasped, but I'd rather take the time and do it right than get him frustrated.

 

We've been using MUS since Alpha in 'first' grade, and he's almost finished with Delta now. He'll start Epsilon this fall, for 'fourth' grade.

[raceNzanesmom]

We do it pretty much like Nicole. I have added this year (Beta) a bit of whiteboard time when big concepts are introduced- like yesterday he started regrouping with subtraction. We did 5-6 problems on the board so I know he gets the steps. Our MUS weeks are usually Mon-Fri, however, if I feel he needs more time I give it. If he gets through something quickly, like last week's telling time to the minute, then I add some math facts review and games. The same was true with Alpha. Most of the time math is start to finish in under 30 minutes.

[CatholicMom]

I used alpha last year.

 

 

Day 1:

 

I watch the video with my child. He usually looks like this: :001_huh: lol But that's OK because the videos are actually aimed at the parent, to help them understand the concept and learn how to teach the child. So we watch it together with that in mind.

 

Then we sit down at the table and I explain the concept again in my own words and we do a couple examples together to make sure he gets it.

 

Child does worksheet A and I help as needed and check it when they're finished. If they miss a couple I show them what they did wrong and they fix it.

 

Day 2: Child does worksheet B (more practicing of new skill). I check it.

 

Day 3: Child does worksheet C (more practicing of new skill). I check it. Usually they need less and less help as the days go on.

 

Day 4: Child does worksheet D (new skill plus review of past skills). I check it.

 

Day 5: Child does worksheet E (new skill plus review of past skills). I check it.

 

Day 6: Child does worksheet F (new skill plus review of past skills). I check it. If they are clearly doing well throughout this week's lesson then I say, "You get to take the test tomorrow!"

 

Day 7: Test. This is usually kind of a formality but helps solidify the end of the lesson and I do write down what grade they get. If it's not an A, we work on it for another day before we go to the next lesson.

 

Day 8: We start a new lesson. Watch DVD together, teach concept in my own words, do worksheet A.

 

However, that said, I do pay attention to whether my child is totally getting the concept only 1 or 2 days into the lesson. Unless I think they need more time to practice it just to remember the skill, if they are getting an A+ easily every day then I will move from the skills practice sheets and have them do a couple of the review sheets and tell them if they keep getting an A+ or only miss 1, they can take the test. This motivates them to do well (and makes them excited to take the test!) because that means they can be done with that lesson and move to the next one.

 

HTH