Do you like Bob Jones math?

[Mommy7]

I would love to hear what you think...the positive and the negative.

[AnnaM]

We are using it for 2nd grade. We really like it. It uses a spiral approach so if your child needs mastery that might be an issue. We love the colorful books and I feel like it gives enough review and new material without becoming boring or overwhelming.

[mom&nana]

We like it! :) I used it with one of my children for K and then we switched to Horizons. That was years ago, that same child is now 7th grade. I wish I would have kept her in BJU but I listened to others and wanted "rigorous". Everyone was raving about Horizons back then.

 

Now I've used BJU K last year and we're currently on lesson 105 in BJU 1st grade with my 7 year old. She loves it. She really likes the story lines. I like the teacher helps. The TM is great.. full of ideas for teaching, review, and extra activities to provide more practice if needed. I don't do everything in the teacher's manual but I do use a large portion of it. I have switched out manipulatives on the fly, etc. It's working very well for us.

 

However, I also tried BJU K with my 5 year old. It hasn't been the best fit for her, but I think it's because there's a possible learning disorder going on. She struggles with things, so I'm considering trying another program with her. I think it just moves too quickly through concepts and she needs a bit more review.

[Mommy7]

Thank you so much for responding. It is nice to know that it is working well for your families. It seems I had heard people say there wasn't enough review, but spiral means lots of review, right?

[Ohmomjacquie]

We love bju math! The story lines/characters make it fun. It uses lots of maanipulatives whhich my daughter needs. There is plenty of review and extra if needed. Tm is very well laid out and easy to follow. We tried Saxon last year and my daughter hated math by the end of the year. This year she likes math although it's still not her strength. We are staying with bju for third.

[mom31257]

I love BJU elementary math. It's mastery approach with some built-in review. The lessons are scripted it you need that, and there are lots of manipulatives for a visual representation of concepts. I only use the newest editions of BJU Math, because there are huge differences in what 2nd edition and 3rd edition covers. The TM CD is awesome with so many extras if you want or need them.

 

It is expensive to buy new, so if you can find the TM used that would help. Make sure it is the 3rd edition and has a working CD with it.

 

I don't know if I'll use it all the way through Pre-Algebra because I really like Lial's Algebra. It might make more sense for me to do Lial's BCM for Pre-Algebra.

[mom&nana]

Thank you so much for responding. It is nice to know that it is working well for your families. It seems I had heard people say there wasn't enough review, but spiral means lots of review, right?

 

I do feel that is has a good bit of review. I think it's just my daughter, maybe she needs more of a mastery approach. With my 7 year old it is plenty review. Also starting in 1st grade BJU sells an extra review workbook, if you need it. Although I purchased it, my 7 year old has not needed it. I wish they had an extra review book for K, that might have helped my other dd.

[mom31257]

I am confused why people keep saying BJU math is not a mastery approach. I've always understood that spiral programs are like Saxon, Horizons, and Christian Light in which a small concept is presented and then there are 20-30 problems of various kinds with only just a few over that day's concept.

 

BJU is not like that at all. Each lesson's work is mostly over that day's lesson with just a little bit of review of a previous topic. I thought if a child needs more review that is when you are to use the Reviews book. BJU deals with topics in chapters, such as a whole chapter on geometry or fractions. Spiral programs can have fractions one day, a geometry topic the next, then multiplication the following, etc.

 

I would say that if your child is not retaining with BJU, then they do need a spiral program not mastery.

[Mommyfaithe]

I liked it a lot for dd, but she needs a workbook, and that ends at 4th grade. I am using it now with ds who finished up CLE 300 level and needs a review. It matched up well with BJU 4. We are only using the work pages and manipulatives.

 

Ds prefers BJU....

[mom31257]

I liked it a lot for dd, but she needs a workbook, and that ends at 4th grade. I am using it now with ds who finished up CLE 300 level and needs a review. It matched up well with BJU 4. We are only using the work pages and manipulatives.

 

Ds prefers BJU....

 

BJU's new edition of 5th grade actually has a student worktext that you can write in. 4th grade has it, too, because that's what we're using right now. The catalog shows that there is new edition of 6th grade, but it lists student text, not worktext. I'm assuming that means in 6th grade you have to start writing on your own paper.

[karensk]

...but it's not every single day, as in Horizons and Saxon (unless you add in the BJU Review Math workbook).

 

BJU has a table of contents, with one topic per chapter. So if you want to flip to the chapter on fractions, you can do that. At the end of each chapter, there is a chapter review and then a cumulative review. Plus, if a student needs to work even more problems than the ones in the worktext, there's a Review book available (black & white); but many students don't need that much review.

 

Saxon and Horizons won't have any fractions section, as the fraction problems will be sprinkled out throughout the entire book. So you can't flip to the section on fractions or whatever topic you need. A new concept is introduced in each daily lesson, with a small amount of problems on that new concept. The remainder of the daily lesson consists of review problems, usually 3 to 4 different topics of review per day.

 

I haven't done a detailed side-by-side comparison of the 3 programs, but I'm pretty sure you'll end up covering the same stuff with any of them. I like how the BJU math comes with the colorful cardstock manipulatives, a cheaper alternative to the plastic ones. I'd be interested in knowing which one does a better job at introducing/explaining the base-ten system.

 

HTH!

[Rebel Jedi Mom]

We really enjoy it. My Kids seem to do better with the mastery approach. I agree with the PP who said to get 3rd edition. We've used both 2nd and 3rd edition and 3rd Ed is much better. The new editions do have review every day added in. At the end of each chapter there are several pages of review that are labeled to match lessons within that chapter. Each day at the end of the lesson it says, "Lesson 61 ,do review a on page 254." The cd has drill sheets for every day if you need them. We will start our last kinder year this fall. Hope that helps.

[MrsMe]

Thank you so much for responding. It is nice to know that it is working well for your families. It seems I had heard people say there wasn't enough review, but spiral means lots of review, right?

It's not incremental spiral. I'd call it more mastery as well. It goes via chapter then at a later chapter will come back to the subject. There is enough review in that you have a review book that they schedule, but I found it to be way too much work. They have a little bit of review at the end of some lessons, but not all. So while it's sort of scheduled, it's sort of not. LOL. I think if you did the lesson of the day it's enough, but adding the review page to it would be too much. But I also think that there wasn't enough review without the review book. I was up in the air with that.

 

I did not continue it because it got too cumbersome with the visuals and the teaching aides and such. And they used a bit of their own way, so I couldn't always look at the page and tell dd to do it. For some concepts, if it wasn't taught the way BJU shows, then they will be lost later on or in the next level. That was an issue for me. And even used...the price. I still think it's a good program though.

[Down_the_Rabbit_Hole]

Every year of our homeschool has had at least one child doing BJU math. One thing to realize, the teachers manual IS the math curriculum for the elementary level (as with most of BJU elementary subjects)with the workbook as reinforcement. Many people use just the wb and say it is weak or poorly put together, but if they paired it with the TM they would find it to be a very thorough program. The TM has the child use manipulatives to approach a math skill from many different angles showing a child there are more then one way to look at a problem and to help children with different learning styles grasp the concept. Love it.

 

The Secondary level books explains the concepts so the child can do the lessons independently. I never really used the TM except for answers. I do know it contains ways to teach common problems the students have, side infomation, extra problems, and more.

[mom&nana]

Ok, clearly I'm confused on what mastery, incremental, and spiral actually mean. Truthfully, I'm not really sure what my dd (age 5) needs. She struggles with concepts. BJU was not working for her because she needed more review, I guess. We were using the K program and there is not an extra review book for that level, and I think that would have helped had it been available. Perhaps she does need more of a spiral approach but I'm not sure about that because I think too many concepts thrown at her at once would spell disaster. With BJU we would talk about shapes for a while, then the shapes would disappear and come back some lessons later. By then she had forgotten which shapes were what. But I think it's just this child, as I said earlier, she might have a learning disability going on. Also we were all over the book in K, she could not learn the names of any numbers over 10 (even confuses 0-10 sometimes) and there are a lot of lessons in BJU dealing with that before doing simple addition (which she can do just fine). So we had to skip all over the workbook to fit her ability and keep her from becoming frustrated with what she could not understand.

 

On the other hand, BJU has been a perfect fit for my 7 year old. She gets concepts very quickly, and has not needed the extra review book.

[PeterPan]

Ok, clearly I'm confused on what mastery, incremental, and spiral actually mean. Truthfully, I'm not really sure what my dd (age 5) needs. She struggles with concepts. BJU was not working for her because she needed more review, I guess. We were using the K program and there is not an extra review book for that level, and I think that would have helped had it been available. Perhaps she does need more of a spiral approach but I'm not sure about that because I think too many concepts thrown at her at once would spell disaster. With BJU we would talk about shapes for a while, then the shapes would disappear and come back some lessons later. By then she had forgotten which shapes were what. But I think it's just this child, as I said earlier, she might have a learning disability going on. Also we were all over the book in K, she could not learn the names of any numbers over 10 (even confuses 0-10 sometimes) and there are a lot of lessons in BJU dealing with that before doing simple addition (which she can do just fine). So we had to skip all over the workbook to fit her ability and keep her from becoming frustrated with what she could not understand.

 

On the other hand, BJU has been a perfect fit for my 7 year old. She gets concepts very quickly, and has not needed the extra review book.

 

If this dc is 5, she's a very young K5 student. When is her birthday? My dd has a late April birthday, and honestly when she was that age I always felt like she took a leap around Christmas. So it might be that if you started the K5 material over *now* she'd do better. And it might be you're seeing hints of something (LD, developmental delay, whatever) that is going to be an issue in the future. More review wouldn't help what you're experiencing, just saying. You can't rush development.

[TracyR]

Yes, i liked it a lot for my oldest daughter when we first started homeschooling. She is my bells and whistles kid and I knew that she would need all that color and cutesy stuff to keep her attention. She is very good with math so the mastery math worked for her, though I'll admit that it was really easy to forget adding drill in there though. Through the years she learned to understand math well, but was very slow in getting to the answer because she didn't know her math facts, still doesn't no matter what I've done now, so still counting on her fingers.

 

I used it from K-6th , we stopped at 6th because all of a sudden BJU math didn't give her that warm fuzzy feeling evidently. I don't know. She just stopped liking it then. Now we are doing Horizon's Pre Algebra and she's happy with that. But they do have a good math program.

Just don't forget to add math fact drill in there otherwise you will end up like where we're at.

You need the teacher manual. Without it its a bare bones workbook.

It spirals back around but no review of past concepts like other math programs (CLE,Saxon, Horizons etc). If you want practice of past concepts you'll need to buy their other workbooks that go along with it. But it spirals in a way that Chapter one maybe about addition, then chapter 2 subtraction, then chapter three geometry concepts, then it comes back around to adding again, but you may learn how to add three numbers instead of two. That type of spiral. But its not review of past concepts.

To bad the 1st child always ends up being the guinea pig.

Edited April 10, 2012 by TracyR

[mom&nana]

If this dc is 5, she's a very young K5 student. When is her birthday? My dd has a late April birthday, and honestly when she was that age I always felt like she took a leap around Christmas. So it might be that if you started the K5 material over *now* she'd do better. And it might be you're seeing hints of something (LD, developmental delay, whatever) that is going to be an issue in the future. More review wouldn't help what you're experiencing, just saying. You can't rush development.

 

She will be 6 in June. It could very well be what you suggested, just a developmental delay. I have considered just re-doing the BJU K and see how things go. Ironically, my 3 year old is ahead of her in so many areas. I don't know, this child is just so different from my other children. I've been trying to just wait and see... trying not to diagnose her because perhaps she's just a late bloomer.

[Mommyfaithe]

BJU's new edition of 5th grade actually has a student worktext that you can write in. 4th grade has it, too, because that's what we're using right now. The catalog shows that there is new edition of 6th grade, but it lists student text, not worktext. I'm assuming that means in 6th grade you have to start writing on your own paper.

 

That sounds awesome!!

[PeterPan]

She will be 6 in June. It could very well be what you suggested, just a developmental delay. I have considered just re-doing the BJU K and see how things go. Ironically, my 3 year old is ahead of her in so many areas. I don't know, this child is just so different from my other children. I've been trying to just wait and see... trying not to diagnose her because perhaps she's just a late bloomer.

 

You're not reading into things. I would start doing some checking in your shoes. Head over to the SN board and make a post about it. Just tell your situation and see what your options are. With a June birthday, yes she could repeat K5 this fall and be totally on track. However she may turn out to be more than 1 year behind. My ds is 3 and knows his numbers. When she's very different from the others and not hitting typical markers, it's time to start checking stuff. Yes there's a range of normal, but developmental markers they use for different ages account for that. You could be seeing something. Definitely follow up with it.

 

BTW, I take the time to do this on the boards because I had things I said about my dd for YEARS that no one caught. I would say things about what was happening when I taught her, what she couldn't do (coloring, sounding out words) and NOBODY took the time to tell me to get things checked. There's no benefit to waiting, not once they're old enough to be evaluated. You can make the appointment now and she can have a full eval. Or go through the ps. It takes several months to get into a neuropsych. Or your ped might refer you to a developmental ped. It just depends on what you're seeing. But waiting doesn't help, not once you know there's soemthing going on. They're *going* to continue to progress, absolutely, but it could be so far off the curve, you need to know what's going on. And sometimes when you get those evals you find things you can work on. (speech, OT, eyes) It's not an endless money pit, even though it feels like it. You get the evals so you have the power to decide what to do about it.

Edited April 10, 2012 by OhElizabeth

[PeterPan]

BJU's new edition of 5th grade actually has a student worktext that you can write in. 4th grade has it, too, because that's what we're using right now. The catalog shows that there is new edition of 6th grade, but it lists student text, not worktext. I'm assuming that means in 6th grade you have to start writing on your own paper.

 

That's terrific! When we hit the 5th with the BJU, we switched over to the whiteboard. I love the way they're going with the new editions. I will point out though for the op that you have to USE the extras that are in there if your dc needs the extra review. When we were doing it, I would hear people saying there wasn't enough review. Then it would turn out they weren't using all the extras BJU sold (Spring into Action, etc. etc.). Now I gather they're putting some of that on the cds in the new tms, which is fabulous.

[Caia]

This is correct. The new edition of 5th grade math is a perforated, 3 hole punched workbook. The new edition of 6th grade math is not perforated or 3 hole punched and does not look like it is meant to be used workbook style, but it definitely looks like it has the room for a student to use it workbook style for most problems if desired. The 6th grade math book is in the larger 8 1/2 x11 book format of the younger grades.

 

BJU's new edition of 5th grade actually has a student worktext that you can write in. 4th grade has it, too, because that's what we're using right now. The catalog shows that there is new edition of 6th grade, but it lists student text, not worktext. I'm assuming that means in 6th grade you have to start writing on your own paper.

[monalisa]

I am confused why people keep saying BJU math is not a mastery approach. I've always understood that spiral programs are like Saxon, Horizons, and Christian Light in which a small concept is presented and then there are 20-30 problems of various kinds with only just a few over that day's concept.

 

BJU is not like that at all. Each lesson's work is mostly over that day's lesson with just a little bit of review of a previous topic. I thought if a child needs more review that is when you are to use the Reviews book. BJU deals with topics in chapters, such as a whole chapter on geometry or fractions. Spiral programs can have fractions one day, a geometry topic the next, then multiplication the following, etc.

 

I would say that if your child is not retaining with BJU, then they do need a spiral program not mastery.

 

I agree that BJU is much more mastery than Saxon or CLE. My dd used BJU for K-2, and this year is using CLE 3 which is overdrive spiral compared to BJU. BJU isn't as much mastery as MUS which spends a year on one topic. The one lacking thing in BJU for my dd was fact drill built in; I really like the systematic flash card drill and speed drills in each lesson. In BJU, they tell you what facts to review in the TM, but it isn't as systematic and repetative as BJU. I'm thinking of putting her back in BJU for 4th, because CLE, though good, is getting to be drudgery for her. She enjoyed BJU more I think. I'll probably keep the CLE drill approach, however.

[MrsMe]

I agree that BJU is much more mastery than Saxon or CLE. My dd used BJU for K-2, and this year is using CLE 3 which is overdrive spiral compared to BJU. BJU isn't as much mastery as MUS which spends a year on one topic. The one lacking thing in BJU for my dd was fact drill built in; I really like the systematic flash card drill and speed drills in each lesson. In BJU, they tell you what facts to review in the TM, but it isn't as systematic and repetative as BJU. I'm thinking of putting her back in BJU for 4th, because CLE, though good, is getting to be drudgery for her. She enjoyed BJU more I think. I'll probably keep the CLE drill approach, however.

 

I completely agree with this assessment. Except you mean CLE where I bolded it, right? :tongue_smilie: I worry more that I'll need more help than CLE gives Mom when we move up. ;) I'm not sold on the text vs worktext approach in 6th though.

[Down_the_Rabbit_Hole]

I agree that BJU is much more mastery than Saxon or CLE. My dd used BJU for K-2, and this year is using CLE 3 which is overdrive spiral compared to BJU. BJU isn't as much mastery as MUS which spends a year on one topic. The one lacking thing in BJU for my dd was fact drill built in; I really like the systematic flash card drill and speed drills in each lesson. In BJU, they tell you what facts to review in the TM, but it isn't as systematic and repetative as BJU. I'm thinking of putting her back in BJU for 4th, because CLE, though good, is getting to be drudgery for her. She enjoyed BJU more I think. I'll probably keep the CLE drill approach, however.

Did you do the drill pages on the cd? These have fact drill pages for your student to do several times a week.

[mom31257]

I agree that BJU is much more mastery than Saxon or CLE. My dd used BJU for K-2, and this year is using CLE 3 which is overdrive spiral compared to BJU. BJU isn't as much mastery as MUS which spends a year on one topic. The one lacking thing in BJU for my dd was fact drill built in; I really like the systematic flash card drill and speed drills in each lesson. In BJU, they tell you what facts to review in the TM, but it isn't as systematic and repetative as BJU. I'm thinking of putting her back in BJU for 4th, because CLE, though good, is getting to be drudgery for her. She enjoyed BJU more I think. I'll probably keep the CLE drill approach, however.

 

I did try CLE and ds quickly was bored with having to do so many problems every day that he already knew how to do. I did enjoy the systematic fact drills in CLE. Ds does not have his times tables down yet, but I'm going to have him doing a lot of games and drills over the summer to get that nailed down. Ds is using 4th grade now if you have any specific questions.

[mom&nana]

You're not reading into things. I would start doing some checking in your shoes. Head over to the SN board and make a post about it. Just tell your situation and see what your options are. With a June birthday, yes she could repeat K5 this fall and be totally on track. However she may turn out to be more than 1 year behind. My ds is 3 and knows his numbers. When she's very different from the others and not hitting typical markers, it's time to start checking stuff. Yes there's a range of normal, but developmental markers they use for different ages account for that. You could be seeing something. Definitely follow up with it.

 

BTW, I take the time to do this on the boards because I had things I said about my dd for YEARS that no one caught. I would say things about what was happening when I taught her, what she couldn't do (coloring, sounding out words) and NOBODY took the time to tell me to get things checked. There's no benefit to waiting, not once they're old enough to be evaluated. You can make the appointment now and she can have a full eval. Or go through the ps. It takes several months to get into a neuropsych. Or your ped might refer you to a developmental ped. It just depends on what you're seeing. But waiting doesn't help, not once you know there's soemthing going on. They're *going* to continue to progress, absolutely, but it could be so far off the curve, you need to know what's going on. And sometimes when you get those evals you find things you can work on. (speech, OT, eyes) It's not an endless money pit, even though it feels like it. You get the evals so you have the power to decide what to do about it.

 

Thanks OhE. We actually had a doctor's appointment today so I talked to her doctor. He gave me a number to call, and I think I'll also pop in over on the SN board when things calm down here. (This child is having dental surgery tomorrow.) I'm not too sure that her doctor knew exactly what to recommend, as far as how to proceed for an evaluation. So experience from ladies who have been there and done that will be very helpful.

[LuvToRead]

We love Bob Jones Math. I read somewhere (wish I could remember where) that their approach was spiral mastery. So I guess it includes the best of both worlds.

[Mommy7]

Now, I like the sound of that...spiral and mastery...the best of both worlds...hmmm.

 

Would the rest of you agree with that analysis?

 

Does anyone know how it would compare to TT? I know TT is spiral...maybe I'm meaning how the scope and sequence compares.

[PeterPan]

Becky, BJU is solid and traditional in scope & sequence. You'll never have any question of whether your dc will have covered the necessary material to test well on standardized tests, because they will. It's just good and solid.

[mom31257]

I've heard several people say, if you are using TT, you should use it a grade ahead. I don't see an actual scope and sequence on their site, but looking at 3rd grade's Table of Contents, it looks just a little behind what my son did in BJU's 3rd grade math. He learned long division in BJU, and it looks like TT just introduces the beginnings of division.

[Down_the_Rabbit_Hole]

Becky, BJU is solid and traditional in scope & sequence. You'll never have any question of whether your dc will have covered the necessary material to test well on standardized tests, because they will. It's just good and solid.

:iagree:

[Ohmomjacquie]

Every year of our homeschool has had at least one child doing BJU math. One thing to realize, the teachers manual IS the math curriculum for the elementary level (as with most of BJU elementary subjects)with the workbook as reinforcement. Many people use just the wb and say it is weak or poorly put together, but if they paired it with the TM they would find it to be a very thorougse.

 

I can't imagine using just the workbook! There's no way it would work that way!

[Ohmomjacquie]

double post

[Ohmomjacquie]

Now, I like the sound of that...spiral and mastery...the best of both worlds...hmmm.

 

Would the rest of you agree with that analysis?

 

Does anyone know how it would compare to TT? I know TT is spiral...maybe I'm meaning how the scope and sequence compares.

 

 

 

I agree that it's both. Its mastery in that they cover one topic in each chapter.it's spiral in that there is daily review plus a cumulative review at the end of each chapter.

 

Haven't used tt so I can't help there.

[mom31257]

I can't imagine using just the workbook! There's no way it would work that way!

 

I just use the main workbook and rarely teach the whole lesson as it's presented in the TM. I do have a math degree and feel comfortable teaching the worktext page my own way. Ds takes after me, so he understands math very well and is easy to teach. He often understands something before I even teach the lesson.

[PeterPan]

I just use the main workbook and rarely teach the whole lesson as it's presented in the TM. I do have a math degree and feel comfortable teaching the worktext page my own way. Ds takes after me, so he understands math very well and is easy to teach. He often understands something before I even teach the lesson.

 

Using just the worktext won't give many kids enough practice. He may have your math genes. :D

[AnnaM]

I consider anything that introduces a new concept regularly to be spiral. BJU spend a chapter on one over all concept but almost daily a new part of that concept is introduced and a previous concept is reviewed at the end of the day. To be mastery, I would expect that we would spend several days on each new concept. So yesterday we went over expanded form of numbers in the hundreds, the day before we went over hundreds place value. Today we will do something else that involves the hundreds place, but it will be a new concept again. Yes they all deal with hundreds, but they are three different concepts. Maybe it isn't really set in stone what it falls under though and is just a matter of perspective :)

 

Moral of the story, we love BJU math and I dont really use the TM though I do have it.

[PeterPan]

I think y'all will see the spiral vs. mastery (with built-in review) as you look at the materials from chapter to chapter, rather than lesson to lesson.

[ereks mom]

We used BJU Math (2nd edition) and I cannot say enough good things about it. I would do it all over again. I haven't seen the new 3rd edition books, but I hear that they are even better!

[Mommy7]

Thanks, everyone, for your comments. It is so helpful.

 

OhElizabeth, your comment is particularly reassuring because I value your judgement so much. Hey, maybe I should quote you in my signature! :lol: Thank you for responding!

 

Truth be told, I do get concerned over using TT. My heart just sang when I read "BJU is solid and traditional in scope and sequence..."

[monalisa]

I completely agree with this assessment. Except you mean CLE where I bolded it, right? :tongue_smilie: I worry more that I'll need more help than CLE gives Mom when we move up. ;) I'm not sold on the text vs worktext approach in 6th though.

]

 

Whoops, yes I meant CLE is more systematic and repetitive with drill. I did use the BJU drill pages for DD, but they are not systematically reviewing the facts like CLE does, where each day it has you doing certain flashcards and a certain drill sheet. So it isn't random like I felt like fact review was in BJU (the drill sheets I mean). For instance in 3rd grade CLE, each day she has 2 small sets of flashcards assigned, and then a speed drill which rotates through addition, subtraction and multiplication. The assigned flashcards will be certain fact families of either addition/subtraction or times tables.

[MrsMe]

]

 

Whoops, yes I meant CLE is more systematic and repetitive with drill. I did use the BJU drill pages for DD, but they are not systematically reviewing the facts like CLE does, where each day it has you doing certain flashcards and a certain drill sheet. So it isn't random like I felt like fact review was in BJU (the drill sheets I mean). For instance in 3rd grade CLE, each day she has 2 small sets of flashcards assigned, and then a speed drill which rotates through addition, subtraction and multiplication. The assigned flashcards will be certain fact families of either addition/subtraction or times tables.

 

Yeah....yeah....I get it. :001_smile:

[PeterPan]

Thanks, everyone, for your comments. It is so helpful.

 

OhElizabeth, your comment is particularly reassuring because I value your judgement so much. Hey, maybe I should quote you in my signature! :lol: Thank you for responding!

 

Truth be told, I do get concerned over using TT. My heart just sang when I read "BJU is solid and traditional in scope and sequence..."

 

Well I'll be nosey then. Are you looking at the BJU because you're worried about TT or because you need a different method to fit changes in life? I like the BJU math *a lot* but before I made a change like that I would do some standardized testing and get that information. If you do the standardized testing and *your kids* test fine, then *I* wouldn't feel compelled to change. I do think BJU is more rigorous, more blah blah, but that doesn't mean it's necessary for all kids. It doesn't mean it FITS all kids. The BJU elementary can fit anyone. Once you hit junior high their materials really change in flavor. So my two cents is to do the standardized testing and see for yourself how TT is panning out for your particular kids.

 

The CAT 1970 from CLP is very inexpensive. Once or twice I've used the CAT from Seton. Last year we did the Woodcock Johnson with a tester, and that was fine too. It was in and out, one day and you get immediate results. But for the $25, I really like the CAT. It's just enough without being too much. The Iowa and whatnot take more time but obviously are more thorough. We have to test (or do portfolio reviews with a certified teacher) every year here in Ohio, so it's just something I've gotten used to. I find the standardized testing very reassuring, because I can compare what we're doing to a standard. You might say the standard is too low or this or that, but it's something to compare our non-standard methods too. I'm trying to get my dd to finish her current level of TT before we test. We'll see how she does.

 

I'm just saying don't buy problems you don't have. Some people on the boards (and some I know IRL) are getting FINE results with TT. I've concluded it just depends on the kid. That's where the testing can help you sort things out.

 

Just so you know, my plan is to test her through some other textbooks I have lying around (Dolciani, BJU, etc.), just to make sure what she did in TT was adequate. It's not like it has to be one or the other. But we'll see. I would test and *then* make your decision. Your kids might be fine. :)

[Mommy7]

Well, I think it is a little of both. I've always felt a little concerned about TT because of the "it's behind" talk. I haven't tested this year yet, so I am not sure about how they are doing. I always do the Seton CAT tests...like you said, they are just enough and a lot cheaper than some. The trick will be to get the testing done and results back BEFORE the Solutions meeting. Also, I have one son in particular who is mathematically inclined and so I would like for him to have a more rigorous program. My oldest dd will stay in TT...she is the one struggling the most with Lyme and it just works well for her right now. The dc in between, I'm not sure about.

 

Could you explain what you mean about the change between their elementary program vs. the upper levels? I would definitely be using any of the levels with the DVDs. So, I didn't know if you were referring to TMs or the way it is laid out or what.

 

I admit that I am a little hesitant to make the change. It is just difficult to change math programs, but in my heart I feel that it is probably a better quality program than TT. I could be wrong about that and it may be a fear based conclusion. I'm not sure. Thank you for the advice about testing. I had not considered that the end of the year testing may tell the tale.

 

I guess I would have done something like BJ with DVDs (if I had the money) from the start. With the DVD sale, I have the opportunity to try it. But, there is that ever present wondering if it will work. If it doesn't, that would be a real regret of mine.

 

Sorry I didn't respond sooner...I had not seen your post, OhElizabeth.

[Mommy7]

:)