Why multiple maths?

[angelmama1209]

I am new to the forums and I keep seeing people using multiple math curriculums. Why do you do this and how do you implement it?

[Mommy_of_4]

I use multiple programs with DS to try and slow him down some. I don't want him to get to Algebra to soon. He does at least one lesson in each a day. It still only takes him 20-30 minutes for math.

[Snickerdoodle]

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=358824&highlight=multiple+math

 

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=322124&highlight=multiple+math

 

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=247279&highlight=multiple+math

 

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=236661&highlight=multiple+math

 

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=180952&highlight=multiple+math

[Chrysalis Academy]

I use Math Mammoth as our primary math program, because it is excellent, thorough, conceptual, and deep, and it is a mastery-based rather than a spiral program. I love it.

 

So why the other programs? Well, we use Life of Fred because dd loves it - she says it makes math fun. I like the introduction to algebraic thinking, I like how it ties math to other topics, and dd and I both are very verbal and like to have explanations for why we do everything - no "do it just because it works" and Fred is excellent for this.

 

We do various things for extra problem-solving practice, because I think this is one of the most critical skills she can be developing. Singapore word problems, Zacarro, Beast Academy. The goal is Art of Problem Solving for pre-algebra. And problem solving skills for life. MM has a fair amount of problem solving, but we want more.

 

TT we use mostly because I bought it before I realized it isn't actually a good fit for us. The good side is that she can do it completely independently, so when I'm not available to help or teach, she can plug through the lesson on her own and get some practice. It is so spiral that every lesson reviews a lot of different topics, so it's good for a once a week review session - "lite" math day.

 

I want to spend about an hour a day on math, and by combining a couple of hard word problems, a MM lesson, and a couple of LOF chapters, we spend a solid hour on math, working on all the important areas, without getting bored or bogged down with too many of one type of problem. This works well for us - several shorter sessions combine into 1 hour of math, no problem. If I tried to have her sit and do MM for an hour, her head would explode.

 

This all seems to be working - she loves math again!! I'm so happy and relieved. Devloping math hatred and frustration were the main reasons we decided to start homeschooling.

[Woodhaven]

My boys, like their father, have always loved math and been good at it. Starting in K and continuing on up through the years I've always used two curriculums

 

My first ds wasn't challenged by the K level maths we tried so I moved him into Singapore 1A & 1B. Even then he raced through the math, so I added in Miquon to slow him down. I ended up doing the same for each of my children.

 

I've been very pleased with the results. The different approaches to math help round out their understanding of how math works, and give them more depth.

 

Even after Miquon (it is 1st - 3rd) I have continued to suppliment. It also adds some interest to their math studies.

[mumto2]

My DC's are 12 and 13. We have always used at least three different math texts. Partly to slow them down like the previous person said. Partly so they see different approaches to the same problem type. The last reason is a combination of preventing boredom and the ability to prevent frustration.

 

We always did at least 2 of the texts a day. This meant no day was completely routine. If something seemed to be confusing one of them I could easily rotate the book out until they reached that topic with a different explanation in a different text book. They always succeeded quickly with the other. Then the removed book was put back in.

 

I never commented that the topic was hard. I just rotated my resources. They never even knew it was "hard" which made them pretty fearless.

 

We always had the Singapore sequence including CWP, a spiral text -- we used A BEKA, and something more investigative like minquin and Professor B when they were younger. We currently use LOF for every day. Still use Singapore. Both also have an AOPS book that they are using. Both also use CK12 and other webbased resources.

 

I hope this explains the use of multiple texts. Both of mine do math for roughly an hour a day so it isn't as time consuming as it sounds.

[serendipitous journey]

I am new to the forums and I keep seeing people using multiple math curriculums. Why do you do this and how do you implement it?

 

Why we do this:

Well, mathematical fluency is very important to us. I want the children to be understand math and math concepts well, to enjoy math, and to be able to use mathematical understanding in their daily lives & especially in their thinking about popular reports of science (in the news, for example) and statistics.

 

TWTM includes, for reading, phonics, literature, and comprehension exercises; and for writing includs spelling, grammar, and composition. So teaching math only one way seems relatively impoverished ;). I think an excellent elementary math education program will include arithmetic/operations, skill/fact drill, and something akin to living math/analysis/math of interest to the student. This could be implemented with, say, the main program of your choice; the drill/practice of your choice; and Life of Fred, or selections from living math, or a project from the book Family Math every week or two, or something like that.

 

In addition to my Ideal Goals (ideals I am not reaching consistently yet, I must admit!) Button is unusually talented at math.

 

What we're doing right now is MathUSee as our "spine"; substantial boosting with MEP; plenty of Life of Fred (though we missed today b/c I can't find the book -- eek!); Calculadder, and Singapore's MathSprints; and various other as we fit them in. But this would be overkill for a less mathy child, or perhaps for a less mathy mama! In the morning, I do Calculadder (sometimes MathSprints instead) and one math program: usually MUS, sometimes problems from MEP or a supplementary book. We also do oral drills and sometimes math wrap-ups for weak spots. In the afternoon I often give Button some problems to do while I settle Bot-bot for his nap, then we work for roughly 1 hour on math: generally I alternate LoF and MEP, but sometimes the hour goes to teaching MUS or to art or science. When things aren't too hectic I do a PM MathSprints too. We school math year-round.

 

Hope this helps! If you are using one math program, and the child/children are doing well, no need to fuss with it unless you feel compelled to. A useful rule on this board (can't find the attribution right now, though): "In anything at all, perfection is achieved not when nothing more can be added, but when nothing can be taken away." :)

Edited April 13, 2012 by serendipitous journey
added schedule to address implementation.

[Hunter]

Books are tools, not teachers. Veteran teachers have ideas and priorities and quirks that are seldom all included in just one book.

 

Also some students are quite quirky, and a veteran teacher knows how to pull the most efficient tools, from her bookcase, to meet whatever need arises.

[linders]

We love RightStart math - the concreteness, the games, the method. But it didn't include enough practice for DS11 in the early years so I added in selected Singapore books.