Help needed from Rightstart users

[kandty]

I am 99% sure we are switching to this program. I need some help in placing my kids. I need some advice from those that have used C-E.

 

My will be third grader has just finished 2nd grade work using Horizons 2 and MUS Beta. He is average at math. But, he really doesn't understand the why and he tends to count. Not what the Rightstart program teaches. When I do the placement test he places in C because he has only learned half of the x facts. I really think he would do fine in D. But, should I start him in C just for review and to get him more in tune with the Righstart program?

 

Same for my oldest. He is placing in between D and E. He will be a 6th grade, but just finished 4th grade level math using a few products I pieced together this year. Should I start him on D to review and build his confidence? He would benefit from an easy year of math and really could use the review. I think he would still be ready for Algebra come 9th grade, which is our goal. I just feel really bad starting him so far back!

 

What do you think?

[Celia]

I'm not sure about your older son as my son is currently about 3/4 of the way through C. Looking at the S and S of level d, it does seem like there's quite a bit of review from c, so I'd say go for D. Maybe over the summer start playing some of the math games with him to speed up his mental math, and make sure he really understands place value.

[PeterPan]

Call and talk it through with the people at the 1-800 number. The placement test is very helpful, but remember you're still putting them through the Transitions book when you go into those higher levels. If you're really not certain, get the Transitions book and the necessary manipulatives now and buy the level you end up in when you get there. In the toc for Transitions you'll see the asterisks telling you the jumping points to go to each level. The material should be familiar, stuff he's done before and is just seeing a new way. When that changes over to stuff he doesn't know, then it's time to bail and get the full level. You'll be able to tell.

 

Shipping is fast. You can start with just Transitions and a few manips and be fine. I haven't actually looked at it in a while to know what manips you'll need. They should say on the website, or they'll tell you when you call. The person on that phone is getting paid to talk to you and wants to. Call 'em. :)

 

BTW, this is none of my business and not what you asked, but I wouldn't back up *too* far with an older dc going into RS. I know you are seeing weak points in him and want understanding. RS E still is only roughly equivalent to a 4th grade math book from say BJU. He *might* be able to go into a 5th grade book afterward. It really depends on your situation and sorting out how severe the needs are. I'm just saying be careful there. *I* would be more inclined to get a 5th grade math book from BJU, TT, or do the placement test and try CLE. Then get just the Activities for the ALAbacus book and use that to incorporate hands-on and conceptual understanding topically into the more mature program. That way he's only *1* grade behind at the end of the year.

 

That totally depends on your situation, but it's another way to get there. Just don't buy the koolaid thinking a struggling student is going to do RS E and go right into pre-algebra, mercy. That's what they used to tell us, lol. Then I got a BJU 5 and wondered what planet they were on. ;)

 

Some strugglers and SN kids also do really well with MUS. It takes a slower approach (topic by topic) that gets bad-mouthed, but it's really good for some kids. Just really depends on what you've got going on.

 

If you want to buy something RS, start with just Transitions. It's the cheapest way to sort this out and will have fabulous resale value when you're done. Then you'll know if you want to continue. It could be that that alone will fill some holes and you'll go ahead and put him into a more standard 5th grade text. Or it might be you'll find RS won't fit and you'll head over to MUS or something different. It's just a conservative place to start.

Edited May 9, 2012 by OhElizabeth

[mdhomeschool]

I will give my perspective, for what it's worth. I started ds in RS when he was in third grade, and we did level C-E over the next three years. I finally let him stop partway through E because he was miserable. He never caught on deeply to the Righstart way.

 

I started ds with level A when it was her time. I believe she did wonderfully. Based on our family experience, I think starting RS in the middle doesn't always work. I think it's one of the best programs out there if you start when they're very young.

 

Just my .02. If you have your heart set on giving it a try, follow their placement suggestions. You can always accelerate/skip stuff if they're getting it quickly.

 

Kirsten

[Soror]

We are almost finished with C now, about 10 lessons to go and while mastery of multiplication facts 1-5 and 10 has been pushed looking in the subsequent lessons it doesn't seem that the rest of the multiplication table is going to be hit very much. Looking at D as well you don't even work on multiplication again for awhile. I wouldn't worry about going to D solely for that reason personally.

[kandty]

We are almost finished with C now, about 10 lessons to go and while mastery of multiplication facts 1-5 and 10 has been pushed looking in the subsequent lessons it doesn't seem that the rest of the multiplication table is going to be hit very much. Looking at D as well you don't even work on multiplication again for awhile. I wouldn't worry about going to D solely for that reason personally.

 

This is very helpful to know. Combine with an response that D is a lot of review from C. My youngest knows his 0,1,2,3,5,10 facts. I was thinking C because he didn't know all of them, but it looks like D would be fine to start.

[kandty]

Call and talk it through with the people at the 1-800 number. The placement test is very helpful, but remember you're still putting them through the Transitions book when you go into those higher levels. If you're really not certain, get the Transitions book and the necessary manipulatives now and buy the level you end up in when you get there. In the toc for Transitions you'll see the asterisks telling you the jumping points to go to each level. The material should be familiar, stuff he's done before and is just seeing a new way. When that changes over to stuff he doesn't know, then it's time to bail and get the full level. You'll be able to tell.

 

Shipping is fast. You can start with just Transitions and a few manips and be fine. I haven't actually looked at it in a while to know what manips you'll need. They should say on the website, or they'll tell you when you call. The person on that phone is getting paid to talk to you and wants to. Call 'em. :)

 

BTW, this is none of my business and not what you asked, but I wouldn't back up *too* far with an older dc going into RS. I know you are seeing weak points in him and want understanding. RS E still is only roughly equivalent to a 4th grade math book from say BJU. He *might* be able to go into a 5th grade book afterward. It really depends on your situation and sorting out how severe the needs are. I'm just saying be careful there. *I* would be more inclined to get a 5th grade math book from BJU, TT, or do the placement test and try CLE. Then get just the Activities for the ALAbacus book and use that to incorporate hands-on and conceptual understanding topically into the more mature program. That way he's only *1* grade behind at the end of the year.

 

That totally depends on your situation, but it's another way to get there. Just don't buy the koolaid thinking a struggling student is going to do RS E and go right into pre-algebra, mercy. That's what they used to tell us, lol. Then I got a BJU 5 and wondered what planet they were on. ;)

 

Some strugglers and SN kids also do really well with MUS. It takes a slower approach (topic by topic) that gets bad-mouthed, but it's really good for some kids. Just really depends on what you've got going on.

 

If you want to buy something RS, start with just Transitions. It's the cheapest way to sort this out and will have fabulous resale value when you're done. Then you'll know if you want to continue. It could be that that alone will fill some holes and you'll go ahead and put him into a more standard 5th grade text. Or it might be you'll find RS won't fit and you'll head over to MUS or something different. It's just a conservative place to start.

 

Thank you! I was hoping someone would post things like this. My oldest is behind in math and is discouraged. Holding him back would only be to boost his math confidence. After much thought, discussion, prayer, etc., I have learned that we are similiar in the way we learn. He is not understanding math because I am not teaching the why. He needs to know the why behind math and I looked at Rightstart (again) since it was conceptual. MUS and Math Mammoth have not worked for him. To be honest, I bought Righstart 2 years ago and failed at my attempt to try it! It was so different from MUS that we were using at that time. I have the transition lessons and we started those this week just to get a feel for the program. We have three more weeks of school to see how far we get. I won't make a final decision until that time.

 

I will give my perspective, for what it's worth. I started ds in RS when he was in third grade, and we did level C-E over the next three years. I finally let him stop partway through E because he was miserable. He never caught on deeply to the Righstart way.

 

I started ds with level A when it was her time. I believe she did wonderfully. Based on our family experience, I think starting RS in the middle doesn't always work. I think it's one of the best programs out there if you start when they're very young.

 

Just my .02. If you have your heart set on giving it a try, follow their placement suggestions. You can always accelerate/skip stuff if they're getting it quickly.

 

Kirsten

 

I worry about this! It is so different than what we are use to doing in math. I have been looking over samples for days and reading reviews just to get use to it.

[kandty]

:bigear: