NorCalMom Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 Which do you prefer and why? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Targhee Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 we haven't used them yet so maybe I am not the best reviewer. But the thing I like about Building Thinking Skills is that there is more than one type of problem. Mind Benders are all one type (solve with a chart) of problem. Buildling Thinking Skills is a much thicker book (more activities), and more expensive, especially when you tack on the manipulatives that go with the book. I bought MindBenders for DD who is a thinker, and Building Thinking Skills for DS who is a doer (con gusto!). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sweetbaby Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 We use Mind Benders but I have heard great reviews on both. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorCalMom Posted June 30, 2008 Author Share Posted June 30, 2008 Thank you, Shannon & Kysha! I'm wondering, (since you mentioned that Building Thinking Skills covers a lot more), does it cover deductive reasoning also? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Targhee Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 Thank you, Shannon & Kysha! I'm wondering, (since you mentioned that Building Thinking Skills covers a lot more), does it cover deductive reasoning also? No - that's where Mind Benders would come in. Building Thinking Skills is very task-oriented (finish this pattern, build and manipulate this, etc.). Mind Benders is only deductive reasoning using a graphic organizer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Targhee Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 (Where's the sheepish smiley?) I was mistakenly commenting about Hands on Thinking Skills, and not Building Thinking Skills. I feel like such a dolt - disregard my comments about Building Thinking Skills, please. :banghead: Sorry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorCalMom Posted June 30, 2008 Author Share Posted June 30, 2008 No problem.;) Can anyone else respond about Building Thinking Skills? Does it cover deductive reasoning (like Mindbenders)? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorCalMom Posted June 30, 2008 Author Share Posted June 30, 2008 (Where's the sheepish smiley?) I was mistakenly commenting about Hands on Thinking Skills, and not Building Thinking Skills. I feel like such a dolt - disregard my comments about Building Thinking Skills, please. :banghead: Sorry By the way, your willingness to come back and share that is refreshingly honest.:) I am getting ready to place a large order, so I really do appreciate that! (I tried to send you some more rep for that, but I'm all out:glare:). Thank you, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhondabee Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 No problem.;) Can anyone else respond about Building Thinking Skills? Does it cover deductive reasoning (like Mindbenders)? No, BTS Levels 2 and 3 do not have any problems that are set up like Mind Benders. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeannineW Posted July 1, 2008 Share Posted July 1, 2008 I was just looking at these today. Where would you start a 1st grader with comprehension issues (auditory processing disorder?) and a 3rd grader that has never done this type of work? I'm tempted to order Beginning, Primary and Level 1. I have a K-4 and an almost 2 yo so I should be able to use them all for someone. Right? I think I'd skip the Beginning book though unless it would help my 1st grader. Boy, I just looked at the samples again, I think she might have a hard time with the Beginning book. She is very smart (reading at a 2nd grade level and A's in math) but has the hardest time understanding things that she is told. Anyone else started an older kid in the Beginning book? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JaneGrey Posted July 1, 2008 Share Posted July 1, 2008 BTS 1 and 2 do have some deductive reasoning exercises. I counted 11 in BTS 2 and 7 (with an additional 12 warm ups) in BTS 1. The warm ups are shorter word problems without a chart. If you're going to pay retail prices, you might want to get BTS to see whether your child will like the Mind Benders. We love the Mind Benders (at least level A and up). I've liked how he has been able to work independently with them since age 5. Though I got ours used, I would have been willing to pay retail. However, it's not like these were necessary. I wouldn't have purchased BTS at the retail price (got our copies used). I'm not interested in several of the exercises. I also wish they had more of the exercises that I do like. However, it is meant to be a sampler. You definitely get more variety with these books. Both books are reproducible for single classroom use. Samples available online at http://www.criticalthinking.com/getProductDetails.do?code=p&id=05241 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorCalMom Posted July 1, 2008 Author Share Posted July 1, 2008 Thank you, Jane. I printed out some of the samples. I think I will get BTS first, and then maybe add in Mindbenders mid-year. I'm searching for it used, but I haven't come across a good deal yet (vs. new). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Testimony Posted July 1, 2008 Share Posted July 1, 2008 I have both Mindbenders and Building Thinking Skills. You could just go with Building Thinking Skills or you could just go with Mindbenders. Here's my opinion... Building Thinking Skills: It offers a variety of tasks in math, reading, writing, etc. In levels 1&2, they do figural and verbal tasks with the child. They both repeat themselves that if you missed the first level you could pick up the next. So, if your child is in 4th grade, you could purchase level two and not miss anything. Oh! There is more writing in level 2. Level 3&4, they are only figural and only verbal. I think 3 is verbal and 4 is figural (I forget). I am going to stop after level 2 with my older son and try a different logic program. Mindbenders: I have not seen anything like this in BTS. It is doing logic with a grid. You have to figure out how to chart a problem with a few clues. It is very interesting how my sons come up with their answers. It is very mind challenging. It is a different challenge than Building Thinking Skills. That is why I have both. Both of these programs are expensive at Critical Thinking Company. If you can buy them used, that would be the way to go. Blessings to you, Karen http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/testimony Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhondabee Posted July 1, 2008 Share Posted July 1, 2008 BTS 1 and 2 do have some deductive reasoning exercises. /QUOTE] We haven't actually been through BTS 2 yet (we never did BTS 1 - my kids are older). I missed those (8 pages out of 366!), but the directions to get started are much better than the Mind Benders, and will be a big help for my up-coming 5th grader this year. :001_smile: Rhondabee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeannineW Posted July 1, 2008 Share Posted July 1, 2008 Do the kids write in the books or do you copy the pages? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amy from WT Posted July 1, 2008 Share Posted July 1, 2008 I don't think there's any question here, you've gotta go with both! The books are so different. I wouldn't recommend staying with MindBenders alone, because those exercises are strictly one type of reasoning exercise. But I would never recommend skipping them; kids LOVE them, and they're an extremely valuable skill to learn and practice. And I highly recommend the BTS books. My kids have done these books for years. In fact, we have Logic classes in our co-op that use both the BTS books AND the MindBenders books in tandem; we start the kids out with the BTS series in Kindergarten (with Primary) and then push them through the whole series, finishing the entire thing by the end of 6th grade. Even though Book 3 is recommended for 7th-12th graders, we find that if our kids start in the series early enough, they can do the work in 5th and 6th grade with the proper tutoring and encouragement. This puts them in position by 7th grade for a class using Art of Argument (and the higher MindBenders books), and then after that they go right into Traditional Logic books. It's money well-spent, it will reflect in test scores later on! HTH. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorCalMom Posted July 1, 2008 Author Share Posted July 1, 2008 Thank you, Karen and Amy! Your responses were very helpful also. I went ahead and added both of them to my Rainbow order this morning. They were cheaper there, although I'm a little worried after reading the Rainbow shipping thread!:001_huh: I think both programs will prove to be invaluable. Blessings, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhondabee Posted July 1, 2008 Share Posted July 1, 2008 Definitely copies. I learned too late for two MindBenders books that purchasing the books entitles you to make a certain number of copies. I took my BTS books to - well, Staples or Office Depot, can't remember which! - and they took the spine off and then copied the books for me. hth, Rhonda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amy from WT Posted July 1, 2008 Share Posted July 1, 2008 Yes yes, definitely you can make copies of these books. It says right inside the front cover that you are entitled to make copies for "classroom use." And of course, your home qualifies as your classroom! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChristusG Posted July 1, 2008 Share Posted July 1, 2008 I didnt purchase this but came very close to getting the Thinking Skills one at a curriculum convention last month. I liked the Thinking Skills one much better because it seemed to have a lot more in it, as well as lots of different types of things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hwfquilts Posted July 1, 2008 Share Posted July 1, 2008 We have used both BTS (levels 1 and 2, will use level 3 figural this year) and Mind Benders. Value-wise MindBenders is quite expensive (15 exercises for nearly $10). A series I like better for these types of problems is Logic Safari. These have almost double the number of exercises per book compared to MB. Logic Safari has 3 books - book 1 for 2nd/3rd grades, book 2 for 3rd/4th and book 3 for 5th/6th (I think that's how it's divided). I don't start these until 3rd grade, fwiw. The Logic Safari books are available through Rainbow Resource. Hope this helps! Heather Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Testimony Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 Do the kids write in the books or do you copy the pages? You can copy Mindbender books. However, I tried to do it with BTS and it was a bomb for me. I decided to just have my sons do the work in the book. My children love these books. So, it was worth just purchasing them. If I had a large family, I could see copying it, but I only have two boys. So, I figured it would be the same cost as purchasing another book. That is just how we did it. It is working for our family. Blessings in your homeschooling journey! Karen http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/testimony Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeannineW Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 Thanks for everyone's input. I ordered them last night. I can't wait to see them! I'm not sure how to fit this into our day. I am already overwhelmed with all the different things we have to do and there is so much more we should do. Aaahhh!!! Too little time, too many great things to learn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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