Mom2OandE Posted June 20, 2012 Share Posted June 20, 2012 I was pretty much settled on MUS because I thought the kids would like using the manipulatives and liked that they really explained the how and why of it all. Well the kids aren't crazy about the manipulatives and would rather not have a program based entirely on it. Obviously some are good as they help with the learning process. So I need to find a math program. I have a 2nd and 4th grader. I'm not math strong so something that is easy to teach is important. Please share what you use and what you love about it. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freeindeed Posted June 20, 2012 Share Posted June 20, 2012 Saxon: Effective Easy to use Scripted Incremental Daily timed drills Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lily_Grace Posted June 20, 2012 Share Posted June 20, 2012 Take a look at MUS further. The manipulatives are optional, not required, for every lesson. They are used on the dvd to demonstrate the concepts but the kid can go right to the written work if they choose. Last year we used a combination of MUS, Hands on Equations, Khan Academy, and Life of Fred. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BakersDozen Posted June 20, 2012 Share Posted June 20, 2012 Saxon (for 1st/2nd) for all these reasons: EffectiveEasy to use Scripted Incremental Daily timed drills I skip the scripted part entirely, though. ;) After Saxon I love Singapore combined with Horizons for daily review. Singapore's mental math and strong word problem base is wonderful. Horizons provides just enough review to keep skills fresh and corresponds very nicely with Singapore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swiegers Posted June 20, 2012 Share Posted June 20, 2012 We use Saxon for my 3rd grader - it's scripted, spiral, includes lots of review and my kid loves the timed tests. We also use MUS for my K-er - the DVD's explain the concepts really well, includes lots of exercises and review before moving on to the next topic, you can easily move faster or slower as you need. I think it makes for a very good base. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lotsofpumpkins Posted June 20, 2012 Share Posted June 20, 2012 CLE:similar to Saxon but more doable for kids, daily fact drills through ALL levels, self-teaching from 400 on up, clear explanations, right pace, excellent higher math prep, advanced, easy to accelerate. This is the one of I had to move to a desert island I would be taking along. :iagree: We used to use a combination of R&S and Singapore, and CLE is the "best of both worlds" for me. My dc have been able to use it independently starting somewhere in the 200 level. I am available to help them, of course, plus I check all of their work right away and have them re-do any problems they missed. So, it is self-teaching, but I still stay very involved. We had their yearly evaluations a couple of weeks ago (4th, 3rd, and 1st graders) and the teacher was VERY impressed with everything they had learned in CLE math. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blondeviolin Posted June 20, 2012 Share Posted June 20, 2012 I adore MEP at this point. Pros: It's free! It's conceptually strong. There are so many puzzles sometimes that Abby doesn't feel like she's doing math. Numbers are kept small (in the early grades) so as to be developmentally appropriate, but they still get into complex problems: 3 + 8 is four more than 3 + ? in year 1! Cons: While it does have lesson plans and teacher helps, it's not very intuitive. For a program that holds your hand completely, we have worked through Singapore Math Standards for the first year. In the Home Instructor's Guide you will find ways to introduce topics, which problems to work, games to help continue the teaching/learning, and mental math facts to practice in the back. If I were you, I'd go with Singapore. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MerryAtHope Posted June 20, 2012 Share Posted June 20, 2012 Take a look at MUS further. The manipulatives are optional, not required, for every lesson. They are used on the dvd to demonstrate the concepts but the kid can go right to the written work if they choose. :iagree: Since math isn't a strong subject for you, it's still worth considering because of the DVD support for you and for your kids. Did you have them watch a sample DVD? That might help you and they decide too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted June 20, 2012 Share Posted June 20, 2012 Two different kids, two different sets of needs. For one one mine... Math Mammoth: cheap incremental nothing to prep mastery based very conceptual plenty of practice built in For the other kid... Miquon: also cheap introduces big concepts in a slow, non-threatening way goes right to a deep understanding, but with the simplest numbers then builds to bigger numbers and more complex examples uses the C-rods, so it's hands on spiral Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ummto4 Posted June 20, 2012 Share Posted June 20, 2012 I was pretty much settled on MUS because I thought the kids would like using the manipulatives and liked that they really explained the how and why of it all. Well the kids aren't crazy about the manipulatives and would rather not have a program based entirely on it. Obviously some are good as they help with the learning process. So I need to find a math program. I have a 2nd and 4th grader. I'm not math strong so something that is easy to teach is important. Please share what you use and what you love about it. Thanks. May I suggest Math Mammoth ? I taught my oldest using Right Start, which is heavy on manipulative and v. light on workbook. He sort of understood, but I felt that he wasn't really understanding. So I bought Math Mammoth (back when almost nobody used it ...:)) and it worked wonder. Instead of using manipulative, MM uses pictorial approach, and I think, the acts of writing and seeing are what cemented the concepts to his brain. So basically here's the pros: - very easy to use (no teacher's guide) - incremental. - very explicit - conceptual - enough repetition for conceptual development and skill mastery, e.g., before being taught multiplication algorithm, MM gets the students to understand how to multiply two digit numbers conceptually and practice it repeatedly. Only after that, MM teaches the algorithm (and connect it w/ the 'why') and then drill the skill. - mastery-based --> students will be able to see development of a concept and at the same time it's possible for students/teachers to skip around unrelated concepts (important if your dc ever hit a 'wall'). - challenging/in-depth problems. - mental math. Cons: - workbook-based. - not spiral (if you prefer spiral, don't pick math mammoth). Starting 4th grade, I pair MM with Horizons 4 for spiral reviews because by 4th grade there's too many concepts for me to make my own review. I've been v. pleased with this combination. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I.Dup. Posted June 20, 2012 Share Posted June 20, 2012 Another CLE family here, for the child who is non-mathy, for all the reasons listed. She will be in 5th grade this year and we are really thrilled with her progress with CLE. I use Singapore on my soon-to-be 2nd grader who is more math inclined but he sails through it and can easily grasp the conceptual leaps that Singapore requires. My dd just floundered with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heidi Posted June 20, 2012 Share Posted June 20, 2012 (edited) We use MM and I like it because it is a download: cheap, can be printed for each kid, and when my child answers every problem wrong, I can print out a new page and have them do it again, and I don' have a bunch books to lug around, I just print what I need. It has instructions written to the student. This is good for the mama that has a lot of kids who need attention and needs something a bit independent, and it helps the student take ownership for their learning, and helps them learn how to solve their own problems. It does not have math fact drill, so I have my kids do xtramath.com every day too. Edited June 20, 2012 by hmsmith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
threedogfarm Posted June 20, 2012 Share Posted June 20, 2012 Two different kids, two different sets of needs. For one one mine... Math Mammoth: cheap incremental nothing to prep mastery based very conceptual plenty of practice built in For the other kid... Miquon: also cheap introduces big concepts in a slow, non-threatening way goes right to a deep understanding, but with the simplest numbers then builds to bigger numbers and more complex examples uses the C-rods, so it's hands on spiral :iagree: except I use Singapore with MM added as supplement for one child. Miquon works great for my daughter who was having issues with the pace of Singapore. So, can you use what you have now until you can figure out which direction you need to go in for your children? And just be aware that it may be in two different directions! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommy22alyns Posted June 20, 2012 Share Posted June 20, 2012 CLE: Easy to teach, fairly independent, good with drill, spiral, solid program. Oh, and inexpensive! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted June 20, 2012 Share Posted June 20, 2012 I like Math Mammoth, for all the reasons listed above (inexpensive, incremental, conceptual, mastery-based). I would add that it is easy to use - you don't have to shuffle between a bunch of different workbooks - and it is very flexible - there are plenty of problems if your dc needs them, but if not you can assign fewer problems in each section and move more quickly without leaving out any critical steps. I also like Life of Fred, because my kids love it, they've learned lots of higher-level math concepts and the "why" behind math that is usually introduced only at a later/higher level (and often without explaining its applications), and it has completely demystified algebra for them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peaceful Isle Posted June 20, 2012 Share Posted June 20, 2012 All my kids are using a different math curriculum next year! MUS, Abeka, and BJU Press. I like them all and they have strengths and weaknesses. My kids all learn differently, therefore the different programs. I think the easiest for me to teach is the MUS :) The hardest is the BJU, but my daughter enjoys it so much! Abeka is in between for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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