supplementing CLE math for conceptual understanding?

[daniela_r]

Hi! We are just beginning our homeschool journey with our older four-year-old starting MFW K soon. As I've researched curriculum, and thought about what direction we want to head in the years to come, I've had way too much fun reading these boards! :001_smile: I'm not making decisions now; I'm just researching, partially because I have time to do so right now and partially because it's fun for me!

 

I'm especially curious about math, mostly because my undergrad degree was in math. So far I'm leaning towards CLE for math, starting when DD1 is in 1st grade. I like that it's open-and-go, like that it's independent after the early grades, like that it schedules practicing math facts, like that it's spiral, etc. But it's also really important to me that our kids build a solid and rich math foundation. I've read threads with people arguing over whether CLE teaches concepts or only procedures - I'm not wanting to discuss that again. What I want to know is: if a family used CLE for their main math curriculum, how could they supplement so that their dc got conceptual understanding reinforced??

 

For what it's worth, I'm looking for streamlined and (relatively) easy to implement: we live in a third-world country and have three kids close in age, and hope to have more someday. For example, would it work to have each kid working on their own level of CLE, but combine two kids two grades apart for Miquon or LoF?? Other ideas??

[3peasinapod]

I use CLE and Math Mammoth. MM is definitely more conceptual, but one of my DDs just doesn't think that way, so we do the CLE. CLE does have some mental math exercises, but it is no where as deep as MM. I think you could use CLE as a base and use some of the MM blue series PDFs. Addition or subtraction or place value worksheets on the side of CLE could really round things out. I already find myself explaining things to my DD using CLE the way MM teaches, but it isn't overwhelming her as much.

 

I hope that helps and giving you a bump.

[Zoo Keeper]

I vote for adding Miquon into the mix; it is soooo good for helping different types of learners get math concepts.

 

And since I can't resist, MEP is really, really good...:001_smile:

 

I think that mixing programs is a great way to help expand concepts and make it all stick. Kudos to you for thinking ahead on this one. :)

[JaneP]

:lurk5:

[jer2911mom]

Last year for 1st grade we used CLE as our base and supplemented with Math Mammoth before switching to Singapore. We also added in RightStart B as we could. It worked well. For 2nd grade, we plan to continue CLE as our base and supplement with Singapore, again adding in RightStart B as we can.

 

We also do the Singapore activities in the Heart of Dakota guides, which my dd enjoys. We use Singapore Stds instead of U.S., though.

 

Kathy

[ELITEANDLOVINGIT]

:lurk5:

[Mommy22alyns]

I didn't supplement 100 for Sylvia. When Rebecca did 200, we were also using RS C. She went through 300 with a little TT 3/4 (I know, not conceptual). Over the summer, I printed off some MM subject sheets for them to practice time (Sylvia) and get a little extra teaching on multiplication and fractions (Rebecca). I may add in some Singapore CWP for Rebecca in the fall.

[NotSoObvious]

We supplement CLE with Dreambox.com and several Marilyn Burns book, in combination with items from my teaching career.

We love CLE and I think it is very easy to supplement, especially when you know what you are doing. I'd rather have an easy to follow skeleton that provides mastery, then a program that is all over the board, difficult to follow, and leaves gaps. We've found it to be a great fit (in elementary).