Singapore or CLE? Or something else?

[allymom]

I have a 7 yr. old, rising 2nd grader who has been a bit difficult with math. She's perhaps a bit advanced, so a challenging 2nd grade math curriculum will be just fine, placement wise.

 

We started with MUS, primer and Alpha. She finished (by my standards) Alpha by February last school year and was SO bored with it. I advanced her through much of it, and realized that she was easily adding 3-4 digit numbers with carrying so we moved on. The other huge problem was that she was not really thinking through the problems and caught onto the patterns of the worksheets quickly, if that makes sense, since they are so repetitive. Obviously, she understood how to do the work, but she cheated around it as much as possible.

 

So I decided to try her with Rightstart, thought it would challenge her more, went with level C. It does challenge her, but not too much, it's just about right. We're about 1/4 through. But she fights me SO much on it. She hates to listen to me or work with me. She'd rather a workbook to doodle in and work at her own pace in. It's becoming very problematic for our relationship, and I really don't see the point in continuing. I've even considered putting her in school, I'm just so over the battles.

 

But I'm not sure it needs to come to that. I'm thinking a challenging workbook, one that makes her think, but written more to the child, so there's less direct involvement from me, is probably what she needs.

 

I am considering Singapore, as I bought a Singapore workbook from Barnes and Noble a few months ago to ease the fights between us and to give her something to continue working on while I made up my mind on what to do. Or Christian Light Education, as I know many people like that one, and it's challenging, and written to the child.

 

Thoughts?

[boscopup]

Singapore will be much more challenging than CLE. I'd recommend Singapore, and take the placement tests.

 

Another option is Math Mammoth, though the presentation is not as nice, and there are a LOT of problems. I used MM to fill in any holes before working at my son's actual level in math, then I switched to Singapore.

 

In Singapore, we do the lesson in the HIG, then DS goes off to do the workbook on his own. We don't use manipulatives (DS1 only - DS2 uses C-rods in 1A).

 

I also recommend the Intensive Practice books, which have some diabolically hard problems in the challenge sections sometimes. :)

[wapiti]

I'm thinking a challenging workbook, one that makes her think, but written more to the child, so there's less direct involvement from me, is probably what she needs.

 

Singapore sounds like a fine idea and will definitely have the depth and challenge you're looking for, at one level or another. MM's advantages include being written toward the student with potentially less involvement from you. However, the amount of student independence depends a lot on the child, the child's age, and how far advanced they are (e.g., I found that the more I stretched my dd, more involvement from me was necessary). MM is also economical if you think she may breeze through the next few levels quickly.

 

I bought a Singapore workbook from Barnes and Noble a few months ago to ease the fights between us and to give her something to continue working on while I made up my mind on what to do.

 

Be aware that the workbook you bought might not be from the actual Singapore Math curriculum. There are workbooks with "Singapore" on the cover by other publishers. If you plan to go with Sinapore Math for your curriculum going forward, check the singaporemath.com website for ISBNs before buying off Amazon, or buy directly from the website.

[edeemarie]

My kids have just started MEP math and the ALL love it! It is challenging, but fun for them at the same time. We may supplement with some MM for things like money and measurements. MM is having a HSBC group buy in August:)

[allymom]

My kids have just started MEP math and the ALL love it! It is challenging, but fun for them at the same time. We may supplement with some MM for things like money and measurements. MM is having a HSBC group buy in August:)

 

Do you have to print this one off, or can you buy workbooks? I prefer workbooks.

[allymom]

 

 

Be aware that the workbook you bought might not be from the actual Singapore Math curriculum. There are workbooks with "Singapore" on the cover by other publishers. If you plan to go with Sinapore Math for your curriculum going forward, check the singaporemath.com website for ISBNs before buying off Amazon, or buy directly from the website.

 

I did think the workbook was probably a different variety than the actual curriculum, but I had no idea it was from a different publisher. There are so many similarities, it almost makes me angry that a company would copy such a good curriculum and market it as their own! I thought Singapore had put it out as an "after-school" sort of workbook. Thank you for letting me know.

[edeemarie]

Do you have to print this one off, or can you buy workbooks? I prefer workbooks.

 

We use Notability on the iPad and don't print anything off- they do it right on the screen. I sit next to them with the lesson plans on the laptop so we don't print that either. I believe year 3 and 4 are interactive and they can do the problems (and check their answers) right on the computer. For MM we plan to do the same with the iPad, but you can get printed workbooks (I think through Lulu and Rainbow Resource).

[ktgrok]

Math Mammoth is definitely written to the child, and teaches conceptual thinking. You can buy the workbook instead of printing it. Or print it and have Staples or Office Depot bind it.