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Does anyone know anything or have experience with the secondary levels of MEP math? I am talking about years 7-9 and the GCSE level. I would prefer integrated math and this is free, but there seem to be very few people who use it so it is hard to get a good feel for what people think of it or how their kids do.

 

Anyone have an opinion, even if you have only looked at it and not actually used it?

 

Figuring out where to go with higher levels of math is such a headache....:tongue_smilie:

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Well... :D

 

Are you using it for 6th or 7th grade? I think in the yahoo group files it says that year 7 is actually 6th grade (maybe it doesn't matter).

 

I guess basically I want to know if it's a good option; are my kids going to know math well if we do it (that sounds like a silly question)? Is it good for the average math kid?

 

Are you planning on continuing with MEP? Have you looked through the higher levels to see how they compare with other math curricula?

 

Maybe I'm paranoid.

 

Thanks so much for the reply, Hedgehog. :)

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Hello, I have the same questions about MEP. I emailed Russel Geach, the co-ordinator of the programme yesterday on this very topic! I asked specific questions as to how the MEP compares to Singapore and Saxon maths as well as how it sets us up for GCSE's in the UK. We are currently in the US. We love the programme and haven't yet found anything we like better. This year we are entering 4th and 6th year of MEP. Started from Y2 MEP. I will post more when/if I hear back from MEP. In the past they have been quick to respond and have given me passwords for tests online etc. I also asked about purchasing the materials directly from them. It would save me the headache of printing.

 

We regarded Reception as Kindergarten, Year 1 as 1st grade and so on. So my 6th and 4th grader will enter Year 6 and Year 4 this year. That being said it is at least a year if not more ahead of public schools in our area.

 

Regards

Edited by cat_cornish
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I have looked many times at Singapore's DM and frankly, it scares me a little. I keep reading things about it being quite challenging. Otherwise I would be excited about it. Maybe once my son is finished 6th grade, I'll give him a placement test and see if he could handle DM based on that.

 

Thanks for the replies!

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Had a look at Singapore DM and can't find anything beyond 4th grade. However, I did find the Singapore Primary Mathematics Intensive Practice book for 6A & 6B (presumably that is 6th grade?) My dd has covered all the sample material I saw in those books in Year 5 MEP. We haven't yet completed year 5 and still have about 3 months before we bump up to Year 6 MEP. It is difficult to get a clear picture of the Singapore without being able to thumb through the entire book though.

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I agree, it's hard to get a real feel for Singapore from a few sample pages. The books you are looking for are called Discovering Mathematics 1 (there is also 2, 3 and 4). Primary Math is the elementary grades math. Here's a link to the 1A textbook: http://www.christianbook.com/discovering-mathematics-textbook-1a/9789814176668/pd/176664?product_redirect=1&Ntt=176664&item_code=&Ntk=keywords&event=ESRCP

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I much prefer mixed maths, too. We are now considering the NCERT math (from India) that Stripe mentions here periodically--it looks more rigorous somehow to me than the MEP secondary (but bear in mind that I am a musician, not a mathematician, so maybe I am talking through my hat!). There's a nice chapter on proofs in year 9, for instance. It is also freely available online, so it's probably worth having a look, anyway.

:blushing: I am honored anyone paid attention to me. I really think there's something neat about them, too.

 

Here is the official URL http://www.ncert.nic.in/ncerts/textbook/textbook.htm

But they're also available at http://ncertbooks.prashanthellina.com/

 

Have you seen the MEP homeschoolers' group? The members there are very knowledgeable, and you'll be able to get advice specifically about MEP in upper levels.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mep-homeschoolers/

 

I wish I understood upper level Singaporean books, too.

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Thanks for the links, Stripe. Have you or are you actually using these materials? What do you think of them?

 

I am a member of the MEP yahoo group. I have asked questions and searched their messages endlessly and I still can't decide what to do. :tongue_smilie: It's a good thing I have another year!

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So I have had a look at Singapore DM 1A. Do you know what year/age level this is taught? We have covered all that we see in the sample pages with the exception of page 6 index notation this past year in MEP year 5.

 

I am thankful for the links to MEP forum and also the India Math NCERT which hadn't been forgotten or missed but on the list in fact to research today:)

 

I too am curious to hear more from NCERT users. Until yesterday I had never heard of anyone else that uses MEP! Now I discover NCERT, wow! Forums can be so informative:)

 

Does year 1 represent 1st grade or Kindy in NCERT?

Thanks,

Cat

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NCERT looks really good! Do you just need the one book for students? I ask because MEP has Lesson plans for teacher, ohp slides (for teaching) and then the student practice book. Do you really need lesson plans for the NCERT course. Has anyone used the course and gone onto take GCSE's no problem?

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I've used bits from MEP at most levels, right through to the A level material my son asked me to print out in full to supplement his college courses. I don't use it as spine because I can't bear so much printing. It is a good, solid program & if someone handed it to me printed out I would use it without complaint.

 

If you're looking at the GCSE materials, be sure that you're looking at the right tier for your child; in level of difficulty they are standard/academic/express/special. Express or Special are the level you would need for a child hoping to get B or above at GCSE.

 

If you're interested in English alternatives to MEP I use books from Elmwood Press for KS3. As we've got close to the end of each book DD1 has asked me to order the next one. We're introducing AoPS to add in some fun rabbit trails, not because of any deficiencies .

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Cat Cornish, DM 1 is for Grade 7. However, apparently a student who completes MEP 6 can go straight to algebra/higher level math. So it doesn't really surprise me that you have covered most of it.

 

Freerange, I am not in UK so my kids wouldn't take the GCSE (I'm in Canada and we have integrated math here, hence the interest in MEP). Do you think GCSE level from MEP would still be a good math course for say, Grades 10-11 or so? And are you saying that I should be looking at the Express route to really learn it well?

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If you're interested in English alternatives to MEP I use books from Elmwood Press for KS3. As we've got close to the end of each book DD1 has asked me to order the next one. We're introducing AoPS to add in some fun rabbit trails, not because of any deficiencies .

 

The samples look very nice, and some bits do remind me of MEP. I'd never heard of it before so thanks for sharing this one. They do sell it at Book Depository.

http://www.bookdepository.com/search/advanced?searchPublisher=Elmwood+Press

Edited by stripe
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Hi, I got an email from Russell Geach from MEP and below are the questions I asked and his responses.

 

1 Does the MEP programme meet the UK Standards?

 

Yes, MEP covers all aspects of the current UK National Curriculum

 

2 Could my children take GCSE's having followed MEP all the way and be properly prepared?

 

Yes, in fact several schools who do IGCSE Maths prefer to use the MEP GCSE course rather than the ones developed by the exam boards

 

3 Can we possibly order the workbooks from you if we only need resources for 6th and 4th years at this time?

 

You are very welcome to order workbooks but please be aware that if ordering from the US there will be additional shipping charges

 

4 Do you have any plans for creating simplified or more "homeschool friendly" lesson plans? With more parents homeschooling their children each year it could be great for them and me!

 

We don’t have any plans to tailor the course for homeschool use as at its heart is the belief in whole class interactive teaching which is often difficult to replicate in a homeschool scenario. However, you may find this independent yahoo site helpful; http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mep-homeschoolers/

 

5 How does MEP compare to other programmes on offer in the US, for example, Saxon Math, Singapore Math or Rod & Staff Math (the latter we opted out of in our curriculum packages this year in favour of MEP)?

 

Being based in the UK, we are not familiar with most of the US programmes. However, many of the secondary exercises and activities have been adapted from those used in Singapore

 

6 Could I home-school to college/university level with the MEP programme?

 

We have full resources available for ages 5 to 18 in the UK so in theory everything up to the end of US high school maths should be covered

 

 

 

We are planning to stick with MEP. After looking through some of the other options I can see we are onto a great thing with MEP and happy to carry on our studies all the way through high school:)

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Had a look at Singapore DM and can't find anything beyond 4th grade. However, I did find the Singapore Primary Mathematics Intensive Practice book for 6A & 6B (presumably that is 6th grade?) My dd has covered all the sample material I saw in those books in Year 5 MEP. We haven't yet completed year 5 and still have about 3 months before we bump up to Year 6 MEP. It is difficult to get a clear picture of the Singapore without being able to thumb through the entire book though.

 

SM Discovery is middle school math which 1st book is 7th grade to 4th and that is 10th grade, and then it goes to additional math book. after that is college math

 

Secondary 1: pre-algebra, some algebra 1 and geometry

Secondary 2: algebra 1 and geometry

Secondary 3: some algebra 2, geometry, some trigonometry

Secondary 4: some advanced topics and review

Additional Mathematics: first half is mostly pre-calculus including trigonometry, second half is mostly calculus.

 

Also, the IP sample are pretty represenattive to what is cover and the difficulty level. So if your DD can do those without a problem, I think she won't need it. And quite frankly, I am a bit surprised. IP6 have some speed /ratio problem that also show in the sample, and I didn't remember that was in MEP 5 and covered very little in MEP 6 when I looked at the program, ad I thought MEP was not as advanced as SM and decided no reason to supplement MEP . Maybe I missed something

Edited by jennynd
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Catherine,

 

IP 6 is Singapore Math Intensive Practice book 6, which complements Singapore Primary Math's grade 6 text and workbook. There's an IP book for each SM level 1-6.

 

The Singapore scope & sequences can be downloaded here. Singapore Primary Math is for grades 1-6. Singapore Discovering Mathematics 1-4 is for grades 7-10.

 

The Singapore S&S can be compared to the MEP "Scheme of Work."

 

Alternatively, you can also see the full table of contents for each grade level of Singapore Primary Math at cbd.com. That might be more helpful than looking at samples. Comparing the MEP SoW and the Singapore S&S (or even the Singapore ToC,) it looks like there is a great deal more covered in Singapore DM 1 than in MEP 5 & 6. I'd be careful about trying to skip from MEP 5 to DM 1.

 

If you're looking at using Singapore, there are exit tests for each grade level here.

 

hth!

Edited by yvonne
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Many thanks for the valuable links and information. Singapore math looks like an excellent programme and I am really impressed. I had no idea how good it was and have mostly not trusted any products offered in America for maths. That is because when I was 12 and moved to the UK I was 3-4 years behind in maths! Singapore maths isn't one of those such offered programmes that I had really studied though because they are using it in some public schools and so, naturally, I wasn't drawn to it. Shows my own ignorance doesn't it but I am very pleased to discover a decent maths programme outside of MEP.

 

I am, however, happy to stay with MEP for now and upcoming years as my kids do really well with it and MEP allayed my concerns over GCSEs. My kids will be in UK for college/university so it makes more sense to stay with MEP. I am going to order the books this year and save myself the printing!

Regards,

Cat

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To Jennynd

 

I didn't see any speed/ratio equations in the samples that I viewed. I went to Singapore Math site and Christian Math to view samples. What is IP6?

 

Thanks,

Catherine

 

IP 6 is intensive practice 6. ANd not equation, but word Problems

http://www.singaporemath.com/Singapore_Math_Intensive_Practice_U_S_Ed_6A_p/pmipus6a.htm

 

I do think MEP is a good program. A bit hard for a working Mom like me to use it. SM is easy , open and go. Good luck with ur choice.

Edited by jennynd
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Cat Cornish, DM 1 is for Grade 7. However, apparently a student who completes MEP 6 can go straight to algebra/higher level math. So it doesn't really surprise me that you have covered most of it.

 

Freerange, I am not in UK so my kids wouldn't take the GCSE (I'm in Canada and we have integrated math here, hence the interest in MEP). Do you think GCSE level from MEP would still be a good math course for say, Grades 10-11 or so? And are you saying that I should be looking at the Express route to really learn it well?

 

Hi HH! I'm not familiar with the Canadian system, so I can't comment on how it would mesh with that. In the UK GCSE would be taken typically at age 14-16, followed by A levels 16-18, then university.

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Since this has been bumped, I'm just going to update and say that the more I look at MEP, the more I like it. I forget all the math I learned in high school but even just looking through some of the units at the GCSE level, I can understand what it's talking about. :tongue_smilie: That's more than I can say for some of the other curricula I've looked at for high school math.

 

I think we're going to use this for 7th and up. I guess I'm being somewhat of a guinea pig but I'm ok with that. I like that it's integrated and I love that it's free!

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We've just started using MEP. DS11 is in 6th grade, so we've started at the beginning of year 6, and will probably back track on a few things that we haven't covered. I'm hoping to finish yr 6 by the middle of next year, which will be the middle of year 7 for him (we're in Australia and school from February to December), then we'll use the 7 and 8 materials for review, extra work, etc and hopefully cover them in 12months. I've started in yr 6 mostly because I like the conceptual approach and I think that the primary materials do this better (happy to be corrected if I'm wrong!). I like the integrated approach (used in Australia) and I can already see my son's thinking about maths changing for the better. Of course, I wish I'd started years ago.....

D

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