Those who use or have used Math U See.....

[avazquez24]

do you have your child watch the DVD with you? or do you watch it on your own?

 

I will be doing primer with ds (kinder) and Alpha with dd (1st), and we start tomorrow:) I have never used MUS before, so this program is completely new to me.

 

I was just curious how most use this program, as far as the DVD is concerned. I'm not sure yet what I'll be doing:confused:

[BugsMama]

I sit with my kids as they watch it, and I pause it to allow them to answer questions verbally (when the teacher asks) and to build what the teacher is building.

 

We tend to watch it more than once, the second time, I ask my kids to explain what he is going to do for each problem (teaching it to me), and then we watch it together. It comes out for review when we need it.

 

(we use the videos as a supplement with Saxon in place of Saxon math facts teaching)

[rocketgirl]

I started MUS 2 years ago, with a 4th grader & we watched the dvd lessons together. They are awesome because you can pause, or replay them as needed! This past year with my Alpha & Beta students we also watched them together - I just didn't have enough time to watch each lesson ahead of time (and I didn't really need to) & that way we could also talk about the lesson & practice it that very moment. We got into a good cycle of watching a dvd lesson per kid about once a week, sometimes twice a week - the other days they practiced what they had learned, they tested, etc.

 

As far as I know there isn't a dvd for Primer but you won't need it until you get to decimal street, and that lesson is on Alpha & Beta too I think. My pre-preschooler did a lot of Primer last year, but we held off on decimal street - she won't be ready for that for a while :)

 

One thing I did before I began with my oldest was that I read the teacher's manual to get a feel for MUS. What I've learned since then is that the way things are taught is so different than how they are (how I was) taught in school, but they make so much more sense!! For example, when my oldest was working through multiplication in Gamma, it also introduced measurement because measurement equivalents require you to know multiplication, for example in working on the 4 facts, she also learned that 4 quarts makes a gallon, 4 quarters makes a dollar. Made so much sense to me because I'd been taught things as separate.

 

Anyway we started with MUS 2 years ago when we began homeschooling our oldest. She was then a public schooled 4th grader and when we took her out of school we started all the way back at

Beta, because that is what she needed. She completed Beta, Gamma, Delta & Epsilon in 2 years and is now starting 7th Grade in Zeta. We started our younger children with Math U See even tho they do not all learn the same way, it so far, has worked so well for them too and we are looking forward to beginning our new math books soon.

 

Good luck and don't worry, enjoy :)

Edited August 14, 2012 by rocketgirl

[serendipitous journey]

It really doesn't matter, as far as the program goes, whether the children watch it or not. Except for the first part of each DVD, which is long & boring for littles: it is for mama/papa! Button didn't like that at all! He has enjoyed watching the lessons, though. I'd say that, except for the intro bit which you should watch while the littles have something fun to do (or are sleeping), you can try having them go along with the DVD and stop if it bugs them.

 

Do try to get in the habit of reading the teaching manual before you teach the lessons -- often it's unnecessary, but sometimes there are real gems in there esp. as you get to higher levels. And if there's a problem, feel free to call the help: they are lovely.

[raceNzanesmom]

We watch together, that way I know how Mr. Demme is teaching the concept and ds gets an idea of what we're doing. Sometimes it's all he needs and he can do the work without further explanation (like today). However, even when he needs more help the DVD lesson has at least introduced the concept. I always stay close by so he can ask questions or I can just see how he's doing.

 

Best wishes with MUS. This is our fourth year and we love it.

[Mom22ns]

My kids do this differently.

My ds has always watched the videos with me (now he also reads the TM). He enjoys Steve as a teacher and learns well from him.

 

My dd doesn't like Steve's teaching style. She finds him annoying and "stupid". I always had to reteach the lesson after she watched the video and that annoyed her. Now, I teach her using the TM, no videos. Once in a while when there is a concept I find difficult to explain or demonstrate, I do pull out the video.

 

Let your child try watching the videos with you. If they focus well, enjoy them and learn from them, use them. If not, you teach. The videos are a resource. Use them the way that works best for you.

[Alison in KY]

We watch it together, then I'll go work a few problems with them on a small white board. No matter how many times I think they should have it, from couch to table, sometimes it just didn't quite click and I need to go over it again.

 

Alison

[mom&nana]

I currently have 2 children in MUS. One in Primer and one finishing the last few lessons of Zeta and then moving on to Pre-Algebra.

 

The older child always watches the dvd and I watch them with her. The younger one does much better if I watch the video alone and then teach her. So we do it differently depending on the child.

[Kathryn]

DS and I watched together. We paused when he asked the kids in the class to work a problem (because they often yell out their answers before he was done) and he would do it as well.

[truebluexf]

We started with DS a bit older, in Gamma. He watches on his own and does his worksheets. If he needs help, I help him. Occasionally I need to pull out the teacher manual to figure out the MUS method, but rarely. Him being able to watch on his own frees me up a little bit.

[Shelsi]

Ds & I always watched the video together but now he's in Delta (we started with Primer so we've done them all so far) and I'm HSing dd as well so he now watches the video on his own and then does his worksheets. He asks me if he needs any help.

 

My dd just started with Primer. She's a young 5, her birthday was less than a month ago, and she had no focus whatsoever for the video. So I just watch it while she's playing around me and then I teach it to her.

[One Day At A Time]

Ds is in Gamma, and Dd is using Beta right now. They each watch the dvd with me. I pause it in order to let them answer and work problems. They both respond well to Mr. Demme's instruction, but if your child/children does not, it's shouldn't be hard to teach the lessons just from using the TM or watching the dvd by yourself before teaching the kids. :001_smile:

[YellowPrimrose]

We love watching the videos together! My son has done Primer & Alpha and now he's in Beta. He gets sooo excited to watch the video at the start of the lesson! And, if he doesn't catch on right away, we do go back and watch the lesson again on subsequent days. Easy. No prep work. And I skim the Teacher's Manual while he's working. :)

[CatholicMom]

I know it's intended for the parent to understand the concept and to get a few ideas for how to teach it. It's not intended for the kids to watch.

 

I did have my kids watch it with me, but they almost *never* understood the concept one iota from the DVD. :tongue_smilie: Even if I paused it, asked questions, rarely would they get it. He just teaches so fast on the DVD, now that I've used 3 levels of it it's more obvious to me that he's teaching to the parents. If I used MUS again I might not even show the kids the DVD lessons because I found with my kids they would be discouraged because they had no idea what Mr.Demme was talking about and never got the concept by the time the video was over. So I think, especially for some kids who may get discouraged easily, it might be better to not even have them watch it so they don't expect to understand in 3 minutes. Also, the videos are SO short by the time I'd get all the kids to shush up and pay attention and get the volume adjusted, I'd have to back it up because he was already 4 sentences into it. (A pet peeve of mine is he starts off yapping immediately without giving you so much as 2 seconds to get the volume adjusted, and the audio is ALWAYS too quiet. :lol: Not that you needed to know that.)

 

Point being, easier all around to just watch it yourself IMO and then teach it to the kids when YOU understand the concept and have an idea or 2 of how to teach it.

[Village Hut Mom]

How long are each of the DVD lessons? thanks.

[mom2scouts]

We always watch the DVD together at the beginning of each week. After watching the DVD, we sit and work on the first worksheet together so I know that it was understood. One of my kids thinks the DVD is a treat.

[Mom22ns]

How long are each of the DVD lessons? thanks.

 

This varies with the level and the lesson. In most of the elementary levels we used lessons were typically 5-15 minutes. In higher levels they get longer.

[justamouse]

At first we watched together. Now that I've used it for multiple kids, I let them watch, and we run through stuff on a whiteboard.