Alternative to Beast Academy?

[CiscosMom]

I am searching for a math program for my 4yr old ds. We started with MEP worksheets. My head is spinning after reading all of the math curriculum reviews.

 

For a child who gobbles lessons like cookies, are Singapore and Mammoth Math the best options? He is self-taught thus far and operates at a 1st grade level. His handwriting is very neat for a preschooler, but the boxes on MEP worksheets are teeny tiny. AOPS seemed like the answer, but I can not go along with their beast theme for the lessons.

 

So happy I found this forum! TIA for your help!

[AimeeM]

Beast Academy is for third grade anyway (and you said he is on a first grade level, correct?).

 

I would highly recommend Math Mammoth. I use it with my eldest and plan to use it with my youngers (so long as it is conducive to their learning styles). It is also very affordable for a child who flys through math curricula :D.

[Dmmetler]

I wouldn't suggest BA for a 4 yr old working at a 1st grade level. It's 3rd grade and hard 3rd grade at that. There are some QUITE challenging problems in there. Don't let the cuteness fool you!

[blondeviolin]

If you like MEP, you could print out the copymasters. The boxes there are MUCH BIGGER.

[kiana]

I am searching for a math program for my 4yr old ds. We started with MEP worksheets. My head is spinning after reading all of the math curriculum reviews.

 

For a child who gobbles lessons like cookies, are Singapore and Mammoth Math the best options? He is self-taught thus far and operates at a 1st grade level. His handwriting is very neat for a preschooler, but the boxes on MEP worksheets are teeny tiny. AOPS seemed like the answer, but I can not go along with their beast theme for the lessons.

 

So happy I found this forum! TIA for your help!

 

Beast Academy would be too high level for him at the moment anyway.

 

You could print the MEP worksheets bigger -- it does use more paper. Or you could scribe for him.

[CiscosMom]

He is 4 and achieved 1st grade level proficiency without my help. He has natural math ability. I didn't practice counting to 100 with him or ask him how many letters are in is name or to calculate how old I will be when he is 10. He does these things on his own. I have to think ahead with any materials I purchase for him. I've finally learned that the best plan for Cisco is no plan. Instead, I need to have a wealth of learning materials ready for his next mental leap.

[CiscosMom]

The age of ds is detracting from my question. I still need your help!

 

Is there any math program similar to Beast Academy that does not use beasts, witches, trolls, demons or the like? If not, would Singapore Math or Mammoth Math be the best option for someone talented in Math?

[blondeviolin]

The age of ds is detracting from my question. I still need your help!

 

Is there any math program similar to Beast Academy that does not use beasts, witches, trolls, demons or the like? If not, would Singapore Math or Mammoth Math be the best option for someone talented in Math?

 

You might consider picking up the Life of Fred books for him to read through (or for you to read to him).

 

If you want a curriculum at this point, I'd keep with MEP (printed bigger, copymasters, you scribe for him, write it out on a whiteboard, whatever), or try out Singapore Math.

 

There is something to be said about letting your son self-teach at this age/level. Things my kids figure out on their own stick a lot better and easier than things that they are taught. Sometimes when you teach a child mental math tricks, they lose their natural ability to figure math on their own.

 

You might also check out livingmath.net to find some math books you can check out at the library.

[wapiti]

would Singapore Math or Mammoth Math be the best option for someone talented in Math?

 

For first grade math, yes, though there are additional good choices to consider, e.g., Miquon, Right Start. For a 4 y.o., I'd probably aim for a manipulative-based approach unless/until he balks or it becomes otherwise inefficient for him. Certainly, it is possible to add manipulatives to SM or MM.

 

My advice is to take this one year/month/day at a time. Kids like this (especially when they're very young) may develop in fits and starts, zooming forward, plateauing, and then zooming ahead some more. My ds9 was in a similar position when he was 4, and did very well with Montessori math (at a school). Eventually he had a year of MM (gr 5) though he probably would have preferred SM.

[CiscosMom]

Thanks for the suggestions! To clarify: I'm not trying to stuff math down his throat. Quite the opposite! He wants to learn more. He's bored. Legos, playing store and other preschool fare have lost their charm. He creates his own complicated scenarios and acts them out. Life would be 100X easier if I could just give him a couple of preschool worksheets to color each day.

 

He can add and subtract, skip count, count to 100, solve simple story problems, blah, blah, blah. His Math aptitude is much higher. He enjoys creating story problems and then is disappointed when I can't solve them. I'm was good at math, but it always bored me silly. Having a little boy who counts the number of peas on his fork for fun is different to say the least.

[Mélie]

Thanks for the suggestions! To clarify: I'm not trying to stuff math down his throat. Quite the opposite! He wants to learn more. He's bored. Legos, playing store and other preschool fare have lost their charm. He creates his own complicated scenarios and acts them out. Life would be 100X easier if I could just give him a couple of preschool worksheets to color each day.

 

He can add and subtract, skip count, count to 100, solve simple story problems, blah, blah, blah. His Math aptitude is much higher. He enjoys creating story problems and then is disappointed when I can't solve them. I'm was good at math, but it always bored me silly. Having a little boy who counts the number of peas on his fork for fun is different to say the least.

I think he would get along great with my 5 year old. :D

 

I can't compare Math Mammoth and Singapore, but we really like Math Mammoth so far. You might run into the same issue of not having enough space, but doing the problems on a whiteboard or with number cards can be more fun anyway. Singapore Challenging Word Problems is tough, but your son might really enjoy it. My boys really like Life of Fred, and don't even consider it school. It's just a fun read aloud and they get to do math at the end. :)

[Crimson Wife]

Is there any math program similar to Beast Academy that does not use beasts, witches, trolls, demons or the like? If not, would Singapore Math or Mammoth Math be the best option for someone talented in Math?

 

FYI, the "beasts" in BA are not at all scary and there is no occult stuff whatsoever. If you are okay with the Muppet monsters in Sesame Street, then you don't have anything to worry about with BA.

[beaners]

If you like MEP except for the box size, I'd just use either the copymasters or print it out in full size. The reason the boxes are so small is that the pages are designed to print on larger (A4?) paper. Sometimes I'll also write things out in a plain notebook if I know that my daughter will need more space for a problem.

 

I haven't used MM or Singapore personally. Even if you didn't have objections to BA, it doesn't sound like a single year of a program would be particularly useful for a child who might have to cover a few things before that level (based on what skills are typical to a 3rd grade vs 1st grade level), and will probably be ready for higher levels of that program before the company has produced them. I think the BA stuff looks really, really cool. I just don't think it's currently a great choice for a fast-moving kid to use as their main program because so little has been released right now. And that's aside from any other objections a family may have.

 

In our house we do MEP and we also use an older "brick and mortar" school textbook. We could probably do MEP alone, but we introduced it to slow things down and keep my daughter from going through more than 3 levels of the other program in a single year. (Which didn't really work and I'm not sure why I was worried about it to begin with...but we do enjoy MEP.)

[Dmmetler]

I did SM almost all orally for my DD, really almost all the way through. As a preschooler, when she wanted to do dollar store workbooks, a set of number and letter stamps were a great investment (I got ours pre-inked from Oriental trading, and just re-inked them as needed with a stamp pad re-inker. It led to some strange brownish ink when I reinked, say, a green one with black, but it worked). At about 4th grade level she started LoF Fractions, and that was when she started working independently on paper. That might be a good choice for your DS. I wouldn't let fine motor skills hold him back at this point. Even at 7, my DD still needs a lot of things adapted to limit the amount of writing she can handle at her age. It's not that she's behind-it's that she'd normally be a 2nd grader, and a 2nd grade math book simply asks fewer questions per page and gives more room to write than a 8th grade one!

 

The same is true here. Your DS is a preschooler, so he SHOULDN'T be trying to fit answers into little boxes-because most preschoolers are writing, maybe, single letters/numbers and trying to learn to write their names. So, don't expect him to write like a 1st grader.

 

I also agree, in 20/20 hindsight, with sticking with MEP or maybe MM. Not because of page layout or anything like that, but because of cost. My DD LOVED SM-but she went from 1A through 5B in 2 years total (and that was with a LOT of supplements and extras for the purpose of slowing her down a bit!) and that got expensive fast!

Edited September 24, 2012 by dmmetler

[Beth in SW WA]

Do you have c-rods? Try Rosie's videos.

 

HTH! :)

[Alte Veste Academy]

For this kid, this is what I would do:

 

1) Buy the entire Miquon set and a ridiculous quantity of Cuisenaire rods. I would let him tackle those Miquon sheets in whatever order he desired. I agree about the Education Unboxed videos as well. However, I see those as more for the parent to watch. The point of c-rods is discovery math, and watching other kids solve problems eliminates the discovery aspect and just makes them cute math videos.

 

2) Buy Singapore with the Intensive Practice and Challenging Word Problem books and let him fly through those. I would also recommend the HIG for you, as they will let you know the how and why and you can step in if he is ever in error with his mathematical thinking. These have been incredibly important for me as my kids are very mathy and I am very by-the-book.

 

3) Supplement, supplement, supplement the entire time he's doing all these things--Life of Fred, Hands-On Equations, the Key-To series, Kitchen Table Math, etc.

 

4) Move to AoPS pre-algebra when he's ready.

 

5) Be prepared to change all of the above as needed because kids change and your needs as a teacher, your strengths and weaknesses matter too. Also, you are obviously prepared for his progress to take off like a rocket. You might also want to prepare for the possibility that his progress could drop like an anchor. You definitely have signs of mathiness from him but he's young and, frankly, 1st grade math is not terribly challenging. Being responsive to his needs includes a willingness to slow down, and then to model humility and show grace and support when/if he slows. It means being prepared to explain that all true mathematicians struggle with their work at times. Here are some great articles/thoughts on this. Honestly, I've had my oldest take breaks from math at times simply because his attitude needed work. We read biographies of Einstein, Edison, etc. Very helpful stuff. For me, there is nothing inherently impressive about working ahead in math. I think it is as much about having the right attitude, relishing the challenge, as it is about being able to do the math. If someone is just doing it to get through it, joylessly, I don't really see much benefit to that, honestly. (ETA: Not saying this is you, by the way...just spawned a little rant there. :lol:)

 

I would absolutely not recommend Math Mammoth for a child who likes a discovery approach. Never mind the tiny boxes (which you can actually format/print your way around), it is really great at spoon-feeding math in bite-size pieces. A four year old child who adores math is, in my humble opinion, a child who should/could be discovering the beauty of mathematics and working the puzzle himself rather than being constantly instructed about the how. I personally think that with a math advanced kid, it is a disservice to spoon-feed when the opportunity exists for the development of true mathematical thinking. I think MM is a great program, really, especially for a math resistant child or a child who does not prefer a discovery/puzzling approach. I just have other priorities with my naturally mathy kids who are working ahead. (See linked articles above for my reasoning. :D)

Edited September 24, 2012 by Alte Veste Academy

[Syllieann]

My oldish 3 yo is doing mep and we just do it out loud. We are also using miquon with c-rods for manipulatives. I printed the mep on regular paper but I didn't click the "scale to 1 page" box so the writing boxes are bigger but the page numbers are cut off, which is no biggie. I also have little number tiles for him to use if it's not the sort of thing that can be done out loud. Mep has printable numberlines, number cards, sign cards, and shape cards so it shouldn't require much writing at all. I'm thinking about loading it in notability for him too just to add some variety. All the fun things in it make it ideal for a young student. It's very interactive with discovery type learning.

[Alte Veste Academy]

FYI, the "beasts" in BA are not at all scary and there is no occult stuff whatsoever. If you are okay with the Muppet monsters in Sesame Street, then you don't have anything to worry about with BA.

 

:iagree: BA is the best thing I have used for elementary math for my particular kids. I can't imagine passing it up due to innocuous monsters.

[Shelsi]

I have a very mathy kid who's now 8. He went to public kindy until xmas break and his teacher warned me when I pulled him out that he was behind in math and was very weak in it. 6 months later we had flown through MUS primer and alpha. (I believe he wasn't challenged in public kindy so he wasn't doing the work and therefore they thought he was weak in it)

 

We've stuck with MUS for ds. For a little while we thought he might be going back to public school so I slowed him down some last year because I didn't want him so far ahead that a school wouldn't be able to accommodate him. He's in 3rd grade and about halfway through delta (essentially the 4th level) of MUS. Now we're pretty sure we're sticking with HSing for the long haul and I'm letting him go as fast as he wants again. I like MUS for him because it ensures he has the concepts and the facts down but allows him to go at his own pace.

 

We've also added in Beast Academy this year (and as pp's have already said, it's a hard 3rd grade level) and we're doing some Life of Fred. I think LoF would be really great for your ds OP.

 

And OP, I totally know where you're coming from. I still remember sitting down with 5 yr old ds and working on a word problem. It was a 1st grade level word problem but required 3 steps to complete it. So I read the problem to him (he wasn't yet reading), and then focused on the first step. He kept saying, "it's 13!" which was not the correct answer to the first step of the problem. I was getting so frustrated with him and he was getting so frustrated with me - we were both almost in tears and I couldn't understand how he couldn't do this simple step when I knew he had the ability. So I went through the entire problem with him and, yep, you guessed it, the final answer was "13." :o He'd done all the steps in his head right away. I felt soooo bad!

[CiscosMom]

 

And OP, I totally know where you're coming from. I still remember sitting down with 5 yr old ds and working on a word problem. It was a 1st grade level word problem but required 3 steps to complete it. So I read the problem to him (he wasn't yet reading), and then focused on the first step. He kept saying, "it's 13!" which was not the correct answer to the first step of the problem. I was getting so frustrated with him and he was getting so frustrated with me - we were both almost in tears and I couldn't understand how he couldn't do this simple step when I knew he had the ability. So I went through the entire problem with him and, yep, you guessed it, the final answer was "13." :o He'd done all the steps in his head right away. I felt soooo bad!

 

:iagree: I teared up reading this! Someone understands! :grouphug: This simply isn't a normal FB or moms at the playground type of conversation. I did not realize how much I needed someone to understand what I am going through.

 

THANK YOU all for the suggestions! I guess I really didn't want to hear that I'm going to need a Math budget for this kid. Oy! I've avoided the manipulative focused programs. He's teaching himself mental math so I see using the rods as a step backward. What am I missing?

[CiscosMom]

I'm struggling to figure out how to best educate my ds. Posting here isn't a game for me. If my thread is annoying or stupid to you, please feel free to ignore me.

:cheers2:

Edited September 24, 2012 by CiscosMom

[ssavings]

:iagree: I teared up reading this! Someone understands! :grouphug: This simply isn't a normal FB or moms at the playground type of conversation. I did not realize how much I needed someone to understand what I am going through.

 

THANK YOU all for the suggestions! I guess I really didn't want to hear that I'm going to need a Math budget for this kid. Oy! I've avoided the manipulative focused programs. He's teaching himself mental math so I see using the rods as a step backward. What am I missing?

 

Because the rods will allow a young child to explore much deeper and more complicated aspects of mathematical reasoning at a much younger age. It'll allow a young child to move through the mathematical reasoning for concepts that are far above their individual computation level.

[Alte Veste Academy]

:iagree: I teared up reading this! Someone understands! :grouphug: This simply isn't a normal FB or moms at the playground type of conversation. I did not realize how much I needed someone to understand what I am going through.

 

THANK YOU all for the suggestions! I guess I really didn't want to hear that I'm going to need a Math budget for this kid. Oy! I've avoided the manipulative focused programs. He's teaching himself mental math so I see using the rods as a step backward. What am I missing?

 

Respectfully, many of the people posting in this thread have been where you are. They're just further along in the journey. No one is downplaying your son's natural ability or intelligence. Most of us do understand. I've been where you are. I've had a very young child who rendered me absolutely insecure and quaking in my boots at the prospect of dealing with the enormous responsibility before me. I still have that, in spades.

 

As to the rods being a step back, Miquon goes to about 3rd grade math. Seeing as how your son is at a 1st grade level, quite a bit more mileage can be gained from having rods on board, as the math gets slightly more challenging. If he doesn't need them or want them, he doesn't need them or want them. I had a kid who was practically allergic to them. For him, they were an insult to his intelligence. :001_huh::tongue_smilie: But they are certainly not harmful or a step backward while the material moves forward.

 

The snark level of this post. WOW!

 

:confused: I didn't get snark from her post. You seem to be on the defensive. My impression is that she was emphasizing the importance of facility with numbers and calculations, for incorporating them into daily life. A challenge many of us have faced with our math advanced/accelerated/gifted kids is finding a balance between going farther or wider, and when to do it, and how fast. For me, the balance is to go far, then park and go wide, then go a bit farther, then park and go wider, etc., etc., etc.

 

I'm struggling to figure out how to best educate my ds. Posting here isn't a game for me. If my thread is annoying or stupid to you, please feel free to ignore me.

:cheers2:

 

Posting here isn't a game to any of us. Perhaps it would serve you well to do searches of old posts, where many here have struggled in the same way you are now.

 

You will find your own path. Personally, I have found that reading the posts of those who have gone before me, with humility and after placing my own baggage and expectations aside, has been a bigger help than anything else in my journey with my kids. Not everything everyone shares will apply to you. Brush it off and move on. Don't take the time or energy to take offense. If I took every post that didn't apply to me as a personal insult, I'd hate everyone here by now. :tongue_smilie:

[Alte Veste Academy]

Because the rods will allow a young child to explore much deeper and more complicated aspects of mathematical reasoning at a much younger age. It'll allow a young child to move through the mathematical reasoning for concepts that are far above their individual computation level.

 

Right. C-Rods can help a kid do algebra. Not exactly a step backward for a 4 year old, I would think. :tongue_smilie:

[wapiti]

. 

 

Edited January 12, 2016 by wapiti

[kiana]

If you like MEP and the only issue is the small sizes, I would (again) suggest using MEP (which is an excellent program) and printing the sheets for him to write on much larger or having him dictate.

 

This solves several issues. 1) It is a rigorous yet fun program suitable for challenging a gifted learner. 2) It is free, so you can pick and choose from multiple levels and speed through as fast as you need. You can disregard pages entirely if he has already learned the skills. Commonly, in self-taught learners, some skills will be far ahead of others.

 

 

Also, please understand that many people here have been where you are. If a post seems like the person didn't understand what you meant, ignoring it, clarifying your own post, or requesting clarification from them will be generally more likely to get you usable information. :)

[Dinsfamily]

For this kid, this is what I would do:

 

1) Buy the entire Miquon set and a ridiculous quantity of Cuisenaire rods. I would let him tackle those Miquon sheets in whatever order he desired. I agree about the Education Unboxed videos as well. However, I see those as more for the parent to watch. The point of c-rods is discovery math, and watching other kids solve problems eliminates the discovery aspect and just makes them cute math videos.

 

2) Buy Singapore with the Intensive Practice and Challenging Word Problem books and let him fly through those. I would also recommend the HIG for you, as they will let you know the how and why and you can step in if he is ever in error with his mathematical thinking. These have been incredibly important for me as my kids are very mathy and I am very by-the-book.

 

3) Supplement, supplement, supplement the entire time he's doing all these things--Life of Fred, Hands-On Equations, the Key-To series, Kitchen Table Math, etc.

 

4) Move to AoPS pre-algebra when he's ready.

 

5) Be prepared to change all of the above as needed because kids change and your needs as a teacher, your strengths and weaknesses matter too. Also, you are obviously prepared for his progress to take off like a rocket. You might also want to prepare for the possibility that his progress could drop like an anchor. You definitely have signs of mathiness from him but he's young and, frankly, 1st grade math is not terribly challenging. Being responsive to his needs includes a willingness to slow down, and then to model humility and show grace and support when/if he slows. It means being prepared to explain that all true mathematicians struggle with their work at times. Here are some great articles/thoughts on this. Honestly, I've had my oldest take breaks from math at times simply because his attitude needed work. We read biographies of Einstein, Edison, etc. Very helpful stuff. For me, there is nothing inherently impressive about working ahead in math. I think it is as much about having the right attitude, relishing the challenge, as it is about being able to do the math. If someone is just doing it to get through it, joylessly, I don't really see much benefit to that, honestly. (ETA: Not saying this is you, by the way...just spawned a little rant there. :lol:)

 

I would absolutely not recommend Math Mammoth for a child who likes a discovery approach. Never mind the tiny boxes (which you can actually format/print your way around), it is really great at spoon-feeding math in bite-size pieces. A four year old child who adores math is, in my humble opinion, a child who should/could be discovering the beauty of mathematics and working the puzzle himself rather than being constantly instructed about the how. I personally think that with a math advanced kid, it is a disservice to spoon-feed when the opportunity exists for the development of true mathematical thinking. I think MM is a great program, really, especially for a math resistant child or a child who does not prefer a discovery/puzzling approach. I just have other priorities with my naturally mathy kids who are working ahead. (See linked articles above for my reasoning. :D)

 

:iagree: This is the progression I've been doing with ds8. We didn't start until Kindy (5yo) and he's had a fun 3 yrs of math. We just work through Singapore PM (WB, TB, CWP) and Miquon at his own pace and generously supplement with lots of other programs (Horizons, LOF, Zaccaro, Penrose the Mathematical Cat, etc.)

 

Ds8 was past Beast Academy when it came out so it wasn't an option. I'll probably be one of the few posters on this board to have my dc finish Singapore PM 6 before heading to AOPS.

[boscopup]

As far as the C-rods go... My oldest doesn't like/need manipulatives. He thinks abstractly. I wouldn't worry about it if you don't think your child needs them. Mine was like yours at that age, though I didn't start accelerating him until halfway through first grade. We just talked about math in the van a lot. We learned multiplication and lots of other fun things via van conversations. We also learned negative numbers, adding and subtracting, though that was in the kitchen - needed to draw a number line for that one. ;)

 

Really though, at age 4, my son learned more when we just kept it natural and talked about math that came up in life, or whatever math he'd think about on his own, rather than using a curriculum. The day we were driving down the road discussing how to multiply by 10 and I explained multiplying by 100, he said, "So 1000 times 1000 is 1,000,000!" I was still sitting there counting zeroes in my head for a couple more seconds. :lol:

 

When I pulled him out to homeschool, I used Math Mammoth to accelerate to "where he was". By then, he was really bored with the math they were doing in school (Saxon... at grade level :glare:). MM was a good fit for what we needed, as it was CHEAP, yet thorough. The word problems are strong. They are not as difficult as the challenging problems in CWP, but they're good. We also used Singapore's IP and CWP to mix things up a bit and add that extra challenge. Once we got through long division in MM4B, we switched over to Singapore 4A. We'll do through SM5B and then attempt AoPS Prealgebra. I have some other things lined up in case that doesn't work out quite yet. We have also been doing Life of Fred, starting with Fractions.

 

My middle son is not as accelerated as DS1 is, though he is doing SM1 in K this year. We started Life of Fred Apples, and he loves it. So the elementary series might be good for you, though if he doesn't get it yet, try again in another year. Learning math from Fred is... different. :) Current plan for DS2 is to use Singapore, because I like it and have another kid coming up that can use it. If I already have it, I won't feel so bad about skipping through things as needed. :D

[nov05mama]

The age of ds is detracting from my question. I still need your help!

 

Is there any math program similar to Beast Academy that does not use beasts, witches, trolls, demons or the like? If not, would Singapore Math or Mammoth Math be the best option for someone talented in Math?

 

I think Singapore is a good place to start. My son blossomed with Singapore and also with Math Whizz (online). I also avoided many of the manipulative-based curriculums b/c he was so good at mental math.

 

I would also recommend getting a copy of Maximum Math by Kathryn Stout and maybe even Zaccaro Primary Math/Challenge Math for elementary. These will help give you ideas to nurture his natural ability.

 

I get it, I really do. My son is 6 and is working in Singapore 3A and Beast Academy 3B (almost done...awaiting 3C to get here) and the past two years were really difficult b/c most of the feedback I had gotten (not from here...elsewhere) was NOT helpful at all...basically saying I should hold him back and I am crazy for letting my then 4 year old work on 1st grade level math...when HE was the one doing it, not me pushing it!

 

It's natural to automatically be on the defensive, but I can assure you, that MANY of the ladies on here have been in and may even currently BE in the same situation. There isn't anything like Beast Academy for younger grades though, which is what I *think* some of them were trying to explain. Beast Academy is only currently available in the grade 3 level, which you don't need just yet (give it another year and I bet you will, lol) since you said he's working at a 1st grade level.

 

Life of Fred is also very fun, and we use it as a supplement b/c we enjoy it. If the spaces in Singapore or MEP are an issue, I would just use a notebook or something til your son is able to write smaller (which will just come with age).

HTH!

[blondeviolin]

Also, just a head's up, but at some point you will probably get to a point where the acceleration slows down. Some kids, mine included, go in spurts. They zoom ahead and then park for a bit. This is when we do something else to let it all percolate before we zoom back ahead as if we're on the math autobahn.

 

I'm currently trying to go at the set pace of SM with my 6yo because (1) she's enjoying the math being easy and the shorter lessons and (2) sometimes things are easier when they're older (though they may not think so), (3) I'm busy, all right?!

 

Feed the passion, but at 4, let him figure some stuff on his own too.

[quark]

:iagree: I teared up reading this! Someone understands! :grouphug: This simply isn't a normal FB or moms at the playground type of conversation. I did not realize how much I needed someone to understand what I am going through.

 

THANK YOU all for the suggestions! I guess I really didn't want to hear that I'm going to need a Math budget for this kid. Oy! I've avoided the manipulative focused programs. He's teaching himself mental math so I see using the rods as a step backward. What am I missing?

 

I don't do FB and I don't speak to playground moms about what we're doing or using. If I am going to bring up what we do with math, it's usually with a friend who is visiting us and can see for herself that I'm not exaggerating. :001_smile:

 

OP, :grouphug: This is a great board with parents who really "get it". There's so much wisdom here. I just wanted to assure you that you have come to the right place.

 

I too feel that if MEP is working to go with it. Here's what I did:

1. Used 1st - 3rd grade workbooks when my son was 4-5ish. Had many :banghead: moments where like a pp's son, he solved problems in his head several steps before I did. I have so much guilt from those years...still feeling guilty for not believing in him then.

2. Switched to MEP...I think he was 5.5 but I forget, it could be a little earlier or later.

3. Year 1 was a good fit when he began because it was so different from the earlier workbooks. But he caught on quite quickly and I was soon jumping to Year 1B, then Year 2, then Year 3...in a matter of months.

4. Son hated manipulatives so I tweaked the lesson plans wherever possible and many days, completely left the lesson plans out.

5. Heavily used a whiteboard (lapboard, followed by a wall-mounted 3'x4' board when he was older) and in many cases illustrated the "manipulatives" e.g. instead of using counting rods or whatever, I would draw squares or apples or teddy bears or cars or cannon balls or poisonous potions or bacteria or whatever it is he was interested in at the time.

6. Like another pp suggested, we used math literature heavily from the booklists on livingmath.net concurrently with MEP -- I also tried Singapore and Right Start etc but nothing worked like the MEP-livingmath combo.

 

The whiteboard worked really well through the early years because my son disliked writing on paper but loved seeing what he'd written come alive on the whiteboard. Once he became comfortable with MEP, I would have him "teach" me math. It was a wonderful two-way process and I could really gauge what he had mastered and where he needed help.

 

Buckle on the seatbelts, OP, sounds like you're going to have a fun ride! :D

Edited September 25, 2012 by quark

[serendipitous journey]

Also, just a head's up, but at some point you will probably get to a point where the acceleration slows down. Some kids, mine included, go in spurts. They zoom ahead and then park for a bit. This is when we do something else to let it all percolate before we zoom back ahead as if we're on the math autobahn.

...

 

This is an excellent point -- it's one thing that has served us well with Singapore, which we switched into at 4A: the "spiral" presentation means that if the child stalls out on something, you can skip to the next topic, work on that at speed, and focus on the trouble spot: this has been great for Button, at times when only working on the difficult thing (in our case, long division & some decimal stuff) would have made math No Fun for quite a while.

 

I agree with all the above PPs about using MEP if it is working for you, just do the copy masters or write stuff on paper. With Button I wrote things out the night before (barring things being crazy on the homefront, when I wrote them out just before the lesson!). I like Quark's idea of a white board -- we don't have one, but that seems ideal.