newbieoftwo Posted October 3, 2012 Share Posted October 3, 2012 DS is zooming through Horizons K. As I do not like teaching Horizons, I am trying to find an alternative to switch to when he is done. Anything else colorful, worksheet based or at least not dependent on manipulatives (he does not like to use manipulatives much), and spiral? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2smartones Posted October 3, 2012 Share Posted October 3, 2012 Take a look at Singapore. You might like that better. What is it that you don't like about Horizons? Is it just too easy? (It's one of the more advanced publishers out there.) Maybe you should just skip through doing only the reviews to see what level would be more appropriate to start. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newbieoftwo Posted October 3, 2012 Author Share Posted October 3, 2012 We tried Singapore Essentials and he couldn't stand the black and white pages so we worked through it orally mostly. Then we moved on to 1A, but he still hated the black and white workbook. He likes the textbook, but wants to write in it and talk about more than addition all week. I don't like that he doesn't seem to be learning any mental math strategies in Horizons. He can mostly fill-in-the blank by what he is given on the page. Take the workbook away and he struggles :glare:. The teacher guide is also useless. I love the look of Miquon.... just wish it was in color. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoVanGogh Posted October 3, 2012 Share Posted October 3, 2012 Critical Thinking Co. core math program We used it for early elementary, loved it for K-3rd but didn't like 4th grade and switched to Singapore. I would use it again for early grades, but switch earlier. (It started spiraling more than we cared for. That might not bother others, but it did us.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommy_of_4 Posted October 3, 2012 Share Posted October 3, 2012 Abeka is spiral and colorful and the tm is way better than Horizons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wapiti Posted October 4, 2012 Share Posted October 4, 2012 (edited) If you absolutely need a spiral math program, MEP would be a great choice for concepts. I don't know about color. Alternatively, if boredom is the only reason for wanting spiral, you could take any mastery program (like SM) and mix things up a bit, running through different topics concurrently. It's a lot easier to make a mastery program spiral than to accelerate through a spiral program. If you have an accelerated learner, that may be something to consider. (Personally, I think the SM textbooks are like workbooks and would have no issue with him writing in them, if that was key. I don't know whether the IPs and CWPs are in color.) MM also has color on its pages and lots of mental math, though it's organized for mastery and the first grade level isn't particularly interesting (ok, boring!). I don't think it's a bad choice for a student who will be accelerating through it quickly, though it depends a lot on the particular kid. Certain chapters could be done concurrently. Where boredom is an issue, I'd also consider whether the placement is appropriate. Edited October 4, 2012 by wapiti Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Syllieann Posted October 4, 2012 Share Posted October 4, 2012 No color really in mep but I pull up the posters on the ipad and those have lots colors. Not sure on the higher level but level 1 involves a lot of student coloring as well so it will be colorful when you're finished. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mschickie Posted October 4, 2012 Share Posted October 4, 2012 We did Horizons for grades 1-3 and I did not use any manipulatives except maybe some coins when we were doing money. I am not sure about their K course since dd was ahead of that in k. I would just give her the worksheet and if she did not understand the new concept I would just go over it with her. I rarely if every followed the lesson plans in the teachers guide. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newbieoftwo Posted October 4, 2012 Author Share Posted October 4, 2012 Ok so we might continue with Horizons :tongue_smilie: and supplement with something that makes Mom happy as well. I like spiral for him because he can work on new topics that may be hard and older topics he knows. For some kids that may be boring, but he takes great pride in knowing the answer to a question. The Singapore textbook is colorful, but there aren't enough practice problems to build his confidence. I never thought I would say it, but I am leaning toward Saxon for him :001_huh: It isn't colorful, but it has a gentle introduction of topics and a great teacher manual. I may spend my nights coloring worksheets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OSUBuckeye Posted October 4, 2012 Share Posted October 4, 2012 As an earlier poster said, the Critical Thinking Co Mathematical Reasoning book might be a good option for what you're looking for. Each page spirals into a different topic, the book is as colorful as it gets, it covers all the school core standards for a grade, and while its problems aren't the most challenging ever, they are advanced/on level, and none of them are a wasted "do 20 repeated problems without thinking." It's $35ish on Rainbow Resource (online preview available), which is the downside, but at 300 pages it could definitely be the winning addition to any color-less math program you choose for the initial teaching of a topic. Like your son, I grew up as one of those kids that would go everywhere with my 500-page book of colored grade-level educational worksheets, and the Critical Thinking Company books are right up that alley. However, I wouldn't recommend them for being the primary source of instruction, but rather the spiral review worksheets that you assign the last half of math time (or for fun!). They're way more colorful than Math Mammoth, just as challenging, but you lose out on the instructional component. To be honest, a kid completing just the workbook each year would be on grade level and do extremely well on any math standardized test. A different resource for introducing new math concepts would be ideal though, unless your kid learns math well through just spiraled review. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boscopup Posted October 5, 2012 Share Posted October 5, 2012 Ok so we might continue with Horizons :tongue_smilie: and supplement with something that makes Mom happy as well. I like spiral for him because he can work on new topics that may be hard and older topics he knows. For some kids that may be boring, but he takes great pride in knowing the answer to a question. You may find this changes somewhat later on though. My oldest liked doing easy things at age 5, but at age 6, he started to get bored doing things he already knew (and he had to do Saxon at grade level in school - not a good combination with him!). And if he is bored by mastery because it's the same thing every day, well, Saxon 1 was the same questions day after day after day. Sure, they were different topics, but the worksheet was almost exactly the same! You'd have 5 questions that look just like yesterday's 5 questions, but they have different numbers. Or there might be some tiny change in the whole page, but mostly it looked like the worksheet you just did yesterday... and the day before... and the day before that... It was pure torture. I never want to count apple seeds again. I also would NOT color in worksheets for him. He's 5. If he wants the worksheets colored, he can color them himself. Otherwise, it's schoolwork, and not everything will be perfect in life. ;) Be careful about catering TOO much to his whims now, as that may set a precedent that won't be outgrown. My 5 year old doesn't like reading lessons much. I am not using a fun-filled reading curriculum with color and games. That's not what he needs. I am using a curriculum that teaches the way he learns well, and it is working. Does he want to do reading lessons every day? Nope. Does he do it anyway? Yep. It's 10 minutes of his life. It won't kill him. :tongue_smilie: I know that later on, he'll still love reading. I keep it short and have a good attitude myself, which then helps HIM have a good attitude (and we work a lot on attitudes). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissKNG Posted October 5, 2012 Share Posted October 5, 2012 The Singapore textbook is colorful, but there aren't enough practice problems to build his confidence. . Singapore Primary Math offers an "extra practice" book. And I agree...don't spend your nights coloring in his workbooks! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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