Math-how to decide without using??

[pocjets]

I'm having a very hard time deciding which math program to use without being able to actually use them. Many look so great but I have no idea how that would work in OUR home. How do you end up making the decision? I feel like I'm going to end up spending a ton of money just to see and scope and sequence is so different from program to program, I'm afraid of switching without putting the kids behind. Any suggestions on how to decide? I'm looking at singapore, mm, cle, and mus.

[boscopup]

Pour through the samples online, print out any that you can print. Try the samples on your kids to see what they like. Think about the type of kids you have. Are they really good at math, or do they struggle? Do they like to learn how to do a problem and practice until it's mastered, or would they rather just do a few of the new problems and have most of the rest be review. What kind of program are you looking for - one that teaches more conceptually or one that is more traditional? Are you concerned at all about going back to school or taking standardized tests (where a program that has a *really* different scope & sequence might be a problem)?

 

Then you pick one, try it for a semester, and if you don't like it, figure out why and which of the others might be a better fit.

 

My first year of homeschooling, I made a lot of mistakes in choosing, but that was ok. It was a learning experience. I had to figure out how I like to teach and how my son likes to learn. Also, I *did* change math programs, though my son was accelerated in math, so going back a semester when changing programs didn't really affect us negatively. We started out with MM, mostly because it was cheap and taught conceptually, and I prefer the mastery format (without being extreme mastery). He was coming out of Saxon in school, and he was bored to tears with Saxon. He loved MM for a while, then I realized we needed a change when we got into the 4th grade book (we had used 1A-4B). I switched him to Singapore, which I knew he would like better, and he did. The two programs teach very similar methods, so it was really just the sequence that made a difference.

 

Also, knowing whether your children want/need manipulatives can be useful. DS1 did NOT need manipulatives, and they actually distracted him and frustrated him. He's an abstract thinker and just "gets" math. So I avoided programs like MUS and RS with him because of the heavy emphasis on manipulatives. I preferred a program that gave pictorial examples. My middle son needs manipulatives *and* pictorial examples, so he uses Singapore also, but I add C-rods to it.

 

Both of my kids are good at math, so I wanted a program that goes deeper and involves more problem solving. MM and Singapore were both good choices for that, but Singapore is just a nicer presentation for the kid, and I enjoy teaching it, so it's all good. I liked MM also, but my oldest didn't need the incremental instruction, and my middle son would be bored by the grade 1 book (it really wasn't that exciting... my oldest only liked it because it was more interesting/challenging than Saxon 1 in school).

 

For a child that is terrified of math, I would suggest CLE or MUS, though some of those kids do well with MM also... YMMV. I've seen my friend's daughter go from terrified of math to confident in math using CLE. It's a great program. It wouldn't be a good fit for my oldest (he's like me - teach me the concept, let me practice it until mastered, then move on to the next thing), but it's been a great fit for this girl.

 

Don't buy a bunch of different programs though. Buy one semester of one program (if the program is divided into semesters) that you think would probably be a good fit... the program that excites you the most. Try it out, use it for a semester. If it doesn't work out, buy something different the next semester. You're only buying one program each semester using this method. And once you have used one program, you may have a better feeling for what you need long term.

 

Also, even if the scope and sequence is different, it's not that hard to catch up when changing programs. For example, when I switched my son from MM4B to SM4A, there were some topics in SM that we'd already done in MM, so I just skipped them and moved on. In the end, we probably didn't really lose a semester. ;) If you switch a LOT, it could cause problems, but switching one time should not be a huge deal.

 

Good luck making a decision! :)

[dereksurfs]

We purchased three of the four mentioned - MUS, CLE and MM. CLE and MM are *very* affordable to try. MUS offers free online demos and they will even send you a CD: http://www.mathusee....stration-video/

 

These are all good programs. But you will never really know about fit until you jump in and try them. For example we started with MUS which is a mastery based approach, similar to SM and MM. While it worked great for our oldest ds11, our dds really didn't like it and were not retaining the subject matter. So we switched them to a more spiral approach using CLE and they are now doing much better. 'Hating math' is not an issue anymore like it was for them. You are right that these programs do differ in S&S. Consequently we had to take a step back first when switching from MUS to CLE. However it was worth it for a better overall fit and experience. And now they are caught up with one actually being ahead.

 

Another consideration is that some programs are more conducive to independent learning as they are directed more toward the student. CLE and MUS are examples of this. While others require more teacher interaction and direct daily instruction. So part of it will depend on you and your goals as a teacher.

[Chrysalis Academy]

I'll just reiterate that making use of the online samples and online placement tests will be very helpful. You check out the demos and samples, and print out some samples for your dc, do the various placement tests, etc. You can actually learn a lot about what they already know and where you need to focus (as well as how they respond to the various program's presentations) by using the demos and placement tests. Don't feel like you have to be committed to a particular program before you start - you can spend your first several weeks sampling the different programs, and they'll still be learning math!

 

MM has *extensive* free samples, so you can get a good taste of that program, and actually get through a fair amount of math, just by using the samples. You didn't mention if you are starting from scratch with a little, or jumping in the middle with an older kid, but if it's the latter, MM can really help with filling holes that may be identified in the placement tests, because there are sample worksheets in many different topics. This can be really useful, whatever curriculum you end up going with.

[Farrar]

There are some clues, I think about things like hands on and what's colorful and what's not that you can see for your kids. But at some point, you just have to pick and I would say if you're really not sure, then start with the cheaper options and move up.

[Dana]

I'd also recommend reading A LOT. I find the boards here to be where I get some of the best information (although the search engine is currently dreadful). Look up not only how students are doing NOW with a program, but how students are doing later.

There have been some recent threads on the high school board and logic board discussing MUS and some problems some people have had with it in later years and under-prepared students.

 

I keep a notebook with notes as I read so that when I'm looking for high school science programs (for example), I've got some threads recorded and some comments people have made so I know where to start with research.

 

It's tough & you likely will make some choices where you later need to change. At the same time, I think it's good to do your research, buy the materials & try them & then stick with them unless you see a real need to change. Don't change just because... "oooh... shiny!" :)

 

Hope you find what works well for you!

[Crimson Wife]

Do you have a HS bookstore close by you? Mine has saved me quite a bit of money over the years because I can look through the entire book rather than just a few selected samples. If there isn't a HS bookstore, you may want to attend one of the HS conventions to look through the materials in the vendor hall.

 

Our HS support group has a curriculum fair in the spring and also people are good about bringing stuff to the weekly park days for other moms to look over.

 

Cathy Duffy's book is useful IMHO but works better if you know what learning style your child has already.

[elizsharp]

After buying MUS and it not working for us, I decided to take a different approach. I bought MM and SM since both were cheap (workbooks only) just buying the smallest half year of MM online. I reviewed them both and felt both were good. We used both for about a week then I asked my son to make a choice and he decided on Singapore. I liked the approached of buying a few of the cheap ones and letting him decide. I also like that I have a "backup" should SM not work out down the road.

[Jay3fer]

We recently jumped ship on a math program I love, so I will share my recent insight, which is that the math program you choose (any program, to some extent, but I think more so for math) not only has to fit you and your personality and the way you teach, but also, and even more so, must fit your child's personality. Math programs that worked well for dd are not a good fit at all for ds, and vice versa. Of course, I knew this already from my older two - except that they were in school, so there was often no flexibility and a TON of frustration.

 

I have no idea how they do it in schools, except to observe that it often doesn't work and the demand for tutoring has grown to the extent that one could probably say the system, as it is, of having everybody learn with the same methods and materials, simply does not work. :-o

Which is why actually using the samples, not just reading through them, is so very, very important.

[EKS]

You're right. You can't ever really know how any resource (not just math) is going to work until you use it, sometimes for a year or more. As I became a more experienced homeschooler, I found that I became more adept in being able to identify the problems we were having with a particular resource and either modifying it or finding something else without the same problems. But many times a resource I thought would be perfect turned out to be anything but. After several years I got used to the fact that we would have a big resource shake up about 6-8 weeks into the school year and usually another one sometime in January.