Singapore to Math U See

[lil' maids in a row]

We used Singapore math for kindergarten and have been using it for first grade. I like it, but I just feel like I need a bit more teaching support. I have the teacher guide, but I just need a bit more to feel like I am doing a great job teaching dd. I am tempted to swap over to Math U See. We are just about to start the second half of Singapore's first grade (dd has addition facts memorized and is working toward subtraction facts), but I am planning to get the Alpha level and just start over. Dd has a low threshold for frustration, and while she is ahead in other subjects she has struggled to get her addition facts down. The struggle has caused math to go from being her favorite subject to her least favorite. I think that being a little ahead in the Math U See program would build her confidence, and since we school year round we could catch up quickly.

 

So what do you think? I really love the idea behind Singapore, but math just isn't my thing. Is Math U See an equally good program? Do the teaching DVDs help? Is starting the first grade over again and just moving quickly and enjoying reviewing an okay plan?

 

Thank you!

[MollyAnn]

I have never used Singapore, but I LOVE Math U See. I left it for a little bit but we came running back. The DVDs are great, my kids like Mr. Demme, they like using the blocks, and I always feel well prepared. The kids and I watch the video together, I go over any questions they have, we do page A together, then they do page B. If everything is fine the next day they do lesson C and if they get everything right we skip page D and on day 3 they do pages E and F. I have them do both E and F because at least half of these pages are review from previous lessons.

You do have to keep in mind that MUS moves differently than other programs. It is mastery with review of past lessons. Also, some things are taught differently than we learned. DD is in Epsilon (fractions) and there was one lesson where I understood what he was teaching but I was irritated that he was teaching the concept the way he was. My husband and I spent an hour doing the problems his way and our way and by the end of it we both agreed his way was better.

I don't see anything wrong with starting over and moving quickly. Review and building confidence is always good.

[Hakg]

Our circumstances were similar to yours. We used Singapore for kinder and grade 1 and by the end of 1B, I found that certain aspects of Singapore were upsetting DS (there were tears), mainly with how they were teaching the mental math. I also didnt feel there was enough teacher guidance and I was not feeling confident teaching Singapore into the older grades, so we went back to MUS (we had used Primer in kinder also). I took my DS (who was beginning grade 2 at the time) right back to Alpha thinking I would like him to learn the MUS way and that we could zoom ahead and move quickly, maybe through Alpha and Beta in one year. We didnt zoom ahead, not because DS couldnt do the math problems, they were easy, but because he wasnt retaining his addition facts. We came to the end of Alpha and after spending a whole year pretty much learning additon facts, my DS had not memorised them all. In hindsight I think I should have put him straight into Beta because Alpha was too easy for him having come out of Singapore. I also feel DS was too casual about doing Alpha - he had an 'i can do this with my eyes shut' type attitude and therefore didnt really bother to try and memorise his addition facts either. So at the end of Alpha I was not happy that he didnt know his addition facts when I felt like the whole year was spent doing pretty much that. MUS didnt want us to move on until DS had learned his additon facts and I became quite disillusioned, feeling I was not prepared to hold him back any further, and basically wanted to go back to Singapore. However, when I suggested Singapore to DS, he had a mini melt down. So after a bit of research, we settled on Math Mammoth. We have only been using it for a short time (2 weeks or so) but I am happy. DS really has to think about the problems in MM, and because the instructions are to the student, they are simple for me to understand also. DS is grade 3 this year but we have had to go back to MM2A & B. I dont mean to offend any MUS users, but I feel like we wasted a year on MUS, and I do feel a little regret over that. If you do choose to use MUS, my only suggestion would be to research it well and if you think it will work, plan to stick with it, because if you want to change to another program you might find some difficulties changing over. I hope you find something that works for you.

[Dassah]

We used Singapore as our "core" math and added MUS for help with fact retention. To me, that was ideal. You will get the hang of Singapore if you stick with it. There is a learning curve for the mom (I had never done double digit mental math as a child and that threw me off initially). We are going through Singapore "only" for the second time with our second child (in 2B currently) and I'm really thankful we stuck it out with dd #1who loves math word problems thanks to Singapore. I'm getting ready to drop Singapore, I think, for MUS upper levels, so I am a believer in MUS. I will say that my kids prefer Singapore's workbook pages with the puzzles and pictures to color and short lessons to MUS. We did watch the video and work to mastery with MUS. However, we mastered each level of MUS much more slowly (since it's mastery based :) ). That would have kept my kids from advancing (if we hadn't doubled with Singapore) and would have made them frustrated which is why I prefer Singapore in the younger years.

[HS Mom in NC]

I did MUS for my older two until they were ready for Algebra and then I handed them over to my husband. Now with my youngest we switched to Singapore Math (SM) and MUS together. I think some kids just have a VERY hard time memorizing math facts. I like the video game that helps with drills for SM. I like the skip counting CD for MUS. I like the manipulatives for both. I like the diagramming the thinking process with SM. I like amount of review pages with MUS. I like all the teaching ideas for SM. I like the videos with Steve Demme. I just can't commit to one or the other. Surely with all of this my 7 year old will someday memorize her basic addition and subtraction facts.

[Arboreal TJ]

I love the MUS methods. My kids didn't like MR Demme :-/ or the workbook :-/ they love the blocks.

 

I bought old MUS texts off eBay. The really old stuff MUS Foundations, Intermediate and Advanced levels. Now I use the old MUS texts to teach concepts and Singapore as my spine. FYI my kids finished MUS Alpha, I started them in Singapore Standards 1b and they are flying through.

 

If you switch to MUS I recommend supplementing with Singapore's challenging word problems. MUS has lots of word problems but the challenge is lacking.

 

[lil' maids in a row]

Thank you for your imput everyone! I can't say that I am any more sure about what to do now, but you all have definitely helped me think through things. The truth is that we have loved Singapore except that I just feel kind of thrown to the wolves on the addition/subtraction facts. We have come this far, and we are finally over the hump, maybe I should stick with Singapore for the rest of the year and see if we both get with the program a bit more.

 

I would love to use MUS and Singapore together, but I think that having twice the math to do each day might actually make dd's head explode :glare: . How do you do two programs without burning out the kiddos?

[Holly]

I switched from Singapore to MUS this year. My only regret is not doing it sooner. DD has struggled all along and MUS really helps. I also love teaching it (and by teaching, I mean popping in the DVD and handing them worksheets). :blush: No more tears over lessons!

[nicklepede]

I also use MUS and Singapore together. I didn't really intend to start out that way with my first child, but it ended up working out so well for her that I'm doing it on purpose with my second.

 

It all started because, though I like the Singapore method, I hated their K materials. We used Primer instead, and then at the end of Primer, we started Singapore 1A. Then about halfway through that, we used Alpha to master the math facts. Then back to Singapore, and then when we got to the transition from 2A -> 2B, we ran through Beta then went back to Singapore. Etc, etc.

 

Basically, they're both good. I find it helpful to have a way to go "sideways" with Singapore when we're mired in something hard in MUS and not able to move forward.

[lil' maids in a row]

OOOoooohhhhh ^^^^^ that is a great idea! I hadn't thought about doing one and then the other. I was thinking of trying to fit in two different lessons everyday. Hmmmm, that might work out really well!

[Dassah]

We didn't use them at the same time. When we hit a road block with Singapore, we'd spend some time with MUS. :) For us that was math facts in the early years and we just needed some extra time to grow through the 3's and 4's of Singapore so we'd sometimes do a month on/off when dd would get overwhelmed with Singapore. She thought MUS was a break but really it was helping her to get her facts down and basic arithmetic mastered. Without MUS, this particular child would not have trained her brain to do things like division of fractions or even long division. She needed extra practice. I suppose I could have done this cheaper but I always intended to use MUS for HS levels so kept with it. I know this is child dependent as my younger one now is flying through Singapore with great retention and that is why we aren't supplementing with MUS at all for her.

[lil' maids in a row]

You people are brilliant! I love the idea of swapping back and forth when we hit a roadblock! That is just what has happened by the way, roadblocks. The year was going great, we were loving math and then BAM! We hit a chapter that caused dd to just get frusterated, and when she gets frusterated she quits trying :glare: . Math is not my thing, so when we hit a sticky spot I am not brilliant enough to back up and present stuff from a different angle. Swapping gears would be a great way to keep growing and keep things positive!

 

Now I just have to convince dh that he needs to fork out the dough for two math curriculums :w00t: . Maybe I should round up some private school brochures and give him the option of enrolling all three children OR purchasing an extra hundred dollars of math ............... that makes it sound like a good deal ..... right ;) .

[HS Mom in NC]

I'm not one of those people who thinks the kid has to do every single problem on the page. Sometimes they can even skip a lesson here and there when they already grasp the concepts. Not all the review is always necessary either. I supplement with one when the other is lacking as needed. When the kid does need more review on a particular part we spend more time doing more of it. When the kid gets it, we move on. I randomly do a little review now and then to make sure things are in long term memory whenever I think it's needed.

[Hottater]

Love this thread, it confirmed what I had been doing! I used both curriculums, and am glad to know that the problems with the support for the teacher wasn't there for me either. Like around lesson 50 or 40? Road block I think in SM level 1A. Anycow, we went back over with MUS addition facts and he got it. I think that SM gets a little too abstract for the teachers to explain for non math whiz's or kids that are average in math. We spent 3 months using a free online math site to quiz math facts. But it was a failure. My son is in MUS gamma now. DS loved the math visuals of Singapore (1A) and abeka (K) but we stuck to MUS because of the sequential style and repetition to ensure mastery. So it's MUS spine and SM for road blocks for us.