If you were only doing *1* math curriculum which would it be?

[mamakelly]

I have my last little one who is going to be Kinder in September. I'm trying to decide which math I want to use for him. I'm not a do 3 curriculms at once person. I've done so many different math curriculums over the past 11 years of homeschooling, that I can't decide what to do with him! So if you were only doing *1* math curriculum which would it be?

[Crimson Wife]

Singapore or Math Mammoth.

[ByGrace3]

Math Mammoth is the only one we use. We supplement with RS games, but that's it.

[boscopup]

We use Singapore. While we use Life of Fred for fun on the side, it's easily dropped without affecting the kids' math education.

 

We've also used Math Mammoth by itself, and that is also a good choice.

[mamakelly]

I didn't think Math Mammoth had Kinder math?

[EKS]

I would use Singapore Math starting with level 1 (I don't like their K materials).

[ByGrace3]

I didn't think Math Mammoth had Kinder math?

They don't but they have a list of things to teach for K. I ended up doing RS A before starting MM 1A in January for my Ker. I think most kids would be fine going through the list on the MM site and then starting MM 1 or using SM essentials and then MM 1.

[boscopup]

I didn't think Math Mammoth had Kinder math?

 

No, but K math is easy to do on your own or using any K program, then move into MM1 if you want to go that route. I originally used Singapore Essential Math K for DS2 with the intention of moving to MM1 this year, but then I switched my oldest to Singapore and liked it better, so we went to Singapore 1 instead. Either way would have worked though.

 

My youngest will start Essential Math K this summer. I add in C-rods and I use a 100 chart with straws and coins to teach place value.

[Farrar]

For kindergarten specifically? Miquon, definitely.

[Crimson Wife]

I didn't think Math Mammoth had Kinder math?

 

If the child wasn't ready to start MM 1A and just go slowly through it, then I would do MEP Reception first (it's available free for download). The great thing about HSing is that you aren't tied to using only grade-level materials or sticking to a particular pace.

[Walking-Iris]

I would have a hard time picking just 1. My Kinder used SM Essential. He zoomed through those two books. Honestly I didn't feel it was meaty enough in some math topics, and too focused on operations over some conceptual ideas. I like Miquon but I like a kid to have some background in some topics before starting. And then again I still feel there are some topics Miquon doesn't cover very well, heavy in concepts over practice. MEP is good but not entirely. I couldn't see using it as a stand-alone only, but it's great for supplement and enrichment.

 

I really couldn't pick just 1. And then one would have to think of ALL the various math hands-on manipulatives and games etc that really flesh out a math subject.

 

Yeah, I just wouldn't do it.

[lexi]

Right Start A. That's what I'm using for my son. He loves it!

[melmichigan]

I would pick Singapore, Standards Edition. I start with Essentials instead of Early Bird.

[BrookValley.]

We are doing Math Mammoth for kindy, but if your little one isn't ready for the first level, I think the suggestions of Miquon and other activities are good ideas. But, if you want the structure of curriculum that is stand-alone and all planned out for you, I would suggest Right Start A.

[Ellie]

If I thought a traditional math would be better, then I'd do Rod and Staff. I'd stay with it until my dc tested into Saxon 76.

 

If I thought a process math would better ("process" meaning one that uses/depends on manipulatives), I'd start with Mathematics Made Meaningful, then on to Miquon. After Miquon, then Saxon.

[mom2bee]

Are you asking for recommendations for a K-math program only? Or a K-accessible program with a wider range and longer scope?

[mom2bee]

Are you asking for recommendations for a K-math program only? Or a K-accessible program with a wider range and longer scope?

[EKS]

My recommendation for K math specifically would be RightStart either level A or B (depending on your child). After RS B, I'd move into Singapore 2A. But if you want a single program for elementary, then I'd stick with what I said above--Singapore starting with level 1.

[PachiSusan]

This may sound smart alecky, but I truly don't mean it to: The choice you should make is the one that works for *this* child, and it may unfortunately include switching curriculum if you choose the one that isn't right for this child. No one can pick that for you but you as her teacher seeing what is working and what is not working.

[Five More Minutes]

For K: Singapore Essentials or Miquon.

Beyond K: Singapore or MEP.

[mom2bee]

Marshmallow Math if you're into "Give me a place to start and I'll blaze my own path" Its a very neat little book that provides a range of ideas and suggestions on how to present all sorts of lessons to your kids on a PreK-1st grade level. I have heard of some people stretching it to grade 2 and 3 if you know how to build upon ideas and expand lessons with out a handholding.

 

What do you have on hand? What have you used in the past that you loved? What really clicked. There is probably no reason to buy a new program if you have years of math stuff lying aroung.

[happymomofboys]

Singapore Math

[PentecostalMom]

Horizons. Having been through Singapore, Saxon, Abeka, and Math Mammoth, definitely Horizons. I think it has a good blend of hands-on and workbook pages. I do agree with a pp that said you have to fit this kid, but I also am not one to jump on the "newest thing" bandwagon and see how it turns out only to regret it in the future.

[Abeilles]

For the early grades - Miquon and then on to SM.

[mamakelly]

Thanks for the input. I'm so on the fence about what to use with him :huh: I appreciate all the suggestions!

[Arcadia]

If only one choice, I'll use MEP all the way to 12th grade. I skip MEP reception and SM 1 for my kids.

[nmoira]

I am only using one program with my youngest, and it's MEP. I'm a little more blown away every day by how it develops an understanding of concepts intuitively with numbers the child can visualize before making the jump to a more formal presentation. Just as an example, my 8yo can readily find 3/8 of a number or figure out what a number is if 6 is 2/3 of it by thinking her way through it, even though multiplication by fractions has not yet been formally introduced.

[Lostinabook]

Right Start

[kathkath]

_{MEP. We are soaring through year 3 now and dd is doing wonderfully. She is miles ahead of her age-mates in depth, breadth, and sequence.}

[kathkath]

_{MEP. We are soaring through year 3 now and dd is doing wonderfully. She is miles ahead of her age-mates in depth, breadth, and sequence.}

[Ecclecticmum]

Oak Meadow.

 

Which is now what I do anyway, lol. I was sick of having multiple resources for one subject. Only things I buy now are things like manipulatives, games, and "teaching maths" stuff. So like whats on my wishlist right now is Eric Fairmans Path of Discovery Maths book, and Dorothy Harrer's Maths Lessons for Elementary Grades (which it seems like OM may have used her as one of their sources, so I get it straight from the horses mouth so to speak). This way if the kids need extra lessons on a particular area or don't understand, I can use either try to present it in a different light or I know enough about that area and how to present it that I can make up new lessons on the spot. Another thing on my wishlist is Math by Hand for games & fun bits to add when OM calls for examples or review. But in the end, its OM. I may need one Math Mammoth pack down the road for Australian Money, but I may end up just doing it myself or finding something of use in Fairmans guides. I think even if you stick with just one program, one should have the ability to properly present that program, and be able to come up with different approaches/ways of introducing the concept and practice questions on the spot, because (at least in my family) this sort of thing is required. I watch their faces as I'm explaining and if I see a hint of confusion, i'll immediately draw examples or another viewpoint from my head and continue on without a pause.

 

If I wasn't doing waldorf-style, we would of probably stayed with Singapore Maths and associated SM supplements. But then we would have probably had two different math programs then, as my son has a totally different learning style that doesn't mesh with either of his sisters. Waldorf math has the ability to happily cover all their learning styles.

[Incognito]

Funny - my "right" answer is MEP, but what I am actually doing is only Life of Fred. :) Unless you count the 5 or 10 days of MEP I did with my Ker this fall.

 

MEP is great and fun and well-designed. It was my K choice. LoF is funny and also fun and well-designed. I chose that for my 1st grader. We ended up all listening in on and being a part of Fred this year.

[umsami]

For Kindy, Right Start. Not a lot of writing at that age... lots of fun and games. Different approaches so you can kind of see which works best for your child.

[umsami]

Oops double post....so I'll elaborate.

 

I like Miquon...but IMHO, there's a lot of figuring out one needs to do as the teacher...and no set lesson plan. With Right Start, you have everything...and the lesson plans are very well laid out. I also found that we would some days do 2-3 lessons...and then other times take a break. Totally worked well for us.

 

However...part of me thinks one doesn't really need a curriculum for kindy. Learning to count/add isn't really that difficult. Playing with number concepts can be done with a ton of manipulatives. Add in learning basic shapes (of course that can always come later), the days of the week, and months of the year... and that's pretty much it if you want to check the boxes for a typical public school kindy math curriculum.

[Spy Car]

For kindergarten specifically? Miquon, definitely.

 

 

Agreed. We did many programs for Pre-K and K, but if it was only going to be one, I'd use Miquon for Kindergarten.

 

Bill

 

 

[Momofeat]

Right Start.

[Ariston]

Now that I've done MEP for 2 years, I can't imagine doing elementary without it. Going to switch to Beast Academy soon with my older (possibly dong both), but definitely sticking with MEP for my younger.

[nansk]

If only one choice, I'll use MEP all the way to 12th grade. I skip MEP reception and SM 1 for my kids.

 

Arcadia, would you please share why you prefer MEP over Singapore?

My dd and I like MEP very much, but, if I had to choose only one, *I* would have chosen Singapore, because of its focus on good word problems. (I'm sure she will choose MEP because of the varied, interesting, and short lessons.:tongue_smilie:)

[mamakelly]

Okay so my initial plan was just to back to Saxon for early elementary, because I've taught it a few times so I thought it would be easy for me. But I really didn't feel like it gave my kids a good understanding of math, so I was reluctant. I just checked out the samples for Right Start and they look perfect for him. ^_^

[chepyl]

We do only one and we use Singapore.

[Arcadia]

Arcadia, would you please share why you prefer MEP over Singapore?

My dd and I like MEP very much, but, if I had to choose only one, *I* would have chosen Singapore, because of its focus on good word problems. (I'm sure she will choose MEP because of the varied, interesting, and short lessons.:tongue_smilie:)

 

For a few reasons. Firstly MEP was out to O levels when I was using MEP 1 for my boys in preschool. Now MEP have materials to A levels. Secondly, my older has finished SM 6B and singapore math grade 7-10 offering is in a mess due to common core. There is also no singapore math for grade 11-12. Thirdly we are not worried about word problems since I can easy lift word problems off many middle school textbooks, math circle problems or math contest problems for them to practice. When my boys were younger we create our own verbal word problems. I also have the PSLE math past year papers 2007-2011 book for them to practice.

[nansk]

For a few reasons. Firstly MEP was out to O levels when I was using MEP 1 for my boys in preschool. Now MEP have materials to A levels. Secondly, my older has finished SM 6B and singapore math grade 7-10 offering is in a mess due to common core. There is also no singapore math for grade 11-12. Thirdly we are not worried about word problems since I can easy lift word problems off many middle school textbooks, math circle problems or math contest problems for them to practice. When my boys were younger we create our own verbal word problems. I also have the PSLE math past year papers 2007-2011 book for them to practice.

 

Thank you for sharing your viewpoint. :-)

See, that's the first thing I thought of when I first read this thread title - no homeschooler worth her salt will do only one maths curriculum. If not another whole curric, most will at least add a supplement - maths readers, word problems, contest problems, vintage maths books, etc. ;)

[Laura Corin]

Singapore or Galore Park. Galore Park goes up to about age 14, so it makes a longer unbroken path.

 

Laura

[Hunter]

If I thought a traditional math would be better, then I'd do Rod and Staff. I'd stay with it until my dc tested into Saxon 76.

 

If I thought a process math would better ("process" meaning one that uses/depends on manipulatives), I'd start with Mathematics Made Meaningful, then on to Miquon. After Miquon, then Saxon.

 

 

I like Ellie's first suggestion as well as I like mine, but I'd probably start at Saxon 54, which would mean it really didn't matter what I used before that. Neither Ellie and I are a big fan of the early Saxon books even though we are fans of 54 on up. The early curriculum and 54-Calculus are NOT the same program.

 

Mastery of basic math facts is all that is required before starting 54.

 

Christian Liberty Press correspondance school used Saxon starting at 54, and has been writing their own curriculum for before that. I would really like to get a look at this curriculum.

 

Both Rod and Staff (which Ellie recommends) and the Amish Study Time series were written to be the only math books used.

[FriedClams]

Horizons.

 

But really - what you'll use and teach every day is the one that works.

[Ellie]

 

See, that's the first thing I thought of when I first read this thread title - no homeschooler worth her salt will do only one maths curriculum. If not another whole curric, most will at least add a supplement - maths readers, word problems, contest problems, vintage maths books, etc. ;)

 

Hey now!!! I'm pretty salty, and I didn't use more than one thing at a time! :lol:

[WishboneDawn]

If I was doing it over:

 

Saxon for my straightforward, practical daughter.

 

Lots of games and worksheets and the Key to books for my...interesting and unfocused son.

[mamakelly]

 

Thank you for sharing your viewpoint. :-)

See, that's the first thing I thought of when I first read this thread title - no homeschooler worth her salt will do only one maths curriculum. If not another whole curric, most will at least add a supplement - maths readers, word problems, contest problems, vintage maths books, etc. ;)

 

I've never ever heard of people doing more than 1 math curriculum at a time until I came here (and I've homeschooled 11 years and been a part of a large homeschool community)!? I don't think it's as common as you think, to do more than one math curriculum.

[*Lulu*]

I have used multiple K level math programs trying to find a good fit for my children and myself,(MEP, Miquon, Saxon, Kitchen Table Math, and School Zone workbooks ); Miquon is by far the best I have used at that level.

[Heatherwith4]

We use just Singapore, but what works for your kid may be different. :)