Need math help please! Not sure what to do :(

[avazquez24]

*I posted this on the curriculum section, but then realized it may be more appropriate here (not sure how to move it)*

 

I am looking for any sort of advice, input, help here:(

 

We used MUS for the first time this year (dd in first and ds in kinder). DD started with Alpha and she has two lessons left of it. DS started with Primer, but of course went through it so fast, so I started him on Alpha and he now just finished up lesson 9. I thought everything was going great with it (and planned to continue with it), but now I am just not so sure. Here's what's going on (hopefully it all makes sense, as I have so many thoughts i my head...and trying to type real fast while the kiddos are entertained ;)

 

DD (1st grade): I have been impressed with the way the facts have been taught. I'll admit it's different than I was taught in elementary school but I really liked it (esp the 9's and 8's for addition). DD seemed to do great with it, but as time is going on, I'm beginning to question everything now. It seems to me, as time and lessons go on, things may be going downhill some for her :( I noticed earlier on, as more lessons were taught, she'd somewhat struggle a little to remember the previous material. It's almost like she would sit there and somewhat struggle to remember the 'trick' or 'rule' so to speak that was taught to do that specific lesson. For the reveiw material I would often need to remind her of which lesson it was from, and the 'trick' or 'rule' that was taught to do that speicifc lesson, then she would usually be able to do it. Now that she's almost done with Alpha, there's been so many little things taught and she's supposed to remember, she seems to be getting so confused and forgetting a lot! She'll mix up the little 'tricks' with different lessons and between addition and subtraction. I spend a lot of time with her today doing a review page to see what she really knew and didn't, then kind of 'tested' her on problems from each lesson so far. I was saddened to see there was a lot that she couldn't do now...yet she did them fine before. I always spent a full week on each lesson and never went on until she seemed to have it down good ( and would fly through the test getting it all right). She's starting to want to use the blocks for everything now (I think trying to remember each 'trick/rule" is getting to be too much for her). I gave her a basic problem of 7-6 and she sat there forever not being able to do it! It's almost like she won't look at the simple numbers of 7-6, but her brain is going crazy trying to remember, 'ok, which rule or trick is this" (if that makes sense?). I just don't know if I should be having to review every thing evertime she does the review worksheets? She'll remember the current material, but a majority of the previous material (and there's a lot now since we're almost done with it), she doens't remember now :( I have to quickly reteach it to her every single time now.

 

ETA: DD and DS are SUPER competitive (about everything....it drives me CRAZY! I guess it's due to being 15 mo apart maybe?). Anyways, ds is now in the same book as her (only on lesson 9 while she's on lesson 28). Already though a few times when working with her, I was asking her a problem we had written down, she sat there for a short time, then ds shouts the answer out as he's listening in. Of course this makes her feel bad that her 'younger' brother knows it and she doesn't:(

 

DS: (kinder): He flew through Primer and is now on lesson 9 of Alpha. So far so good BUT, things went well in the beginning for dd for it too. DS I think may end up being my 'mathy" kid. He has always been AMAZING at puzzles (since before 2 yrs) and at solving problems and such. I was scared to start him in Alpha, but I've been amazed at him! On lesson 9 for example with adding 9's, he saw Mr Steve do one example on the dvd...I then sit down with the white board to REALLY go over a ton of examples..I barely finish writing the problem (9+7) and he shouts out '16!". He has not needed me to review anything all week....every time I ask him a problem or he does the wkst, he gets them all right. I was kind of shocked he saw one example and had it down so fast?

But then again it makes sense in a way. He seems to have an AMAZING memory. For example, one time a while ago I briefly told him that ck usually comes at the end of the word when you hear the /k. sound (we were reading or writing something). So, he had to write something that started w/ the /b/ sound this week, he choose 'block" and spelled it perfectly!

 

So....I just dont' know what to do! My head is spinning here and I'm just so confused on where to go:(

What type of learner does dd and ds seem to be? What type of programs would they maybe benefit from?

Should I continue w/ MUS for both? Are they different type of learners maybe and need different programs?

I'm just sooo confused and welcome ANY input, advice, ect!!

 

Thanks!

[EKS]

It sounds like your daughter has memorized tricks/rules/procedures without internalizing the underlying concepts. If you're thinking of changing programs, I recommend taking a look at RightStart B and following it with Singapore. Your son would likely do well with this change too.

[kiwik]

I agree. Tricks are only useful if you understand the basic concepts. Your son may do that naturally or may just have a good memory. Can't advise on programme but something with fewer tricks and more depth.

[avazquez24]

Thank you....yeah, I'm wondering if that's the case...where she's just memorizing the 'tricks' without really understanding WHY we're doing them? Usually when I have to remind her how to do something when doing the review pages, I grab the blocks to visually show her WHY we're using that little 'trick.' Most of the time she wants nothing to do with it though. She just continues on with her worksheet saying, 'yeah, I know' not really paying attention. It takes some work on my part for her to really focus on what I'm saying. She's the kind of child who likes to just get everything done as quickly as possible (very focused during school time). I'm usually having to slow her down, as once she's done with one thing, she's rushing to go onto the next. Maybe once she has the little 'reminder' she's not wanting me to take up her time and wants to just keep going.

 

Since I'm so new to homeschooling, I'm not familiar at all with other math programs. I'm sure each program is different not only in what they teach, but also HOW it's taught. Other programs teach how to add and subtract differently I'm sure, so I was lost as to whether she would benefit from a different program than MUS, and if so which ones.

It would be nice to have dd and ds using the same program, but I'm completely fine using different ones if that's what they need.

[happypamama]

If the younger child is naturally mathy and the older one is not, I would definitely use different programs for them, especially with such a close age difference, so as to avoid any competition. My DD and my DS1 are three grades apart but very different in their mathiness, so I have them in different programs (Saxon for her, because it works, and Miquon/Singapore for him, because it works for him).