What math are you using (or did you use) for 5th grade?

[Monarch Room]

A friend and I were having a discussion about math. We were trying to figure out what programs have the most longevity. She's just starting out with her K kids, and wanted to know what program she is less likely drop. It seems to me that there are some programs that seem to be very loved in the early grammar stage, but often get dropped. I often see that people love RS, but drop it by level C. I sometimes see the same thing with MUS as well. Singapore seems to have more longevity with people. My observations might be totally wrong about the aforementioned programs.

 

My question is: What program are you using once you hit the logic stage? Is it a program that you have been using long term? What do you love about it?

[Crimson Wife]

I think it can often be extremely difficult to judge which program will work in the long run when a child is only in K. I would pick the program that works for her teaching style and her child's learning style now, and worry about 5th grade when it rolls around.

[Monarch Room]

I asked specifically about 5th because I was wondering if anyone made it through a program from the grammar to logic stage without dropping it. My oldest is in 5th grade. She was thinking about MUS and RS. In looking at 5th grade planning threads those are nearly absent from people's plans. I was trying to explain to her what I've read about various programs, and which ones it seems to me people stick to more often.

[Mona]

I've used CLE levels 1-5, but plan to switch to Chalk Dust Basic Math in 6th. We will see how it goes.

I've been looking at Singapore for my little one lately. Not sure if I will go that way with him when the time comes or supplement some with it. I'm having fun looking at all the fun things we'll get to try.

[boscopup]

5th grade level math or the child's 5th grade year?

 

I don't think it's awful to switch math programs once. If you're doing it every year and the kid is getting behind, that's a problem.

 

I used Math Mammoth for grade levels 1-4, then did Singapore 4-5, and next we'll try AoPS prealgebra. If AoPS is s good fit, we'll stick with that, since it will let me pad the child's sequence to push calculus back to 11th or 12th. My other kids are starting with Singapore and continuing that through 5th, as I like it better than MM (though MM is very good).

 

I see absolutely nothing wrong with starting with MUS or RS and switching to something else later. Some people like the foundation RS gives, but for the long haul, they prefer Singapore or something else. Also, K is a great year to try something, then switch for first grade, since first grade will start roughly at the beginning in most programs.

 

So I didn't vote, and I don't think it's a problem to start with one program and then switch. You can't predict in K what will work for you and your child. You can only make an educated guess. And the child may change as you go along.

[ErinE]

I've used MM 1 & 2 for DD and 4-5 for DS. I used Singapore 2-3 for DS. I like Singapore, but I switched to MM to accommodate the family's schedule. DD will likely use MM all the way through.

[wapiti]

A friend and I were having a discussion about math. We were trying to figure out what programs have the most longevity. She's just starting out with her K kids, and wanted to know what program she is less likely drop. It seems to me that there are some programs that seem to be very loved in the early grammar stage, but often get dropped. I often see that people love RS, but drop it by level C. I sometimes see the same thing with MUS as well. Singapore seems to have more longevity with people. My observations might be totally wrong about the aforementioned programs.

 

My question is: What program are you using once you hit the logic stage? Is it a program that you have been using long term? What do you love about it?

 

Different programs have more appeal in different stages. For example, some people don't like RS C as much as the earlier levels and plan to switch at that point. Miquon ends by 3rd. Secondary math is a completely different animal from elementary or pre-elementary math. Switching between good (good meaning works well for the kiddo) programs shouldn't be a big deal IMO when the parent is well aware of scope and sequence differences or other differences that may need special handling. (OTOH, switching when a program wasn't a good fit is a completely different situation, where a lack of solid learning that caused the need for the switch may complicate matters and require even more special handling.)

 

Note that there are a couple of points during the "logic stage" at which it may make sense to switch, often right before or after "prealgebra" (which can be handled numerous ways).

Edited January 12, 2016 by wapiti

[Alte Veste Academy]

I voted AoPS, but only because my soon to be 5th grader finished SM. Everyone here did or will do SM years K-6 (supplemented by Miquon until they have finished it). I use lots of other supplements for fun and enrichment too, but SM is the program. DS10 moved on to AoPS because it was the best fit for him. It remains to be seen what DD and DS7 will move to, or I may well keep them with SM when the time comes.

[Monarch Room]

I know I didn't stick with what I started with, and that is why she was asking. She was hoping to not switch around a bunch, and I get that. I actually love Singapore, but it was too difficult to begin in the middle with it for my child who had been in PS until last year. I know it's common to try a few things before you settle into something. It's interesting to see what ends up being used after all the sampling of different programs by this stage.

[SilverMoon]

.

Edited Thursday at 12:54 AM by SilverMoon

[PachiSusan]

We will be using Saxon.

[Arcadia]

I vote AoPS too based on what my boys would likely be using when they are 5th graders. For elementary level math they use SM2 to SM6. Before that I just use pencil and paper.

[alef]

MM here, but I didn't use it in the early grades. I think different programs can work well at different times.

[momaof3]

We are using horizons and have done so for the past 2 yrs. that is only because ds was home and we used for K but he was in ps for 1st grade. When we brought him back home and younger one started K we went back to Horizons. My oldest is about to start the 5th grade books and the younger one 3rd and when my 4yr old starts K we will also use it for her.

[Lilaclady]

I really do think things change and she might find her self changing curriculum still. I think it's better to chose what she and her child both like and go from their. I use Mep and love it but I don't know what my k'er will be using in 5 yrs based on what I see with beast academy.

[tm_burriss]

I said MM but we actually use MUS, MM, and LOF.

[Pod's mum]

Voted MEP, which I love, but we didn't start with it and have recently added LOF (just for fun).

We have always done a lot of:

back-of-envelope/scrap paper maths,

shopping maths,

driving maths (giving each other fairly complex oral problems)

and....

general building/living maths.

[Laura Corin]

I voted 'other'. We used Galore Park at that stage - it goes from age 7 to 14.

 

Laura

[jennynd]

DS used SM from 3-6 and we switched to AOPS but adding SM New elementary math as supplement.

 

DD used SM from K-2B and we most likely will stay with SM

[Karen in CO]

I voted Other. We used AoPS, MM, RS G, LoF, a lot of worksheets I made myself along with some support from Kitchen Table Math. When my dd12 was in K, I could not have possibly imagined where we would be 6 years later. It was my first time teaching elementary math (ds starting homeschooling in middle school). I really think the best thing a parent with a K can do for math, is to get comfortable with it herself. La Ping Ma's book on math is a great place to start followed by Kitchen Table Math.

 

The problem I had teaching math was that when my kids struggled with a concept, I needed other tools in my toolbox to help present the ideas a different way, and I needed to be able to figure out what they were missing that needed to be reinforced before they moved forward. That is why I had so many programs. We didn't work any of the programs from front to back; I worked from concept to concept. I think any elementary math program can be terrific when used a tool.

[HSLoriAnn]

I have used MUS from Alpha and am now finishing up Zeta. I am struggling with what to use for Pre-Alg next year (6th grade). I like MUS, but have heard it is not strong enough in upper math.

[freeindeed]

Saxon is all I've used with my older children, but I plan to use Oak Meadow Math with dd5.

[wapiti]

I voted Other. We used AoPS, MM, RS G, LoF, a lot of worksheets I made myself along with some support from Kitchen Table Math. When my dd12 was in K, I could not have possibly imagined where we would be 6 years later. It was my first time teaching elementary math (ds starting homeschooling in middle school). I really think the best thing a parent with a K can do for math, is to get comfortable with it herself. La Ping Ma's book on math is a great place to start followed by Kitchen Table Math.

 

The problem I had teaching math was that when my kids struggled with a concept, I needed other tools in my toolbox to help present the ideas a different way, and I needed to be able to figure out what they were missing that needed to be reinforced before they moved forward. That is why I had so many programs. We didn't work any of the programs from front to back; I worked from concept to concept. I think any elementary math program can be terrific when used a tool.

 

I think this is all very good advice! It seems that parents who don't feel comfortable may have more difficulty using their own judgment and using math programs as tools and instead may be more likely to get stuck in a slave-to-the-curriculum mode. In turn, that seems to make switching programs scary or disconcerting (or, conversely, may contribute to flitting from program to program without clarity on the specific fit issues with prior programs or how those might be addressed with other "tools from the toolbox" rather than switching). The early years are a great time to get comfortable, gain confidence and learn new tools by refreshing one's memory on forgotten concepts and procedures and learning new perspectives on concepts that they may not have had the opportunity to learn before.

[Crimson Wife]

Addressing the specific question about switching from Right Start after C, I found it a very easy switch to go from RS C into Singapore 3A with my oldest. From what I've seen of Math Mammoth and Math in Focus, those would also be an easy switch from RS because the general approach to math is very similar. Dr. Joan Cotter wrote RS as a way of adapting Asian math to incorporate Montessori methods.

 

I do think it probably would be fairly difficult to switch from a very procedural type math program into something like Singapore in the mid-elementary grades or later. Not to say that a bright kid couldn't do it, it would just have a pretty steep learning curve.

[SnegurochkaL]

We used a mix SM/MEP/Russian Math 6 and ready to move to AOPS Pre-algebra/Algebra/Counting and Probability supplementing with MEP/NEM/ Russian math 7. We will be using pre-algebra book for a review and challenging problems over summer months so we will be ready for Algebra this coming fall.

[regentrude]

We used Saxon for one semester (and disliked it intensely and raced through at breakneck speed). AoPS prealgebra was not out then; if I had to do it now, that would be my choice. We started AoPS in 6th grade and have been using it through calculus with DD. Not for every student, though.

[SnegurochkaL]

My friend had used Saxon through Advance Math with her children but it would be a killer for my oldest child because of its repetitiveness. Not for everyone, but it does the job.

[Mommy22alyns]

Rebecca is going to do CLE, some CWP, and HOE.

[Alira]

Ds14 used Singapore 1-6.

Ds11 tried Singapore and Miquon, but has been using MUS since Beta. We are planning to switch after pre-algebra.

Ds10 used Miquon and Singapore 2-6.

[sagira]

Ds9 is going to be in 5th this fall, and we're comtinuing with MM. He will be finishing up 4A throughout this summer, then starting 4B this fall. In the Spring he should be plugging away with 5A. I'm throwing in Beast Academy for fun.

[8filltheheart]

I have had 5 kids use absolutely nothing other than Horizons for K-6 level materials (not necessarily equated with those grade levels.). My current 5th grader is finishing up a yr split of 1/2 horizons and. 1/2 Math in Focus (similar to Singapore but colorful) with some Hands on Equations.

 

Fwiw, I think Horizons provides a very solid foundation for upper level math. There are 100s of posts on this forum stating it is not a good program. I strongly disagree. It was a great program for my extremely strong math students. It was also a great fit for my avg math students (both high school grads who have completed college math courses) What my 5th grader is doing is not a reflection on Horizons, but her personality. I am not planning on using MiF with my 1st grader, but I do love Hands on Equations as a supplement for 3rd grade up.

 

For my 3 yr old who appears to be the most gifted of my kids, I might use Beast Academy bc hopefully by then the series will be completed.

[Hunter]

I'm using the same thing with my tutoring students that I used back in the 90s with my boys. Arithmetic Made Simple

 

I use it similar to Math on the Level. I just used cheap workbooks back then, but now I use Ray's Arithmetic and Strayer-Upton for extra problems.

 

My sons did fine with Saxon Algebra 1 without doing earlier Saxon books. We used the second edition though, and I'm told the 3rd edition has less review; I don't know if that's true.

 

I've got some 1st edition Saon 54, 65 and 76 here. They look really good to me. I also have some of the Amish Study Time that looks good too. I've used both a bit, but I've been using AMS for 20 years, so...shrug...