MUS Questions

[lea1]

I am considering using MUS for 2nd grade for my two sons. I have not given them the placement test yet but I am pretty sure they would have no problem completing the one for 1st grade. But I am still wondering if they have missed some important concepts for understanding how MUS does math.

 

They complete MM's 1st grade but they didn't like it and I could tell they were not understanding some of the concepts. Now they are almost finishing CLE 1st grade, which they have had no problems with. I have also been going through my copy of SM 1a and 1b, as we go through CLE, and I have taught them some of the things from SM that were not covered in CLE. We are currently just playing around with C-rods because they need more practice with making and breaking 10 and also with number bonds in general.

 

For those of you who have used MUS, do you think they will be ok with going straight into 2nd grade. I know they will pass the placement test but just still wondering if there is something important we are missing. I would really rather not spend the money on MUS 1st grade if I don't need to though.

 

Also, I have read many of the old threads about supplementing MUS and I am wondering if most people think that there is no need to supplement until high school or should we be supplementing from the beginning? What do you feel is the best supplement to MUS? I have all of the SM CWP levels so we will definitely supplement with those. Anything else?

[Lara in Colo]

Wow, I could have written that post a year ago!!

 

I switched from MM (and Miquon) to MUS last year. I also wondered if I missed anything so I bought the Alpha book--- not really much is missed that isn't covered again in Beta.

 

I will be doing MUS gamma this year and supplementing with AOPS Beast Academy. I think that you can supplement with MM (blue book) fairly easily but you could also just leave it alone and do just fine.

 

BTW, since there isn't any BA yr 4 yet (that I know of) I am planning on doing the BA over the course of two years.

[lea1]

Wow, I could have written that post a year ago!!

 

I switched from MM (and Miquon) to MUS last year. I also wondered if I missed anything so I bought the Alpha book--- not really much is missed that isn't covered again in Beta.

 

I will be doing MUS gamma this year and supplementing with AOPS Beast Academy. I think that you can supplement with MM (blue book) fairly easily but you could also just leave it alone and do just fine.

 

BTW, since there isn't any BA yr 4 yet (that I know of) I am planning on doing the BA over the course of two years.

 

 

Oh, that's great that I don't have to worry about having missed Alpha. Thanks for that reassurance.

 

I think for a supplement, I would probably lean more towards CLE or MIF, but wanted to see what others have used. I actually already have MIF because I was planning to use it....then I started looking at MUS and I really liked what I saw. I have taken up to 4 semesters of Calc in college and have always done well in math but I don't think I teach it conceptually very well because that is not how I learned it. But that is how I would like my sons to learn it.

[jessj]

They would be fine to jump into Beta. In fact much of Beta may be very easy. However, with MUS it's easy to work quickly through units to do a touch of review and zoom on up to where it's challenging.

[lea1]

They would be fine to jump into Beta. In fact much of Beta may be very easy. However, with MUS it's easy to work quickly through units to do a touch of review and zoom on up to where it's challenging.

 

Thanks Jess. That is good to know.

[3monkeys]

I will also add it's not necessary to supplement if you are not required in your state to do standardized testing. You master each concept one at a time so a 3rd grader would not have been introduced to division until 4th grade if you follow 1 book per year. If you do testing, than you probably should supplement or follow common core to at least make sure they know what they are seeing on test. However, I think MUS' newest versions are starting to line up with common core. Not sure I agree with that decision and not sure how it's going to affect the program. We've only completed through Gamma, so I'm curious how our newer versions are going to be.

[lea1]

I will also add it's not necessary to supplement if you are not required in your state to do standardized testing. You master each concept one at a time so a 3rd grader would not have been introduced to division until 4th grade if you follow 1 book per year. If you do testing, than you probably should supplement or follow common core to at least make sure they know what they are seeing on test. However, I think MUS' newest versions are starting to line up with common core. Not sure I agree with that decision and not sure how it's going to affect the program. We've only completed through Gamma, so I'm curious how our newer versions are going to be.

 

Well this is something I definitely need to take into consideration then because we don't have any required testing in our state. Thanks!

[3monkeys]

We're not required to test either which is why I do not supplement. If you complete MUS all the way through, child will have all they need just not in the same order or spiral approach. For example, my 3rd grader just finished Gamma and was doing problems like 7124 x 436. Every other program I've looked at did not get this far with multiplication in 3rd grade. Next year he moves on to division and will master it as well. Hope this helps!