Switch from My Math to Math in Focus or Singapore Math in 5th Grade?

[StaceyE]

Last year in the fall, we abruptly pulled DD (4th grade) from public school. I needed to assemble a plan quickly, so I ordered texts she had been using at school including McGraw Hill "My Math". It does not challenge her nor inspire deeper level problem solving or logical thinking. I've been reading blogs, reviews, and postings about Primary Mathematics and Math in Focus but I'm still struggling with what to do.

 

My plan was to order Primary Math 4A, 4B, and 5A standards edition and supplement with Life of Fred books this year (5th grade). She is bright and was part of her school's gifted math program (pushing through material quickly to skip into the next year's text - not a good program IMO). Then I started reading about "Math in Focus" and thought that might be an easier transition since she was already working in a common core standards program.

 

Here is what I really don't like about McGraw Hill "My Math". Too many topics covered at a surface level with too much review. Has the typical layout of public school texts with distracting extra junk on the page, a definite detractor for us. She doesn't need 100 practice problems to master a skill, but would benefit from from some extension activities to help her take the knowledge and transfer it into new scenarios.

 

My main concern is that she will be missing too many building blocks because we would be switching at such a late stage. I don't want her to grow frustrated or take her backwards too much. If we were in 2nd or 3rd grade I wouldn't have second thoughts about ordering Primary Mathematics but 5th grade seems late. I also don't want to continue using typical public school texts as I don't think they really meet her needs or our long term education goals.

 

As a side note, I couldn't stand using Scott Foresman's Reading Street for language arts either and we threw that out in the spring to start MCT's Grammar Town. I am amazed at how much she learned in a short amount of time and can't wait to get back to his books in the fall. For those who have used both, is Primary Mathematics or Math in Focus similar in approach or learning style?
 

Thanks so much for any help or insight - I feel like I have been agonizing over what to do for her next year in math for weeks now.

[Crimson Wife]

I would give the Math Mammoth placement tests and then use the single-topic "blue" worktexts on the topics where she needs more work. MM takes a similar approach to SM and MiF but is all-in-one and less expensive (particularly when it goes on sale at HSBC). The "blue" books do not have grade levels on them, which is particularly helpful if you are using them to remediate PS math.

 

Just my $0.02...

[Bocky]

I started homeschooling my oldest at the beginning of 4th grade, and like you used our former school's program - for us Envision math. We both disliked the curriculum. For 5th (this past year) I put her in Singapore Primary Mathematics Stds ed 5A and 5B. She has done well and we both like it. I've found the Home Instructor's Guides particularly helpful in teaching the Singapore way, We'll use 6A/B this coming year. My experience was even with a not-so-mathy student we didn't need to go back to earlier levels. My younger dd is doing very well with SIngapore too. My one problem with SM is working out what to do for 7th grade and beyond, since I would prefer the typical US sequence, rather than Singapore's integrated approach. But I am glad I switched even though dd was already in 5th grade.

Hope this helps.

[StaceyE]

Thank you for the replies. Bocky, did you do the placement tests or did you just order the 5a/5b set?

 

I may order the singapore and then supplement with some of the math mammoth extras where she needs them. I hadn't looked into those at all, thanks for the idea Crimson Wife. I like having an outline of sorts for the year but I also like to pull in lots of other materials to make it all work. Math Mammoth looks like it is perfect for that.

[Julie of KY]

If you order Singapore (or any) give the placement test. Especially with Singapore, it is not unusual to place lower than expected since they cover things a little differently.