NatashainDFW Posted July 25, 2013 Share Posted July 25, 2013 DS8 really enjoys math. We took nearly a year off book work and are getting ready to go back. He has asked for math that is not colorful or distracting (ADHD child). He tested into 3rd for Saxon (but we are looking at Intermediate 3 instead of the regular 3), Horizon 3, and TT4. I know he is missing testing higher due to lack of work with decimals. He has almost finished MM 3. Any suggestions for him? BTW Singapore was a bust long ago and regular Saxon 1 was completed in 6 weeks when he was 6. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freerange Posted July 25, 2013 Share Posted July 25, 2013 Have you tried printing mm double sized? That would increase the white space & it seems a shane to switch if mm is otherwise working for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NatashainDFW Posted July 25, 2013 Author Share Posted July 25, 2013 yea we have and he gets it but would benefit from more involvement from me and I just have not figured out how to do that with MM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwik Posted July 25, 2013 Share Posted July 25, 2013 Just sit by him and ask him to think aloud. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChicoryChick Posted July 25, 2013 Share Posted July 25, 2013 what about MUS Zeta? It has plenty of white space and Zeta focuses on decimals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myra Posted July 25, 2013 Share Posted July 25, 2013 MCP Mathematics (Modern Curriculum Press) worked well for us. The pages are in black and white. Each lesson consists of the introduction with 2-3 sample problems illustrating the lesson step-by-step. The second page had three sections: around 10 problems written vertically, 10 problems written horizontally, then word problems. These write in text/workbook worked great for my boys. After completing grade 6 of MCP they went on to Jacob's Algebra with no problems. Myra Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted July 25, 2013 Share Posted July 25, 2013 The Key to books have the look you're probably going for, but the sequence isn't what you need. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lots of boys Posted July 25, 2013 Share Posted July 25, 2013 My ds9 has the same problem with white space. We use MM and love the program but don't like the crowded pages - they overwhelm him quickly. What has worked for us is that I do the teaching (basically just copy the MM teaching from the page) on a GIANT white board with him and do 2-5 practice questions on the white board with him as well. One question at a time in very big writing. Then, I hand him one MM sheet with the questions I want him to complete from that lesson. I circle the ones he needs to do and try to keep the paper work minimal. He still finds it hard but does much better with this method. MM is the only program that has worked for us and we tried TT and Singapore before settling on MM. This would also allow you to be more involved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarlaS Posted July 25, 2013 Share Posted July 25, 2013 There is one that is red, black and white. Modern Curriculum Press? It's pretty good and reasonably priced too. ETA: I see now it's already been mentioned. I would be seriously considering it myself if I didn't already have TWO excellent programs in my house to choose from for my 5th grader this fall. It is often overlooked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holly Posted July 25, 2013 Share Posted July 25, 2013 MUS pages are very plain! I was worried my DC wouldn't like them since they love color, but they don't mind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swellmomma Posted July 25, 2013 Share Posted July 25, 2013 We switched from MUS to horizons and then back again. All 3 older kids said they like MUS better, the pages are easier on their eyes. Horizons just had so much visual clutter they couldn't focus on the actual math. Do the placement test, but like a pp zeta focuses on decimals, how is his understanding of fractions? Epsilon (the book before zeta) focuses on fractions so start there if that needs help too and carry on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverMoon Posted July 25, 2013 Share Posted July 25, 2013 Horizons is very colorful. Rod and Staff worked fabulously for my hyper boy. The pages are black and white, and calm. The lessons are mastery, which helped my ds not feel like there was a ton of stuff coming at him. There's a scripted plan in the TE for teaching the new concept, along with a short, oral quiz on old concepts, and tips for common misunderstandings. The instruction for the 3 student text is all in the TE. Starting with the 4 book there are instructions in the student text, and the TE's scripted teaching plan gets a little shorter. Stuff like Abeka and Saxon with the constant concept change within a lesson made my DS crash and burn every time. It took years of hindsight for me to get that through my skull. :tongue_smilie: He also didn't do very well with computer based programs for any subject until this summer (between 8th and 9th grade). Being on the computer was a distraction itself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted July 25, 2013 Share Posted July 25, 2013 Singapore would work. I can not imagine why it would have been a bust because its a perfectly good math program and would suit the white space need perfectly. Singapore standards is very colorful. The problem pages also have very little white space. Some sensory kids can deal with it, some find it overwhelming. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trulycrabby Posted July 25, 2013 Share Posted July 25, 2013 I am the one that needs lots of white space, so I often hand copy individual problems to their own sheet of paper. With longer or word problems, I cover everything but but the problem, then photocopy it to its own sheet of paper. We use Singapore Math US and Saxon Math. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruthie in MS Posted July 25, 2013 Share Posted July 25, 2013 My dd6 (almost 7) doesn't like the cutesy graphics and colorful look of A Beka Arithmetic. She says that "it's for babies". It's a struggle to get her to do her work because she thinks I am belittling her with the A Beka math workbook even though I've assured her that her big sis also worked through the same workbook at the same age. Oh well, I've been thinking about switching math curriculum anyway. We're going to CLE math. It's still a more traditional math with a spiral approach so it won't be a huge change. The workbooks are printed in only 2-3 colors (I think that's right) and the pages aren't so crowded. Not a lot of white space but no "babyish" illustrations and graphics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanikit Posted July 25, 2013 Share Posted July 25, 2013 My DD is doing Horizons 1 (which is colourful) despite her being very distractable. She also does SM (not the usual versions people use here - its all black and white and small writing) and needs more white space so I just get her to copy the sums into an exercise book (unruled one) and do them there - that way she can write as big as she likes, leave as many spaces as she needs and she is learning a lot about setting out her work in a way that works. If MM was working for your child I would stay with that and either use an exercise book or print the pages so the font is bigger and there is more space. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NittanyJen Posted July 25, 2013 Share Posted July 25, 2013 Singapore standards is very colorful. The problem pages also have very little white space. Some sensory kids can deal with it, some find it overwhelming. Singapore is only 2-tone from 3rd level on up if you use the US version. That said, the OP already said Primary Math did not work for her kid. *I* may think PM is brilliant and works well for my sensory issues kid, but my kid is not her kid. No one curriculum is the best one for everybody. This is about helping her find out what will work for her kid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LBoogie Posted July 25, 2013 Share Posted July 25, 2013 CLE is nicely laid out. Not overwhelming. MM was not a hit here, for either of us. I think Maria Miller is great, but I wish I could hire a different graphic designer for her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amazzie Posted July 26, 2013 Share Posted July 26, 2013 My white space loving son is doing well with CLE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zoo Keeper Posted July 26, 2013 Share Posted July 26, 2013 Rod and Staff and MEP are great for easily distracted types who overload when there are lots of colors and graphics. My Visual-spatial learner who can have the attention span of a flea finds MEP very helpful. The Key to... series is also great for this type of learner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jer2911mom Posted July 26, 2013 Share Posted July 26, 2013 We like the white space in CLE very much and appreciate that it isn't colorful or distracting. The only time I wish color was used is when they are showing money. HTH, Kathy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NatashainDFW Posted July 26, 2013 Author Share Posted July 26, 2013 Thank you so much for the ideas. More than about three colors (i.e. black, white and one other) is too much for him. I will look into some of these and get his input. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunter Posted July 26, 2013 Share Posted July 26, 2013 If you don't mind creating your own worksheets, using Math on the Level, you can leave as much whitespace as you want. http://blogshewrote.org/2009/11/07/math-on-the-level/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ariston Posted July 26, 2013 Share Posted July 26, 2013 MEP is great for my ADHD kid. Very plain, b/w and each section is clearly separated from the other. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ondreeuh Posted July 26, 2013 Share Posted July 26, 2013 DS8 really enjoys math. We took nearly a year off book work and are getting ready to go back. He has asked for math that is not colorful or distracting (ADHD child). He tested into 3rd for Saxon (but we are looking at Intermediate 3 instead of the regular 3), Horizon 3, and TT4. I know he is missing testing higher due to lack of work with decimals. He has almost finished MM 3. Any suggestions for him? BTW Singapore was a bust long ago and regular Saxon 1 was completed in 6 weeks when he was 6. I know you said Singapore was a bust, but have you looked at Math in Focus? The textbook and the workbook are VERY clear and uncluttered. At least in the 5th grade book, most of the word problems in the workbook are only printed 2 per page with lots of white space to do the work. You can do virtual sampling here: http://forms.hmhco.com/virtualsampling/vs-registration.php?code=mathinfocus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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