For those who use Professor B

[Stirsmommy]

Do you use this as a stand alone curriculum or do you use it with something else. I am looking at it for my ds 7. He has trouble with anything that has a lot of trouble (fine motor skill delay) but he really wants to progress in math. Anything he sees on video or computer gets tuck into a memory bank forever. Would this be a good fit for him?

Thanks

Melissa

[LG Gone Wild]

There isn't a lot of worksheets to complete and a lot of ProfB stuff is game playing and stories. I supplement with Horizons because ds asked to. He likes the colorful pages of the workbooks.

[Stirsmommy]

I have the horizons so we could use it too. What should I buy? The more I think about the more I want to try this for him. I did find the thread where someone said it worked well with their son that doesn't write much. Do I need the teacher book with the first level. I am thinking I should know the answers but wasn't sure if there was extra help in it.

Melissa

[Bokons]

There is also an answer key which comes in a small booklet. It's cheap and worth it to get. Sometimes, I found mistakes in my answer keys, but overall, it saved a lot of time to have all the answers there. The TM does not have answers to the problems in the workbooks.

 

There are two versions. The first one is the TM, student workbook, and some Power learning charts. The second one uses a CD instead of a TM, and it also has a workbook, but you don't need the charts.

 

You can occasionally find used ones for sale, especially with the TM. I had both, and my son who was in level 2 at the time, preferred me to teach him with the TM rather than with the CD.

 

I mainly used it as a stand alone curriculum, but near the end of the year, I got RS Geometry for him too.

 

HTH,

 

Colleen

[Stirsmommy]

There are two versions. The first one is the TM, student workbook, and some Power learning charts. The second one uses a CD instead of a TM, and it also has a workbook, but you don't need the charts.

 

You can occasionally find used ones for sale, especially with the TM. I had both, and my son who was in level 2 at the time, preferred me to teach him with the TM rather than with the CD.

 

 

Is there a difference in material on the cd and the TM?

Thanks

Melissa

[ELaurie]

The CD is worth it's weight in gold - one I purchased the CDs, I never opened the book again. The CD is easy to use, scripted, and fun!

 

I don't supplement with another program, because Professor B Math is rigorous enough in itself, however, he doesn't teach things like how to read dates on a calendar, how to read and create graphs, how to use number lines, or how to do weights and measures. He doesn't cover geometry in the grade school programs, as far as I know. If I lived in a state where standardized testing were required, or if / when I decide to test my dc, I will check to see what is on the tests and prepare them. For now, we handle learning about weights and measurements as part of "everyday life math", and my dc encounter graphs in science. They know how to read a calendar, they know the names of shapes, etc.

 

If you're concerned about these additional areas, you might want to simply add one of the workbooks that are readily available these days at places like Barnes and Noble, which are designed for students to cover in the summer months, and cover some of these basic concepts.

 

I think Prof B recommends Singapore Math if you feel you must supplement.

 

This program has worked extremely well for us.

 

Have you looked at the sample CDs?

 

Prof B Math

[Bokons]

I remember that the level 1 CD also taught telling time whereas the TM did not. Mostly it's the same. I would have preferred teaching with the CD (easier for me), but ds liked the TM better for some reason. You should be able to see the table of contents for both TM and CD on the Prof B website.

 

Colleen

[Stirsmommy]

Ds loves anything we do on the computer or tv so I think we will go with the cd's. Now to break it to dh. Why is the curriculum I choose always so spendy?:eek:

Melissa

[ELaurie]

that each CD covers 3 years of instruction - so if you "do the math" ;) it's actually pretty cost effective!

[Stirsmommy]

Good point. I hadn't thought about it like that. Did you get everything covered in one year?

Melissa

[Bokons]

My ds just did a few lessons from level 1 because he had already covered most of those concepts. He did level 2 in one year when he was in grade 5.

 

Colleen

[Stirsmommy]

I saw that too and have already called dibs. I can't wait to try this.

[ELaurie]

I used the level 1 CD with my oldest in K and 1st; and plan to cover the level 2 CD with him in 2nd and 3rd.

 

However, it is designed to be covered in one year if you wish to do so.

[Stirsmommy]

I used the level 1 CD with my oldest in K and 1st; and plan to cover the level 2 CD with him in 2nd and 3rd.

 

However, it is designed to be covered in one year if you wish to do so.

 

Thanks. I guess we will see how it goes for him. He is getting close to eight but has struggled so with writing and reading that he feels behind. Now that things are beginning to come easier he is clipping right a long so maybe it will only take a year.

Melissa

[ELaurie]

My ds 8 struggled with writing and reading too, and is now, as you say "clipping right along" : )

 

Part of the reason I used teh level 1 program with him for 2 years is because he could do his math problems correctly, but more often than not, the numbers were reversed. He also had a tendency to subtract the upper number from teh lower number rather than vice versa when doing long subtraction problems, especially problems that involved exchanging ("borrowing"). I wanted to solidify his skills before moving on, but YMMV with an 8 yo : )

 

Have fun with it, and let me know how it goes!

[WTMCassandra]

I supplement with geometry workbooks starting in 3rd or 4th grade when geometry starts showing up on the standardized tests. I also bought a Flashmaster when we were going to be moving across the country and not doing school for a while. I use the Flashmaster for drill once in a while. But that's all. Otherwise, Professor B has been all we need. I plan to use him for Algebra 1 and 2 also, and I will supplement with Geometry from Videotext Interactive.