What do you use for math after K5??

[csolomon]

My DS is 5 and we will be completely BJU K5 in a few months. I have been doing lots of research to try and decide what math to do next. He did great with BJU, but I'm not sure Math1 is comprehensive enough and it takes a lot of prep time. Math is definitely his strong subject and he is a very kinesthetic learner. I feel like so many use Saxon and that I should like it, but at first glance I'm just not sure it's the right fit for us. There seems to be a lot of review work and I don't think it would be appeal to him. I also don't think I could get him to sit still long enough to do that much review.

 

Anyone using MUS?? I've read so many mixed reviews. Some moms love it, but I've read so many others say it put their child behind in math in the long run.

 

What about MM?? I haven't been able to find as much information on that.

 

Any other suggestions before I drive myself crazy?! :confused1:

[carriede]

I've got MM and Miquon waiting in the wings.

 

We're currently working on Singapore Math Essentials K book B and playing with c-rods. I think once we finish Math K, I'll go to Miquon first then add in MM1 in the fall. DS will be 5 in June.

[NavyMommy]

We just switched math programs and I am loving Horizons. It's spiral (like Saxon, so if you don't like that aspect this wouldn't be a good fit), but I like that it moves quickly and the lessons are short. It's also colorful which helps engage my wiggly 5 year old. We were using Saxon, and it was very cumbersome to use, there were so many parts that sometimes lessons took over an hour to complete, it wasn't something I could stick with. I've heard it changes at Math 5/4 so I will probably switch after third grade but for now Horizons moves quick enough to keep her challenged and engaged and she seems to really like it.

[bakpak]

RightStart, which is Montessori based, would probably be up his alley since he likes manipulatives. My daughter likes to play with manipulatives (abacus, C-rods), but not use them for math, so we're using Singapore Math. It's very nice and suits her really well. You can use manipulatives with it as well if you choose.

 

With Singapore Math I would suggest you just get the Textbook if he doesn't like tons of review. If he needs more practice, the workbook is nice, but there is plenty of practice in the Textbook, and early on I think it's overkill. My daughter loves the program and asks to do math at the table pretty often. We can also work on multiple sections at once, to keep interest high (e.g., few pages of addition, few pages of time, etc.). We're trying out the Early Bird Kindergarten B textbook in SM. Lots is just review for her, but some new. I'm keeping it pretty easy for now, also skipping lots of repetition, as she doesn't like it once she's got a concept down. It's easy to move ahead. I suspect it will take about 2 months total to go through the book for her, working 15 min ~4 times a week.

[Chris in VA]

We used Saxon a year ahead. I did not find it cumbersome at all, and dd got a great start. 

I did not use the meeting book, but I did do most of the meeting. Many concepts are introduced there, so it's pretty important. 

Instead of the meeting book, I put a large, colorful poster calendar (like in a classroom) up on the wall, and used shaped Post-Its for the numbers. I made patterns with marker on sentence strips for her to finish like in the meeting book--just more interesting. We wrote the date on a dry erase sentence strip. 

 

If you want color on the worksheet, just let your child use colored pencils.  :)

 

I also broke up the lesson when it got to be too much--so we'd do most of it, then she'd complete the other side of the worksheet independently while I worked with her brother. 

[73349]

We did Singapore 1A/1B (workbooks only, though many people do textbooks only), and now we're doing Miquon before going into 2A/2B.

[boscopup]

First kid did Math Mammoth and later Singapore. That sequence worked well for him. He switched to Singapore at the 4th grade level, doing 4A-5B after completing MM4A and the long division part of 4B.

 

Second kid did Singapore 1 in K and is doing CLE 200 and Beast Academy 3 now in 1st. I'm planning to stick with this combo for the near future, as it works well for him

 

Third kid will do CLE 100 for K next year. He's about to finish his Singapore EM K book B, and I think CLE will be a good fit for him, since he loves independent workbooks (he can read the instructions). Later, I'll add in Beast Academy when he's ready - it doesn't start until 3rd grade level.

 

Note that CLE does not include as much conceptual teaching as Singapore, but I, as the teacher, include it myself, since I've taught Singapore and understand the methods. ;)

[Jackie]

We're using RightStart. The use of manipulatives and games foes a great job of keeping my daughter focused!

[reign]

We do math mammoth. I use an abucus and c-rods with it. I think that math mammoth gives a lot of practice problems. Sometimes they need them but when they understand a concept we skip some. We also use dream box.

[Staceyshoe]

We tried a few math programs.  Here are some thoughts.

-MUS has a very different scope and sequence, and you'll need to be comfortable with that if you choose it.  I thought I would be but ended up switching because it was just too different from what I expected in a math program.

-MM has rather small font for young kids.  For some, font size doesn't matter.  My son was so frustrated with the small font and teeny tiny space for his huge little boy scrawl.  There are a lot of problems in MM.  If he gets math intuitively, you may want to skip some of the problems to avoid needless busywork.

 

-Education Unboxed is free online and provides fabulous ideas for teaching math to kids who are visual or kinesthetic learners.  It can be used as a supplement or as a primary math program in the early years.

-Singapore Math is really fabulous for kids who don't need tons of review and need the challenge of going a little deeper with the concepts.  It's very easy to customize if your child needs more/less review or needs more challenge.

So many choices!

[csolomon]

Thanks for all the great feedback! I don't know why I'm stressing so much for next semester already!

[Lilaclady]

I am currently using MEP math with my k5 dd but before Mep, I used Singapore with the older one.

[WinsomeCreek]

I am very happy with Singapore for this level. My k1 kid does a rotation of textbook+workbook, cwp and IP. He needs direct teaching. I find that the books get to the math while being in a format that allows for coloring and doodling.

[Teneo]

We are using Right Start. At this point the only change I foresee is adding in som arithmetic mastery via something like Rod & Staff in the future.

I think of the options you mentioned you'd prefer Math Mammoth. If you're concerned about the pacing of MUS anyway. With MUS it can feel slow and behind because you are focused on one area for an entire year. Most courses don't. That means you won't have covered onecthing others will and gone deeper in something else others haven't reached yet. For me personally after buying a couple dvds I decided against it because I loved Asian math and wanted a greater variety of manipulatives.

[MinivanMom]

We have used Singapore Math. There aren't too many practice problems in the textbook or workbook, and the Challenging Word Problem books are absolutely wonderful for kids who find standard math instruction a little too easy.

[Coco_Clark]

I really wanted to use MUS (I think its the perfect program *for me*) but I was scared off by all the reviews that it isn't rigorous enough.  I have no idea if it really isn't rigorous enough but I heard it enough times to not want to find out.

 

I've been really happy with Singapore 1a/1b, though.  I use the HIG, textbook, and workbook.  I think that the textbook/workbook are overkill, I'd choose one or the other but not necessarily both.  We use the workbook and usually leave the textbook questions untouched.  But I would highly recommend the HIG as it includes all the instruction as well as concrete examples to go through with your child and games to play.  I enjoy the program so much that I just purchased Earlybird for my 4 year old.    

[La Condessa]

My math-loving daughter is really enjoying Singapore Primary Math. We are doing TB, WB, IP, and CWP. I had planned on using Miquon, but she really disliked the format. I am saving it for my next daughter, though, who has always taken a greater interest in manipulatives.

[csolomon]

Singapore math really seems like a popular one! I will have to do more research on this one. Thanks for all the great input!

[~Victoria~]

We are k5 and using MUS Alpha. I really love it. We have no plans to switch to public school later so I don't mind the fact that it doesn't spiral (and I use to be a ps teacher). My friend also uses it for her two boys and loves it.

I love the rods and the DVD lessons are so nice to pop in and then expand upon.

[alisoncooks]

I realize this thread is a bit old... but we actually loved BJU Math 1.

We started off with Singapore 1A but I realized that the mastery approach it takes is not for my DD; she needed continual review.  BJU also teaches concepts in chunks, similar to SM, but there are small bits of varied review in each lesson.  So within the addition chapter, one may review patterns or shapes at the end of the lesson.   We also like how there are definite lessons, spread over a 180-day year.  No guessing about how many lessons to do in a week or how to divide workbook problems.  It's set:  1 page (front & back) each day.  

 

I've looked around at many math curricula and I'm finally at the point of feeling *content* with sticking it out with BJU for the long haul (I wasn't sure at first... we tried:  Singapore, BJU, Math Mammoth, Math in Focus).  Just this week, my DD in Math 2 was reviewing 2-digit addition and they did it by introducing a map with distances between points.  So she had to figure the total distance between point A, B and C (adding three 2-digit numbers to get the total distance).  I was so impressed!

 

*NOTE*:  I do plan on using the Singapore HIG for 1a with my youngest.  I love the learning games interspersed with the teaching.  I do think the heavy focus on number relationships and bonds helped oldest learn her facts so comfortably.  I think -- for me -- that the perfect math program is BJU work texts (the teacher guides are awful, at least in 1 & 2) + Singapore HIGs.  I also think that BJU Math 1 is light on word problems -- I'll probably add in CWP for youngest DD when she does BJU 1.

[Holly]

We use MUS.  I'd held off because of the reviews, but we reached a point with my oldest where I just wanted her to get math!   :leaving:  I only wish I'd switched earlier.  It's been a great fit for all of us.

 

Before that, we used Singapore for years and I liked it, but it just wasn't a good fit for her.  It was also getting difficult to teach several levels of math...it might be a good fit for you.  Rightstart is another great hands-on program, but I found it too time consuming for us...If I only had one or two children, I probably would have continued with it (we used it for K).