Charlottetown Posted March 27, 2014 Share Posted March 27, 2014 My 2nd grade son's major challenge has been reading. Therefore, we've spent a lot of time on it - using different techniques, books, websites, etc. trying to find what will help it click for him. My focus has been almost entirely on reading because in order to learn you have to know how to read, KWIM? Now we are nearing the beginning of the end of the year and I'm really seeing major holes in his math abilities. Not because he isn't smart in math, but because I haven't challenged him enough and honestly, put math on the back burner always thinking we can come back to it and he's still young he'll have no problem catching up. I'm thinking that was a mistake now. He knows his basic addition and subtraction facts and basic measurement, time, and money skills. What would you do to catch up your son if you were in my position? I'm looking for a fast, no frills way to get him up to speed. Thanks for any suggestions! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wapiti Posted March 27, 2014 Share Posted March 27, 2014 I'd choose a program based on how he learns best without regard for catching up. It's true that speed can be adjusted, i.e., he can be accelerated, easier in some programs than in others, but I'd do that only if that is appropriate for his math ability. As purely a matter of time, you can gradually get him caught up by doing math over the summers (I'm a huge fan of summer math regardless :)). There are six more summers before the start of 8th grade - that's like two whole school years' worth of time to catch up. IIRC, the major arithmetic of second grade math is multi-digit addition and subtraction. An excellent understanding of place value would be key before moving forward with those. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IdahoHomeschooler Posted March 27, 2014 Share Posted March 27, 2014 He will catch up, especially if has the skills you listed. I, personally, would start at the beginning with a math program that you like, and work through the stuff he knows more quickly. That way he can get a good review of the math he knows, as well as find any gaps he may have. Don't worry about the "grade level" of the book, just work where he is at. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MotherOfBoys Posted March 27, 2014 Share Posted March 27, 2014 I would choose Math Mammoth because it's easy to accelerate and cheap enough that I don't mind skipping things. I am always surprised to find out what my son knows so much so that I just give the end of the chapter tests and we only go over what he gets wrong for a week. Then I quiz him again with the review section of the chapter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted March 27, 2014 Share Posted March 27, 2014 Sounds like you just need to make sure he's got addition and subtraction with regrouping down, and that he's solid on his place value. I would think that you could use a couple of the Math Mammoth Blue books - Add & Subtract 2B, and Place Value 2, if you don't want to use the whole MM Light Blue (full curriculum) and just accelerate him through it. What are you guys using now for math? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiana Posted March 27, 2014 Share Posted March 27, 2014 I really don't think catching up is something you need to worry about. Just start a second grade curriculum (if you haven't done so already) and work through the summer. If you've already started, great! But just work through the summer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlottetown Posted March 27, 2014 Author Share Posted March 27, 2014 I was actually just checking out Math Mammoth last night. Right now we are using a combo of MUS, Abeka, and some Right Start games every now and then. I know.....it's very smorgasbord-ish. :unsure: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiana Posted March 27, 2014 Share Posted March 27, 2014 Ok, after seeing your second post -- I'd drop either the MUS or the Abeka, whichever one you think he's getting less learning from, and just go through the other, working as far into the summer as necessary to complete it. I think that having just one curriculum would make you both more likely to complete it and able to move through it more quickly. Neither of these is a terrible choice for a second grader, and both you and he are used to them, so I wouldn't go switch. You might be suffering from grass-is-greener syndrome. Despite the fact that it seems like everyone here uses two (eta: or more) math curricula, it's really not necessary for most children, and it adds hassle and planning to your math. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stayathomelibrarian Posted March 28, 2014 Share Posted March 28, 2014 I got the 2nd semester of 1st grade math off of Amazon and had my daughter work through it before we started 2nd grade math (also Horizons). She's just finished the first half of 2nd grade. I feel that she is "caught up". I've read, and agree that Horizons is a grade level ahead, so I feel comfortable taking a break and just starting up again. I've been looking at "Beast Academy" and may get that as a little fun thing for her to do over the summer. I try not to get caught up in grade levels, because each program is different on how it evaluates grade level. We did Saxon for K and 1st. When I had her tested, she was not as strong in math as she was in reading/LA. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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