Guest Posted September 4, 2008 Share Posted September 4, 2008 I am officially a math curriculum junkie:glare:. This is my first year homeschooling and I started the year with Right Start Math. "I" personally didn't like teaching the program...but I think it definatly has potential to be a great program. Right Start is very different from how I learned math and I think that may have been my problem in trying to teach it. Anyhow we only got to about lesson 5 in RS and all the kids did pretty good with it so far...although 5 lessons is not enough to really determine if a program is working or not. I had decided I didn't want to do Right Start because it was difficult for me....and I ordered Horizons. The reason why Right Start was difficult for me was that I would read the lesson the day before ahead time several times to be prepared....when we sat down to do the lesson I still had to read from the TM what to do next...and it seemed very choppy and uncomfortable for me. After I ordered horizons I realized it might not be so good for my dd (8) who is a very kinesthetic learner. Concepts have to be concrete and applied directly to real life for her to have understanding. I also have heard so many reviews that horizons is weak in mental math which I really want my kids to be strong in. So then based on recommendations here I ordered Math U See:tongue_smilie:.....so now I have three math programs....lol. I really like what I have seen from Math U See. I watched the Demo clip on their website and I even had "ahhh haaa" moments. I really think MUS would be great for me as a teacher...and great for my dd (8)....I really think all my dc would do good with MUS. So...should I send back the Horizons math and use MUS....or would it be possible to do MUS and use horizons a couple days a week as "fun" math? I am still having a hard time letting Right Start go because of all the great reviews I have read...and I really want my children to have a good understanding of math and how to apply it to real life. I also liked that with Right Start children learn how to quickly add and subtract large quanities mentally...ahhh...which program should I use:willy_nilly:? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haiku Posted September 4, 2008 Share Posted September 4, 2008 The reason why Right Start was difficult for me was that I would read the lesson the day before ahead time several times to be prepared....when we sat down to do the lesson I still had to read from the TM what to do next...and it seemed very choppy and uncomfortable for me. I have to look at the lesson and read from the TM while we are doing math. It doesn't bother me (although I realize it bothers you) but, most importantly, I don't think that it detracts from the program in terms of how well kids do with it. I think it's a cosmetic glitch, at most, kwim? My kids are learning tons from RS. Today, after math, they ran around the house chanting, "Fun! Fun! We had so much fun!" They were referring to their math lesson. This is not the first time they have chanted/sung enthusiastically about RS. My advice is to stick with RS. Tara Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather in Neverland Posted September 4, 2008 Share Posted September 4, 2008 Use the one that will work best for you. The right curriculum is the one that gets used. period. I'm a MUS junkie myself. :iagree: I went from Horizons to Saxon to MUS. MUS is the only one that gets DONE consistently. It is a great program! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MotherMayI Posted September 5, 2008 Share Posted September 5, 2008 RS lessons to be difficult for me also. Once I got over the hump I was sold. My dc love the program and don't feel like they are doing math. You might try to give it a little more time- it could grow on you:tongue_smilie:! I hope you find a good fit for each of you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 5, 2008 Share Posted September 5, 2008 I think once I get used the the RS lessons they wouldn't be so bad. But RS still is a very unique way of teaching. I think I have it narrowed down to MUS and RightStart. I may wait till MUS comes and use it for a while and then decide which one I like better;). If i like MUS I will use it...if I don't I will go back to RightStart....idk... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homemama2 Posted September 5, 2008 Share Posted September 5, 2008 Just so you know, I felt the same way about the first 10 or so of the RS lessons. UGH!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hated it!! But since I had already bought several other math programs ;) hubby suggested I stick it out. Once you get into the games it is SO much better (at least in my opinion. I'm sure there's others who dislike RS, period.) Also by that time, you have done enough lessons that you are familiar with the format and don't need much/any prep. I've also used MUS, which was fun-just happened to not click with my ds until after my RS was already in the mail to my house, LOL! So good luck with your choice! Amanda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 5, 2008 Share Posted September 5, 2008 Just so you know, I felt the same way about the first 10 or so of the RS lessons. UGH!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hated it!! But since I had already bought several other math programs ;) hubby suggested I stick it out. Once you get into the games it is SO much better (at least in my opinion. I'm sure there's others who dislike RS, period.) Also by that time, you have done enough lessons that you are familiar with the format and don't need much/any prep. I've also used MUS, which was fun-just happened to not click with my ds until after my RS was already in the mail to my house, LOL! So good luck with your choice!Amanda Thanks, I really appreciate your comments. It's good to know that I am not the only one who feels this way when starting RS. This is a really hard decision because I know they are both good programs. Maybe I will stay with RS and see how things go. I really wanted this math curriculum to work so maybe I just need to get used to it...my dc have no problems at all with it....my 5 yr old the other day even said during our RS math lesson, "Homeschool is so much fun". It is funny how sometimes our children can pick up on things easily that us adults have a hard time wrapping our heads around:001_huh:. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovedtodeath Posted September 5, 2008 Share Posted September 5, 2008 I am using MUS during the school year and Horizons in the summer. My DD loves MUS and she can do the majority of it as independently as she does anything else. I can hang out in the same room and cook dinner etc., instead of being right with her, helping. It is less work for me than Horizons was! Good luck with RS and your decisions. I wouldn't call you a curriculum junkie yet. It takes a while to figure out the right style for the teacher and the student. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reya Posted September 5, 2008 Share Posted September 5, 2008 I'd recommend reading the ENTIRE RS book first. Then you'll know what the point of the activities are and be able to teach it a lot better! You'll get a lot more fluent in teaching it with time, and you'll get more comfortable. I'd stick with it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linders Posted September 5, 2008 Share Posted September 5, 2008 It was a strange program at first, but DS8 liked it and we kept going. The hand-on stuff cemented things in his brain and he can do mental math so well now - he got a feel for playing with numbers, splitting and recombining them, that I think is rare with other programs. So if you can, maybe try just a little longer. Best wishes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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