abh413 Posted June 17, 2015 Share Posted June 17, 2015 My oldest (She will be 6 in October) will start K5 in the Fall. She learns pretty fast & knows quite a bit of what a PS child would know by the end of K. She seems to enjoy math (as do I). I'm planning to focus on Math, Phonics/Reading and maybe join CC as far as formal lessons go for our K adventure. So.... RightStart has been recommended many times thus far. And honestly, the only thing holding me back is the cost. After reading about it & seeing it live at a demo, RS2 seems like a great program. My husband does math in his head the way it teaches... & is VERY good at math. After researching, I think I prefer the AL Abacus over C rods. It seems to make more sense to me as well as a stepping block. I'm not the child so who knows. *** Is the program worth the price tag? I do have a 3 year old who would need the program possibly in 1 or 2 years after my DD. All opinions welcome! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slache Posted June 17, 2015 Share Posted June 17, 2015 I didn't want to spend the money or the time, I just wanted the method so I got Activities For The AL Abacus (Sample)which is what the whole curriculum was built from, and will be getting the Games this weekend. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JRmommy Posted June 17, 2015 Share Posted June 17, 2015 Absolutely! I've only done the first version, so I can't compare the two versions. However my son has a great understanding of place value because of RightStart. We started with Righstart B when he was almost 5 and went through it at his pace. We finished RightStart C when he was 7. He has a great understanding of conceptual math and can do mental calculations easily. We did switch to Singapore because RightStart was beginning to be a bit slow for him. However, if I had to do it all over again, I'd still start with RightStart. I plan on starting my youngest with RightStart B when she is ready. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shawthorne44 Posted June 17, 2015 Share Posted June 17, 2015 I ended up going with just the Games and those were definitely worth it. The game book I bought for <$30 on half.com and all the cards I bought from rainbow resource. So, less than $100. But, then we love games, and I'd much rather play a math game than candyland. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JRmommy Posted June 17, 2015 Share Posted June 17, 2015 I forgot to mention that I purchased the teacher's manual and abacus used. I bought the worksheets and RightStart games during one of their Black Friday sales. I made my own place value cards and used Popsicle sticks for the sticks that they use. I bought the other manipulatives used over time as they were needed. So, it wasn't very expensive for me. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krsmom Posted June 17, 2015 Share Posted June 17, 2015 Yes, we think it is worth every penny. The worksheets are fairly inexpensive, so you would be able to justify the cost by dividing it between all of your children. My dd that started the program a year behind, placed average on the state testing portion of math, while her little sister tested two grade levels ahead while using the age appropriate level. I love it, but must warn you, if you don't like to teach, it may not be for you. It is fairly teacher intensive in the beginning and then your load will lighten as the student progresses. Sorry for the typos, I'm rushing! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fourisenough Posted June 17, 2015 Share Posted June 17, 2015 It wasn't for me. Too many parts and pieces. I much prefer Math Mammoth using the AL Abacus as our primary manipulative. I also bought the Activities for the Abacus book and used many of the activities with her during K before beginning MM. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jackie Posted June 17, 2015 Share Posted June 17, 2015 Completely worth it for A and B. I'm finding C less worth it. And I think we'll move to Beast Academy after C. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Targhee Posted June 17, 2015 Share Posted June 17, 2015 I highly recommend RS (the original, haven't seen RS2) levels A and B. They helped my kids get a very solid understanding of math, especially base ten concepts, mental math strategies, and bridging the leap from concrete to abstract calculating. Even though we switch programs after B, I still use it as my solid beginning for all my kids. It is a hefty price tag, but it is also re-sellable. And re-useable with other kids (just need the worksheets). If is teacher intensive, but I'm willing to invest the time and money for that solid foundation. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CelticHaiku Posted June 17, 2015 Share Posted June 17, 2015 I have been wondering this exact same thing. if I can add to the OP, is it worth it to get A or just wait a year and do B? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
desertflower Posted June 17, 2015 Share Posted June 17, 2015 On a side note, I like to have both the c-rods and the abacus. With the c-rods, I let my children play with them and don't have to worry about missing pieces. :) I'm afraid that the abacus will get broken and have it out of reach. But I like for my kids to play with the math manipulatives, so I'm going to have to buy a second one. I guess that's how I teach in my household. Teach using the manipulatives and then let them play with it. Also, I have learned that what works for one child may not work for another. You probably already know that, but in case this has an influence on what you buy I thought I'd say something. Hth! and happy teaching! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
desertflower Posted June 17, 2015 Share Posted June 17, 2015 Slache, homeschool buyers co-op has it for free shipping plus bonus points. https://www.homeschoolbuyersco-op.org/rightstart-mathematics/?c=1 Please double check it's the same thing though. hth! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
athomeontheprairie Posted June 17, 2015 Share Posted June 17, 2015 I have been wondering this exact same thing. if I can add to the OP, is it worth it to get A or just wait a year and do B?Personally, I hated A. Though many like it. My dd was in the older side when we started and it was a waste. Everything in A was reviewed in B. BUT I'd already been teaching rs for 3 years at that point. Perhaps my younger dd had just picked up the concepts presented in everyday life.If math isn't a normal part of everyday life, A would be a great introduction for both parent and child. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slache Posted June 17, 2015 Share Posted June 17, 2015 Slache, homeschool buyers co-op has it for free shipping plus bonus points. https://www.homeschoolbuyersco-op.org/rightstart-mathematics/?c=1 Please double check it's the same thing though. hth! She's going to be at our convention this weekend. I'm hoping for a discount. Probably hoping in vain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Targhee Posted June 17, 2015 Share Posted June 17, 2015 I have been wondering this exact same thing. if I can add to the OP, is it worth it to get A or just wait a year and do B? I think it is preferable! My oldest used A in Kindergarten, and then she had 3 years in public school which almost ruined math for her. When we pulled her out we started Singapore a year behind grade level, and patched up the math damage from school. It was her grounding in RS that made it easy, and she made up ground quickly, and is now above grade level in math and it is her favorite subject. In hind sight, I would have started her in B (she was rather math precocious). With my son we started with B in 1st grade (he was in public K). It was awesome - more focused than A, but equally as rich. We did about 2/3 of C and decided it wasn't meeting his needs so switched to BA. But B was excellent. He had very little math instruction in K - he was at a Spanish immersion school and so math was mostly learning to count in Spanish and other math vocabulary in Spanish (parents were expected to do basic numeracy and arithmetic work with kids at home). With my middle DD we used part of RS A/B, and Singapore Earlybird Math in K, for fun. I already had taught about three years of RS, 3 years of Singapore, and was learning things from DS's Beast Academy. I felt armed to teach math well. So I pulled out C-rods, I pulled out the abacus, we watched education unboxed, we did lots of other activities too. I tried to pair what I thought appropriate for her learning needs, but I usually found myself pulling out the abacus and some other RS manipulatives like the place value cards, the games matching tallies to dots to fingers, go to the dump, corner card deck, etc. What I learned in teaching RS enabled me to be a better teacher of math. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
desertflower Posted June 17, 2015 Share Posted June 17, 2015 She's going to be at our convention this weekend. I'm hoping for a discount. Probably hoping in vain. I hope you do get a discount! These materials can add up. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kel & the Kids Posted June 17, 2015 Share Posted June 17, 2015 I'm just moving on to level G with my 5th grader and D with my 3rd grader. I didn't enjoy level C, but D and E have been great. I'm referring to the first edition here. I really wish I'd done RS with my first 2. My younger 2 have a much better understanding of basic concepts! So I'd say worth every penny! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lexi Posted June 17, 2015 Share Posted June 17, 2015 I hope you do get a discount! These materials can add up. :) It's 10% off at conventions (if the order is over $100) At least that's what it was the other weekend at the convention. I sometimes work their booth. And RS has been so worth it for us so far. The way my kids understand math...amazing. They have a great foundation. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slache Posted June 17, 2015 Share Posted June 17, 2015 It's 10% off at conventions (if the order is over $100) At least that's what it was the other weekend at the convention. I sometimes work their booth. And RS has been so worth it for us so far. The way my kids understand math...amazing. They have a great foundation. Grr. Mines only $60. I'm cute though. Maybe she'll give it to me anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jackie Posted June 17, 2015 Share Posted June 17, 2015 I have been wondering this exact same thing. if I can add to the OP, is it worth it to get A or just wait a year and do B? In retrospect, I would have skipped A and just bought B. We condensed most of what was in A anyway. However, I would go ahead and buy B, read through the first 15 lessons, and slowly work on those concepts until fully mastered in the "RightStart way" and then continue on with B. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eternallytired Posted June 17, 2015 Share Posted June 17, 2015 I've used second edition A-C. I thought A jumped around quite a bit, and my kids didn't like doing two brief activities on fourteen different topics for each lesson, so I ended up grouping activities differently--doing three lessons worth of patterning activities in one lesson, for example, and three lessons worth of number card games another time, etc. It was a good foundation, but I didn't really use it as-written, and we did it completely informally. I LOVED B. Absolutely loved it. I thought that the content was strong, the pacing was perfect, the concept-building was amazing... It was simply awesome. Both kids who have gone through it so far have developed great math skills. I'm currently a few lessons from the end of C with one child, having bailed midway through with the other. The child who's almost done with C has flown through the book, since at least a third of it was review. The geometry section was cool, but it struck me as a little finicky and intense (maybe just because I was doing it with a 6yo?). I still think C did a good job, but the pacing wasn't as good and I felt like there was too much review. I'm moving the child who's finishing C into Beast Academy next; my second child is currently backing up and moving to Singapore 2A because she somehow decided she's not good at math and shuts down--I think simply because her brother is faster at computing. I'm still thrilled that I have the materials; I'll do A informally again with my third kid--though probably for pre-K--and likely do B as kindy work. I'll have to see how he responds to C; if I do C with him, we'll probably skip a lot again. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
athomeontheprairie Posted June 17, 2015 Share Posted June 17, 2015 She's going to be at our convention this weekend. I'm hoping for a discount. Probably hoping in vain. What Lexi said! They were not at my conference so I called and asked for the discount and they gave it to me. 10% of plus free shipping. I didn't need $100 worth of stuff, but I had a friend who needed a couple miscellaneous items also and together our order was 130. We both saved money combining that way :-) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalusignan Posted June 18, 2015 Share Posted June 18, 2015 Worth every penny! RS (second edition) has been amazing for us! We started with MUS Primer in K, then continued with Alpha in 1st and by Nov of 1st, it was just not working. She hated it and wasn't retaining anything. I contemplated switching to RS at that point, but like you, was worried that it wouldn't be worth it (especially after buying all the MUS manipulatives). Instead I decided on MM. I like MM, but my daughter balked at the sight of all the worksheets, and there wasn't enough teaching instruction for me. I really like how RS has everything laid our for me, so I can explain things appropriately and set us up for success. We started with B in April because I felt she needed that solid base of understanding that she hadn't gotten. She's finally getting it! The plan is to continue to C as soon as we finish B. I would like to hear others' experience with C (second edition). I have heard it progresses slowly, but for my dd, that would be a GOOD thing! She tends to need a lot of review. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiara.I Posted June 18, 2015 Share Posted June 18, 2015 We started with B in April because I felt she needed that solid base of understanding that she hadn't gotten. She's finally getting it! The plan is to continue to C as soon as we finish B. I would like to hear others' experience with C (second edition). I have heard it progresses slowly, but for my dd, that would be a GOOD thing! She tends to need a lot of review. Edition 1 or 2? C(2) does progress pretty slowly, I've found. We've gone through quite a bit of it pretty quickly. I'm eager to see D, but it won't be out until late summer, I guess. I found the geometry lessons really good actually, but I was doing them with a just-turned-8, which is probably easier than with a 6-year-old. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kerry Blue Posted June 18, 2015 Share Posted June 18, 2015 I started eldest DD in RS B1 in kindergarten. (I have never tried RS A.) We just went at her speed, and if we ever hit a spot where she didn't seem to be getting it, we would stop and play the math games for a while. The games are a big part of the program, and a fun way to drill math. Eventually something in her brain would click, and we would move on to the next lesson. Now, we are about 1/2 of the way through C1 and still going strong. DD7 has had such a good foundation in math from this program. Her ability to manipulate numbers in her head blows me away sometimes. My current plan is to finish up RS C1 and then I'd like to try some BA and see how she does with that, and go from there. I am torn between BA's greener grass and 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it!' I have just started doing math light with my second DD (who just turned 5) in the past month. We just play a few early math games based on the early lessons in RS B1 and the table of contents for RS A that you can look at online. We have fun, and it doesn't take that much time. DD3 is determined to "do my reading, writing and math," so I am using RS B1 as a start for her too. She loves lining up her animals to count out ordinal numbers, and doing some easy matching games. I will say this about C1: it is designed for a normal school year, so there is a lot of review in the beginning, where normally kids would be coming back from summer break and have forgotten some things. Since we moved directly from B1 to C1, review was not necessary, and we skipped a bunch of lessons. It can move slow at other times, but I have chosen not to speed through too much. We do a small lesson and then break out the games! I would rather do a short lesson and hope that one addition or subtraction method sticks instead of three methods in one day and hope they all stick. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UCF612 Posted June 18, 2015 Share Posted June 18, 2015 I used B in 1st grade with my son (did my own math for K) I loved RS B and am so thankful for the strong foundation it gave him. He went to private school for 2nd grade so I only have experience with level B. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scoutingmom Posted June 18, 2015 Share Posted June 18, 2015 Edition 1....I have an almost 5 yo in level A,A just 7 yo in level CA 9yo finishing level DA 11yo that just started level E.The 2 oldest moved from another program a couple of years ago and placed into level B. The younger 2 started level A when they started asking for math lessons.I think it is worth it.Sent from my SM-T530NU using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waa510 Posted June 18, 2015 Share Posted June 18, 2015 It's 10% off orders of $100 or more and free shipping which saves a fair amount if you get the whole level A with manipulatives kit. Please check the Rightstart yahoo group for any used editions or manipulatives. You can save a ton there. Rightstart sells every single thing individually so you can piecemeal it together if you can find some of it used and get the rest new from them. You can also call the office and ask if they have any secondhand or used materials to sell at a discount. They may have some stuff that's been beat up from shipping to the conventions (although they sometimes save those for Black Friday sales). I've used all the levels of the first edition with my oldest and I can say that she is solid in math. Her place value understanding and mental math abilities are awesome! The abacus is an incredible tool. My little one is working her way through and seems to take to math more readily than her sister. It's awesome that the curriculum works well for the mathy and the not-so-mathy. Oh, they also have an Ipad app for the abacus if you want to try it out with dd to see if it resonates. Full disclosure: Used to work for them. Still would if I weren't on the other side of the world and a 14 hr flight away from a convention! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boscopup Posted June 18, 2015 Share Posted June 18, 2015 I used A with my second son and hated it. He didn't learn anything because it jumped around so much and used a different manipulative each lesson. He needed consistency. I switched him to Singapore for K-1, then CLE after that, with a side of Beast Academy. He's a mathy kid, but needs a consistent approach. He doesn't do well with using several different manipulative to explain the same idea. Other kids need that approach though. My other kids haven't really needed manipulatives as much. My oldest used Math Mammoth and Singapore for elementary math. My third kid is using CLE with chocolate chips as a manipulative when needed. :D My husband and I both naturally do mental math the way these Asian programs teach, so I haven't really had to explicitly teach my kids those methods. They usually figure them out on their own, and thus any math program will work for them. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abh413 Posted June 18, 2015 Author Share Posted June 18, 2015 Thank you all for the great advice! It sounds like RS is worth the money! Now, I will start searching to see if I can save any money on the program. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Priscila Posted June 18, 2015 Share Posted June 18, 2015 I've only used levels A and 2nd Edition B, and love it. I think it's absolutely worth the money. I hope it works for you and your child as well! I see you posted you'd be getting it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScoutTN Posted June 18, 2015 Share Posted June 18, 2015 I would choose RS again in a heartbeat. I am not a math person and RS helps me to teach and to understand the conceptual math that I was never taught. I have taught A-E of the first edition and A-B of the second. The second is better. B and D were my favorites. I chose RS because the hands-on approach was good for my kids, I didn't think I could teach Singapore at higher levels and MM seemed too much writing for early grades. I got some parts used, including teacher books, collected some manipulatives from yard sales and curriculum sales and bought what was necessary. Love, love, love the abacus! Also place value cards and picture cards for base ten (I have blocks, but it is easier to make large numbers with the cards.) My kids have needed more review at times and less spiral, so we camp on a lesson sometimes. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aloha2U Posted June 19, 2015 Share Posted June 19, 2015 It was worth every penny for my little man. We've used RS A-E (First Edition) and are currently in RS Geometry. If I had to choose, I'd recommend spending money on RS over CC any day. That said and if you can swing both, at least one year of CC is worth the experience while they're in the early grammar stage, though not necessarily the money (imo). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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