CLE math

[tmstranger]

How long does a typical lesson take?  Is it fairly independent at the 3rd grade level?  Also, are any manipulatives needed?

 

Thinking of switching from Saxon and these things are hard to judge from the samples. 

 

Thanks. 

[aaplank]

CLE math is very independent for 3rd grade. I only use answer keys, not teacher's guides. It is written to the student, who is then responsible for understanding the new lesson and doing all the work. There will be times when it says, read these numbers to your teacher or do these problems with your teacher.

You do not need any manipulatives, but having the flash cards is important. I also think the reference chart comes in handy very often.

 

It really depends on the student, as far as how long it takes to do a lesson. I usually cross out some of the review problems to keep the workload down. A lesson consists of the new material, review material, flash card review and a speed drill.

 

Can't say enough good things about this curriculum. Definitely worth a try!

[sbgrace]

I teach/sit with my son during the instruction part of CLE. This is optional; it is written to the student. I like to make sure the conceptual understanding is in place. Typically I check his work using the answer key. I have him sit with me to go over any mistakes, then I quickly cover the next day's lesson. He starts it on his own the following morning.

 

Sixth grade takes this child 30 minutes, give or take 10 depending on the lesson. I have another child with major attention issues. I sit with him for CLE, and cut down some of the material. It still takes him longer than his twin.

[Aurelia]

3rd grade took about an hour most days. Mostly independent. No manipulatives necessary. 

[SnMomof7]

30-45 minutes. It's incredibly independent. Love it.

[tmstranger]

Thanks.  I like the looks of it and the independence is a nice draw.  :)

[Guest]

The reference chart that they sell as optional, is surprisingly handy.

[OneStepAtATime]

Agree with all of the above.

 

1.  Very independent (unless your child has a learning issue).

2.  Get the CLE flash cards (they are structured in a very targeted way for specific review) and the reference chart.  Both are super helpful and worth the money if you can afford them.

3.  There can be too many review problems for some kids.  If that ends up being the case with your child, don't just chunk the program.  Take each lesson and cut out some of the review right off the top.  Those problems will be reviewed again very soon.  Lots of spiraling back to previous concepts, which can be great but can also get tedious.  In fact, if your child is doing well, you could even skip one day's review problems entirely, combine the two new parts of two lessons plus the immediate review problems of the previous day's concepts and only do one lesson's worth of review problems.  Also, some parents do the flash card and speed drill parts separately from the lesson, maybe even as a morning warm up, and do the lesson itself later in the day.  

4.  If your child gets stressed over speed drills, you might consider modifying it for a while to get them over the emotional stress.  They could do all the problems and track how long it takes to complete the problems and how many are correct.  Goal being to try and beat their previous record each time they do a speed drill for that particular operation.  That way they are only competing against themselves for a few light units.  

5. If your child is really grasping things quickly, you might consider speeding things up by letting them do all the new material for the first 4 light units of a book, take the quiz, then do all the remaining lessons for that light unit, including all of the review problems.

6. If your child is struggling, work together on the new material and maybe break up the lesson into drills and new stuff, then later do the review, perhaps together on a dry erase board, to see where the disconnect is.

7. Give the placement test, though.  This program can be ahead of some in certain topics.  It will give you an idea if there are any gaps so you can target those before starting on the grade level light unit.

8.  The first light unit of each level is review and testing of previous knowledge so even if your child didn't pass the placement test for 300, if they were close you could just go slowly through light unit 301 to solidify any missing concepts.  Super easy to do.

9.  I know a lot of parents just use the answer key and do just fine. I did want to mention that if you have never used CLE before the TM can be very helpful.  Also, with the TM you will always have concept explanations plus alternative tests available at your finger tips.  Trying to find an explanation for a concept in an old light unit can be a pain but it is easy in the TM.  Also, I found grading to go MUCH faster using the TM than the answer key.  Just thought I would mention this since not many talk about the benefits of the TM.

[hands-on-mama]

Agree with all of the above.

 

1. Very independent (unless your child has a learning issue).

2. Get the CLE flash cards (they are structured in a very targeted way for specific review) and the reference chart. Both are super helpful and worth the money if you can afford them.

3. There can be too many review problems for some kids. If that ends up being the case with your child, don't just chunk the program. Take each lesson and cut out some of the review right off the top. Those problems will be reviewed again very soon. Lots of spiraling back to previous concepts, which can be great but can also get tedious. In fact, if your child is doing well, you could even skip one day's review problems entirely, combine the two new parts of two lessons plus the immediate review problems of the previous day's concepts and only do one lesson's worth of review problems. Also, some parents do the flash card and speed drill parts separately from the lesson, maybe even as a morning warm up, and do the lesson itself later in the day.

4. If your child gets stressed over speed drills, you might consider modifying it for a while to get them over the emotional stress. They could do all the problems and track how long it takes to complete the problems and how many are correct. Goal being to try and beat their previous record each time they do a speed drill for that particular operation. That way they are only competing against themselves for a few light units.

5. If your child is really grasping things quickly, you might consider speeding things up by letting them do all the new material for the first 4 light units of a book, take the quiz, then do all the remaining lessons for that light unit, including all of the review problems.

6. If your child is struggling, work together on the new material and maybe break up the lesson into drills and new stuff, then later do the review, perhaps together on a dry erase board, to see where the disconnect is.

7. Give the placement test, though. This program can be ahead of some in certain topics. It will give you an idea if there are any gaps so you can target those before starting on the grade level light unit.

8. The first light unit of each level is review and testing of previous knowledge so even if your child didn't pass the placement test for 300, if they were close you could just go slowly through light unit 301 to solidify any missing concepts. Super easy to do.

9. I know a lot of parents just use the answer key and do just fine. I did want to mention that if you have never used CLE before the TM can be very helpful. Also, with the TM you will always have concept explanations plus alternative tests available at your finger tips. Trying to find an explanation for a concept in an old light unit can be a pain but it is easy in the TM. Also, I found grading to go MUCH faster using the TM than the answer key. Just thought I would mention this since not many talk about the benefits of the TM.

This is a great post about CLE. We are in the middle of the 2nd grade program and also getting ready to start their 1st grade with my youngest. I love CLE math! It works. My daughter wasn't retaining at all with Singapore and now all the pieces are there and just fit for her. She needed the basic foundation to begin with. We will add more conceptual teaching when she is ready for it.

[tmstranger]

I may need to start another thread, so this is noticed, but have any of you used A Beka math?

 

You all obviously love CLE, but a friend of mine has recently switched from Saxon to A Beka and she loves that as well.

 

I'm curious about the differences.  They look very similar in the samples I've seen only A Beka is more "colorful."  As you go through the levels are there big differences in the concepts covered?  Is anything missing in one curriculum that you think is necessary?  I guess what I'm asking is, "is one more thorough or complete than the other?"

 

 

[Guest]

I may need to start another thread, so this is noticed, but have any of you used A Beka math?

 

You all obviously love CLE, but a friend of mine has recently switched from Saxon to A Beka and she loves that as well.

 

I'm curious about the differences.  They look very similar in the samples I've seen only A Beka is more "colorful."  As you go through the levels are there big differences in the concepts covered?  Is anything missing in one curriculum that you think is necessary?  I guess what I'm asking is, "is one more thorough or complete than the other?"

 

I have not used Abeka, but any of the major math programs that go all the way through school (CLE does and I assume Abeka does as well) will be "complete" by the end of 12th grade. Different publishers approach things different ways (hence personal preferences) and have different scopes and sequences, meaning that they cover the same things but at different times and possibly in different ways.

 

You can compare them: Here's Abeka. Here's CLE.

 

There's always going to be someone else who loves something, and an equal number of folks who hate that same thing!

 

As an example, a lot of people are using CLE with their children who grasp "conceptual math" (a non-specific term!) less easily. *I* am using it with my add kid who ONLY grasps conceptual math easily, but struggles with fundamental arithmetic. It's hard to find what works for you sometimes, but once you do it's a feeling like "YESSSSS!!!" That's why we all get so durn excited when we find the thing that works!

[summerreading]

We are finishing up level 2 and my son still uses manipulatives from time to time b/c he doesn't have fact memorized. You can use anything from your house, no need to buy. We rotate through buttons, glass beads, pencils, whatever.

[PeachyDoodle]

Agreeing with others that CLE is very independent, cheap, thorough, and we love it. Most lessons take dd about 45 minutes. We've been using it since 3rd grade.

 

 

5. If your child is really grasping things quickly, you might consider speeding things up by letting them do all the new material for the first 4 light units of a book, take the quiz, then do all the remaining lessons for that light unit, including all of the review problems.

 

Curious about this point. We've experimented with various ways to speed things along. DD does grasp the new concepts quickly and can get bored with all the review, so I'm always looking for new approaches.

 

Are you saying to do lessons 1-4, new material only, then take the quiz (lesson 5), then do lessons 6-16 in their entirety? (Just want to make sure I understand.) Any particular reason you break it up this way?

[mtomom]

I may need to start another thread, so this is noticed, but have any of you used A Beka math?

 

You all obviously love CLE, but a friend of mine has recently switched from Saxon to A Beka and she loves that as well.

 

I'm curious about the differences.  They look very similar in the samples I've seen only A Beka is more "colorful."  As you go through the levels are there big differences in the concepts covered?  Is anything missing in one curriculum that you think is necessary?  I guess what I'm asking is, "is one more thorough or complete than the other?"

 

I did a quick google, and there are threads about this that might help.

http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/76929-how-does-cle-compare-to-abeka-in-math/

http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/236043-abeka-vs-cle-math/

http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/348011-abeka-math-or-cle-math-for-3rd-grade/

http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/361350-should-i-switch-from-cle-to-abeka-math/

[OneStepAtATime]

Agreeing with others that CLE is very independent, cheap, thorough, and we love it. Most lessons take dd about 45 minutes. We've been using it since 3rd grade.

 

 

 

Curious about this point. We've experimented with various ways to speed things along. DD does grasp the new concepts quickly and can get bored with all the review, so I'm always looking for new approaches.

 

Are you saying to do lessons 1-4, new material only, then take the quiz (lesson 5), then do lessons 6-16 in their entirety? (Just want to make sure I understand.) Any particular reason you break it up this way?

I don't do it that way usually, but I have a friend who does and upon occasion I have done this with DS.  Yes. if your child is grasping material quickly and getting frustrated with all the review, then you could do the new material from Lesson 1-4, give them the quiz then if they do well on the quiz just move on.  Do the remaining lessons in their entirety (or skip some review problems but do most of the review problems) to solidify application of the concepts.

[Ruthie in MS]

The reference chart that they sell as optional, is surprisingly handy.

 

Yes, it is!

 

We are about to enter our third year using CLE Math. It is pretty independent UNLESS you have a child who insists on being "spoon-fed" her lessons. Although even for that child she has made great strides in doing the lessons on her own since the lessons are worded in a friendly and easy-to-understand language with great visuals to illustrate the concepts. I have been extremely pleased with CLE Math and have had no math issues or melt-downs since we have started using it. Also another great feature is that the teacher guides also have the solutions worked out in full so you can see where your child made the problem WITHOUT having to work it out yourself. 

[tmstranger]

I ended up ordering CLE for him.  It should be delivered tomorrow. 

 

The funny thing is that we saw an old public school friend tonight and the girl was showing us how she had learned her times tables.  She was reallllllyyyy struggling, but my kiddo was like, "oh, you mean..." and he banged out the tables easily!  Clearly, Saxon was doing something great (I do like it), but it was just taking us soooo long each day. 

 

I'm excited to see what CLE will bring for us!

 

[CatholicSteph]

My daughter has a terrible time focusing so we starting splitting the lessons into 25 minutes in the morning and 25 minutes in the afternoon. It really helps. It's totally independent IF she will sit, focus, and work. I soooo wish we'd switched sooner! 

[sbgrace]

My daughter has a terrible time focusing so we starting splitting the lessons into 25 minutes in the morning and 25 minutes in the afternoon. It really helps. It's totally independent IF she will sit, focus, and work. I soooo wish we'd switched sooner! 

 

We split lessons into 2 sessions as well with my attention issues kiddo.

[boscopup]

Two of mine are using CLE Math, currently grade 4 and 2. The one using grade 4 has used CLE since level 2. Grade 3 took him about half an hour when he was focused.

 

My kids are mathy, so sometimes they don't need quite as much review, but it's easy to cut problems out if needed. Toward the end of the grade 3 books, my son indicated that he wanted to go faster through the material. I had him do two new parts and one review part to speed up. I slowed back down in the grade 4 books, and I sometimes circle certain problems to do if my son doesn't need to review a topic as much.

 

At this level, I purchased the TM, since it is cheaper than the answer keys. I find the TM easier to grade with. I use the LA and Reading also, and the upper levels of those don't have answers in the TMs, and I really miss that in those subjects.

 

CLE is very independent for both my kids. I usually help out with the new part, then let them go. They should be able to do the "We Remember" section on their own. Sometimes they do the new part on their own also. I make sure to step in is it's a topic like regrouping, multi-digit multiplication, or long division.

 

No manipulatives are necessary, but they can be useful in first grade. My youngest son used chocolate chips as a manipulative. ;)

[boscopup]

Oh, and we skip the quizzes. They do well on the light unit tests.

[Guest]

I have my kids do every problem and every quiz...review or not. We double up on quiz days. I have had fabulous results from my oldest who struggles to my math whiz kids. Don't skip anything. LOVE IT!

[OneStepAtATime]

I have my kids do every problem and every quiz...review or not. We double up on quiz days. I have had fabulous results from my oldest who struggles to my math whiz kids. Don't skip anything. LOVE IT!

I'm glad taking that approach has worked well for you and your children.  That's great!  

 

Doing every problem and every quiz can be very helpful for some (honestly, doing that and having this program would probably have helped me as a kid) but respectfully I feel (and have seen) that it can also kill a love of math in others, and can be completely unnecessary.  It can become total drudgery and make them hate math.  I think it depends on the child, and I would hope that parents would be willing to teach the child in front of them.  One size does not fit all.