moonlight Posted October 14, 2015 Share Posted October 14, 2015 Hi, Looking for a math program for my 9 year old. He just finished 3A, but was having understanding the more compilcated multiplication and division. We can't really move forward with the next book yet as finishing this one was a struggle. We are working on memorising multiplication facts for now and working on some problem solving. But, I am considering switching to a gentler math program that progresses slower? Any ideas or words of wisdom? And am looking for something fairly hands off for now that can be used consistently without him waiting around for me. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted October 14, 2015 Share Posted October 14, 2015 Check out CLE Math. Lots of review each day, lots of work on basic facts like multiplication/division, and mostly independent. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susie in MS Posted October 14, 2015 Share Posted October 14, 2015 I hesitate to mention Math Lessons for a Living Education because you said fairly hands off. Well, once the few printable charts (the child uses to work from) are printed and laminated (or placed in page protectors) the rest can be done by the child alone. Lessons are short and sweet and they do move more slowly. This is why I put my dd in it. The downside is that they end with book 5. There are occasional hands on, but generally can be done by a 9 yo with no help....except for any recipes (about 2 a year which you could choose to skip. My dd learned so well with these though) Mostly there is measuring and looking for geometric shapes. But this fits the bill when you are looking for gentle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sweetpea3829 Posted October 14, 2015 Share Posted October 14, 2015 Maybe Math U See? It isn't my favorite math curriculum, but it is very gentle, incremental, and it can be pretty hands-off if you're using the teaching videos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wapiti Posted October 14, 2015 Share Posted October 14, 2015 Take a look at MM to see what you think. I would not say that MM is necessarily more gentle, but the sequence around levels 3 and 4 might be more ordinary/less advanced than SM (I'm not sure; just a guess; e.g. 3A involves learning multiplication tables while division is in 3B). It's all-in-one-book, no TM, written-to-the-student, with an approach that is similar to SM. As for whether the student can get started without the parent, yes that's possible if the student reads through the lesson, but IME this depends mostly on age, and at that age I'd spend the 5-10 minutes going over the lesson first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moonlight Posted October 14, 2015 Author Share Posted October 14, 2015 I think I have MM somewhere...If he has done 3A, does anyone have any ideas where we might want to look into starting with that. I might just start him there while I figure out the rest. I'm hesitant to try Math-u-See with him because of the sequence. It was, however, the first program that came to my mind. I had all the Math-U-See programs, but sold them a couple of years ago. Sigh. CLE? Is that a secular program? I'm definitely looking for secular. Haven't heard of Math Lessons for a Living Education. Will check it out. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 14, 2015 Share Posted October 14, 2015 Math Lessons for a living education isn't secular. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sweetpea3829 Posted October 14, 2015 Share Posted October 14, 2015 CLE is not secular but I have heard of many folks that are not faith-leaning that use it. I think the faith-based aspects are pretty subtle, but can't speak for sure because I've never used it. If your kiddo does not have to take standardized tests, the MUS sequence isn't too big of a problem. My own biggest gripe with MUS is that it lacks depth. But that serves a purpose for certain math students. My daughter has been well-served by the nuts and bolts content of MUS. She is not a math student that needs math exploration. She needs straight-forward, "this is what you do". And MUS does that very well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wapiti Posted October 14, 2015 Share Posted October 14, 2015 I think I have MM somewhere...If he has done 3A, does anyone have any ideas where we might want to look into starting with that. I might just start him there while I figure out the rest. I don't know what's in SM3A, but I'd take MM chapter by chapter - skip what you know he has mastered (If you're unsure, use the chapter reviews). I would first think about what he struggled with in SM 3A and plan to do those lessons/chapters in MM as slowly or quickly as makes sense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted October 14, 2015 Share Posted October 14, 2015 CLE is put out by a mennonite company. There are bible quotes at the start of each book, but not on the actual math pages. Sometimes the word problems will be a bit weird, because it is assuming a farming background, but my agnostic son just giggled at them. Nothing that couldn't be used by a secular family. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texasmama Posted October 14, 2015 Share Posted October 14, 2015 I switched little dd to CLE math from SM 4A a few weeks ago, and it is a great fit for her. She was drowning in Singapore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IdahoHomeschooler Posted October 14, 2015 Share Posted October 14, 2015 CLE would fit your requirements, except for the secular part. It is not secular, but there is very little biblical content to the math curriculum. My child has absolutely thrived with CLE. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peaceful Isle Posted October 14, 2015 Share Posted October 14, 2015 Math U See is very gentle, in my opinion. I think that might be a good fit for your child. Maybe start with gamma and then delta. Those two books would give a great foundation and knowledge of multiplication and division. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RootAnn Posted October 15, 2015 Share Posted October 15, 2015 CLE sometimes has some bible/religion in the word problems, if I remember correctly. They have a free PDF placement test. (Answers here.) I was going to suggest CLE or McRuffy, but McRuffy is very hands-on for the parent. The lessons are short, however. (Here are some sample pages.) It is really manipulative-heavy & there are lots of hands-on aspects. However, it ends with 5th grade math. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Insertcreativenamehere Posted October 15, 2015 Share Posted October 15, 2015 Ditto CLE. We use it and love it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shinyhappypeople Posted October 15, 2015 Share Posted October 15, 2015 Hi, Looking for a math program for my 9 year old. He just finished 3A, but was having understanding the more compilcated multiplication and division. We can't really move forward with the next book yet as finishing this one was a struggle. We are working on memorising multiplication facts for now and working on some problem solving. But, I am considering switching to a gentler math program that progresses slower? Any ideas or words of wisdom? And am looking for something fairly hands off for now that can be used consistently without him waiting around for me. Thanks! I know you're hesitant about Math-U-See, but really, since he's struggling in two particular areas (mult/div) MUS is kind of perfect (specifically Gamma & Delta). It's very easy to accelerate through MUS, also, so as soon as he's got the facts and concepts down, he can switch back to Singapore if you want or transition to another complete math program. Either way, he'll move ahead from a position of strength. Another idea, would be Developmental Mathematics. It's designed to be done completely independently. I believe each workbook focuses on one particular topic, so he could work just through the mult/div books. One big advantage is that it would be a lot less expensive than MUS. Teaching Textbooks is also complete, gentle, and has restored math confidence to many, many kids. I can't believe I almost forgot to include it. My younger DD uses it at grade level and she's able to work independently and is doing quite well with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shinyhappypeople Posted October 15, 2015 Share Posted October 15, 2015 OK, I'm gonna be the voice of caution about CLE. Yes, it's a solid program, and it works beautifully for many kids. Your son may be one of them. But there is a LOT of math in each lesson. I once counted about 50 problems (including review/drill) for one lesson. It left both of my kids in tears. So, good, solid math program? Absolutely. Gentle? That totally depends on your definition, I guess. Depending on the stamina of the kid it can be overwhelming. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Misha Posted October 15, 2015 Share Posted October 15, 2015 We're uber secular and after a math breakdown with MM, I switched my girls to CLE and we couldn't be happier. It is very gentle but it is decidedly not secular; however, my girls are regaining their confidence and are enjoying math again, so I can easily accept that it's the curriculum that works best for us, regardless of whether or not it is secular. It is what is best for us and, in the long run, that's really all that matters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abba12 Posted October 15, 2015 Share Posted October 15, 2015 First thing that comes to mind is Math U See, especially because you mention specific problems with multiplication and division, so you could go straight to Gamma and Delta. I don't particularly like the program personally (I used it as a student) but it sounds like it might meet your needs for now. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teachingmomster Posted October 15, 2015 Share Posted October 15, 2015 We love Life of Fred! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MeaganS Posted October 15, 2015 Share Posted October 15, 2015 Yeah, I don't know that I'd call CLE gentle. It takes too long per day for that, imo. I love it for a certain type of learner (my oldest dd) but I wouldn't classify it as gentle. I guess it does introduce new concepts slowly and has lots of spiral practice so maybe, if that's what you're going for. CLE is very hands-off, though, even at the 1st grade level dd is almost done with. And while not secular, it isn't crazy religious either, although fairly agrarian. There has been a little mention of religion in word problems, but not very much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted October 15, 2015 Share Posted October 15, 2015 It's gentle in the sense that it helps most kids feel very successful. It is not short and sweet, but for kids that struggle short and sweet may not be enough to help them cement things in their heads, so they end up dreading math because they aren't good at it. CLE helps them feel proud of themselves in math. I think even doing math for a set amount of time a day, and only doing a partial lesson a day would work if need be. Yeah, I don't know that I'd call CLE gentle. It takes too long per day for that, imo. I love it for a certain type of learner (my oldest dd) but I wouldn't classify it as gentle. I guess it does introduce new concepts slowly and has lots of spiral practice so maybe, if that's what you're going for. CLE is very hands-off, though, even at the 1st grade level dd is almost done with. And while not secular, it isn't crazy religious either, although fairly agrarian. There has been a little mention of religion in word problems, but not very much. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texasmama Posted October 15, 2015 Share Posted October 15, 2015 It's gentle in the sense that it helps most kids feel very successful. It is not short and sweet, but for kids that struggle short and sweet may not be enough to help them cement things in their heads, so they end up dreading math because they aren't good at it. CLE helps them feel proud of themselves in math. I think even doing math for a set amount of time a day, and only doing a partial lesson a day would work if need be. This has been our experience. We came from Singapore and moved to CLE. The amount of practice is purposeful and not overkill for my dd. She likes CLE and is regaining confidence lost with Singapore. She is a bright kid but math does not come easily to her. The amount of review is helpful. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeWillSoar Posted October 15, 2015 Share Posted October 15, 2015 One of my kids does CLE. With each lesson, I circle what I want him to do. It is usually all of the new material and then one of each of the other types of problems for review. That way it isn't too much, as my son has complained about that. I would consider this to be a very gentle program if you eliminate some of the problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minerva Posted October 15, 2015 Share Posted October 15, 2015 Another vote for CLE. I hesitated to use it for a very long time because it is not secular, but it has been a great switch for my son. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
besroma Posted October 16, 2015 Share Posted October 16, 2015 We love MEP and Life of Fred. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moonlight Posted October 16, 2015 Author Share Posted October 16, 2015 Thanks for all the input! We're going to start with MM cause I have it. I'm also going to look more into Math-U-See and CLE. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiramisu Posted October 16, 2015 Share Posted October 16, 2015 I hope everything works out with MM. I just wanted to add that one of my dd's hit a wall with Singapore for the very same reasons and we moved to CLE in third grade. It was a very easy transition. CLE took her through the 800 level. Lessons were long and she's a slow worker, but I think CLE was very good for her and prepared her well for high school math. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alessandra Posted October 16, 2015 Share Posted October 16, 2015 Singapore Math has a series called Visible Thinking. The topics match up with SM, but the pace is slow, with fewer problems per page and lots of pictures. Process Skills is another good Singapore supplement that moves carefully. I think RR sells both, but the samples on the SM website are better, iirc. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elfknitter.# Posted October 17, 2015 Share Posted October 17, 2015 I wouldn't call Life of Fred secular. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.