boscopup Posted December 28, 2015 Share Posted December 28, 2015 My just turned 9 year old 3rd grader has just finished up CLE Math 405. He's good at math and learns new topics easily - multidigit multiplication and long division were not a problem. He does need plenty of review to keep things in his head long term, which is why we've been using CLE. But he's getting a bit bored with the review now. He needs daily review, but not THAT much review. I've been cutting out about half the problems and letting him accelerate. He found Singapore in the closet and wanted to switch back to that (he used it for K and 1st). I have the grade 4 and 5 books from my oldest using them. I'm just not sure if Singapore is going to be the right choice though. I think he needs a little more drill and more review. I don't want to combine programs with this child. He hates school as it is and just wants to get it over with. Another issue with him and math is his writing. He cannot write that small. A lot of grade 4 and 5 workbooks start to have small writing spaces. I am not writing for him or doing stickers, stamps, or other workarounds. He needs practice to write properly, and I don't have time to write for him (4 kids, mobile baby). I haven't followed new math curricula lately, so what's out there now? Ideas, new or old? I need to buy something regardless, since I am out of CLE light units and don't have the workbooks for Singapore yet. I like the fact that CLE is written to the student and is independent. I go over new stuff with him if he needs it (especially major topics like long division). And why on earth did I wait until today to start looking at this? We start school back up next week. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunshineslp Posted December 28, 2015 Share Posted December 28, 2015 I would either do a) continue CLE but cut out/limit review he doesn't need. Totally ok to do that. Or b) do Singapore and add some review. So easy to do. There's many avenues to do so. CLE might be more open and go and since he already does well with it I think you could just have him not complete all the review. Or skip it completely and save it for a "review day" where that's all he does. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boscopup Posted December 28, 2015 Author Share Posted December 28, 2015 Yeah, I'm thinking maybe stick with CLE, but do 2-3 new parts one day, then do one review part another day, and supplement with something more fun, like maybe an online math program... Dreambox? Something else? Hmmmm... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunshineslp Posted December 28, 2015 Share Posted December 28, 2015 Dreambox is so awesome. My kids also like prodigy and math rider. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneStepAtATime Posted December 28, 2015 Share Posted December 28, 2015 Look on the Relaxed Math thread for some things you could add in for fun, maybe to liven things up a bit. And your idea of doing one day of several new topics and review another day, cutting out a lot of the review, should work just fine. Skip quizzes, too, if you don't feel he needs them. If he passes the test with an A at the end of each Light Unit you know he is ready to move on. If he flubs something you can go back and use some of the problems he skipped to try and solidify a weak area. Maybe set him up with a checklist so he can keep track of what he needs to complete before a light unit is considered done and he is ready to take a test. Tell him he can take a 1 day break from math every time he passes a light unit test with a 90 or better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiramisu Posted December 29, 2015 Share Posted December 29, 2015 I am finishing up Singapore 4A now, US edition, with a kid who hates to work and has writing and retention issues. It's going very well this year. We add in Evan Moor Daily Math Practice because it's only five problems a day. I almost switched from Singapore back to CLE at the end of last year, but dd fussed at the idea of going back to CLE. I have an 8th grader using CLE and I'm getting a little bored myself with the review, since I sit with her as she does it. I'm a bit...anal...so we usually do every problem, but I agree it's not necessary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boscopup Posted January 4, 2016 Author Share Posted January 4, 2016 Dreambox is so awesome. My kids also like prodigy and math rider. I got the free trial for Dreambox and really like it, but the kids are gaga over Prodigy because it's so much like Pokémon! :lol: I personally found it kind of boring, but they love it. They only played dreambox one day. I've still been wrestling with all this. I think I've decided to do CLE accelerated as I mentioned above and do Beast Academy to fill in and add better explanation. We last did BA a couple years ago and paused somewhere in 3B. We could pick up where we left off. I have through 3C already and could get 3D when we need it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
................... Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 How about switching to Math Mammoth? It'll be easier to place than Singapore and includes many Singapore like techniques and more homeschool friendly. Our math tutor when asked, recommends math mammoth and Singapore over supplementing. The reason is that when you use a drill and kill program you are really teaching math In a specific way that gets ingrained in their thinking "oh, math is about getting tons of problems correct, quickly." When you reach with conceptual math the student learns from early-on "oh, math is about puzzling over and thinking about things." Take it from one who made the mistake, it is very hard to undo that first way of thinking ...easier to supplement with drill as needed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boscopup Posted January 4, 2016 Author Share Posted January 4, 2016 How about switching to Math Mammoth? It'll be easier to place than Singapore and includes many Singapore like techniques and more homeschool friendly. Our math tutor when asked, recommends math mammoth and Singapore over supplementing. The reason is that when you use a drill and kill program you are really teaching math In a specific way that gets ingrained in their thinking "oh, math is about getting tons of problems correct, quickly." When you reach with conceptual math the student learns from early-on "oh, math is about puzzling over and thinking about things." Take it from one who made the mistake, it is very hard to undo that first way of thinking ...easier to supplement with drill as needed. I have Math Mammoth, but it's sooooo incremental that it drives my kids and me nuts. My oldest used it through part of 4th, then he switched to Singapore for 4th and 5th before doing AoPS Prealgebra. I don't think MM's full pages would be a good fit for my 9 year old. I also think the writing space would be difficult for him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janeway Posted January 5, 2016 Share Posted January 5, 2016 I do drill on the side. So every day, math has 3 parts. One lesson from the textbook, 1 from the workbook. If it is a big review, then that counts as two. Can do 2 from the work book or 2 from the textbook in stead of one of each. Textbook lesson has to come before the workbook lesson. The 3rd part is review or drill. It can be doing a computer program with review drill, or it can be in the form of Keys to Fractions, etc. Three things, every day. It is plenty here! But, for my son who did not like Singapore, we did Horizons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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