R&S vs. MUS?

[vaquitita]

If you've used these two, can you compare them for me? With my daughter who didn't do well with Singapore math, I've tried a couple different things this year. Traditional (though actually I used conventional arithmetic with spunky not R&S, but they are very similar) and MUS. The spunky books were extremely repetitive and the pages very cluttered. one day I counted 150 problems were assigned, which is just overkill to me. She hated it. She is doing well with MUS beta right now. But I do occasionally wonder if I want to stick with it, as it doesn't cover measurement and money as thoroughly. For third grade and up study time math seems a better format than the 1-2 conventional arithmetic books. Plenty of review and practice, but more variety, less drill and kill. I know I labeled this thread R&S, but I'm looking at the very similar study time series because it has workbooks for longer.

 

Eta: I realized after looking over the TOC for study time that it is spiral, a new topic every day. Comparing the TOC of R&S, it's definitely mastery. That's part of why MUS works for my dd, the time spent on a new topic before moving on, so now I am looking at R&S. The lack of workbooks is a bummer though.

Edited February 19, 2016 by vaquitita

[KSinNS]

Money gets hit again in gamma, and figures in word problems throughout MUS. Measurement units appear in gamma as well with lots of problems. No running around with a ruler type questions, though. HTH.

[vaquitita]

Money gets hit again in gamma, and figures in word problems throughout MUS. Measurement units appear in gamma as well with lots of problems. No running around with a ruler type questions, though. HTH.

That's good to know. Do they continue to include measurements and volume problems in the review pages (D-F)??

[KSinNS]

Yes. The review continues through the books.

[sweetpea3829]

MUS does touch upon money and measurement but...imo, nowhere near enough.  It's often more of an after-thought and there is not much direct focus on either topic.  It feels like an add-in.  That said...my math LD kiddo has done pretty well with MUS and overall, she is picking up on money and measurement concepts about as readily as I would have expected for her.  

 

I intend on spiraling her back through Math Mammoth to really ground those particular concepts.  

 

Overall, I am not a huge proponent of MUS.  It gives a pretty basic math education...covers everything they need, for the most part, but its lacking in depth.  My daughter needs this approach.  She needs to survive mathematically, in a world in which numbers make little sense to her.  So MUS is great for a kid like her.

 

But I use other programs with my boys.  Singapore, Math Mammoth, Beast Academy, etc.  There's depth in these programs.  

[smarson]

Personally, I don't love MUS the way some people do.  We are using Horizons which is very traditional.  The lessons are super quick and we often double up lessons.  It's spiral but I like that she revisits topics so then we really know whether she's learned it or not.  I may switch to Singapore or Math Mammoth, definitely will try out Beast Academy.  All of these are good, solid programs.  I just never felt that MUS was quite as rigorous or thorough as many other programs.  

[Peaceful Isle]

Okay, well I'm a lover of math u see :) I do think some levels need a supplement. Some are just fine by themselves.

All my school age kids have used MUS at one time or another. It gets us over learning humps, In a way.

 

Gamma and delta are actually my favorite levels, because it teaches multiplication and division so well, imho. Epsilon is a little fuzzy, but then Zeta and pre algebra are awesome as well.

I am going to start my son in primer next year, which is the only elementary level I have never used with my kids. :) I'm excited about it.