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Math mammoth placement question


sunshineslp
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I have two sons in 1st and 2nd grade. They've done right start and my 2nd grader is currently doing Singapore 1b. My 1st grader is doing right start B, around lesson 45 (about 1/3 of the way through). I want to switch to math mammoth... I'm wondering: do I put my kids at their grade level, even if it's advanced from where they are at, and move slowly? Or do I put my kids where they are at (my 2nd grader would probably be ok with 2nd grade but I'm not sure he's ready for 3rd, he's the one in Singapore 1b, because of the advanced nature of the program I was told to put him here and move at his pace, he's been doing 3 lessons a day so he's doing well).

 

I also emailed emailed Maria [emoji4] but I wanted to know your opinions too, since some of you have direct experience here.

 

 

Homeschooling mama of 4... Preschool 3, preschool 4, 1st, and 2nd:)

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So is it worrisome to have a 3rd grader doing 2nd grade math mammoth?

 

 

Homeschooling mama of 4... Preschool 3, preschool 4, 1st, and 2nd:)

 

Not if that's where the child is. Focus on the child in front of you and his/her needs to understand the math in front of them, and ignore the number on the cover of the book. :001_smile:

 

I have one who was "behind" for most of elementary math. He simply did not get it. Handing him an on grade level book would have drowned him. Grade 6 math and algebra 1 in particular took him two full years each to get through. With tortoise plodding and occasionally repeating the trail he got there in the end. There was a time we weren't sure we'd ever get the boy through algebra, but he did! And geometry too. Currently he's in financial math and doing fine. (11th grade)

 

FWIW, I take the focus on the kid and the math in front of them approach with the kid who was behind as well as the kids who are ahead. None of them were cut out of a grade level cloth....lol.

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So is it worrisome to have a 3rd grader doing 2nd grade math mammoth?

 

 

Homeschooling mama of 4... Preschool 3, preschool 4, 1st, and 2nd:)

 

No, not at all, if that's where he's comfortable.  

 

There is NO advantage to placing a kid too high in any curriculum.  He'll just end up feeling stupid and hating math. Teach the child you have in the place where he's at.  

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Not if that's where the child is. Focus on the child in front of you and his/her needs to understand the math in front of them, and ignore the number on the cover of the book. :001_smile:

 

I have one who was "behind" for most of elementary math. He simply did not get it. Handing him an on grade level book would have drowned him. Grade 6 math and algebra 1 in particular took him two full years each to get through. With tortoise plodding and occasionally repeating the trail he got there in the end. There was a time we weren't sure we'd ever get the boy through algebra, but he did! And geometry too. Currently he's in financial math and doing fine. (11th grade)

 

FWIW, I take the focus on the kid and the math in front of them approach with the kid who was behind as well as the kids who are ahead. None of them were cut out of a grade level cloth....lol.

Agreed.  What you want is to create a really solid foundation.  Just rushing through if the child is not ready will build the math foundation on a house of sand.  Some kids need a lot more time, more instruction, more review, more depth or whatever.  Teach the child in front of you.

 

That being said, if a child is really struggling in math, you might want to step back to basic, basics before going any further forward and make sure their subitization skills are solid.  The Ronit Bird ebooks are excellent for that.

 

http://www.ronitbird.com/

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We've always done MM about 4 days per week (because of co-op), but we do it basically year-round. My girls have always gotten through more than one grade-level per year (average of 1.5 per year). So, even if you start a grade level behind, it doesn't mean your student will always be behind. Or maybe he will, and that will be okay, too, because he will KNOW his stuff if you're making sure to only move on when he really, really understands what he is doing.

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