Mcruffy Math vs. Miquon/Singapore

[channell07]

I want to thank you all for helping on my last math thread. I think DS8 will likely be staying with Horizons as we spoke about it and he said that he likes it and feels like he is getting a good understanding and doesn't feel rushed or stressed with it.

DD is definitely going another direction. I have narrowed it down to using Miquon (or Miquon and Singapore together alternating to break it up, practice extra, and avoid boredom) or Mcruffy Math. Even though she is partway through horizons 2, and it tends to be ahead in topics, we will be backing up and using 2nd grade for whichever we decide on as I feel like she needs more time to solidify what she is learning. Does anyone have any thoughts on either of these?

[shinyhappypeople]

I've used both Miquon and McRuffy, and I like them both.  

 

McRuffy is straightforward, spiral, lessons are short and painless, and the child learns through use of the manipulatives.  It also includes work with visual-spatial skills, which I think is very cool.  

 

Miquon can be spiral or mastery depending on how you work through the books, and teaches through discovery and uses c-rods. 

 

It really just depends on what you want, and what how your child's brain works.  Why do you feel Horizons isn't working well?

[FawnsFunnyFarm]

We really love McRuffy here.  My kids have all loved the variety of the hands on, the games and the "it doesn't take all day" lessons.  

 

I did have to move my "math struggler" from McRuffy to Teaching Textbooks a few years back... she needed a slower pace.  Its strange... McRuffy feels all relaxed and not over the top, but it's surprisingly advanced.  Even after struggling through McRuffy 1st, my struggler tested into TT3 very firmly and actually just passed the placement test for TT4.  She is now thriving in math and helps her youngest brother with his McRuffy because she misses all the hands on fun.

 

We never used Miquon, and only briefly did I own Singapore (it was just too different from the way we wanted to do math), so I'm not help there.

[channell07]

I've used both Miquon and McRuffy, and I like them both.  

 

McRuffy is straightforward, spiral, lessons are short and painless, and the child learns through use of the manipulatives.  It also includes work with visual-spatial skills, which I think is very cool.  

 

Miquon can be spiral or mastery depending on how you work through the books, and teaches through discovery and uses c-rods. 

 

It really just depends on what you want, and what how your child's brain works.  Why do you feel Horizons isn't working well?

 

I feel like horizons is not working for her because though she is learning *how* to do the problems she can't seem to remember to use which method and when.  She is about 1/4 of the way through the second grade book and when I say, this is subtraction, you count on from the smaller number to the bigger number, she will then proceed to do all of them correctly but she can't seem to remember when to use which.  She also gets frustrated when she feels like she can't remember so she gets upset as she tends to be pretty sensitive anyway.  I think I need a program that uses more manipulatives in order to concrete *why* she is doing the things she is doing rather than just doing them after I tell her.

[channell07]

We really love McRuffy here.  My kids have all loved the variety of the hands on, the games and the "it doesn't take all day" lessons.  

 

I did have to move my "math struggler" from McRuffy to Teaching Textbooks a few years back... she needed a slower pace.  Its strange... McRuffy feels all relaxed and not over the top, but it's surprisingly advanced.  Even after struggling through McRuffy 1st, my struggler tested into TT3 very firmly and actually just passed the placement test for TT4.  She is now thriving in math and helps her youngest brother with his McRuffy because she misses all the hands on fun.

 

We never used Miquon, and only briefly did I own Singapore (it was just too different from the way we wanted to do math), so I'm not help there.

 

I actually like to hear that it is more advanced because while she can do the material I feel like the hands on aspect will help her realize why she is using certain methods and then help her figure out when to use them on future problems.  Her ability to do the work isn't the problem but rather her knowing when to use the skills she has acquired.  TT is a possibility in the future for us so I am glad to hear that it is a good place to move to after Mcruffy!

[FawnsFunnyFarm]

The transition from McRuffy to TT is smooth, they have a very similar feel. Just do the placement tests to get into the right TT level ;)

[shinyhappypeople]

I feel like horizons is not working for her because though she is learning *how* to do the problems she can't seem to remember to use which method and when.  She is about 1/4 of the way through the second grade book and when I say, this is subtraction, you count on from the smaller number to the bigger number, she will then proceed to do all of them correctly but she can't seem to remember when to use which.  She also gets frustrated when she feels like she can't remember so she gets upset as she tends to be pretty sensitive anyway.  I think I need a program that uses more manipulatives in order to concrete *why* she is doing the things she is doing rather than just doing them after I tell her.

 

How old is she? Are you certain she understands the concept of subtraction? Is she hung up on seeing 8-3 (for example) and not remembering how to solve it?  Or has she been taught many methods for solving a subtraction problem and can't keep track of the "best" method for each type?

 

You might consider using Miquon Orange for summer math or a weekly math lab and then using McRuffy for your regular math.  They're both good programs.  

[channell07]

How old is she? Are you certain she understands the concept of subtraction? Is she hung up on seeing 8-3 (for example) and not remembering how to solve it?  Or has she been taught many methods for solving a subtraction problem and can't keep track of the "best" method for each type?

 

You might consider using Miquon Orange for summer math or a weekly math lab and then using McRuffy for your regular math.  They're both good programs.  

 

Well, the main methods she has been taught are using manipulatives (either physical or her fingers), counting back, or counting on.  But she will look at it and then ask "do I count on from the smaller number to the larger number or do I hold up the smaller number and count on from the bigger number (her chosen way to do addition.  like if it is 7+5 she will hold up 5, say 7 then count her fingers...8,9,10...

A math teacher I am not.. I am not sure where the best direction is to go for her.