Miquon?

[Janeway]

I have used Horizon's and Singapore and really like them. I have always been fascinated by Miquon, but never home schooled my olders when they were young enough for Miquon. Can I have honest opinions on it? Thanks!

[Coco_Clark]

My give-it-to-me-straight, get-er-done, a-type, parts-to-whole kiddo HATED Miquon. He loves Beast, he loves Life of Fred...so it's not just that he wants traditional math. But something about Miquon, the blocks? the puzzles? the admittedly terrible visual appeal? drove him nuts.

 

My next kid loves it. He's more creative, whole-to-parts, and textile. And far less visual.

 

As for me...it's harder to teach than maths with instruction via the textbook, which are my personal fav (MIF, Beast). About even with a program like Singapore which assumes a certain level of teacher prep and demonstration. And it's cheap as dirt.

[73349]

We liked it. No regrets; I'd use it again.

 

The only thing I'd point out is that for someone with a baby or young toddler, you don't want rods lying about loose (choking hazard).

[Janeway]

My give-it-to-me-straight, get-er-done, a-type, parts-to-whole kiddo HATED Miquon. He loves Beast, he loves Life of Fred...so it's not just that he wants traditional math. But something about Miquon, the blocks? the puzzles? the admittedly terrible visual appeal? drove him nuts.

 

My next kid loves it. He's more creative, whole-to-parts, and textile. And far less visual.

 

As for me...it's harder to teach than maths with instruction via the textbook, which are my personal fav (MIF, Beast). About even with a program like Singapore which assumes a certain level of teacher prep and demonstration. And it's cheap as dirt.

What did you use in 1st grade then? And MIF is Math in Focus? I looked that up and it seems to be extremely expensive. I wonder if I am looking at the wrong thing.

[Rachel]

I've used Miquon in addition to SM std ed. It's a little weird to figure out at first but the 1st grade Diary and Lab Annotations will get you started. The videos on Education Unboxed are great for figuring out c-rods.

 

I had already decided on SM before I heard of Miquon. I know many of people have used it at as stand alone program but I like it as a supplement.

[Coco_Clark]

What did you use in 1st grade then? And MIF is Math in Focus? I looked that up and it seems to be extremely expensive. I wonder if I am looking at the wrong thing.

Yes, he used Math In Focus until he was ready for Beast. It is expensive, but since you don't actually need a teachers guide (it's just answers-all the teaching is done in the workbook) it ended up comparable for me to Singapore (where I needed the HIG, textbook, and workbook). 25 give or take for the student book and 10 give or take for the workbook per semester VS a 15 dollar student book and 10 dollar workbook per semester, plus whatever I payed for the HIG. Of course then they offer extra practice books and assessment books and what have you- but that's true of both programs.

[basketcase]

Miquon had been great for us! My dd7 is very independent and likes to figure things out on her own. She loves to make up games and write books, so the fact that Miquon encourages the kids to add their own problems to a set or even create their own math pages is very appealing to her. She also loves choosing which pages she gets to do. Math comes easily to my little bit, and it's been lovely to have a program that introduces concepts early. Yes, it's a little awkward figuring out how to use it, but once I had a general idea, it's been low-key and relaxed math. I also see the benefits now that other forum posters promised: her mathematical understanding is strong.

[lindsey]

We're using it now--it was going really well until they started asking my son to make up his own problems. He just does.not.get.it. I don't know if it's like...a language processing thing or too abstract?! It's so frustrating for me and him and we've been skipping those parts. I'm hoping that is okay. :/

[Rachel]

We're using it now--it was going really well until they started asking my son to make up his own problems. He just does.not.get.it. I don't know if it's like...a language processing thing or too abstract?! It's so frustrating for me and him and we've been skipping those parts. I'm hoping that is okay. :/

My son makes up crazy problems that have nothing to do with the rest of the page. It usually involves the biggest number he can fit on the line +1. My daughter on the other hand, who seems to have more of a knack for math, gets it even without me explaining.

[El...]

We're using it now--it was going really well until they started asking my son to make up his own problems. He just does.not.get.it. I don't know if it's like...a language processing thing or too abstract?! It's so frustrating for me and him and we've been skipping those parts. I'm hoping that is okay. :/

We loved Miquon for Dd and I'm starting it up again with kid #2.  Love, love, love! 

 

However, yes.  Those were hard!  After a page about multiplication, Dd would sometimes write "make up your own" problems that were extremely easy addition!  +1 problems!  I let it go, because she was learning and perhaps she was just practicing setting up the format.  She was happy with them, so....

 

She learned so much, so well from Miquon.  Now we do Singapore and Beast.

[lindsey]

If mine is able to make up problems, it's random +1 or +0 ones that don't relate at all to the page, lol. He doesn't do well making up problems based on the rod picture--he just doesn't grab concepts quickly or easily. I hoped we could just come back to it in time! I am anxious about starting the multiplication section...we might have to skip that for a bit, too.

[Sarah0000]

We like it. DS liked it better before he started doing mental math, but he still does sometimes choose to do Miquon. He likes the mini books, dot to dots, matching, but not the lines of problems to solve.