Multiple Math Curriculum Users

[MyLife]

My youngest is using MFW K, and we both love it. It is such a great fit for him, but the math seems a little easy. So, I decided to add in Abeka K5 math (loosely with no workbook) and Miquon Orange. He will start Abeka and Miquon next week.

 

My oldest is using MLFLE 2, occasionally Miquon, and Kumon. He seems a little bored with math lately. As I was browsing the used bookstore at our library, I picked up a Singapore 2B book for fifty cents.  I plan on adding in more Miquon lessons and Singapore next week.

 

I feel crazy. Why can't I be happy with just one math per child? Haha.

 

So, for you other multiple math users...Do you schedule your math? Do you let the child pick? Do you work on one exclusively, then switch to the other? Do you worry about your child's long term math success because you aren't following the scope/sequence of one program? 

 

 

 

[Emba]

I am supplementing Rod and Staff math only in specific areas (fractions and geometry).  When I came to the fractions section, I picked up "Right Brained Fractions" and follow it for awhile, since it goes into more detail than R&S, then put it back down and went back to R&S when it covers something not in the Right Brained Fractions" book.  I also supplement with a Singapore Math Word Problems book, and just do a couple extra after R&S sometimes.  I don't worry about my child's long term math success doing this, because the supplements I'm using aren't random but are chosen to supplement what I feel are areas R&S lacks a little.  If I didn't feel they would help her long term success, I wouldn't bother, because it is more of a headache than just following one curriculum.

[MeaganS]

So, for you other multiple math users...Do you schedule your math? Do you let the child pick? Do you work on one exclusively, then switch to the other? Do you worry about your child's long term math success because you aren't following the scope/sequence of one program? 

 

We don't schedule it. Right now dd6 uses Miquon and BA with a bit of MEP. I see Miquon as her primary math for the moment, so she completes it in its entirety. Every day she does 2 pages from it. BA will become her primary math once she finishes Miquon, so we don't skip through it, but I do just have her do it for a little while after Miquon is finished, depending on the difficulty of Miquon for any given day. So if her Miquon takes her 10 minutes, she may spend a half hour on BA. Or she may just do a single problem. MEP she doesn't do in its entirety by any stretch. In fact, the only reason I have her do it at all is because I want her to use it as a secondary program to BA once she finishes Miquon and want her to be familiar with it. She does MEP maybe a couple times a month. So I just pick and choose and skip a lot for MEP.

 

I do not worry about her long-term math success. She is obviously understanding what she is doing. I'm fairly comfortable with math though, so I can see problem points fairly early on. This is the main reason dd8 is doing the math she does. We don't skip around, and she only has one math program. It just totally depends on the kid.

 

So yeah, I guess I have a main math program and possibly supplemental programs too. The supplemental programs may be done in their entirety or they may get jumped around in. It just depends on the needs/desires of the kid. But either way, I don't think supplementing will ever hurt a kid unless you overkill.

[Peaceful Isle]

I used to use multiple math programs for my kiddos, but I stopped. My son was so glad when he found out we were only using one this year. He said it was so confusing going here and there in the different books.

 

I chose BJU math for my ds10 and dd14. It works for them. My dd12 is using math u see and she loves the step by step basic teaching of it. She is my creative one. It's a perfect fit.

My ds5 is using a basic Houghton mifflin math k book.

 

I learned it's best to stick to one math program per year for my kiddos.

[sweetpea3829]

I have so many different maths going on around here...lol.  I'm using Singapore 5 with eldest DS, along with Process Skills and CWP.  He is also using Beast Academy.  

 

DD is using Singapore 2 alongside her younger brothers (she has math-based LDs and is "behind", but she is right where SHE needs to be). I also have Math Mammoth grade 3 that she is using.  She completed Math U See up through most of Gamma level, so her math skills are around 3rd grade, no division just yet.  (In other words, her procedural math is probably around late 3rd, early 4th, but her conceptual math, or her understanding of math is more like 2nd grade).  

 

I have MUS Delta on deck when we get to division and may pull it out if she needs it.

 

The younger boys are using Singapore 2 with Process Skills and CWP.  The more "mathy" of the two will likely add in Beast in another year or two.  

 

 

I schedule EVERYTHING.  I have to.  If I didn't, stuff would get missed.  Take DS9 for example.  Sometimes, I solely work with him through Singapore and Process Skills.  Sometimes we work solely through Beast (usually over a summer break).  Most of the time, we work through Singapore as our main spine, and I add in Beast every day for enrichment and depth.  So he does both. 

 

It doesn't confuse my kids because I schedule out half of a school year at a time, pull all of their worksheets and put them in the order in which they'll complete them.  Every week is organized this way, 15 weeks worth.  I make sure I build in a couple of days here and there so we can slow down if the pace I scheduled is too quick. At the start of a new week, I grab that week's work and organize it into their daily folders for the week.   

 

The downside is if you completely miss in trying to determine a good pace for your kid.  I've had that happen a time or two, but typically it was when the kids were just starting out and I was trying to get a feel for how they would progress.  At this point, I have a pretty good handle on everybody's abilities.  

 

 

I have no clue how folks get by with just one math program.  I've yet to find one that I feel is 100% complete for any specific child.  They all have different purposes!  

 

 

 

[wendyroo]

My kindergartner mainly does Math Mammoth, but then I supplement with Logic Safari and math riddles.  All of those are digital, so I just print them out, put them in any order I want and bind them with a ProClick for him to work through.

 

My 2nd grader does more math.  He does MM4, Beast Academy 3, Singapore CWP 4, Logic Safari, Balance Benders, Tin Man Press enrichment and math riddles.  Beast Academy and CWP are not independent, so we alternate between them during his one-on-one 2nd grade time which is completely separate from math time.  During math time he has a Proclicked workbook that has all of his other resources integrated together.

 

Wendy

 

 

 

[Rosie_0801]

I don't schedule with any exactness. I have what we use here and switch between them when it suits. At the moment we're doing school out of the house two days per week, so we use printed worksheets those days and the stuff I teach from online lesson plans and use manipulatives with when we're at home.

 

I would worry about my child's long term maths success if I used one program only. She really, really needs the variety and repetition. We've done this since the beginning, so there is no confusion. It's all just maths. 

[Jackie]

I've always had a main program and then a variety of other stuff. I schedule it. We currently do school 4x weekly, with 2x Beast Academy, 1x Hands on Equations, and 1x Developing Fraction Sense.

 

I've never tried to balance two full currics, though. My daughter is good at math, but not thrilled with it, and I can only imagine the looks I would get if I fully doubled her up on math. The variety in supplementation is good for her and keeps her attention.

[MyLife]

I appreciate everyone's comments. Thank you! I've been reading the WTM 4thed.. and it recommends a combo of procedural and conceptual. I also sat down and planned the next couple of weeks. I must confess that I am a "math worrier." So, this math post will probably not be my last.  :huh:

[MotherGoose]

I bought math mammoth grades 1-5 on some deal a few years ago. I use horizons primarily. When we hit a bump in horizons, I find the corresponding pages in mm and supplement.

[mtomom]

I have always had one program as a spine completed entirely--meaning I assumed that the child benefited from a full program's scope and sequence.

 

I always tend to add materials on top of the base program. Some programs are better fits for supplementary work than others. So some were more like complete programs on top of a complete program.

 

My instinct is that taking a section from this and another from that without using one program as a spine might lead to gaps. On the other hand, adding x, y, and z to a full program can lead to math overload--either in terms of time spent or in terms of burn out perhaps.

 

 

Edited October 30, 2016 by mtomom

[Sarah0000]

Together DS and I do math read aloud like Life of Fred, Penrose the Mathematical Cat, Beast Academy guide, and others.

 

About one week every couple months I ask him to do a specific set of worksheets that target a core skill. I usually pull these from Singapore, Miquon, and Mep.

 

For his daily math he does whatever he wants, independently, from Beast Academy, Miquon, Key to Fractions, Key to Geometry or a project from a living math book. When he completes one worksheet or one project he is allowed math screen time like Odd Squad or tablet games.

[wendyroo]

I have always had one program as a spine completed entirely--meaning I assumed that the child benefited from a full program's scope and sequence.

 

I always tend to add materials on top of the base program. Some programs are better fits for supplementary work than others. So some were more like complete programs on top of a complete program.

 

My instinct is that taking a section from this and another from that without using one program as a spine might lead to gaps. On the other hand, adding x, y, and z to a full program can lead to math overload--either in terms of time spent or in terms of burn out perhaps.

 

:iagree:

 

I chose Math Mammoth as our spine because I like its scope and sequence, its balance between mastery and spiral and its customizability.  It has plenty of practice for when we need it, but it can also be easily accelerated when a student grasps a concept quickly.  It is possible to pick and choose problems and exercises without sacrificing the completeness of the program.

 

In general, my kids only do ~50% of the problems in MM, and that leaves plenty of time to supplement with other resources without overloading them.  That allows me to include fun review and drill puzzles, challenging brain teasers and introductions to topics not in the typical elementary S&S which all complement MM in providing a more comprehensive math education.

 

Wendy

[La Condessa]

My oldest dd uses both Singapore (text, intensive practice, and challenging word problems) and Beast Academy. We just alternate doing a chapter from each program, and sometimes skip unnecessary repetition in Singapore. I have the pages scheduled out in a notebook, but I adjust the pace as we go along. I think we are gradually transitioning from considering Singapore the primary program to thinking of Beast Academy as the primary. Last week I tossed most of a chapter of Singapore for the first time, because of too much overlap. I don't worry about her long-term success--she is getting the scope/sequence of two excellent programs, either of which would probably be sufficient on its own. I do think she benefits from the different types of challenging questions, from seeing two different types of problem solving, and from getting more practice with the procedures for retention than Beast alone would provide.

[SilverMoon]

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Edited May 16 by SilverMoon

[LEK]

I try to limit us to one main program and a more fun supplement. Right now my eldest is doing MUS and beast. I don't schedule anything, and I mean anything, more than a week in advance so no, our 2 math programs are not scheduled together. The general plan is to do 5 chapters of MUS and then 1 chapter of beast, I am never sure how long either of those will take, anywhere from 1 week to 5 weeks but that is the usual schedule and it is working well here.

[coastalfam]

We discovered Math-U-See, and I've decided it is perfect thing for a math "spine" that allows me to use other maths of my choosing. MUS is very short, sweet, but also comprehensive (which I need as a non-math minded person) and effective as far as the kids retaining the information. The lessons/worksheets are short and simple--about 20 minutes is all that is needed typically, and my 3rd grader is mostly independent at this point. Then I let the kids to math games and activities, computer games, etc. I don't use two full curriculums, just MUS and a bunch of eclectic things I have collected. Our typical schedule is MUS main lesson on Monday, plus worksheet A, then Tuesday through Thursday they do one worksheet, plus an activity I come up with for them. Friday is math game day.

Edited November 1, 2016 by coastalfam

[knitgrl]

This is something I am still working on. We do MUS Beta, but because my dd usually does a worksheet in very little time, I started using MEP as a supplement, but we are currently using about the middle of year 1. On Fridays, I plan for a more relaxed day. We skip the MUS and MEP and instead read a chapter from Life of Fred Apples, and a living math book from the library. We also do some kind of game that includes addition or subtraction. Yahtzee is a favorite with dd.