Which Supplement? MM or SM

[EngOZ]

I usually post in the afterschool section, but thought I would post here so I can get more responses.

 

Currently my 10yo dd is using MUS Epilson, and while it's very thorough, she doesn't find it challenging enough. At school she is put in an OC class (class for highly advanced/gifted kids). As MUS works on a mastery basis, I thought of supplementing MUS with MM Light Blue. MM will allow her to go deeper and stretch her understanding of the concepts presented in MUS. 

 

However, I have mixed feelings and I'm undecided at this stage. The other option I wanted to try was to supplement with SM. We have used SM in the past, but I've found that it took way too long for me to prepare and teach as a parent. SM was at her level and it challenged her in all the right ways though. On the plus, if we went MUS-SM, she is capable and mature enough to self teach.

 

So here's my question:

1. Should I stick to supplementing with another mastery approach like MUS-MM or go with MUS-SM?

2. What if we went MUS-SM, would it work for me just to check her answers?

3. Another MUS-SM option is to just supplement with SM Challenging Word Problems. Is this enough?

 

 

[wendyroo]

Have you considered Beast Academy or MEP or even some pre-algebra problems on alcumus with some help (depending what math level she is currently working at)?

 

If she is already doing MUS after school, I would hesitate to load on MM on top of that.  MM is rigorous and thorough, but it is also fairly dry and has a lot of problems.  My kids use MM, but I supplement it heavily with more challenging, fun math (we use Beast Academy, these Singapore Word Problem books which we like more than challenging word problems and alcumus).

 

Wendy

[CadenceSophia]

Beast Academy seems like a great idea. MUS Epsilon is fractions right? If you wanted more fractions, you could try the MM blue books (not light blue) just on the fraction and decimal topics that are appropriate.

[EKS]

I would supplement with Beast Academy and then the rest of the AoPS books.  Their primary market is folks who are supplementing what kids are getting in school.

[EngOZ]

Shipping is a killer to my part of the world, so Beast Academy is out of the question. Are these Singapore books the same ones that are mentioned and recommended on these forums?

 

My kids use MM, but I supplement it heavily with more challenging, fun math (we use Beast Academy, these Singapore Word Problem books which we like more than challenging word problems and alcumus).

 

Wendy

 

 

[sweetpea3829]

IMHO, MUS is a terrible supplement for a gifted math student.  If Beast Academy is too expensive to ship (and you might want to look into that again, I vaguely remember there being something about a new shipping option for them...), than I would absolutely suggest Singapore.  

 

If she is an intuitive math student, you could very likely hand her the HIG and let her teach herself the lesson.  I do this pretty often with my 10 yr old DS.  He is math-intuitive, though I would hesitate to call him "gifted".  

 

Sometimes I just don't have the time to sit down and go through the lesson...so I hand him the HIG, show him which lesson he is to work on and he has at it.  I follow up to make sure he's understanding and move on.  

 

The reason I say MUS is a poor supplement for a gifted math student is because it is so light.  It just does not get deep into conceptual math.  It gives the meat of math, but little in the way of sides and interesting stuff.  

 

I used MUS for a few years with my dyscalculic (math dyslexic, if you will) DD precisely because it gives baby steps, has a lot of hand-holding and is just the basics.  Precisely what she needed...nothing else.  

 

I've recently moved her to Singapore math.  

[EngOZ]

I think you're spot on with MUS, there's nothing there to challenge dd. I'll give Beast Academy a look again. Thanks for your feedback.

The reason I say MUS is a poor supplement for a gifted math student is because it is so light.  It just does not get deep into conceptual math.  It gives the meat of math, but little in the way of sides and interesting stuff.  

 

[wendyroo]

Shipping is a killer to my part of the world, so Beast Academy is out of the question. Are these Singapore books the same ones that are mentioned and recommended on these forums?

 

There are two different sets of word problem books - each with some pros and cons.

 

We use the one I linked above.  I like that each book starts with relatively easy word problems and then increases in difficulty as you go.  I like that there is a lot of space in the book to adequately complete the problems...though clearly that means I am paying for a lot of blank paper.  I like the simple, straight forward wording of the problems, and I like the fully worked solutions in the back.

 

Another Singapore word problem set you often see recommended is the Challenging Word Problems books.  One advantage those have is that they have some worked example problems for each topic.  Some people, though, me included, think that the disadvantage of these books is that they artificially complicate problems by making them confusing.  This is one problem that I pulled off their sample page...I've read it three times, and I'm sure I could solve it if I wanted to, but it leaves me feeling   :confused1::

 

"Students were selected from a school’s fourth grade classes to take part in a science contest and a spelling contest. From one class, 9 students were selected for the science contest and 3 for the spelling contest. For each of the remaining classes, 4 students were selected for the science contest and 6 for the spelling contest. The number of students who were selected to take part in both contests is the same. What is the smallest possible number of fourth grade classes?"

 

Hope that helps.

Wendy

[Zoo Keeper]

In your situation, I would suggest using MEP.  Don't just look at the student books (the practice books),  read the teaching notes; they contain extra problems that are well worth the time, as well as modeling of how to solve some of the challenging problems.

 

OR  --if you don't have the time for that in an afterschooling situation--

 

Singapore's Intensive Practice workbooks.  The IP workbooks have a mix of word problems and puzzle type problems.  Answers (but not worked out solutions) are in the back of the book.