Math indecision for 5th grade: help me decide!

[Insertcreativenamehere]

I'm trying to decide on math for my rising 5th grader and I'm having a terrible time deciding -- help!

 

He's halfway through CLE 4th grade math, having spent the first half of the year doing Beast Academy and CLE 2 and 3 before that. Beast was fun but not enough review for him and CLE is just too incremental; there's not enough time devoted to developing mastery of a concept before moving on. He's a different sort of learner, leaning towards visual-spatial. He seems to understand math intuitively at times and is very good at mental math, but at the same time is having a hard time mastering the upper times tables, doesn't know all of his division facts and struggles with remembering the steps for the standard algorithms for multiplication and division. On his CLE quizzes and tests, he gets 100% except for the harder multiplication (two digit by two digit) and division problems. 

 

I'm just not sure what he needs. Is it too late to switch to a more conceptual program? 

 

Here's what I've considered:

 

-Singapore, but I'm not crazy about the HIG (I've used it with his sister.) 

-I've also considered Math in Focus which although pricey, looks great and has the added benefit of going through middle school. But would it be so different from CLE that switching at 5th grade would be problematic? 

-Right Start E? 

-BJU, for its more conceptual focus with a mastery focus yet still with some review

 

Here's what hasn't worked in the past:

 

-Math Mammoth, although I'm willing to try it again.

 

I'm not willing to consider Saxon for the same reasons that CLE isn't working. Open to Christian or secular. 

 

Any input welcome. :) 

 

 

[AdventuresinHomeschooling]

I am using Beast Academy next year, but I am addressing the review issues with some Khan Academy and some practice workbooks. Kumon has some good ones for example.  We have done a more traditional math and eased into Beast Academy this year.  Also the app XtraMath is great for reviewing the times tables.  If your child is responding well to Beast Academy, it is very good and goes deep in conceptual understanding.  It will prepare them for AoPS upper math, which is our goal.

[MamaSprout]

If you've already been through Singapore once, why not use it in a way that works for you? We never really used the HIG other than for answers.

[fralala]

I have been able to find Math in Focus books used in great condition very, very inexpensively (like many materials used in schools!). So I'd look at that possibility before ruling them out based on price. I'd think it would be pretty much ideal for a visual learner; at least in the grades I've looked at (not 5th unfortunately) they contain many more pictures and photographs of manipulatives than Singapore Math. It also seems to contain more review and move more slowly.

 

It is definitely not too late to move him to a more conceptual program-- many of us have moved to doing math more conceptually as adults after teaching these programs, so certainly a fifth grader can get those "aha!"s. And if you have used Singapore with your younger child, you will likely be able to guide him through some of the strategies he may have missed (if he's not already doing them naturally-- it sounds like he may have discovered some of them intuitively). I bet based upon what you say about him that he'll thrive with a conceptual method.

[Farrar]

I vote to have him finish with Beast Academy - any kid who enjoys Beast and can do well with the problem sets should be doing Beast, IMHO. And then, either do Khan alongside it or cannibalize MM, Singapore, or Math in Focus (and I agree with the above suggestion that it doesn't have to be expensive... you can find the textbooks for next to nothing used and just buy the workbooks - the real hard problems are in the workbooks - the text was almost more like review or introductory stuff) for that extra practice he needs, but feel free to skip it if he's got it mastered. Beast really is "enough" if he's understanding it and doing okay. And then for things where he's not - like needing more practice with multi-digit multiplication - just have him push on and do all of it in the backup program of your choice.

[Insertcreativenamehere]

This is all great feedback. Thanks! 

[OneStepAtATime]

It sounds like he needs mastery AND spiral, which sounds like you are going to have to tweak whatever you are using.  I have used Beast paired with CLE (but modified on both) and it worked well but if you don't want to have to fiddle with anything then I agree, stick with Beast and do something else on the side that doesn't require too much adjusting.  Have you tried working with him using a dry erase board and manipulatives to review the new concepts in CLE from a more mastery based approach while continuing with review problems for the reinforcement?  That is what worked well here while using both programs.

 

Math in Focus materials, as others have said, are often for sale for low prices used.  Look on Amazon and Abe books.   Great program but this is another mastery based program.  If he needs systematic review of steps and math facts, etc.  then pairing this with Beast may not really help him that much.

 

Prodigy math or khan academy might work on the side.

 

You might also look at CTC as a side thing.  Very visual but not as cluttered as Khan Academy.  Lots of clear, colored graphics and on screen manipulatives.  Lessons can be repeated as many times as wanted/needed because the program generates new problems each time.  Lessons are fairly short in the lower grades so it doesn't take up a ton of time but can have a big impact.  Clearly organized so if a student needs/wants to review a specific topic, such as fractions, they can go right to that topic at every level and move backwards and forwards through the program.  Gives the student access to math from kindergarten through Calculus so he could review as far back as needed and leap ahead in areas he is really strong.  It also has math fact practice, but not as good a system for that as CLE.  You can print out the explanations (which will include the visuals from the lesson) and keep them in a math notebook.  The parent can log on and see exactly when they logged on, how much of the lesson was completed, and what their results were.  Another thing that is nice about CTC is that once a lesson is finished the student will be shown a page with each problem and which ones were right, which ones were wrong and where they made the error.  If they print the page before they exit out they can review from that page.  Also, if a student is interrupted during a lesson and can't finish until later the program remembers where the student left off and just starts them up with the next problem.  It is usually for sale through Homeschool Buyer's Co-op.

 

https://www.homeschoolbuyersco-op.org/ctc-math/

[SilverMoon]

MiF textbooks are dirt cheap on the used markets. Just buy the workbooks new. I don't know how it lines up with CLE, but if he can pass the placement test for say Singapore and/or Horizons math I'd go with it. I've used all of those but CLE in the last couple years and they line up by grade with each other fairly well. MiF and Singapore are very similar; the biggest difference in the teaching is MiF has more baby steps built in where SM expects leaps. MiF is more attractive and pleasing to look at.

 

My first thought from reading your post is Horizons. It's a colorful spiral. It definitely teaches conceptually; each small step is mastered separately before they're put together. The concepts build stealthily and my kids never noticed the increase of challenge. We did every problem in every lesson and their basics were r.o.c.k. solid. If you want to blend books this and Beast would probably get along fabulously.

 

My kiddo who will be in grade 5 math soon will use a blend of Horizons and Singapore. She is naturally math intuitive but also intense and very Stubborn. She really liked the look and feel of MiF, but she didn't need the baby steps and she complained endlessly. The bland appearance of SM bugs her, but the combo is working for now so we'll stick with it.