HSmomof2 Posted July 11, 2017 Share Posted July 11, 2017 (edited) I've posted before about my math hating ds(14). He'll be in 9th grade this year and doing Algebra. I'm driving myself crazy reading reviews of different math options. I think MUS would be the best fit for him but am concerned about reviews stating it's not complete in its coverage of topics and is too easy compared to other programs. Ds is college bound but not likely in a math related field. ETA: I do need a program with a teaching component. While I understand the higher level maths and can help him, it's better for our relationship that someone else teach it. Also, don't have $500-600 available for an online class right now. Edited July 11, 2017 by Bethany Grace 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted July 11, 2017 Share Posted July 11, 2017 (edited) ETA: THESE HAVE BEEN RE-LINKED, as of March 2021:"MUS through high school""MUS in high school""MUS and test scores""Opinions on Math-U-See higher math""8th grade math after MUS Zeta""MUS Algebra and higher maths: adequate or no?""MUS upper level math...question""Is MUS really not good enough?""MUS question" (results if you used it through high school)"Anyone use MUS all the way through?""MUS for a STEM student?""Happily ever after stories sought" Side note on paying to outsource math: Jann in TX offers fabulous classes/tutoring through My Homeschool Math Class. 🙂 Edited March 8, 2021 by Lori D. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
almondbutterandjelly Posted July 11, 2017 Share Posted July 11, 2017 I love MUS for my math-hating dd. We are using it for Algebra on up. It's great. She's really learning and has solid knowledge. My degree is in math, and I have no problems whatsoever with the program. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HSmomof2 Posted July 11, 2017 Author Share Posted July 11, 2017 Thank you for the replies and links......there were a few I hadn't read in my searching. It really seems so mixed on whether or not people think the MUS higher levels prepare well enough for college. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted July 11, 2017 Share Posted July 11, 2017 (edited) On 7/11/2017 at 2:42 PM, Bethany Grace said: Thank you for the replies and links......there were a few I hadn't read in my searching. It really seems so mixed on whether or not people think the MUS higher levels prepare well enough for college. I think that is because every student is so different. 🙂 I really think it is all about finding the teaching method that best fits the student's learning style -- or finding a tutor/individual teacher who really "speaks" the student's language. I think you will find there is a very mixed response to just about ANY math program out there, as to whether the student really *learned* from it and was prepared well enough for college. I do encourage you to look around and see if you can find a local tutor (or Jann in TX's class) who can "translate" and help explain the math so that your DS really clicks with it. That is what seems to best help the students in my Lit & Writing classes who struggle with writing -- if I can find a way to help them think it through that makes sense for them. If you absolutely can't afford to find someone to come alongside, then you might look into supplementing MUS with something to help your DS see it from more than one angle, and possibly make connections for himself. Just a thought! Good luck! Warmest regards, Lori Edited March 8, 2021 by Lori D. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MerryAtHope Posted July 12, 2017 Share Posted July 12, 2017 I've posted before about my math hating ds(14). He'll be in 9th grade this year and doing Algebra. I'm driving myself crazy reading reviews of different math options. I think MUS would be the best fit for him but am concerned about reviews stating it's not complete in its coverage of topics and is too easy compared to other programs. Ds is college bound but not likely in a math related field. ETA: I do need a program with a teaching component. While I understand the higher level maths and can help him, it's better for our relationship that someone else teach it. Also, don't have $500-600 available for an online class right now. It was a great fit here, and both of my kids got solid math ACT scores. Sometimes you have to go with what works for you and your family. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HollyDay Posted July 12, 2017 Share Posted July 12, 2017 youngest switched over to MUS for Pre-Calculus and Calculus. She enjoyed it and did well with it. It was not "an easy A" for her, she had to work at it. Interestingly enough, she has been in a position of helping someone out with their calculus. She ran into someone at a coffee shop struggling with a Calculus problem (he is taking calculus 1 at our community college over the summer) and was able to help. Also, she has gone through a friend's community college Calculus 1 book. She picked problems at random throughout the book and was able to work through them. Dd loves math. She enjoys Calculus. She says math gets fun at calculus. MUS was a great fit for her. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Free Indeed Posted July 12, 2017 Share Posted July 12, 2017 Not OP, but I have a question.... did you use the blocks and manipulative at this level? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MerryAtHope Posted July 12, 2017 Share Posted July 12, 2017 Not OP, but I have a question.... did you use the blocks and manipulative at this level? One of my kids did, and one didn't. The blocks are used in Pre-algebra, and there are algebra inserts for Alg. 1. IIRC, they were shown a few times in geometry but not much beyond that point. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HollyDay Posted July 12, 2017 Share Posted July 12, 2017 just another thought......MUS algebra 1 starts with graphing. Most other programs do not. Have you had your dc take the placement test? It is a great visual program, I guess that is why they introduce graphing so early. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calm37 Posted July 12, 2017 Share Posted July 12, 2017 (edited) I did all MUS for my younger two. No regrets! As a matter of fact, I am taking College Algebra myself now and it is so easy! That's just from watching the videos with them. You do want to complete through Precalc. though. I wouldn't call it a complete Algebra 1 & 2 program without a good portion of the Precalc. ETA: We didn't use the blocks much in high school, if at all. He uses them in the teaching at times. Edited July 12, 2017 by Calm37 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MerryAtHope Posted July 12, 2017 Share Posted July 12, 2017 I did all MUS for my younger two. No regrets! As a matter of fact, I am taking College Algebra myself now and it is so easy! That's just from watching the videos with them. You do want to complete through Precalc. though. I wouldn't call it a complete Algebra 1 & 2 program without a good portion of the Precalc. ETA: We didn't use the blocks much in high school, if at all. He uses them in the teaching at times. I will say that my oldest who did not do Pre-calc had no trouble testing into and taking college math. Maybe some Algebra 2 courses include a few more topics, but if so, it really didn't show up as a gap for him. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pegasus Posted July 12, 2017 Share Posted July 12, 2017 You will find my posts in several of the archived MUS threads. We used MUS through precalculus and MUS worked for us. My older DD is currently a junior in college studying computer science with a 4.0 grade point average and has completed the full calculus series, matrix algebra, and differential equations. She frequently tutored her fellow students in math. Younger DD is currently in MUS precalculus and her math ACT score was very solid. I have no reason to doubt her future college math course success. I must admit to a bit of frustration to repeatedly read posts discouraging folks from using MUS because "it is not enough" when those posting have not used MUS all the way through high school and then found it failed their students in college. You will look long and hard to find someone with that experience. Look at it this way: it is better to successfully use MUS than to unsuccessfully use any other math program. If it works for your student, that is just what you should be using. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coralloyd Posted July 13, 2017 Share Posted July 13, 2017 We are using MUS all the way through high school. I have a tutor that my daughter started meeting with over FaceTime when she began Geometry. She is now a fourth of the way through Pre-Calculus, and she hasn't even started her sophomore year yet. She is not a math wizz, but the combo of the tutor and working year around has made it so that she will complete Calculus by the end of her sophomore year. Before she takes the SAT or ACT I will make sure she has plenty of practice with the different terms (if any) used on those tests. Math is one of those subjects that I have refused to change. I supplement more for my son because he is very math minded. Consistency in math, however, is something I feel very strongly about. As a child math became very confusing to me because of the lack of consistency in the methods and types of teaching I received. I really like the way MUS teaches. The way Mr. Demme explains concepts makes the most sense to me. I can teach it confidently. Yes, the sequence is different and if you are going to use MUS (imo) you should commit through Zeta. Then if you want to switch Pre-Algebra/Algebra is a a good place to do it. If you go with it for high school stick with it through Pre-Calculus. It covers what other programs do, just not in the same sequence. There are reasons for that. Decide if you agree with the reasoning behind it, and ignore all the noise. I am very happy with our decision. I wish I could feel as confident in all our other curriculum choices ;). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HSmomof2 Posted July 13, 2017 Author Share Posted July 13, 2017 Thank you so much for all the responses. We're going to go with MUS next year. I'm hoping to at least get him to not hating math. I've had him watch samples of many programs, and he liked MUS the best. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MerryAtHope Posted July 14, 2017 Share Posted July 14, 2017 (edited) Thank you so much for all the responses. We're going to go with MUS next year. I'm hoping to at least get him to not hating math. I've had him watch samples of many programs, and he liked MUS the best. LOL, it might be a high goal, depending on his level of math dislike--but maybe "within tolerable limits" will happen! (Although my math-hating son did enjoy geometry! He liked the method/approach of MUS and enjoyed Mr. Demme, but nothing could really make him like algebra!) Edited July 14, 2017 by MerryAtHope Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLHomeschool2000 Posted August 2, 2017 Share Posted August 2, 2017 My rising senior took Algebra I with MUS and transitioned to other math programs just fine. I think it is fine. I have not looked into their higher level programs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjeepa Posted August 2, 2017 Share Posted August 2, 2017 I'll add another MUS success story :) We used MUS for my ds all the way through PreCal. He did well on the SAT and college placement tests. We did supplement with Khan Academy for SAT prep, which you could also use just for review. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kristin0713 Posted March 8, 2021 Share Posted March 8, 2021 Bump All of the links in @Lori D.'s post are taking me back to this OP. Is there another thread that has these great threads linked? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted March 8, 2021 Share Posted March 8, 2021 37 minutes ago, kristin0713 said: Bump All of the links in @Lori D.'s post are taking me back to this OP. Is there another thread that has these great threads linked? Sigh, yes the "curse of the recursive links". 😉 I just went back and re-linked all of those past threads that I could find. So the links are good to go now in this thread. 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kristin0713 Posted March 8, 2021 Share Posted March 8, 2021 4 hours ago, Lori D. said: Sigh, yes the "curse of the recursive links". 😉 I just went back and re-linked all of those past threads that I could find. So the links are good to go now in this thread. Thank you SO MUCH, Lori! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timelady19 Posted March 26, 2021 Share Posted March 26, 2021 On 7/12/2017 at 5:48 PM, coralloyd said: We are using MUS all the way through high school. I have a tutor that my daughter started meeting with over FaceTime when she began Geometry. She is now a fourth of the way through Pre-Calculus, and she hasn't even started her sophomore year yet. She is not a math wizz, but the combo of the tutor and working year around has made it so that she will complete Calculus by the end of her sophomore year. Before she takes the SAT or ACT I will make sure she has plenty of practice with the different terms (if any) used on those tests. Math is one of those subjects that I have refused to change. I supplement more for my son because he is very math minded. Consistency in math, however, is something I feel very strongly about. As a child math became very confusing to me because of the lack of consistency in the methods and types of teaching I received. I really like the way MUS teaches. The way Mr. Demme explains concepts makes the most sense to me. I can teach it confidently. Yes, the sequence is different and if you are going to use MUS (imo) you should commit through Zeta. Then if you want to switch Pre-Algebra/Algebra is a a good place to do it. If you go with it for high school stick with it through Pre-Calculus. It covers what other programs do, just not in the same sequence. There are reasons for that. Decide if you agree with the reasoning behind it, and ignore all the noise. I am very happy with our decision. I wish I could feel as confident in all our other curriculum choices ;). Did you find a tutor who had knowledge of MUS methodology or just a general math tutor? Was the tutor just for questions? Leigh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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