Picking a math program

[lulalu]

So honestly, I thought I had my plan down. But everyone is always talking about how this or that program gave such a good foundation!

 

I bought RS A second edition. Ds doesn't like worksheets. Which was a big pull for rs. We made it through about 15 lessons. Just too jumpy. Too much for ds. We have the game book which I love. I love the abacus too.

 

So I looked at MEP. Loved reception and flew through that. Looking at MEP 1 there are more worksheets. Ds doesn't really enjoy them all that much. And I keep hearing how this is better for 1st grade rather than k. I really like working with numbers 1-20 for a strong base in understanding.

 

So, I am looking at Miqoun. Which looks like a great program . I would need to buy rods. I like that it is discovery learning.

 

These are my wants:

1 few worksheets

2 Strong conceptual base

3 Discovery learning

4 able to be mastery based (ds seems to need mastery)

 

Should I stick to MEP 1? I like that it is free.

Switch to Miqoun? Would be cheap enough.

Or use what I paid a lot for RS A?

 

Or is there something else out there that fits my wants?

[Monica_in_Switzerland]

Are you familiar with educationunboxed.com?  You can teach pretty much all elementary concepts just using the ideas on the website.  We use Singapore Math but with a heavy emphasis on cuisinaire rod play.  You could just as easily print out a table of contents for any first grade math and just work on the concepts from educationunboxed.com  

[lulalu]

I have thought through just using my own knowledge and the RS manipulatives we have. However, life is not calm right now for me. And that would require time to prepare. I am not saying I want hands off teaching 😊 just that the put together do this is what I need.

 

We will have an international move mid-school year, I am in language classes three to four hours four days a week, groceries and chores take a lot of time and energy here, making food from scratch takes time too. Just at this point need something that says do this, so I know I am covering stuff and I can just do the next thing.

 

I have looked at educationunboxed. I like it a lot.

[HomeAgain]

We used MEP with a child who didn't like worksheets.

 

A lot of the work in the levels is in the teacher's manual.  And the work is broken up quite a bit.  I would definitely tell you to print the classroom masters which are often 1-2 of the worksheet segments and invest in c-rods and a set of number tiles.  With them you can do the work orally or on the larger masters together.  Just because there are worksheets doesn't mean you have to do writing.

 

Most any program will give a child a good foundation in math if you work it as intended.  They wouldn't become popular if they didn't.  The trouble can be in finding a program that works for your particular child.  List your wants, and then look for something that matches.  You can stick with MEP and do 1/2 lessons.  You can do Miquon.  You can look at Shiller and see if that fits, since many of the manipulatives are the same as Right Start.  You can find the free ebooks of Gattegno's math and introduce c-rods that way. 

 

 

[Farrar]

I'd try MEP and see how MEP 1 goes. It might be fine. Be sure to do the things from the lesson plans to keep the focus not on the worksheet element.

 

Seconding the above though - Miquon is a wonderful program. Education Unboxed makes it even easier. The lab sheets are very sparse, which makes them good for kids who are worksheet averse. You can absolutely do it with a focus on the rods and you could make your own "lab sheets" on a white board so they're not even sheets.

[Monica_in_Switzerland]

Additional thought:  If your child is ready to move forward in math, but writing on worksheets is holding them back, I would not hesitate to scribe for the child through 2nd grade.  I scribed for my oldest through SM2, then he took over writing in 3.  I did not need to scribe for my dd, so it's very child-dependent.