The boy wants math worksheets... (using RS)

[Linz1084]

We have been using Right Start Math this year.  However, it has been difficult to get it done well.  I personally have struggled with all the moving parts and feeling like it takes me too much time to wrap my mind around what they are doing and where they are headed before presenting it to my son.  Some other factors here - I am teaching RS A to my kindergartener, RS B to my first grader, I also have a preschooler (with sensory needs) and a 10 month old.

 

I really do like the method behind it - I see it working in the end.  But my oldest is a math kid and literally can multiply simple numbers in his head even though we've never covered it.

 

But the other day my son asked for worksheets and out of curiosity I printed of the Math Mammoth 1st grade test and he LIT UP and LOOOOVED the worksheets and asked to do it more often.  

 

So, here I'm stuck.  I love the idea of RS but in my real life, it feels difficult to get done.  It has too many moving parts and takes too long - especially when I'm trying to fit it in a baby's nap time.  

 

I love math worksheets and the idea of MM.  My son loves worksheets and the idea of MM.  But I see the benefit of visual math in a big way.

 

I have heard of people using MM or Singapore "the Right Start Way".... can someone explain to me what this looks like?  How do you use the manipulative in RS to emphasize the worksheets of MM?

 

Would it be a mistake to switch to MM mid-year?  I worry about losing the value of visual math, but also the days we did worksheets felt like a breath of fresh air because my son and I both felt more in our element.  

 

Help!!

[Linz1084]

Also wanted to add... he did the Math Mammoth end-of-year test for 1st grade and scored 92%.  So technically he could advance to 2nd grade math in MM.  Even though we haven't FORMALLY covered some of those topics (measuring, telling time... he knows just through life).  Thoughts on that?

 

I appreciate any input!! 

[Jackie]

I skipped and compressed when we used RightStart. Make curriculum work for you, don’t work for the curriculum. Move to whatever level (in RS or MM) makes sense for your kid.

 

Teaching another program “in a RS way†often means continuing with incorporating the manipulatives as needed, continuing to play math games instead of flash cards, and minimizing the writing as needed. In my brief foray into MM, I remember them having pictures on the page that amounted to manipulatives; it would have been easy enough to grab a physical manipulative to show the concept.

 

MM is a solid program. If it fits for you and your child, use it. For a mathy kid, I would encourage supplementing with something that goes a bit deeper than MM, or considering switching to Beast Academy when he is ready for it. Or take a look at Singapore Primary, which can get really into the math by switching out the regular workbook for the Intensive Practice and Challenging Word Problems books.

[HomeAgain]

Meet a child where they're at.

 

For some kids, every concept should be introduced in a visual way, but for a kid that conceptually understands it is better to have the manipulatives handy and allow them to work the way they do best. 

 

I have a mathy kid.  He likes Right Start, but the manipulatives don't speak to him.  We're still using it because he picked it out.  We're also using Life Of Fred because he loves it and it encourages him to take RS and go deeper.

 

FWIW, I put a kid where they're testing at.  We went with level D this year and compressed/skipped as needed, and we'll probably finish at the end of Feb/beginning of March.  It's a great program, but it isn't tailor made for my kid.  Then again, lol, if it was, that would mean it wouldn't work for a lot of other kids.  It's a good thing there are so many choices, isn't it? :)  We can each find one to tweak and fit just right.

[Vida Winter]

My kids liked CLE workbooks and one time we used BJU which was colorful and fun. For worksheets, those two were the best. We tried MM once and there were too many problems, not enough review.

[Hobbes]

My kids have only done MM - one is in 3 and one is in 4. I never used 1, just started in 2. There is plenty of review on topics like time and money. If a kid needs more review, you can pause there and print out more worksheets. If he scored 92%, I would definitely move into 2 and just go at whatever pace works for him.

 

We use a lot of manipulatives with MM. Like a pp said, MM has a lot of pictures of manipulatives - we just use the manips that match. So we use MUS blocks when the blocks are drawn for addition, etc. Just added Cusinaire rods too. I use play money and a learning clock for those chapters. I bought fraction manipulatives to use with fraction chapters. I have shapes that we pull out for geometry, etc. I've just tried to build a good manipulatives selection and use them as we go. I find the kids use them until they get a concept, them they stop and go ahead without.

Edited January 10, 2018 by indigoellen@gmail.com

[jaredluvsjoanie]

Yes, I would do Math Mammoth with the Right Start manipulatives. Best of both worlds!

[Monica_in_Switzerland]

I found working through RS B helped *me* to learn to teach elementary math well.  (Along with videos from EducationUnboxed.com).  After using it with my first kid, I did not use it again with my second.  I switched to Singapore, but taught it "the RS way".  

 

I thought I was done with RS for good, but actually my third kid (affectionately known as the outlier...) really does better with full-fledged RS.  So I've dug it out again, but I don't do some of the more odd-ball aspects.  For example, I don't do their calendar work or clock work, I do that my own way.  A few other things like that I removed as well, geometry for example.  

 

After RS B, my kids zoomed through Singapore 1 as a review of sorts, then did great in Singapore book 2 at normal speed.  I expect the third kid to follow a similar path.  I expect kid 4 to be able to go straight to Singapore 1 but with RS teaching methods.  We'll see!