Math help for my fifth/sixth grader

[Mumtothree]

Hi all, 

Thanks in advance for the help. My son is in fifth grade and using the Math Mammoth sixth grade curriculum. I'm at the point where I feel like we may need to switch because he is so miserable. He was homeschooled for his early elementary years, then he attended a montessori school for two years, and then a gifted school. I feel like his math has been a little bit all over the place. He is way above grade level in certain areas, and yet there are areas he seemed to have completely missed out on in school.  We used the Singapore math curriculum and Miquion through his second grade year. He has always excelled in math but is definitely not a "mathy" kid. He is the kind of child who gets frustrated easily if something doesn't instantly click for him, but also gets frustrated by too much fluff. This year I was really hoping for consistency so pulling the plug mid year on a curriculum is not what I have been hoping to do. 

 

From the beginning of the year he has been miserable with the program. He is technically doing well but math is a daily struggle and takes him forever. Sometimes it feels like he doesn't connect with the way the program is explaining things and it often feels short on actual instruction in the sixth grade book. Do I push him to keep going and finish out the year? Do I switch curriculums? I fear he is beginning to really hate math. If I were to switch at this point, can you suggest some different curriculums? I've been interested in Right Start but I know he would probably be in their last year at this point. Saxon? What do you suggest?

 

Thank you.

[ScoutTN]

While you are sorting out the options, find the "relaxed math" thread and let him unstress about math for a bit before you jump in with a new curriculum.

http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/499692-looking-to-do-some-relaxed-math-here-want-to-share-ideas/

 

Edited to add the link. 

Edited January 16, 2018 by ScoutTN

[countrymum]

Did you like Singapore? You could go back to it. What about Rod and staff or Horizons for a basic solid arithmetic base with Beast Academy as an optional extra brain streach? Rod and Staff and Horizons are both pretty easy to teach i think and don't need supplementation. Memoria press uses Rod and Staff and thinks it gives a great base in Arithmetic that allows kids to go on from there in highschool. It would probably be my first recommendation to you. In any of these look at placement tests or samples and don't worry if you go back a bit to get firm footing then move ahead at whatever phase is right. Since he has switched programs you really want to go back as far as necessary and fill any gaps. Math is never hard if you have each hole filled solidly but holes will seriously hinder sometime. In any program remember you can cut unnecessary for your son problems.