RightStart

[countrymum]

I have been reading all the RightStart posts. Has anyone used it all through elementary? Did you think it was a strong program? Does it have any holes? What are they?

What did you do for Prealgebra and beyond? I can't see us using a video or web based program like videotext. I like the looks of Jacobs geometry and foerster algebra. How would you bridge rightstart to those highschool programs? 

[HomeAgain]

We are in the middle of E right now, and will do F next year and then G (first edition, not G/H)

Pre-algebra doesn't look like it will be needed.  You can see through the scope and sequence how it spirals around and includes everything a standard pre-algebra program would.  We used first edition D and I thought it was a little weak on expectations vs. explanations.  There was one page where the only way a child going through the program to do the problems would be to do quite a lot of repeated addition, but there wasn't room on the page.  Since we balance RS with Life of Fred, the concept of multiple digit multiplication was already conquered and he didn't have to struggle through the problems the other way.
Which brings me to that.....we bounce back and forth between RS and LoF.  RS introduces, LoF hits the same topic on warp speed.  It is not uncommon to have it introduced in Fred, get lots of practice in Right Start, and then see my son rereading the Fred book again on his own time.

I have Jacobs Geometry on my shelf.  I'm debating on using it as is, or as a tool.  D through G covers quite a bit of the geometry basics.  I love Jacobs, but I can see us using it more like a quicker review in high school because of the fantastic base he's getting now.  I am tempted to pull out Patty Paper Geometry, though, and slow down some of the drawing lessons in RS with hands on work.
The original G recommends starting an algebra program halfway through G and alternating lessons between the two, covering G in two years.  I have MUS Algebra on my shelf, so that is our plan unless he needs something different.  I don't think it'll be a drastic change.

 

So far I haven't found any glaring weaknesses in the program.  I do like the second editions better, I will admit, because I don't have to think about which games to play.  But I will say someone on here recommended Fraction Formula, a hands on game, and it complements the program very well in D and E and is more fun than the fraction tiles.  So there is that. LOL  The one weakness is they should have included Fraction Formula. :D

[mamamoose]

My oldest used D but then she grew beyond what was available so she moved right into Marg mammoth. She went back to G and will start algebra next fall. She’s going into 7th.

My son did B-D and I’m debating E, but he really likes Beast Academy. 

My youngest will start D this fall and will likely finish without RS. She loves it.

[Targhee]

I think it is a great program, and I thought I might use it straight through.  But by the time we were half way through C we had to stop. It was too difficult to accelerate through things already mastered, and it was causing DS to check out.  I use RS principles all the time in teaching arithmetic, but it just wasn't flexible enough for us.  

[mamamoose]

10 hours ago, Targhee said:

I think it is a great program, and I thought I might use it straight through.  But by the time we were half way through C we had to stop. It was too difficult to accelerate through things already mastered, and it was causing DS to check out.  I use RS principles all the time in teaching arithmetic, but it just wasn't flexible enough for us.  

We jumped around a lot in Level C because  He geometry was frustratingly long. But I didn’t find accelerating through mastered topics or skipping lessons altogether to be difficult. 

[Targhee]

3 hours ago, mamamoose said:

We jumped around a lot in Level C because  He geometry was frustratingly long. But I didn’t find accelerating through mastered topics or skipping lessons altogether to be difficult. 

It was difficult because of the entailed review, and the frequent switching of topics. I did not want to have to preview each and every lesson in detail and determine what to keep and what to skip, and how much of what we weren’t skipping to combine for a single single math session.  The program is already teacher intensive, but reworking the lessons added extra prep time  - we just needed to move on. FWIW we went from mid way through RS C to BA 3A in 2nd, which served his individual needs better.  No one program will be all things to all people.

[ScoutTN]

My older child did levels A-E.  F wasn't out yet.  We did skip some things in C. She then did Math Mammoth 5 and 6. Smooth transition. She is now doing well in the Dolciani PreA book with an online provider.

My younger one did A and B, but RS is not a great fit for him. He needs much, much more practice than RS gives. 

 

[ealp2009]

We have done RS B-E.  We are starting F soon but taking a little break and doing some Beast before really getting into it.   Before starting RS B,  we tried Singapore and math mammoth and MEP.     The geometric drawing is a challenge for my kid but we have worked around or skipped a bit when it got to be too much.   We do Beast a year behind as a fun supplement and review and a chance to practice doing some independent work.  

[countrymum]

This is very useful. Any other thoughts.

[Kiara.I]

We're about two thirds of the way through F. I think it's very strong, we're doing some things 2-3 years ahead of local outcomes.

We haven't made the transition to pre-algebra yet, as that will happen partway through G (or perhaps after the 2nd edition G, as they're splitting it up.) We're considering AOPS. I'm still trying to figure out what pre-algebra IS, isn't that the arithmetic we've been doing all along?

[Micron4]

My dd12 has used RS from kindergarten to 6th grade. We are currently in level F. I’m not sure if there are any “holes”—maybe more word problems? Since 2nd edition is aligned with common core, I’m assuming there would be less gaps. We’ve used 1st edition up until this year with level f.

I do think this is a strong program that helps the student understand the whys behind algorithms. For example, when learning the area of a triangle, the lesson goes through cutting rectangles in half (into triangles) so you can see why the formula for the area of a triangle makes sense. So you’re not just memorizing the formula, you understand why it has to be so. My dd12 is more language arts oriented and doesn’t love math, but I have to admit she’s pretty good at it. Case in point, today she completed the wrong worksheet in RSF for a lesson I hadn’t taught her yet, and she was able to figure out a rather challenging set of problems on her own. I taught college algebra/calculus for several years, and most of my students wouldn’t have even tried. Having a conceptual math background gives good “spidey instincts” that are harder to acquire later. Just my two cents.

 

For the next few years I am thinking Jousting Armadillos, then Jacobs Algebra/Geometry, then on to Foerster. This is all subject to change, though. For a more mathy kid I would definitely look at Aops or Singapore middle school. Videotext is still on the table for us though, just not my preferred method.

 

 

[countrymum]

Thanks so much. Any 1st vs 2nd edition reviews? Which do you think is better to use all the way up, why?

[Targhee]

15 minutes ago, countrymum said:

Thanks so much. Any 1st vs 2nd edition reviews? Which do you think is better to use all the way up, why?

 

[countrymum]

Does anyone's opion change if your using it all the way up vs just through B? Particularly, domestic engineer does your opinion change?

If I supplemented at all, I would probably only add in some word problems and drill from strayer Upton or another vintage text.

[nixpix5]

2 hours ago, Targhee said:

 

We have 1st edition through E on the shelf from a used lot I got a couple years back. We started with 1st edition and I thought it was great but then through luck got 2nd edition B and C. No contest, 2nd edition is so much better and it has more content than 1st edition. It is streamlined better, assigns specific games and feels more logically laid out. Once I did 2nd I could not go back to 1st. We are starting D in the fall and have done side by side comparisons of 1st and 2nd from A-D. I have not seen 2nd edition E though.

[domestic_engineer]

6 hours ago, countrymum said:

Does anyone's opion change if your using it all the way up vs just through B? Particularly, domestic engineer does your opinion change?

If I supplemented at all, I would probably only add in some word problems and drill from strayer Upton or another vintage text.

I don't think I can answer your question because I really can't remember where the levels start/stop in their flow of information.  Multiple editions, multiple levels, multiple kids and lack of sleep combine to make me no use to you. ?

I don't know that you need to worry about a respected program with a long track record having holes in their elementary curriculum.  Their goal is to get the children to a certain, pretty well-defined point in their mathematical education .... that is ready to enter a pre-algebra program.  If a program had any glaring holes, say never covered decimals, then they wouldn't survive the test of time.  Now they might have weaknesses, but not holes.

Weaknesses ....actually that reminds me that one of the big criticisms of 1st edition was that it was weak on fractions.  Hence they came out with a Fractions kit.  And I think that material got rolled into the 2nd edition and level F.  SO if you go with RS1 all though elementary, you might add 2nd edition level F (or the Fractions book or a devoted time frame to work through the fraction section of the games book) to your sequence before starting G and/or pre-Algebra.  

[dovrar]

On 4/29/2018 at 2:37 PM, HomeAgain said:

We are in the middle of E right now, and will do F next year and then G (first edition, not G/H)

Pre-algebra doesn't look like it will be needed.  You can see through the scope and sequence how it spirals around and includes everything a standard pre-algebra program would.  We used first edition D and I thought it was a little weak on expectations vs. explanations.  There was one page where the only way a child going through the program to do the problems would be to do quite a lot of repeated addition, but there wasn't room on the page.  Since we balance RS with Life of Fred, the concept of multiple digit multiplication was already conquered and he didn't have to struggle through the problems the other way.
Which brings me to that.....we bounce back and forth between RS and LoF.  RS introduces, LoF hits the same topic on warp speed.  It is not uncommon to have it introduced in Fred, get lots of practice in Right Start, and then see my son rereading the Fred book again on his own time.

I have Jacobs Geometry on my shelf.  I'm debating on using it as is, or as a tool.  D through G covers quite a bit of the geometry basics.  I love Jacobs, but I can see us using it more like a quicker review in high school because of the fantastic base he's getting now.  I am tempted to pull out Patty Paper Geometry, though, and slow down some of the drawing lessons in RS with hands on work.
The original G recommends starting an algebra program halfway through G and alternating lessons between the two, covering G in two years.  I have MUS Algebra on my shelf, so that is our plan unless he needs something different.  I don't think it'll be a drastic change.

 

So far I haven't found any glaring weaknesses in the program.  I do like the second editions better, I will admit, because I don't have to think about which games to play.  But I will say someone on here recommended Fraction Formula, a hands on game, and it complements the program very well in D and E and is more fun than the fraction tiles.  So there is that. LOL  The one weakness is they should have included Fraction Formula. 😄

Just wondering why you're choosing to use the 1st edition of G. Is that simply what you have on hand, or do you prefer it to the newer edition?

[ScoutTN]

Zombie thread!

[HomeAgain]

6 hours ago, dovrar said:

Just wondering why you're choosing to use the 1st edition of G. Is that simply what you have on hand, or do you prefer it to the newer edition?

I don't mind answering this.

I had decided on it because the newer edition was more of a combined volume, I think, and I had a younger student.  I was trying to plan out long term and meet his needs while he was growing.

What did end up happening was that he raged through a part of E, and F wasn't a good fit.  There are a lot of reasons, and some are definitely just my kid -like his fine motor skills and perfectionism made the last part (the drawing) of each level a pain, and he was zooming through the actual math so it got expensive quick. We never made it to G.  We jumped to book 1 of Gattegno's Mathematics In Color program, learning how to work with cuisenaire rods.  It didn't matter how fast or slow he went because every lesson was able to be redone if he needed review, and every lesson required more thinking than Right Start did.  He's 12 now and moved on to a more standard algebra program at the beginning of this year, so I'm glad we left Right Start.  It wouldn't have met his long term needs.