If you had to start all over again with math . . .

[smg0918]

what program would you choose? My kids have not managed to master anything in math beyond basic addition and subtraction. They can do higher level math, but it takes them longer than it should and I still sometimes see them counting on their fingers. So I want to backtrack and find a program that works toward mastery before moving on to the next thing. I have Right Start level C (we're working through the transition lessons currently) but I'm having a hard time teaching some of the concepts (like mental math) and don't know whether this curriculum is going to work for us over the long haul. Would Math-U-See be a better bet since both the kids and I will have the benefit of the DVD to actually see how to do the problems? Or would Saxon be better?

 

I want a really solid program that will allow us to get the basics down relatively quickly and then move on so that I can hopefully get them up to grade level by the end of fourth grade. My kids do not mind worksheets, and truth be told I actually prefer them because I can see how well they're learning and retaining the information.

 

Thank you! (And sorry for asking so many questions -- I'm really kicking myself for some bad curriculum decisions over the past six months.)

[Capt_Uhura]

If I had to start all over again, I'd do Rightstart all over again. My son did half of RS A, all of RS B, C, and is finishing up D and will move onto E. My 2nd son has done RS A and is finishing up RS B. There math intuitiveness is amazing. RS C has a lot of worksheets and RS D even more so! I think if you work through transitions and play the games, your kids will be in a good shape in short order. Of course, no one curriculum works for everyone so perhaps RS isn't your cup of tea or theres. RS is very conceptual etc and some prefer a program more like Saxon.

[Carol in Cal.]

I did Saxon 1 and part of 2, and then switched to the CA Harcourt series because I thought it was better. I took my dd from someone who was proficient at math and tolerated it to someone who hated it so much that she wrote poetry and essays about that, and felt that she was incapable of learning it.

 

We had to go back to Saxon with my tail between my legs. It's working, but she would be much further along if we had stayed with it. She is on grade level and proficient, but she could have been ahead; and I will have to face a tough decision next year of whether to put her into Saxon Algebra 1 or 1/2, which if we had continued would not have been an issue because she would have done 1/2 this year after finishing 87 last year.

 

One thing I did right was to add quartermile math for mastery of math facts and for practice. That has been much better for DD than the Saxon drill, because she actually enjoys it a bit. I highly recommend that program.

[ElizabethB]

We're struggling with math ourselves, it takes forever to get those math facts into the brain.

 

Can you post or send me a message with what didn't work and why? I'd love to know.

 

Here are some free resources you could try, look over them and print out a page or two of each and see how they work for you:

 

http://www.donpotter.net/math.htm

 

http://books.google.com/books?id=L64XAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA106&dq=phonics+charts&as_brr=1#PPP5,M1

[sweetTN]

We started with Horizons Math and have been more than pleased with it. Our dd had been told in school by her teachers that "It's OK, math is just a struggle for you.", "Don't worry. Not everyone is good at math." We pulled her out to homeschool in the 3rd grade. Horizons Math does move at a faster pace, but dd does well with the worksheet type curriculum and her self confidence in her ability has sky rocketed.

[Karen in CO]

I actually have that chance, sort of.

 

I started homeschooling my son in middle school, so I made all kinds of mistakes with upper-level math. I know what I will do when I get to do that over again.

 

I also made all kinds of mistakes with my middle child with beginning math. She thinks about math in a very different way than I do and it was hard finding a way that I was comfortable teaching that she could still learn.

 

My son helped tremendously in getting my daughter over her math problem, because he had some distance from our issues.

 

 

 

 

The plan that the three of us came up with for the youngest is as follows:

 

• RS A for early math understanding
  
• Singapore Intensive Practice to provide thinking problems and word problems as she progresses through math, once she is ready for 1A level work.
  
• Math Mammoth for a variety of worksheets to cement facts. We like the variety of problems and focus of this program.
  

Once Double-digit addition and subtraction is mastered, move into Singapore at 3A level keeping Math Mammoth if we need additional worksheets for reinforcement in any concept or a different approach in any concept. AND we will keep the Intensive practice at a half level behind the main Singapore level for reinforcement.

[elegantlion]

We used Abeka for the first three years of schooling (1st - 3rd). If I could do it over, I would have started with Singapore. My ds works best with a mastery approach and fewer problems per assignment. We switched to it last year and it has made a distinct difference for us.

[Lolly]

I would use R&S for 3 of my dc. The other one, I would use MUS.

[angela&4boys]

For our family, it's Math U See.

 

Our middle guys are finally mastering concepts. We had tears with the traditional approach and our 11yo (especially) dreaded math. He is no longer intimidated. Just this past week, he commented about how fast he is at long division! Music to a mama's ears. :hurray:

 

I should note that I placed them about halfway through their respective levels after looking through the scope and sequence and administering the competency exams.

Edited November 23, 2008 by angela&4boys
placement comment

[Trivium Academy]

If I could start all over again, I'd learn how to use manipulatives and use real life applications more. I would have chosen a program that used hands-on manipulatives regularly and provided teacher helps for mental math. What program? I'm not sure.

 

We're on a break right now and have Math on the Level which I love in theory, I have to test it out for us the week after next to know for sure if it's the right program.

 

We've looked at Math-U-See, dd8 didn't like it. I'm not comfortable with Right Start Math or using an abacus although I know that if I committed to doing it, RS might work for us. Moving With Math looks interesting to me but others have said it moves slow although I'm not sure that's a bad thing.

 

I chose Horizons b/c it was spiral and my dd8 used Saxon 1 in public school K- which I wasn't all that impressed with. Horizons just isn't a good fit for us, and I wish I would have switched in first grade when I realized all the drill was making math cumbersome for us- I just wasn't confident enough at the time.

[smg0918]

Can you post or send me a message with what didn't work and why? I'd love to know.

 

We did Calvert Math in first and second grade and both kids did very well with it. We found Calvert to be very dry overall, however, so in third grade I went with a packaged curriculum from Curriculum Services, and the math they included was a workbook from Houghton-Mifflin. It was a spiral approach and moved way too quickly for my kids to grasp anything and, as a result, they really fell behind.

 

I went to a homeschool conference in May and fell in love with the idea of Right Start Math. We've been working through the transition lessons slowly, however, I really don't think it's going to work for us in the long run. They still don't seem to be mastering ANYTHING and I really think we need to find something else.

 

Right now I'm leaning toward either MUS or Saxon. My kids need drillwork and I need better guidance as to *how* to teach the concepts.

[Tina in WA]

I would look more closely at Living Math.

 

I am going to apply some of the theory to our homeschooling anyways, but it sure would be neat to start at K (or earlier) and used living math. :)

[PollyOR]

Rod & Staff.

 

Of course, I've only had experience with a few math programs (Saxon K-54, a smidgen of Singapore and MUS, and Rod & Staff 3-8). With Rod & Staff, math facts are constantly being drilled and a big portion of each lesson is review of previously learned material.

 

Sample pages.

[Tree House Academy]

Singapore with both kids from day 1. No question about it.

 

How to teach the concept comes with time. I was afraid I couldn't teach it too (math was never my favorite subject), but I am learning at the same time as my oldest and it is going really well. It sounds like what you need to do is really go backwards with them. My 4th grader had to go back to 3A and 3B Singapore because that is the level he was on. My youngest finished Calvert K math and still had to go back and start with Singapore EB Level B math to get to where he needed to be to start 1A.

Edited November 23, 2008 by Tree House Academy

[rafiki]

.

[LadyAberlin]

Well we have tried Singapore, rightstart, and developmental math and we have disliked all of those. We loved MUS Primer and we will be starting Alpha soon. I also have him going through Horizons K and he seems to like that. I just got in Moving with Math's prek/k program yesterday and it looks like the math program I always dreamed of. I actually got it for my son who turns 3 in Sept for next yr, but the program is for 3-6 yr olds and now I'm thinking we may start in themiddle of it with my 5 yr old. There are manipulatives, games, worksheets and each lesson starts by reading a picturebook that they then tell you how to pull math concepts out of. It looks really good. I was kicking myself for not going with it from the beginning, but it was expensive and not a lot of people use it. I found it used for a good price so I decided to go ahead and purchase it. I was really worried because I put so much money into Rightstart level A only to cause math to be a tearful experience for us. I can't wait to get started. So now I have to decide about what to do with our math u see. We may try doing them both for a while and see what seems to work the best. I also plan to do math in the summers using Singapore challenging word problems and Miquon. I love math, can't you tell?

[Willow]

We HAVE started all over again...in 6th grade. My ds was in pre-algebra, (teaching textbooks) could do all the concepts fine but it took ages and he got a lot wrong simply because he did not know the basics. (Not his fault, we moved a lot and he did 7 school in 2 hemispheres before the age of 8, when we started HS )

 

So we actually went back to MUS Alpha. We got the teachers materials ONLY for Alpha and Beta (spent a month on each) then the full lot for gamma. This took a lot longer as he simply did not know his tables, but once he had them he was away. He romped through delta (benefit of knowing those tables), but slowed down at the end with those HUGE divisions...we didn't do them all, just one or two so I knew he knew them. Now we are getting through Epsilon, less than 6 months after re-starting math from the beginining. I have ordered zeta, and expect to start that somewhere between Christmas and Easter, (when he will be grade 7) and hope to get to Pre-Algebra MUS before the end of that year. then we will start Algebra sometime during his 8th grade year.

 

However I have learnt from MUS...It takes as long as it takes! I have no intention of doing this again, so I am getting it right this time. I explained to ds what we were doing and why. He aggreed and has been generally suportive...which helped no end back in alpha!

 

HTH

 

Willow.

 

By the way....you get 7 pages of exercises for each lesson....3 practice 3 review and a test. We did not do them all....many lessons he tested right out of, after proving he could teach the lesson back to me. You will really slow your kid down if you do all the pages when working remedially!

[Kimber]

We're using Shiller Math because this is a child that needs to move. He literally bounces off the furniture. He is doing great with it. And his retention and understanding is better than I had hoped for.

 

But I have two older children, 10.5 and 9, and I've tried lots of different math programs. When they became bored, or I, we switched. I don't think it hurt us. I believe this may go against popular opinion, but I don't think the secret to teaching math is in the curriculum or sticking with one method. I think children learn math best when they live it day-to-day. My dh and I both enjoy math, so it's easy to work into our lives.

 

One way I do it with my children at around 3 or so is to let them watch movies about math--telling time, counting, subtraction, addition, multiplication, and even fractions. The movies are not part of school; they're just for fun. The movies also make the terminology and processes familiar to them, even if they won't be required to formally learn the concept for a year or two.

 

I believe that making math less foreign is a big part of making children comfortable.

 

For my older two, we have used Abeka, Singapore, Spectrum, Horizon, and now Life of Fred for one. And we used math u see just to watch the videos so they could see someone else teach math to them. We also subscribed to Destination math for a while for supplemental work on concepts.

 

After all of this, my suggestion is that you start with Singapore as far back as you have to and work them through the program until you get where you want to be. The program is cheap and thorough and will catch them up on mental math. In addition to that, I would add timed math drills with the solutions in front of your students. My son and daughter loved doing this. They had a table of all the math facts that they were allowed to look at, but they wanted to beat their own times, and soon learned that they could go faster if they just wrote down the answers from memory. They absolutely loved doing the drill just so they wouldn't have to use the table I gave them.

 

I think you will have great success with RS C, but it sounds as if your children may not be ready for it. If they are, then my suggestions may not be appropriate; however, if it's too much, then Singapore will do the trick quickly. And you'll know if they got the mental math right, if the answers are right.

 

Btw, A Beka is my least favorite of the programs we used. I started my daughter on it in first grade. When we swtiched, I had to remediate her with Singapore. We did Singapore, then Spectrum, then Singapore, and then Fred. She's stuck in Fred Decimals, so we're back to Spectrum for practice, then it's back to Fred.

 

Reading over this, it sounds absolutely crazy, but I kept switching because I hadn't done my homework and didn't have a plan. Now that I have a plan, things are sooooo much better.

Edited November 23, 2008 by Kimber

[Guest]

TouchMath for K-4. or R&S 1-3.

[mamaof2andtwins]

If I could do it over from the beginning, I would use Christian Light Education (CLE) math for everyone.

[Closeacademy]

I would take it slow and use Math on The Level or Noble Knight of Knowledge to introduce topics and use Singapore for seatwork to reinforce skills.

 

I wouldn't push though but work at something until it is an owned concept before moving onto the next thing. That is what I am doing with my youngest.:001_smile:

[MIch elle]

:iagree:

 

R&S math was fine but CLE math is better.

[Aurelia]

If I could start completely from scratch, I would start with Right Start. We tried several other programs before it with terrible results. Mine is a child who hates worksheets, and learns things visually, so this has by far been the best fit for her. Prior to RS we tried Rod & Staff, Math Mammoth, Calvert, Spectrum and Time4Learning (I think that's all...). You'd think I'd have gotten the hint after just 1 or 2 failures. :blushing:

[Sunshine State Sue]

I didn't see any suggestions from anyone to check your children's learning styles. Cathy Duffy's books do a great job of helping you to determine your child's learning style. She then says which programs are better/worse for the different learning styles.

 

MUS is good because it is multi-sensory, so many children do well with it.

 

My learning style is Perfect Paula. I loved doing tedious math worksheets for fun on vacation when I was a child. Saxon would have worked great for me.

 

OTOH, ds is a Wiggly Willy. Saxon would have been torture for him. MUS works well.

 

There are several programs that get good reviews:

Singapore

Right Start

Math-U-See

 

I chose MUS and have used it for K through Algebra. I did not know about Singapore many moons ago when we started and Right Start had not been published yet. If you have a desire, you may read my gory detail review here.

[Pam L in Mid Tenn]

Different kids are so different. :)

Different families are so different.:)

You have to find what you like, what your family's style, tastes, strengths, and weakness are.

 

If I had to do it over again... I'd use MUS through Zeta at least. Then TT 7 and TT Pre Algebra. Then choose high school math based on each child.

[prairiegirl]

In answer to your subject line, I do get to do math over again with my K'er. I am not going to use a formal program with her until she is at least in Gr. 2. We will be using more of a living math approach. This is my third time doing this so I have more confidence in doing math this way. I will be using RS as a guide to know what concepts to teach and how to teach them. If I was doing math over again with my two oldest, I would still use RS as I have no regrets using this curriculum.

 

This doesn't help your situation, though. I agree with the other posters who said that you need to look at your childrens learning styles. Look at whether they do better with hands on vs. worksheets, mastery or spiral, etc. in making your decision.

[Shelly in IL]

We started with ABeka ; went through 5th grade, started Lial's Basic College math in 6th/finishing in early 7th/ now we are moving on to Lial's Intoductory Alg.

 

Doing it all over again with ds 3rd, and still happy.

[angela in ohio]

I get to "start over" with my youngest guy, and I am going BJU until Algebra. I wish I had used it all the way through with my girls. I ahve tried everyhing out there, and it is the best, imho.

[HSMom2One]

For our family, it's Math U See.

 

Our middle guys are finally mastering concepts. We had tears with the traditional approach and our 11yo (especially) dreaded math. He is no longer intimidated. Just this past week, he commented about how fast he is at long division! Music to a mama's ears. :hurray:

 

I should note that I placed them about halfway through their respective levels after looking through the scope and sequence and administering the competency exams.

 

:iagree:

 

I agree with this poster. We used Saxon last year and it was not a good fit for dd. In fact, I think it was a wasted year. Thankfully, we switched to MUS in August to do some catching up, and it has made a huge difference. We moved through the Gamma level in three months and are now starting the next level, which is Delta. DD went from hating math to loving it and understanding concepts much more quickly. She loves the DVD instruction. We also supplement with Calculadder drills, which are great too. (This combination of math studies is what is used at the classical private school where I teach art and was highly recommended by elementary teachers there.)

 

Blessings,

Lucinda

[buddhabelly]

We would do exactly the same thing: RS "B" provides an amazing foundation in mathematics. My child feels so comfortable with numbers, what they represent and how to manipulate them. Now that we are partway through "E" (fourth grade), he also feels comfortable with fractions, percents (and how they relate to fractions), multi-digit multiplication, measuring area and the geometry of isosceles, scalene, and equilateral triangles.

 

I feel so fortunate that we found this curriculum at a curriculum fair right at the beginning of our homeschooling adventure. It would not be easy to pick it up "in the middle," but please give it a chance.

 

Perhaps you have gone too far in the transition lessons. Where are you supposed to stop and go to "C"? Don't worry that they are not retaining the transition lessons; they are not meant to teach math so much as they are meant to familiarize the parent and teacher with the Right Start method of learning. And don't worry, parent, all the levels are scripted so you don't have to worry about how to teach something! If you have a question about any of the lessons or games, the Right Start website is terrific and they are very quick to respond.

 

Julie

[Melanie]

If I could start over, I'd do it the same way. (We started with Saxon 5/4 after the memorization of math facts using Math-It.) Our math journey has not been without its bumps in the road, but every time I think we are having a problem with Saxon, it turns out to be nothing but a discipline issue. For instance, I posted a while back that my son was having trouble with Algebra 1 and I wished I had put him in Algebra 1/2 instead, but it seems that all he needed was a little reminder of just who's in charge around here.

 

That's just us, though! ;)

[Cornerstone Classical]

I have used Saxon 1-3 and I would do it all over again! I switched and used Horizons for about 2 weeks before going back to Saxon. I bought the box of manipulatives, and drill cards and everything that goes with the program. I have used EVERYTHING as the teacher book instructs (I did not use the math meeting book in 2 and 3 but I did use it in 1) and my dc are VERY strong in math. I would say doing the manipulatives exactly how they are prescribed is what makes it "meaningful" and "fun". Not to mention for mom, open and go, and totally scripted!

[Narrow Gate Academy]

If I had it to do all over again, we'd do the exact same thing with math. A Singapore math and Miquon combo for K-3, switching to just Singapore for 4th. Throw in the Big Book of Time and Money and some math drill, and I feel like my kids are doing very well with math concepts, mental math, computation, and problem solving. As a matter of fact, I'll be starting my 3rd time through the sequence with our oldest DS next year for K.

[fractalgal]

what program would you choose? My kids have not managed to master anything in math beyond basic addition and subtraction. They can do higher level math, but it takes them longer than it should and I still sometimes see them counting on their fingers. So I want to backtrack and find a program that works toward mastery before moving on to the next thing. I have Right Start level C (we're working through the transition lessons currently) but I'm having a hard time teaching some of the concepts (like mental math) and don't know whether this curriculum is going to work for us over the long haul. Would Math-U-See be a better bet since both the kids and I will have the benefit of the DVD to actually see how to do the problems? Or would Saxon be better?

 

I want a really solid program that will allow us to get the basics down relatively quickly and then move on so that I can hopefully get them up to grade level by the end of fourth grade. My kids do not mind worksheets, and truth be told I actually prefer them because I can see how well they're learning and retaining the information.

 

Thank you! (And sorry for asking so many questions -- I'm really kicking myself for some bad curriculum decisions over the past six months.)

 

I can share with you what I have used. I combined Saxon with Singapore for lower level elementary. I think this combination builds a very strong base.

 

I also have my daughter fill in a blank 12X12 multiplication table once per week in place of a drill/timing session. I recommend this as well.

 

My oldest is 8, so I haven't reviewed anything beyond the 6th grade level, but I am in the process of doing so.

[smg0918]

Perhaps you have gone too far in the transition lessons. Where are you supposed to stop and go to "C"? Don't worry that they are not retaining the transition lessons; they are not meant to teach math so much as they are meant to familiarize the parent and teacher with the Right Start method of learning. And don't worry, parent, all the levels are scripted so you don't have to worry about how to teach something! If you have a question about any of the lessons or games, the Right Start website is terrific and they are very quick to respond.

 

Julie

 

It never even occurred to me that I wasn't supposed to finish all of the transition lessons before starting on C. You might be on to something there! I haven't even cracked open any of the C materials yet because I just assumed I had to get through all the transition lessons first. I'm going to spend some time going through my materials for C tonight and maybe we'll just jump right into it tomorrow.

 

Thank you!

[Ummto4]

Knowing what i know now, I would buy:

 

1. Math On The Level.

2. Math Mammoth worksheet to cement manipulative work from Math on the level (MM is pictorial --> abstract, logical and uses S-pore strategy and mastery).

3. Abacus and game activity from Activities of Learning (the maker of Right Start). To this end, what we would buy is: 2 abacus, Manual for alabacus (a book, available at RR), RS place value card and fraction chart, RS math card games book, RS cards, and counters (1 inch tiles).

 

What I've bought though are:

1. Math on The level.

2. Math Mammoth.

3. RS A-E. I should have only bought the alabacus method + RS games book + manipulatives. Although I like the method, RS is v. scripted with prescribed lesson plan and it chokes me (KWIM ?).

 

In short, I like to have products which teach me how to teach, but I don't want it to be too scripted (you know, with daily lesson plan). MOTL is great because it teaches me to teach and give me a list of concepts with scope and sequence example to be taught from K-prealgebra. IT's so freeing to be able to pick and choose what concept I'd like my dc to master, taking into account their maturity. IT's difficult to do that with RS.

 

Hence, if you want flexibility with RS method, I suggest you to invest on the alabacus book, manipulative and games for drilling the math fact.

[pjssully]

:chillpill:My 9 year old daughter would probably like to do the games in right start:iagree:. Singapore didn't explain it well enough when there was a new subject. Saxon had really long lessons and it just didn't fit her style of learning.

daughter megan and pam

:party:

[SnowWhite]

Like a previous poster wrote, I do get to start over, next year, with a new K student.

 

We will do BJU math from the beginning this time. This is the first time my ds and I have both been happy and comfortable with a math program, and it's really giving ds a strong foundation- finally.

[Jumping In Puddles]

Knowing what i know now, I would buy:

 

1. Math On The Level.

2. Math Mammoth worksheet to cement manipulative work from Math on the level (MM is pictorial --> abstract, logical and uses S-pore strategy and mastery).

3. Abacus and game activity from Activities of Learning (the maker of Right Start). To this end, what we would buy is: 2 abacus, Manual for alabacus (a book, available at RR), RS place value card and fraction chart, RS math card games book, RS cards, and counters (1 inch tiles).

 

What I've bought though are:

1. Math on The level.

2. Math Mammoth.

3. RS A-E. I should have only bought the alabacus method + RS games book + manipulatives. Although I like the method, RS is v. scripted with prescribed lesson plan and it chokes me (KWIM ?).

 

In short, I like to have products which teach me how to teach, but I don't want it to be too scripted (you know, with daily lesson plan). MOTL is great because it teaches me to teach and give me a list of concepts with scope and sequence example to be taught from K-prealgebra. IT's so freeing to be able to pick and choose what concept I'd like my dc to master, taking into account their maturity. IT's difficult to do that with RS.

 

Hence, if you want flexibility with RS method, I suggest you to invest on the alabacus book, manipulative and games for drilling the math fact.

 

Interesting. Would you say that RightStart and MOTL have similar content and similar results - but one is just scripted with daily lessons?

 

I am pretty happy with RightStart A for my Kindergartner but I've been reading a lot about MOTL lately and I'm just curious. :)

[Ellie]

I would probably have followed the recommendations in this article, which is to say no formal arithmetic until 3rd grade (or later). After that...I'm not sure. Saxon, or Rod and Staff, probably. Maybe Strayer Upton.

[sweetbaby]

I didn't see any suggestions from anyone to check your children's learning styles. Cathy Duffy's books do a great job of helping you to determine your child's learning style. She then says which programs are better/worse for the different learning styles.

 

MUS is good because it is multi-sensory, so many children do well with it.

 

 

 

:iagree:MUS will fit all of our learning styles just perfectly. I have two Wiggly Willies, one Competent Carl and one Perfect Paul. Perfect Paul currently uses MUS but I wish I had started my younger sons with it in the beginning. We are using R&S with living math ideas incorporated but dh really wants to change to MUS so we will see.

[ajjkt]

We use Math U See. We only started in August when I pulled my grade 1 DS and kinder dd out of ps. We started in alpha and dd is now half-way through. DS is now 1/3 through gamma. I am very happy with not only their progress, but also their understanding and confidence.

 

We have recently discovered a website called http://www.mathletics.com.au . This website has had my kids begging for more. It works well for those kids who are very competitive with themselves. My ds in particular constantly wants to play to improve his record and to score over 90% in every topic and sub-section so that he can be placed into the next grade level.

[JenniferB]

I have an opportunity to start all over with my 4 & 5 yr. olds, and I've been re-thinking the basic three R's. I've recently purchased and started using SWR for spelling, writing, and reading. Now, I'm rethinking Math too. My highest priority is a good, strong, rock solid foundation in the language of math. I think I can only achieve this with a good curriculum (since I don't have the knowledge to impart that strong foundation), and 5 day per week me-directed lessons. With my oldest I have used Math-U-See, and we are currently using Rod & Staff. I switched to Rod & Staff this year because it is so rigorous, and I felt it would help to strengthen her math foundation. She's at grade level, but I know her foundation could be so much stronger right now. My problem with Math-U-See is that the DVD/Videos, and teacher's manuals were not informative enough for me to direct lessons. As a result, and because of my lack of ability to teach math naturally, we just watched the videos together, and she did the problems on her worksheets. This didn't impart the strong foundation I desire. So, that's why I'm looking elsewhere. I've recently read up on Rightstart, and I think that is what I want to try next. I like the variety of manipulatives, emphasis on visualization and mental math, and the scripted lessons.

 

LadyAberlin, I noticed that Rightstart didn't work for you...

 

I was really worried because I put so much money into Rightstart level A only to cause math to be a tearful experience for us.

 

Are you looking to sell your Level A? :D I really want to try this program, but I'm hesitating to spend the money on new materials.

[Vanna]

Dreaming is fun so if could do it all over again I would:

 

Start each child w/ Shiller Math Kit 1 (only youngest 2 dc got to do it) and then switch everybody to MUS Gamma or Teaching Textbooks in 3rd grade.:D

[siloam]

My ideal is RS math and Singapore. I use RS only through 1st, then in 2nd introduce Singapore 1a. I am very happy with my oldest dd's math skills, and she is not a math person. Even she feels likes she is good at math, and you can't ask for better than that. :D

 

Heather

[RootAnn]

I definitely agree with the PP who said to check your kid's learning styles *and* your teaching style. As you can see with the variety of answers, not every program works for every family. Sometimes, each child would benefit from a different approach/curriculum!

 

My HSing neighbor thought MUS would be the program for her and her oldest. She found used Saxon materials for a great deal, though, so used those instead. She realized after a year of struggle that it wasn't such a "great deal" afterall and is now *much* happier with MUS. She's kicking herself for not following her instincts.

 

I hope you read all the posts and pick out what type of things sound "good" for you & your family.

 

For us, I get to "start over" with each kid. While child #2's K has been more structured for math than #1, it is because of their learning styles and preferences. My #1 is a very hands-on, pencil-phobic Wiggly Willy- type. My #2 is a Social Sue and LOVES to color and write. So, where I went with manipulatives and playing with money in K for #1, I went for workbooks for #2.

 

I will continue with A Beka for both as it has worked fine for us. (Funny how things differ for different people. I read the PP saying she switched from A Beka 1 to Singapore and her child needed to remediate in Singapore 1B before being able to start 2A. I bought DD the student workbooks for Singapore 1A & 1B for "review" this summer to keep her skills up. She thought it was mostly easy and she would have been able to go right into 2A if we went in that direction, I'm sure. Different programs work differently for different kids/parents!)

[riada]

CLE Math here

[ThriceBlessed]

If I could do it over from the beginning, I would use Christian Light Education (CLE) math for everyone.

 

:iagree:

I have used Singapore, Rod and Staff, Scott Foresman and Horizons with my ds. Although he did well with Horizons, the color and pace made math a nightmare (even though he continued to ace the tests). I finally found CLE and will stay with it. My dd is using the 100 level and is doing very well. I read once that someone said CLE was like Saxon on steriods and a "marraige" of Saxon/Horizons, I would have to concur.

 

Good Luck,

[Peela]

I would use Singapore Maths, slowly, taking time to make sure everything is understood, doing some drills alongside. I would play more math games.

I tried to rush it with my younger and it backfired, but I still think its the best program I have seen.

[Annabel Lee]

I've only ever had experience with Horizons, Abeka, Saxon, ACE Paces (when I was a kid), and Everyday Math (when older ds was in ps). If I had it all to do over again, I'd look into more math programs (although I thought I had researched my choices carefully!).

 

What I'd do differently:

I'd start Horizons K when my sons were 4. They were ready and eager. Then for K, I'd let them do Abeka 1 and continue w/ Abeka from there. This is based only on the programs I've seen/used.

 

I've never used Horizons completely alone. I always use hands-on manipulatives, games, etc. in addition to it. I like that the lessons aren't scripted and that I can just go through and teach or review each concept using whatever we please - be it worksheets, flashcards, manipulatives, or what we like to call "football math":D. I like the structure and support that the TM's in Abeka and Saxon give the teacher. I don't desire scripted lessons, but seeing how to teach or explain things would be helpful sometimes, esp. as we get into beginning Algebraic equations. For that reason, I'm glad Horizons only goes to 6th grade. I would have to re-take math a level or 2 ahead of my dc teach them higher level math Horizons-style.

 

I'm almost afraid to look at more math programs. I just had it in my mind that I wouldn't look and we wouldn't switch just b/c I thought something was better. The grass is always greener on the other side, kwim? CLE sounds intruiging to me. Saxon was too long and drawn out for us. But if CLE is like Saxon "on steriods" that might just work. I've found myself lamenting that I didn't choose Abeka for 2nd grade w/ my older son this year. Less problems per page than Horizons, and he'd learn division by the end of the year. I've heard that Abeka can get really hard by 4th - 5th grade though. Thoughts, anyone?