Math advice needed for my 6th grader, please!

[Kencam]

Hi!   I need some advice for my dd12.  We are missionaries currently on the field.  My dc have been part of a type of co-op group here for a little over a year.  The group used MUS, but I’ve found my dd12 didn’t do well with it.  She was often confused by the methods and didn’t retain much.  She completed the delta level and the first part of epsilon.  When Coronavirus lockdowns occurred in the country we are serving in, I took over my dc’s schooling.  Our country here is closed for mail delivery, so I can’t order anything from the US right now.  The only math curriculum I have for an upper elementary student is BJU Press 5.  We’ve begun using it to try and fill in gaps she’s missing, but it’s technically a grade lower for her.  We are planning to return to the US in the fall for our furlough (when flights reopen) and can get new materials then.  She began her 6th grade studies in Jan, so we are only 5 months into the year.  My question is-should I order the 6th grade math curriculum when we return home and use it for a few months, then begin 7th in Jan, or should I do the whole year of 6th when we return in the fall and thus have her start 7th halfway through her 7th grade year, or should we just continue the 5th grade math curriculum until Jan, and then begin 7th?  She would essentially skip 6th grade math in that case.  She’s an average math student.  I would appreciate any advice!  Thank you!

[mom31257]

I would never advise skipping an entire level of a math curriculum, especially for an average student. Each curriculum has it's on unique scope and sequence, so by changing curriculum and skipping a grade, you could skip important skills. 

How is she doing with the 5th grade level? 

The least I would do is get the 6th grade level and have her do things like chapter reviews and chapter tests to make sure there is nothing in that level she had not been taught through MUS and BJU 5. 

I think it is much more important to be on the appropriate level of math skills than the grade level the child is in everything else. 

Edited May 19, 2020 by mom31257

[Miss Tick]

Are you able to print? MEP is a great math program that is available for free, but it is assumed you will print it. Although iv suppose you could be clever about using it off a screen. If your dd has struggled with topics in MUS, You might be better off doing placement tests to try to find areas of weekend and work on shoring those up. That effort will serve her well no matter what curriculum you decide to move forward in.

Another program to look at might be Math Mammoth, she has placement tests, but again the curricula is intended to be printed, and I'm not sure how successfully it could be used from a computer screen.

[Ellie]

1 hour ago, Kencam said:

Hi!   I need some advice for my dd12.  We are missionaries currently on the field.  My dc have been part of a type of co-op group here for a little over a year.  The group used MUS, but I’ve found my dd12 didn’t do well with it.  She was often confused by the methods and didn’t retain much.  She completed the delta level and the first part of epsilon.  When Coronavirus lockdowns occurred in the country we are serving in, I took over my dc’s schooling.  Our country here is closed for mail delivery, so I can’t order anything from the US right now.  The only math curriculum I have for an upper elementary student is BJU Press 5.  We’ve begun using it to try and fill in gaps she’s missing, but it’s technically a grade lower for her.  We are planning to return to the US in the fall for our furlough (when flights reopen) and can get new materials then.  She began her 6th grade studies in Jan, so we are only 5 months into the year.  My question is-should I order the 6th grade math curriculum when we return home and use it for a few months, then begin 7th in Jan, or should I do the whole year of 6th when we return in the fall and thus have her start 7th halfway through her 7th grade year, or should we just continue the 5th grade math curriculum until Jan, and then begin 7th?  She would essentially skip 6th grade math in that case.  She’s an average math student.  I would appreciate any advice!  Thank you!

You could have her take the Saxon placement test and then won't have to think about which grade level and for how long. Saxon isn't based on grade levels; it's based on experience levels.

[Kencam]

1 hour ago, mom31257 said:

I would never advise skipping an entire level of a math curriculum, especially for an average student. Each curriculum has it's on unique scope and sequence, so by changing curriculum and skipping a grade, you could skip important skills. 

How is she doing with the 5th grade level? 

The least I would do is get the 6th grade level and have her do things like chapter reviews and chapter tests to make sure there is nothing in that level she had not been taught through MUS and BJU 5. 

I think it is much more important to be on the appropriate level of math skills than the grade level the child is in everything else. 

Ok thanks!  I was thinking along these lines as well.  I didn’t want her to skip anything important that would make math more difficult for her in the future.  She’s just very conscious of the “5” on the cover and has asked several times why she’s doing 5th grade math.  She’s a very anxious child.  But I agree that we should look to make sure she is on the appropriate level, rather than “grade.”  Thanks for the advice!

[Kencam]

50 minutes ago, SusanC said:

Are you able to print? MEP is a great math program that is available for free, but it is assumed you will print it. Although iv suppose you could be clever about using it off a screen. If your dd has struggled with topics in MUS, You might be better off doing placement tests to try to find areas of weekend and work on shoring those up. That effort will serve her well no matter what curriculum you decide to move forward in.

Another program to look at might be Math Mammoth, she has placement tests, but again the curricula is intended to be printed, and I'm not sure how successfully it could be used from a computer screen.

Thanks for the help!  I’ve never looked at MEP or MM.  My experience has been limited to BJU and MUS.  We can print in a shop in town, so I do it that way if we went with either MEP or MM.  I will definitely check it out, though!  Thanks!

[Kencam]

36 minutes ago, OKBud said:

Another vote for both not skipping anything and for using math mammoth. We *have* used it in the past with a tablet and a stylus, but I do far prefer it printed. 

We never have, but plenty of people have used Khan Academy ...if you have reliable internet that may be an option? 

What do you think she had trouble with with MUS, specifically? Maybe some seasoned MUS users can help!

Thanks for the help!  MUS has just never been great for her.  We started with it when she was in K and used alpha as well.  She complained even then that the method confused her and she had a hard time focusing on one basic topic for the year.  She also never liked using the manipulatives.  I don’t think there’s enough review of previously learned topics for her.  We used BJU for third and fourth (and did well), then our little group started for 5th and they decided to use MUS.  Delta focuses on division, and I’m sorry to say, she couldn’t remember how to do division with double digit divisors this year.  She did 3 months of Epsilon (fractions) and was doing fairly well on tests, but wasn’t confident and was getting lost as the lessons continued.   She says she hates MUS and wants something else.  So, we are using the BJU 5 that we had gotten previously when we thought she would be using it for 5th grade.  She doesn’t like that it’s “5th” grade, but I’ve explained that it’s all I have right now and that she will use 6th at home.  But then I didn’t know if we should do all of 5th and 6th before starting 7th.  I will look at MM and see how it is!  Thanks so much!

 

 

[mom31257]

If she is upset about grade levels, how about going through a college remedial math textbook when you get back and can order it?  

The Margaret Lial series is very good at explanations and having plenty of practice. I own this edition of basic college mathematics. A student solutions manual is available with margin exercises, odd answers, and chapter review full answers. 

https://www.amazon.com/Basic-College-Mathematics-Margaret-Lial/dp/0321557123/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=basic+college+mathematics+lial+8th+edition&qid=1589900444&s=books&sr=1-2

 

[73349]

I also vote that Math Mammoth is worth a look, and that you can deface book covers as needed. :) If you wind up printing something, just leave off the cover page; hardcover books can be covered with attractive paper; or for a printed workbook, if the number is too large for a little sticker, a box cutter will take that front cover right off.

[Kencam]

2 hours ago, mom31257 said:

If she is upset about grade levels, how about going through a college remedial math textbook when you get back and can order it?  

The Margaret Lial series is very good at explanations and having plenty of practice. I own this edition of basic college mathematics. A student solutions manual is available with margin exercises, odd answers, and chapter review full answers. 

https://www.amazon.com/Basic-College-Mathematics-Margaret-Lial/dp/0321557123/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=basic+college+mathematics+lial+8th+edition&qid=1589900444&s=books&sr=1-2

 

Great!  Thank you so much!  I will look at this and see if it could work for us!  

[Kencam]

1 hour ago, whitehawk said:

I also vote that Math Mammoth is worth a look, and that you can deface book covers as needed. 🙂 If you wind up printing something, just leave off the cover page; hardcover books can be covered with attractive paper; or for a printed workbook, if the number is too large for a little sticker, a box cutter will take that front cover right off.

Great idea!  I should’ve thought of doing something like that!  Ha!  Thank you!