Switching from MUS to Singapore or Beast Academy

[AllTheLegos]

My son is 9 and going into 4th grade.  He's completed Alpha, Beta, and Gamma from Math u See, but it's a battle almost every day.  He's good at math, so it frustrates me to hear him say he hates it.  In some ways, I think MUS is dull and too mastery focused.  After doing multiplication every day for year, I can see why he's bored.  I think he would enjoy a curriculum that switches up the topics more regularly, while still making sure there's mastery of each skill.  I also think he could use some more challenge.  The two curriculums I'm considering are Singapore and Beast Academy.  Besides my ongoing internal battle over which one to choose, I'm also just concerned about switching into something so different.  Because of the order that MUS teaches, my son might need to start way back at level 2b of Singapore to pick up certain skills.  I'm worried this will put him behind, or that it will be a difficult transition.  Has anyone switched away from MUS into something else, especially if it was Singapore or Beast?  Any advice or insight?

[EKS]

You could start him in Singapore 2B and just have him move through quickly.  For us this looked like a conversation, with my son only doing as many problems as it took to show that the had already mastered each topic.  We would slow down when we got to stuff he hadn't learned.  I would only use the textbook (and not the workbook) and be sure you do the hardest problems in each problem set.  Once he gets to things that are mostly new, you can add in the workbook for independent practice.

I don't have experience with Beast Academy.

[thegirlwhopaintedtrees]

My seven year old daughter started to hate math with MUS (She was in Beta). She was crying everyday about how much she hated math. You are right about the monotony of doing the same thing for an entire year. We started her back in Singapore 1b and are just moving faster past the addition sections and focusing on the other portions MUS had not taught her. She loves math now and asks for it daily. She's my artsy girl and has appreciated the addition of color and fun illustrations in her math books 🙂

Beast is awesome and my kids have loved it. It is challenging and I haven't felt this third daughter is ready for it yet, but I plan on using it with her next summer. I used it as a supplement for my older two kids who needed to slow down their math trajectory because they had gotten too far ahead. I highly recommend it for kids who don't balk at challenge and who love math. My two older kids were not in that category, even though they are good at math.

[HomeAgain]

I think I would take a more intermediate approach.  I'd grab the Miquon books and have a 9yo work through all 6 (or at least the last 5) along with using the Lab Sheet Annotations.  That would get him up to speed to work with Singapore, but allow him to use the MUS blocks in a new way.  The books are set up to use C-rods, but that's an issue that's easily adapted.  Or I'd use MEP for a bit to work with different strategies and puzzles, then move to Singapore.

I think it would be a harder road, and you may get more resistance if you go back two full years in Singapore from the start.

[serendipitous journey]

On 7/19/2022 at 6:33 PM, AllTheLegos said:

My son is 9 and going into 4th grade.  He's completed Alpha, Beta, and Gamma from Math u See, but it's a battle almost every day ... Has anyone switched away from MUS into something else, especially if it was Singapore or Beast?  Any advice or insight?

Are you still looking for help with this?  If so, how did the suggestions above sound to you?  Have you had a chance to try something? 

I've moved from MUS into both of these programs.  A couple of times, really.  😉 

Edited July 29, 2022 by serendipitous journey

[AllTheLegos]

2 hours ago, serendipitous journey said:

Are you still looking for help with this?  If so, how did the suggestions above sound to you?  Have you had a chance to try something? 

I've moved from MUS into both of these programs.  A couple of times, really.  😉 

We decided to take the plunge on Singapore and start at 2B. He really just needs the fractions and time, so I imagine we’ll fly through it and move into level 3. I’d still love to hear your input

[serendipitous journey]

6 hours ago, AllTheLegos said:

We decided to take the plunge on Singapore and start at 2B. He really just needs the fractions and time, so I imagine we’ll fly through it and move into level 3. I’d still love to hear your input

Happy you have a path! 

I've suddenly gotten whacked with a terrible cold so I can hardly string 2 thoughts together.  Under these circumstances of being cognitively compromised, I'd say that RE Singapore: we definitely got a lot out of it when we zoomed through and just hit topics that were needed. 

RE Beast Academy, it helped for me to be nearby in case the child got frustrated and to always be willing to drop into at-elbow mode. 

[Janeway]

We love Singapore Math. Beast is interesting but none of my children have taken to it at all. Do the placement exam, don't just place in a level. If he has done through Gamma, he might be able to start with 3A. Also, we use Primary Maths US edition. The 2022 is watered down. I tried it, and kids like it, but it is too watered down and just is a little off. I would use the 2022 edition (and am right now, actually for review, not as a primary program), but I like the US edition best.

[Malam]

On 11/3/2022 at 10:33 AM, Janeway said:

We love Singapore Math. Beast is interesting but none of my children have taken to it at all. Do the placement exam, don't just place in a level. If he has done through Gamma, he might be able to start with 3A. Also, we use Primary Maths US edition. The 2022 is watered down. I tried it, and kids like it, but it is too watered down and just is a little off. I would use the 2022 edition (and am right now, actually for review, not as a primary program), but I like the US edition best.

Have you tried the PM standards or PM common core editions? I've heard they're very similar to the US Edition and may not be as watered down as PM 2022?

[AllTheLegos]

Thanks again everyone.  Update:

We started with Singapore 2B (US Edition) because there were a couple topics I felt he could use a refresher on, but we're zooming through it and almost ready to move to 3A.  He likes this math program so much more than MUS.  I think the variety within each lesson keeps him engaged.  He enjoys having a lesson with me each day, instead of one video per week.  The worksheets are also more visually appealing, and a little different each day, so there are no complaints from him even though he's actually doing more work. Since even some of 3A and 3B will be review for him, I have a feeling we might be able to clear three books this year, or at least get very close.  I think we have a winner for math that we can stick with for the long haul.

[tficht]

@AllTheLegos - My son is in a similar situation and I think we will fly through 2B and into 3. Did you feel purchasing the textbook, workbook, instructors guides AND instructors print outs was necessary? We are just about to finish Gamma in MUS and we need something new that makes math less painful for all of us.

[AllTheLegos]

@tficht I’m not sure what the printouts are. I bought the textbook, workbook, and home instructors guide. You definitely need all three of those, and that’s probably all you’ll need. 

[Shoes+Ships+SealingWax]

I strongly recommend the Singapore Intensive Practice books to go along with (or en lieu of) the standard text / workbook once he is done zooming through familiar material & settles to a steadier pace. They take everything from the main texts *just a step* farther - a good middle ground between Singapore’s main text & Beast Academy. 📚