Which elementary math do you like and why?

[momtolgd]

I'm sure this question has been asked many times before, so I apologize, but I really would like to know which math curriculums you all like and why you like them.

 

We did Singapore for 1 year, and then changed to Horizons. Our 8yo ds does very well at math, but getting through it every day is like torture. He says it is too hard for him, yet once he does it he seems to understand everything and have no real trouble. I am not sure if it's an issue with him (for some reason thinking math is hard), an issue with the curriculum, or a combination of the two.

 

So I would really like to know what works for your kids. Thanks.

[lmrich]

No one uses this: Excel Math. The teacher guide stinks, you have to know how to teach math. What I LOVE is that there are little check answers so that the kids have to add their answers together in a box and check the sum with the little anwer in the corner. It is a spiral math and I love that. It teaches probability and stastics early. Like all math curriculum there is not enough fact practice, but that is so easy to supplement (do a drill every day, every single day) and I used the "keys to" series for my daughter who struggled with fractions. Excel is cheap enough that you can afford to supplement. I would not use it for first grade as using manipulatives is way too important, unless you have taught first grade before and realize the importance of just letting them "play" with math manipulatives. I also think that Excel math really works great with self starters and natural math people. An added benefit I saw when I taught school, is that kids learn quickly to write neatly, or they can't even read thier own handwriting.

[TracyR]

I have a few favorites :

I like BJU ( Bob Jones) math for a child that does well with mastery. I've tried Singapore and thought it is good it just didnt' mesh well with my oldest. She prefered BJU.

 

For spiral I like Christian Light math. Its like Saxon on steriods and better.

I really like how they have everything together and the manual is SOOOO teacher friendly.

 

It could be your son maybe needs more practice with his math. My 2nd daugther once she's got it she's got it too but it takes A LOT of practice for her until she does get a concept. She is also my child that just really wants to know that 2+2=4 and wants to move on. If I show her how to do all those other different ways to solve 2+2=4 then she just goes on overload and then frustration sets in.

[Shelly in IL]

but we love ABeka math. It is very challenging, yet has a bright sunny feel (especially in the younger ages) with pictures, etc. We went k-5th with it, then went directly into Lial's Basic College Math - which he was very well prepared for. 2 kids, 3rd and 7th. Both are doing very well in math.

[Sunshine State Sue]

I love MUS because it is logical, easy for the teacher, and makes it easy for the student. You can read my review in this thread.

[Melissa in CA]

OK, having used Saxon, MUS, Singapore, Miquon, A Beka, and Making Math Meaningful we have stuck with BJU's Math for the last three years and don't plan on changing. I like that it is traditional...like A Beka...but with 'manipulatives' learning somewhat like MUS and MMM. Saxon, my older two boys and I disliked greatly. Too incremental for them. Something about Singapore just didn't sit well with me, MUS felt far to simple, Miquon was just, well, goofy to us, and A Beka moved too quickly. I will admit that I did like MMM very much but decided it wasn't quite thorough enough for comfort in using for our main math. I used it alongside A Beka in 1st and 2nd grades.

 

BJU takes it's time. Your child will learn the same concepts each year but taken to a deeper level each time with concepts also revisited during the year used in a variety of ways. For example, your child will learn about common fractions in one full chapter. The next chapter may move on to decimal fractions in addition and subtraction, and the one after to geometry. The next chapter then goes back to common fractions again but with addition and subtraction this time, then a chapter on measurement, then back to decimal fractions with multiplication and division. Then the next on common fractions with multiplaction and division. Then a chapter on ratio, perportion and percents... and on it goes with chapters on money, time, metric, pre-algebra, statistics, graphing, more geometry, etc. (example taken from Math 6)

 

I like that BJU is a traditional tried and true math. It may not be the best for a child that totally excels at math, but I feel it's perfect for the average to a bit above average child. It's perfect for us and I feel very comfortable using it. My sons standardized tests scores are always in the 90ish percentile.

 

You HAVE to teach BJU's math though. You cannot, I repeat, you cannot hand it to your child and just have him/her do the work. For true understanding it must be taught using the TE. Really.

 

My two cents. ;)

[ajjkt]

We have been using MUS and I really like the mastery approach. The idea of presenting one skill at a time and staying with it appeals to me. However, DS7 is champing at the bit. His thirst for knowledge and ability to understand concepts does not keep pace with his ability to memorize the facts. We are supplementing with mathletics.

We have just ordered RS to use with DS7 and DD6. DD6 is plodding through MUS alpha but with the mastery approach is uncomfortable progressing to subtraction so MUS seems to have been reduced to a repetition of addition worksheets each day for her. I will continue her in MUS, but also use RS. I'm not sure how it'll go having two spines, but at the moment MUS is only taking her about 10 minutes a day and she enjoys it.

 

Amy

[Heather in Neverland]

I love MUS because it is logical, easy for the teacher, and makes it easy for the student. You can read my review in this thread.

 

:iagree:

[Ellie]

Rod and Staff for traditional math; Miquon (following Mathematics Made Meaningful--not Making Math Meaningful) for process math.

[riada]

Christian Light Education (CLE) is what has been a huge success for us. My dd9 will pull the same thing your son has been doing occasionally. She is a bright child and very good at math in general. Usually if it is something that challenges her she procrastinates and whines some. I tend to have her do it in small spurts when she is acting up in this manner. Having her do a lesson broken up is less overwhelming for her. CLE is spiral so I find the retention level to be superb. It is extremely teacher friendly, as another post said, and is inexpensive.

 

Good luck in finding something that works for both of you.

[AngieW in Texas]

My favorite math sequence:

 

Modern Curriculum Press Math K is straightforward and cheap. The teacher guide has a lot of fun activities that make this a better program than just the workbook. The teacher guide does not have to be the same edition as the workbook.

 

Miquon Math is a fabulous program that is unique. It has problems arranged in patterns that teach the child to figure out the algorithms on their own. I love this program. It worked great for my two older girls, but didn't work for my youngest. I think the paper quality and the color were the biggest problems for her (vision issues).

 

Singapore works great after Miquon. Like Miquon, it teaches multiple ways to arrive at an answer. Unlike Miquon, it does directly teach rather then leading the child to discover the methods. It teaches advanced mathematics in a non-intimidating way. My two older girls used Singapore after Miquon. My youngest used it starting with level 1A.

 

After Singapore, I like Math Smart Junior. It's a fun book that teaches some of the pre-algebra topics that are not included in Singapore Primary Mathemetics.

 

Jacobs Elementary Algebra and Kinetic Books Algebra I are both solid algebra programs. My oldest used Jacobs. My middle dd thought Jacobs looked very intimidating at first, so she asked me to find something else. She liked the looks of Kinetic Books, but after working through one chapter, she asked to try Jacobs as well. She did both programs for a full year and then decided to do just Kinetic Books.

 

Jacobs Algebra has a review section for each lesson. Set 1 is always review and usually has 3 problems. Sets 2 and 3 both cover the concept taught in the lesson and are pretty much identical, but use different numbers. Set 4 is usually a brain teaser type of problem.

 

Kinetic Books Algebra is an online subscription. Most of the problems have immediate feedback and even stepped hints. The end of unit problems are supposed to be worked on paper. The answer are provided only for the odd-numbered problems, but that is still plenty of work. Because so many problems are worked with immediate feedback, my dd rarely misses problems by the time she gets to the end of unit problems.

 

My oldest used Jacobs Geometry and my middle dd will use it once she finishes Algebra I. It has algebra reviews periodically, so you don't forget how to do it while you're in the middle of geometry.

 

My oldest is using a beta version of Kinetic Books Algebra II right now. It isn't complete yet, but it's a great program.

 

I'm not sure what my oldest will be using next year for precalc.

[Melissa in CA]

What works for our kids isn't necessarily going to work for your kid. My favorites are MUS and Singapore but that has a lot to do with my teaching style.

 

:iagree: You really need to find what works best for your teaching style and your child's learning style. As you can see we all have our favorites. ;) What one person really loves another does not like at all. My best advice is that when you do find the program that works for your situation, to stick with it and not fall to the temptation that the grass is greener with such and such curriculum. I did that a few times, one being MUS, and regretted it. Not that MUS is a bad program, it would have worked wonderfully for my oldest son, but it wasn't the right program for my youngest...regardless of all the glowing reviews I had read. The same with Singapore unfortunately.

 

If I were to do it all over again with my youngest, I would have stuck it out with A Beka Math. He learned TONS in 1st and 2nd grade! I panicked in 3rd though with all the multiplication/division being thrown at him too quickly. I put him in MUS Gamma for 3rd and regretted it the entire year. I also had him doing Singapore at the same time. It was just a bad math year all around. :tongue_smilie:

 

All that to say...I am very, very happy to have found BJU Math for 4th grade (and BJU's Alg 2 for my then 10th grader), but on looking back, I think I would have had just as good results from A Beka had I stuck with it. ;)

 

Your son may just be complaining about math because he doesn't particularly like math. That may never change. Out of my three boys I have one who loves math, one who absolutely hates it (oldest), and one who tolerates it...doesn't love it, doesn't hate it (youngest). Over the years, no matter what math program we used (except Saxon which even my math lover complained about) these basic attitudes remained constant.

 

I hope you find what works for you. :)

[sweetbaby]

We are enjoying MUS for the same reasons already mentioned. :)

[Rosie_0801]

I'm intending to use Math on the Level because it is a good balance between spiral and mastery, has short lessons and is very real world orientated. The fact that it also contains info on how to tell when your child is ready for a new concept helps, since I wouldn't have a clue about such things. It has a flexible plan, so you can move in between different topics without losing your place in the book, so to speak. This is helpful if one has hit a brick wall with something, or if someone's interest has peaked or life has happened. For example, Christmas cooking is a good time to think about fractions, weight and finding the 20" pan in the cupboard of assorted cookware. The author also provides info on how to explain topics to different types of learner, which is also a good test tool, so you can assess whether your kids have learned the concept or just the formula.

Haven't seen it for real, though there are a few on this board using it. I've been reading all the reviews I can find and lurking on their yahoo group for a few months.

:)

Rosie

[Amber in AUS]

We received Math on the Level a few weeks back and plan to implement in the new year. As Rosie mentioned above it works at the child's pace introducing new concepts as you see fit based on the child's maturation level. I love that i can progress in some areas and wait a while in others if need be and still feel that my DC are progressing well in math. It has both a mastery and spiral approach with only 5 questions to complete each day (plus lesson time) it makes math quick, fun and in context.

 

It isn't for the faint hearted. If you want open & go then it certainly isn't for you. But if you don't mind planning and keeping track of things yourself then go for it.

 

I think it will be just right for me and my family!

[jkwynn]

We're just in our first year, but we chose Abeka and really like it so far. It's enough to be a challenge, but not too much.

[TN Mama]

Christian Light Education (CLE) is what has been a huge success for us. My dd9 will pull the same thing your son has been doing occasionally. She is a bright child and very good at math in general. Usually if it is something that challenges her she procrastinates and whines some. I tend to have her do it in small spurts when she is acting up in this manner. Having her do a lesson broken up is less overwhelming for her. CLE is spiral so I find the retention level to be superb. It is extremely teacher friendly, as another post said, and is inexpensive.

 

Good luck in finding something that works for both of you.

 

We are really enjoying CLE as well.

[elegantlion]

:iagree: You really need to find what works best for your teaching style and your child's learning style. As you can see we all have our favorites. ;) What one person really loves another does not like at all. My best advice is that when you do find the program that works for your situation, to stick with it and not fall to the temptation that the grass is greener with such and such curriculum. I did that a few times, one being MUS, and regretted it. Not that MUS is a bad program, it would have worked wonderfully for my oldest son, but it wasn't the right program for my youngest...regardless of all the glowing reviews I had read. The same with Singapore unfortunately.

 

If I were to do it all over again with my youngest, I would have stuck it out with A Beka Math. He learned TONS in 1st and 2nd grade! I panicked in 3rd though with all the multiplication/division being thrown at him too quickly. I put him in MUS Gamma for 3rd and regretted it the entire year. I also had him doing Singapore at the same time. It was just a bad math year all around. :tongue_smilie:

 

All that to say...I am very, very happy to have found BJU Math for 4th grade (and BJU's Alg 2 for my then 10th grader), but on looking back, I think I would have had just as good results from A Beka had I stuck with it. ;)

 

Your son may just be complaining about math because he doesn't particularly like math. That may never change. Out of my three boys I have one who loves math, one who absolutely hates it (oldest), and one who tolerates it...doesn't love it, doesn't hate it (youngest). Over the years, no matter what math program we used (except Saxon which even my math lover complained about) these basic attitudes remained constant.

 

I hope you find what works for you. :)

 

:iagree: We use Singapore and we love it. We did Abeka for 1st-3rd. Unlike the above poster, 4th grade Abeka became torture for him. He would cry everyday. It was so sad because until then math had been his favorite subject. My ds thinks very mathmatically and Singapore has been a great fit for us. He thrives on a mastery type program that doesn't have his brain switching gears every few minutes.

 

If I had it to do over I would have started with Sinapore and stuck with it.

[Closeacademy]

I've tried a variety of curriculum for math and this is what I have found:

 

To introduce topics, I like the stories from this site: http://ebeth.typepad.com/serendipity/gnomes_and_gnumbers_a_mathematical_tale/ These stories are fun and engage the child in the topic.

 

I then follow up the topic with manipulative work as suggested on that site and ideas I kept from my time with Rightstart Math. I would suggest that the Rightstart Games and the AL Abacus Activities books would be worth owning for ideas on things to do to reinforce skills.

 

For actual paper and pencil work, I love Singapore Math. Everything builds on what comes before and it covers them well.

 

I also love the book, Teaching Mathematics in Rudolf Steiner Schools by Ron Jarmon. It is a bit pricey $45-65 but it is an easy read that has ideas on how to really teach math so that the dc are not bored by the subject. It covers K-8th grade plus.

 

So basically, I combine Waldorf introductions, Montessori hands-on experiences with Singapore bookwork for a math curriculum that I am happy with and see results from.:001_smile:

[Aurelia]

We love Right Start at our house. Ariel is a visual learner and not a fan of worksheets so after several miserable failures (too much writing, not enough concrete manipulatives, etc), we have finally found something that fits. I like that the manual lays everything out and the system makes sense to me - the way the math is taught is the way I do it in my head. DD likes that there are lots of things to use (popsicle sticks, colored tiles, the abacus) to find her answers and she's not limited to flash cards. Now she asks (!) to do math and protests (most days) when it's time to put it away. What more could I ask?

[Melissa in CA]

I've tried a variety of curriculum for math and this is what I have found:

 

To introduce topics, I like the stories from this site: http://ebeth.typepad.com/serendipity/gnomes_and_gnumbers_a_mathematical_tale/ These stories are fun and engage the child in the topic.

 

 

What a great website! Upon browsing around, I got some fantastic ideas for grammar study and was introduced to some wonderful books by Ruth Heller! I just placed an order for several of them for my two nieces who are elementary school teachers. And, with good ol' Amazon Prime...they'll be here in time for Christmas. :hurray: :D

[Crimson Wife]

I would suggest that the Rightstart Games and the AL Abacus Activities books would be worth owning for ideas on things to do to reinforce skills.

 

:iagree:

I wholeheartedly recommend the RS Math Card Games set to supplement whatever curriculum you decide on.

[sixpence1978]

We love BJU math here as well. There are a good blend of manipulatives, concept thinking, etc... It also works well with all kinds of students IMO. We plan to stick with it through 6th grade.

[...................]

Abeka is really working at our house.

 

I love:

Easy to follow TM

Inexpensive (find Tm used and the teacher's version is fine)

Consumable worktext- easy to rip out pages, sort them, write on them, etc.

It's advanced- I know my son is challenged.

 

My son loves:

All his 100's on every test

The color, and cheerful themes and characters

He can work independently after a quick lesson from me

He knows exactly what is expected

It's not boring

 

I've heard ppl say that Abeka is only rote and no thinking. While I agree that thinking is not the strong point of this math, I have found the story problems, teaching suggestions and "Thinking Cap" activities to be plenty of practice solving the problems in different ways, using logic. And anyway I think math at this age is all about rote anyway, so that's not a huge concern for me personally. I've seen boys (and girls) click into math amazingly around age 10, and just fly...so for now I feel like I'm laying a fantastic foundation.

[Homemama2]

Rightstart is working well for us. My son LOVES the games, and loves math, so that makes it worth it for me. Also I am continually seeing him make connections mathmatically with things he hasn't been taught yet, due to the way RS presents math with the abacus.

*HOWEVER* it is very teacher intensive, just so you know before you spend the money. I would also recommend the RS games book and abacus as a supplement to any other math you might use.

[angela&4boys]

Another vote for Math U See.

 

 

 

• no fluff
  
• uncluttered pages
  
• logical
  
• sequential
  
• true mastery
  
• dvds
  
• light teacher prep
  

 

[momtolgd]

Wow, thank you all for your thoughts. It gives me more to think about. I will be looking more into the different curriculums you mentioned and see if one of them may be a better fit for him.

[Malenki]

My son *adores* Saxon. He's successful with it and it makes sense to him. We did the Singapore Earlybird series (1A-2B), MCP A, Singapore 1A, and R&S 1. We also looked carefully with him at MUS and RightStart and he hated the manipulatives.

 

He did great in Singapore and enjoyed it as long as he already knew how to do the material. Once we hit new material, it was a complete nightmare. Tears and gnashing of teeth. It seemed to move too fast from concrete to abstract.

 

We've found that with math he needs to have the same new concept introduced 2 or 3 times in a row and then the lightbulb goes off and it's easy. So we don't always do every problem on the sheet each time. And the way the concepts are introduced in Saxon click with him; the concept presentation was a disaster with Singapore.

 

He's very language oriented; that's where his gifts are. Math is just something he has to do but Saxon makes it something he doesn't hate.

 

(But, we probably won't use Saxon for our younger son. He gets concepts in math quickly and would probably love the method in Singapore. But I have two years to figured it out!)

[PeterPan]

Michelle, it seems to me your ds might not be placed properly in Horizons. No dc age 8 should feel that math is too hard, kwim? Math at this age should be gentle, pleasant, do-able, and occasionally fun. Kids enjoy doing what they can do well. The fact that he's saying it's too hard is probably just that, that he needs some time with easier math. Just because they "can" do harder stuff doesn't mean they're comfortable yet with the easier stuff and ready to go on, kwim? Also, those Horizons lessons are killer long (4 pages!), and that alone might be overwhelming him. Even though the amount of work might be reasonable, there's something psychological about it, something that overwhelms them. We went to BJU, which has just as much work per day (if you do all the extras) but breaks it up into different assignments, making it feel like less.

 

As far as my favs, I like a foundation of RightStart, then moving on to BJU. But as the others said, the major issue is NOT the curriculum, so much as it is figuring out why your current stuff isn't working. He may need more instruction. He may need manipulatives. He may be doing it by rote and not really UNDERSTANDING it. He may be frustrated by the quantity. He may need to back up. Backing up and doing a lower level over never hurt anyone. Might just be the thing for him, because it would allow him to get faster at material he already knows. Also try a Flashmaster to get him faster on his facts. If it's taking too long, that will suck the joy out pretty quickly.

[mamaof2andtwins]

My favorite is CLE Sunrise Edition Math. I have used way more math programs than I care to admit.

 

Jennie

[Lovedtodeath]

I thought I saw someone using Horizons with MUS?? What levels are you using together? I have MUS alpha and Horizons K and I am considering it. Thanks.

[TundraAcademy]

One more to add to the pot: Math Mammoth. We used it for 2nd and 3rd grade. For my first grader we are using Singapore and Horizons. I really like Math Mammoth. We got it through Winterpromise.

[kbpaulie]

Partial Quote:

:iagree: We use Singapore and we love it. ... My ds thinks very mathmatically and Singapore has been a great fit for us. quote]

 

:iagree: Can you double agree? We did Singapore EB, then switched to K12 Virtual Academy. My 6 yo DS hated it. I think that it was too many problems. If he got it he wanted to move on. We switched back to Singapore Math 1A & 1B and he now does extra pages. We supplement heavily with other methods to learn facts. It has worked well for us so far!

 

KB

[Sunshine State Sue]

Wow, thank you all for your thoughts. It gives me more to think about. I will be looking more into the different curriculums you mentioned and see if one of them may be a better fit for him.

 

Cathy Duffy's books do a great job of helping you determine your child's learning style and telling which curriculums are better/worse for that learning style. Not all the math programs listed here will be in her books, but it may help to screen some out.

 

Good luck!

[momtolgd]

Cathy Duffy's books do a great job of helping you determine your child's learning style and telling which curriculums are better/worse for that learning style. Not all the math programs listed here will be in her books, but it may help to screen some out.

 

Good luck!

 

Thank you for that book recommendation...I just checked and our library has it. After the Holidays I will check it out.

[Testimony]

The same thing someone else said. I think that you should find out what your child's learning style. I saw a lot of different recommendations. They are based upon what their child is comfortable with. You need to know what your child is comfortable with. At that age, manipulatives are usually a safe way to go.

 

I think someone suggested Cathy Duffy's book. There is also a book, "The Way They Learn," by Cynthia Tobias. It is one of the first books that I read in homeschooling. It is very technical, but it helped me to understand what type of learning style my sons were.

 

By the Way, I am a Singapore Math lover, but only one of my children is grasping the concepts. I have to use more manipulatives for my younger son. I use "Family Math" with Singapore Math for my younger son.

 

Merry Christmas!

Karen

http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/testimony

[momsquared]

I guess we are in the minority here, but we love Saxon. Again, the manipulatives sell it and the sprial makes students feel successful.

[2cents]

We love A Beka! Challenging, spirals and easy to breakdown for planning.

[fractalgal]

I guess we are in the minority here, but we love Saxon. Again, the manipulatives sell it and the sprial makes students feel successful.

 

We like Saxon, too. We combine with Singapore. :)

[Murphy101]

I really like Modern Curriculum Press workbooks. It's a mastery program and it's done fine for us so far. The teacher guides are well worth having and you can get them used dirt cheap.

[momof165]

My son really likes Saxon. We are using Saxon 3 right now. To get his logical thinking going we add in Singapore (alternate by weeks) and RightStart Math. Fridays are our "game" days. RightStart Math games are just awsome for learning the facts, for understanding how things work. LOVE IT! :D I think RightStart Math games can be used with any math curriculum as a wonderful suplement to learn and drill facts, fractions, addition, subtraction, time, and money. Can you tell we love RightStart Games at our house!!!!;)

 

Sonja

 

____________________________________

Homeschooling JUST ONE - ds 9

[FriedClams]

We've used MUS and Crititcal Thinking Company core math, and now I am completely sold on Horizons. My older kid has done 2nd and is into 3rd and my younger has done K and is into 1st in Horizons. It's very thorough, spiral, colorful but not busy, lots of practice, and there don't seem to be any gaps in scope (time, money, fractions, etc.). It's one drawback is that it seems to be fairly advanced (maybe a half year ahead - like expecting knowledge of all single digit multiplication tables from memory in last 1/4 of 2nd grade). Lots of our friends locally are university faculty, and all the math people I know love Horizons for their kids.