Homemama2 Posted December 29, 2008 Share Posted December 29, 2008 I've been using RS B. Love the approach, my ds enjoys the abacus and loves the games. However, some of the topics I just don't feel like they offer enough drill. For example, adding 4 digit numbers. They seem to barely touch on this topic, then abruptly move on, without providing any games for reviewing this (or have I missed something?? That's always possible!:tongue_smilie:). They do come back to it later, but that will be over a month from now. My ds will NOT remember it after that long without touching on it. It seems I have to keep adding in my own review (in addition to the games which we do on a consistant basis). For next year I'm seriously considering using 2 curriculums so I don't have to keep making up my own review. Does anyone have suggestions for me? Either where I'm going wrong or another curriculum I can add in with RS. (I don't want to get rid of it...) I'm looking into Abeka, Bob Jones, Singapore...sigh. Help me. :001_huh: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephanieF Posted December 29, 2008 Share Posted December 29, 2008 I completely agree and am doing B too. As I haven't progressed any further than you I can't give you any insight into the programme but I can tell you what we do. Every day I write 20 or so questions on a white board for ds to answer. These range from say 29+1, 49+7, 40+15 409+10,30+20 so as you can see, something that covers all the major areas we have done. If I find say he can't remember how to add 15, I'll do a few of them. I'll also add a few time questions. I have bought him a flashmaster for Christmas so we'll do that too, he also enjoys http://www.mathusee.com/drill.html which I can adapt so that he concentrates on the bits he finds more difficult. My one criticism of rightstart for us is that it doesn't lay out the drill-it does to a point with the warm ups and the games but I would also like something that makes him write the numbers down as he does make errors writing 12 rather than 21 which I wouldn't find out about unless he has to write. At this point it is easy for me to supplement and not make him do an additional programme as I can make the questions up. I'm not so sure about the other levels though. Stephanie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homemama2 Posted December 29, 2008 Author Share Posted December 29, 2008 Thanks Stephanie. I will keep making up more problems for him. I was FINALLY able to get the search engine to work, so I read some old posts on this too. It looks like alot of people wait to supplement until level C and then it looks like BJU and Singapore are favorites. I'd love to hear other suggestions. :bigear: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterPan Posted December 30, 2008 Share Posted December 30, 2008 Well on adding 4 digit numbers, I really don't think you'll have a problem. If you develop the concepts the way RS says, the dc discovers the algorithm (how it's actually done) for himself. At least for us, once that happened, it really stuck, kwim? But it is true that drill, fact drill, is an issue. You either have to spend the time playing the games and doing the drills they include, or you need to add in things like a Flashmaster, Abeka Speed Drills (great, highly recommend), etc. As you think through this, you should know that C represents a transition, with review lessons and more fact drill built in. We needed more than that, but it might be enough for some kids. I also really like the way they present 4 digit subtraction in level C. As far as what you should do, I can't say, except to say that I would trust your gut and make sure your dc is getting enough practice to get fast at his facts. Some kids nail them using RS and some kids don't. You could add on the BJU Reviews workbook onto RS without overloading him. You could probably find a way to blend BJU and RS. You could jump to BJU (or whatever curriculum you like) and present the concepts using Activities for the ALAbacus (the original format, with explanations for everything the RS way). I really don't know what I'll do with my next dc, my new little one. I really, really like the foundation RS lays. My dd needed to move on, but not every dc does. Having dabbled in several math curricula, I think many of them are fine. SM isn't going to give you more practice either, is it? Abeka won't focus on understanding/concepts, and it is spiral. BJU hit sort of middle of the road for us, with plenty of concept work but spiral in the Reviews workbooks, challenging problems in the Stretch books, and color books for the students. It was basically everything I wanted. However I can see where it might not fit some kids. If a dc was a real go-getter and nailed their facts quickly, I'd consider Singapore. Really though, I like BJU a LOT. Coming from RS, the conceptual approach has been an almost seamless transition. I use our RS manips, RS explanations, etc. with it and it works out just fine. BJU spends a lot of time building the concepts through the steps, with lessons for each day. It's really meticulous in its instruction, and I like that, feel it gives her better understanding. After getting burnt on not enough practice, I've swung the other way and tend to do a lot, no leniency. It's working out really well for us though and getting her faster, that combo of more work (and pleasant work) via BJU plus the Abeka Speed Drills and Flashmaster. Now that we're to BJU5, I'm putting aside the Abeka Speed Drills for a while. We'll see what happens. It just makes our day too long to do EVERYTHING. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyGrace Posted December 30, 2008 Share Posted December 30, 2008 this thread: http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=41134 Hope that helps! It was very doable to do the two programs in a day. I did let her skip some problems sometimes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyGrace Posted December 30, 2008 Share Posted December 30, 2008 mind the TM, it is a great choice. For us, besides me not personally liking the TM, dd needed more spiral than the average kid probably needs. BJU is a really nice choice-definitely has more conceptual than CLE, and is even a little more engaging in it's presentation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aurelia Posted December 30, 2008 Share Posted December 30, 2008 You might also try Math Mammoth if you really want to supplement. I have heard the light blue grade 1 and RS B line up really well together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KAM Posted December 30, 2008 Share Posted December 30, 2008 I'm using RightStart C and there's quite a bit on adding 4 digit numbers there, most of the recent lessons have started with 1 or 2 of these problems to be worked in a math journal at the start of each lesson. Sometimes it seems when they introduce things briefly and early like the 4 digit numbers they are just laying a little bit of groundwork for later and the child may not be intended to fully grasp the concept or drill it yet. Also in Level C there are practice sheets which are meant to be done often for more practice and these review the concepts being taught more. There are also more worksheets. So far this approach seems fine on it's own, for mine anyway but she picks up math really quickly. I think if you give it another year you might find it does offer enough practice but every child is different of course. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linders Posted December 30, 2008 Share Posted December 30, 2008 First, I was where you were...RS B didn't have quite enough drill for DS8, even with the games. I used the Singapore workbooks and challenging word problems to supplement (did a pick and choose, not all of SM) and found a couple of fun websites where he could do online drills (picture getting the answer wrong, which causes the knight to fall into the moat). The latter was especially helpful because we don't have video games at home - he saw those online math drills as "video games" and they were a reward for good effort! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homemama2 Posted December 30, 2008 Author Share Posted December 30, 2008 "SM isn't going to give you more practice either, is it? Abeka won't focus on understanding/concepts, and it is spiral. BJU hit sort of middle of the road for us, " Thanks! This is what I needed to know! I haven't been able to look at any of these yet. I plan to go to the material displays for Abeka and BJU whenever they have them again near me...but not sure when that will be. The only program my friends use is Saxon, so I've seen that, but honestly I don't think that would be a good fit for my son. BJU looks like it may be the winner! Happy Grace-Thanks for the CLE suggestion! I will look into it as another option for next year. I think all of you have helped ease my fears. I haven't seen level C so I didn't know that the 4 digit addition would be covered well later on. I was concerned that by level C they would be expected to "know" it, have only touched on it a couple times. My son does very well learning math facts that there are games for...it was the ones that don't that I was worried about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterPan Posted December 30, 2008 Share Posted December 30, 2008 Since the games are working so well for him, why don't you go ahead and get the Games Book? You'll need it for level C anyway, so you might as well get it now. It has tons of extra games you could be using now alongside level B. Level B just includes a few games, but the Games Book will give you a ton more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haiku Posted December 30, 2008 Share Posted December 30, 2008 I have dabbled in whether or not to supplement RightStart for my son. It's absolutely perfect for my daughter, and she picks up the concepts very quickly. I do think it's a good fit for my son, too, but he doesn't pick things up quite as quickly as my daughter and he wants to. We play the games and enjoy them, but I think that he would enjoy and benefit from a little added boost, so I have looked into Math Mammoth. I am very impressed by it, as you can actually buy the books that pertain only to what you need to focus on at the time. With the ebooks costing between $2 and $5 each, it's the most economical thing I have seen, and I am very impressed with the sample pages on Lulu and the free pages I got for signing up for Maria Miller's e-newsletter. Now, I haven't actually used it, mind you, but you might give Math Mammoth a look-see. Tara Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capt_Uhura Posted December 30, 2008 Share Posted December 30, 2008 I find, what has been most helpful to me, is to read one level up in RS. So when I was doing B, I purchased level C and read it cover to cover. When I was in C, I read level D cover to cover. Same for level E. IT really helps me to see where a program is going and when i need to sit and park on a topic. C will hammer home those topics in level B with alot more worksheets. Level C is huge about double the physical size of level B. Level C will teach 4 digit addition again using the abacus (lesson 32), symbols (lesson 31), and 4-digit addition on paper (lesson 33). there will be more practice w/ 4 digit addition in adding money ($32.01+43.78). Also when you do subtraction in level C, you will be checking 4 digit subtraction by adding, ie more 4 digit-addition. Level C is when all these arithmetic topics are nailed down before heading into multi/div. I do think Singapore is good practice, particularly the CWPs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4summergirls Posted December 30, 2008 Share Posted December 30, 2008 I've taught level A up through Level E with oldest, and am on Level D with dd #2. I know the games are supposed to provide alot of practice and drill, but it just didn't happen for us and I was hoping the girls would play the games with each other, which unfortunately didn't happen either. I ended up using a few things to supplement. We use CWP, about 1 level behind so they don't get too frustrated. I also use Calculadders to help them with computation speed, that was definitely a problem with my oldest. And lastly, I use Evan Moor's daily math practice just to give them a bit of spiral review each day. The book breaks each week down into M-F with 5 short problems for each day. All this supplementing probably sounds like alot, but it really doesn't take too much extra time, maybe 10-15 min per day max. HTH - Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susie in CA Posted December 31, 2008 Share Posted December 31, 2008 Well, I don't think that RS drops 4-digit addition. You'll continue doing them in your warm-ups. That's why they are important, imho. Also, you just start using them doing other problems which makes it a lot less painful. I love the way right start works. Personally, I think that drill is way over-rated. If you always work on math you practice all of those skills anyway. Just my humble opinion. Susie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homemama2 Posted December 31, 2008 Author Share Posted December 31, 2008 Susie-what I was talking about is in Level B, lesson 39 and 40 have you work on 4 digit addition. I'm on lesson 59 and 4 digit addition hasn't been included in the warmups since those 2 lessons (I agree the warm ups are critical). As far as I can tell it's not brought up again till lesson 90 where they focus on it more heavily. But I've decided to trust everyone's opinion that I don't really need to supplement until next year... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susie in CA Posted December 31, 2008 Share Posted December 31, 2008 They will be repeated again in warm-ups and otherwise in future lessons and levels. We are in Level D now and both kids have zero problem with addition, subtraction, or multiplication. We are not into division yet. We have never done additional drill! We do use different math books from time to time but not for straight drill. Rightstart does add in more practice eventually. Also, most kids do not learn 4-digit additions in 1st grade anyway. It does get repeated--trust me. :tongue_smilie: Susie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homemama2 Posted December 31, 2008 Author Share Posted December 31, 2008 Thanks Susie. It nice to come here and get some reassurance from people who know more about it than I do!:001_smile: I guess I just get nervous that I'm going to somehow mess my kids up for life. Which might happen, but probably not due to our math program. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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