butterfly113 Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 Based on your experience and knowledge of various Math Curriculums, which Math Program would you say offers the best help in teaching the concepts. Which one has the best explanations of how and why, and offers the most explanation for the teachers, and students. I prefer the explanation to come in the TM, yet in older grades (4th-8th), I realize some are geared more toward independent study. I know Singapore teaches mental and more in depth, yet the TM just looks overwhelming and confusing with the textbook/workbook. And there doesn't appear to be much practice with Singapore. I like the incremental approach of CLE, yet hear the explanation is mostly in student light units. Does BJU offer more explanation in the TM than CLE? My ds 9 (3rd) is math minded, but likes the incremental review. He love horizons, I don't like the TM. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kfamily Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 I really like the R&S teacher's manual. -review problems -oral drill including mental math problems -lesson examples etc. HTH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tenaj Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 Lots of support in the DVD's and in the teacher's manual. By using this, I've learned how to teach my kids many concepts that I truly did not understand until we hit them in this curriculum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chiguirre Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 I'll second both R&S and MUS. They're very different, of course, but both make a solid effort to explain to the teacher how to present the material. Either is a good choice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4summergirls Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 Rightstart Math doesn't have a separate teacher's manual, but it very clearly explains in each lesson how to communicate new concepts to the child, and is easily modified for those that want to explain it in a slightly different way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beth in Central TX Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 I'll 3rd R&S Math; I've had great success with it in our homeschool. It provides the right amount of help for me to teach the concept along with daily review and oral drill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Closeacademy Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 R&S and RS teachers manuals are both great. I find that there is plenty of instruction in the textbooks for Singapore though.:001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterPan Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 Butterfly, I thought about replying last night and just never got around to it. Of the three you listed, BJU, which is what I am using and really pleased with, has the most clear tm's for explaining things conceptually. Well on the SM, I've only seen the HIG samples online, so who am I to say? But BJU takes great pains with the conceptual presentation, and I'm very happy with it. (We did RS A-D, also very focused on understanding, and then switched to BJU.) Thing is, I'm concerned you could be making a mistake changing from Horizons. If your ds is doing WELL, then I would suggest it's unwise to change. Instead, I'd continue Horizons and buy some SM for him to do on the side. That way he gets some of the conceptual he wants, and you continue what's working. Don't fix what isn't broken. You can do a whole lot of jumping, only to realize what you had was better. SM to supplement Horizons is a VERY popular combo, and a perfectly fine combo. You said he likes the spiraling of Horizons, and BJU doesn't spiral. It has spiral review pages, but given that he's used to the format of Horizons and LIKES it, I don't see the point in changing. I suggest you stick with Horizons and just buy the SM for him to use on the side. It will give him the balance he wants but keep a solid, steady progression. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TwinMominTX Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 I think Saxon does a great job with explaining. I've decided I like a scripted math TM. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siloam Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 In the early years I adore Right Start for teaching concepts. It approaches math very much like Singapore, so I prefer Singapore for the rest. To be honest I haven't had to use the HIG's (Singapore) except to check my kids work. Though math is my strong suit. The author of the HIG's through is the moderator on the Singapore Math forms, so it is nice to have access to someone who knows the program so well and can help if you run into problems. Heather Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyGrace Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 :iagree: With OhElizabeth-I could have practically written her post. But I will go further and say that I have seen the Singapore math stuff, and being a non-mathy mom, would NOT be able to teach with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 The Math on the Level program is nothing but teacher manuals, it doesn't come with kid's workbooks at all. I can't compare it to any of the other programs though because I haven't seen them. Rosie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommyfaithe Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 :iagree::iagree: :iagree: With OhElizabeth-I could have practically written her post. But I will go further and say that I have seen the Singapore math stuff, and being a non-mathy mom, would NOT be able to teach with it. :iagree: I have tried most of the math programs out there and once you cut away all the bs ib the bju tm, and get down to the nitty gritty...the conceptual teaching is great!! Faithe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KIN Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 Another one chiming in for Right Start. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nukeswife Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 I voted CLE but probably should have voted other because I haven't used the BJU or Singapore TM's. I have tried singapore's workbooks but not the TM. I have to say out of what I've tried which includes Saxon, Rightstart, Singapore, teaching textbooks and horizons, I prefer the CLE Tm's. I like that it gives me a step by step plan of what to cover in the lesson but the scripting isn't as heavy as Saxon. It's much better than Horizons, I found those TM's pretty much useless. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MorningGlory Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 BJU TMs are very thorough. They give complete explanations for all concepts. They give several different approaches to solving the same problem. They give hints and ideas for rough spots, drill, enrichment, etc. I have used BJU Math K-6 and have been very pleased. The heart of BJU's math program is in their TM. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sweetbaby Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 I would say Math U See. We used Abeka in our beginning HS years but the concepts were introduced too quickly without enough explanation in the teacher's manual. I grew tired of slowing it down and tweaking. Later, we tried Rod and Staff. Rod and Staff's TM has great explanations in the earlier years but I personally found that there just wasn't enough explanations in the later years so we are now with Math U See. The DVDs are wonderful with explaining concepts and the teacher's manual also. Actually, the DVDs repeat most of the TM information. I also love that MUS teaches the WHY in math. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterPan Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 ... once you cut away all the bs ib the bju tm, and get down to the nitty gritty...the conceptual teaching is great!! Faithe Hehe! Ironically enough, my dd really likes the stories and superfluous junk. I mean she ADORES it, asks for it, likes the continuing saga and story line, go figure. But if a kid doesn't get into it, just skip. I surely haven't figured out how discussing Mandy the aviation student or types of clouds has improved our math skills, even if it does keep her interested and looking forward to math time. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 Another vote for MUS TMs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greta Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 I voted "other" because I like RightStart so much, and I think it really fits the bill as far as what you are looking for. Sorry -- I don't have any experience with the others, so I can't compare. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GailV Posted February 6, 2009 Share Posted February 6, 2009 Rightstart Math doesn't have a separate teacher's manual, but it very clearly explains in each lesson how to communicate new concepts to the child, and is easily modified for those that want to explain it in a slightly different way. :iagree: I am good at math, but discovered that dd thought about math in an entirely different way than I did -- she had a totally different picture in her brain, and couldn't relate to what I tried to explain. RightStart taught me how to teach math. After using RightStart for a while I felt like I could've picked up any curriculum and taught it well to a wide variety of kids. SOMEWHAT RELATED ANECDOTE: Dh's aunt is a retired teacher who tutors kids in her school district. Tonight on the phone she asked me how to explain "median" and "mode" to a 5th grader, since the materials she had available to use (from the local school district) were so convoluted that her pupil just wasn't getting the concept AT ALL. I pulled out RightStart E, and went through the lesson with her on the phone. She thought the RightStart lesson was fantastic -- simple and to the point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isa Posted February 6, 2009 Share Posted February 6, 2009 Of the math programs I've seen, Professor B Math has the most clear and specific math instruction. It is all scripted, so you know exactly what to say. It also saves time and helps a child achieve mastery by teaching a concept thoroughly. For example, when the concept of place value is taught, it is done so up to the trillions place in a very easy to understand manner. This is unlike most math programs out there that teach place value up to the hundreds one year, then the thousands place the next year, etc... Research has shown it to produce excellent results. The one thing Professor B Math does not cover is a lot of the math outside of arithmetic (i.e. graphs, weights, etc...). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ELaurie Posted February 6, 2009 Share Posted February 6, 2009 :iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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