Ohio12 Posted March 2, 2009 Share Posted March 2, 2009 I just had to put away our Abeka Math for awhile because dd can do some of it, but is not gaining mastery. We need to start again with first grade math, review and build confidence. I am considering Right Start, but like the ease of workbook style. Can anyone give me the pros and cons of Rod and Staff vs Horizons? Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aurelia Posted March 2, 2009 Share Posted March 2, 2009 We used Rod & Staff briefly, it's very good about drilling the facts, as there's loads of worksheets and flash cards with lots of fact practice. The downside, however, is that the child might not really understand the why behind the math. There aren't many manipulatives, at least in the first section, just the ducks. I know a lot of folks love it, but it didn't fit us because my child doesn't like worksheets or flash cards, and needed more hands on stuff to really understand a concept. It starts at the very beginning, which would be good for gaining confidence, since it assumes your child doesn't have any prior math knowledge, but then again, if she's well past that, she might feel talked down to. JMHO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HiddenJewel Posted March 2, 2009 Share Posted March 2, 2009 For what it is worth, my experience after 7 years is that although my children learned things with workbooks, it was definitely not as enriching of an education as hands on and discussion learning. RightStart math is definitely worth the time invested for me. I've used both Rod and Staff and Horizons and they are basic, traditional math programs that can do the job. After grade 2, R&S is non-consumable whereas Horizons is a workbook. R&S is more mastery with review while Horizons is spiral. ----------------------------------------------------- Cynthia (Mom to dd 7/95, dd 11/96, dd 10/03, ds 4/07) 8th: TruthQuest History Ancient Greece & Rome / BJU Earth Science / VT Alg / Jensen Grammar / Classical Writing / Latin's Not So Tough 6th: TruthQuest History Ancient Greece & Rome / Abeka Science / Life of Fred Fractions & Decimals / Hake Grammar / BJU Reading 6 Visit my blog. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LadyAberlin Posted March 2, 2009 Share Posted March 2, 2009 I'm using MUS Alpha and Horizons K. I love MUS and I like Horizons. I use Horizons as my supplement so we can cover the typical scope and sequence, but I think that MUS's concept development is by far superior to Horizons. RightStart is great at concept development too. We tried it and it absolutely didn't work for my ds, but I think it was just his personality. He loves MUS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonshineLearner Posted March 2, 2009 Share Posted March 2, 2009 I just had to put away our Abeka Math for awhile because dd can do some of it, but is not gaining mastery. We need to start again with first grade math, review and build confidence. .........Thanks. At the risk of making you go crazy, why not just do some living math. Get a skip counting song.... Count using counting bears...cuisinaire rods...uni-cubes...etc. I bet by 2nd grade.. you'll be surprised:-) I'm eager to try the abacus from nurtureminds.com I got mine for just about $100. I was also playing with a Melissa and Doug abacus the other day, too. It's different...you could do the same thing with a bunch of beads. We were getting my daughter's hair cut. I put the ten beads and then he figured out all the ways to "make 10" so two beads and eight beads...etc... Anyway, real life math... is more appealing to me than just workbooks. BUT, you can use workbooks to do oral work...if you kinda want the scope and sequence part... :-) For just rote memory, we just practice out loud.... (my son's 5.5) 3 ones are 3...2 threes are 6...3 threes are 9... etc.... Or...2 plus 5 is 7..... etc... The only one I haven't touched is division... Just a thought... Carrie:-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suzf242 Posted March 2, 2009 Share Posted March 2, 2009 We started Rod and Staff math when my dd was 5. It was too much writing for her at the time. I put it away and did informal living math through last spring and summer. When we started 1st grade this past fall, dd, now 6, was able to start in the 2nd book of Rod and Staff 1st grade. She now loves it. She does 1 lesson a day independently. I continue with the informal living math and only explain the workbook when something unfamiliar comes up. I had been thinking of possibly switching to another curriculum, but she often says how much she loves her math and often chooses to do it first, so I am going to stick with the Rod and Staff for now -- she'll be starting the 2nd grade book next week. Take care. Suzanne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovedtodeath Posted March 2, 2009 Share Posted March 2, 2009 maybe just the rightstart math games would work for you? I was using horizons and IMO abeka is better (i have that too) BJU and CLE are highly recommended. Math Mammoth might be what you need too. They have extensive samples at currclick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
................... Posted March 2, 2009 Share Posted March 2, 2009 Is your signature the current ages of your kids? If so, then it sounds to me like your little buddy just needs time to develop. My son is almost 7 happily doing Abeka 1st grade, and our friends say it is advanced over usual first grade programs. So I think the real problem is that your son is just young. Remember Abeka is advanced and first grade was written for 6-7 year olds, some of the kids in first grade are almost two whole years older than your son. Even bright kids do need time to develop readiness for things sometimes. AND FWIW I have friends that totally skipped all math except informal household stuff and their kids became brilliant at math...even skipping whole grades, when they reached ten years old and started in with it...There's really really no need to push it at this age. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommy22alyns Posted March 2, 2009 Share Posted March 2, 2009 We had to take a step back from Singapore 1B because Becca was solving the problems but not really mastering the concepts. I asked here and also got advice to give her time to mature. :) So we've gone over to Right Start, Level A (because I wanted to go back, go slow, and let her gain confidence). She loves math now and actually asks to do it first. I personally like workbooks because they're easy (for me) too - but math in the early years definitely needs an investment of time. ;) I don't want to build a house of cards and have it collapse on us in a few years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amy in KS Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 I love it! It's somewhere between Rod & Staff and Horizons. I found R&S too focused on one thing at a time (facing two whole pages of addition facts is daunting for a first grader). Horizons teacher manual was really, really bad so I didn't consider it. I switched to CLE and LOVE it! The review of the facts is there (some flash card, one minute speed drills) but in smaller chunks with extra math stuff added in (oral problem solving, number dictations, measurement, time, and even a bit of geometry stuff). The teacher manual makes it simple without being scripted! Amy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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