question about Right Start Math

[Heidi7Sue]

Hi!

 

I am considering using Right Start math with my dd5 next year for first grade, because I've been told it has a lot of games and activities, and isn't so heavy on the worksheets. But I still need to know one thing: do the games have the kids practicing math on real objects, or mostly using number symbols? (I'd really like to find something that gives a lot of practice with objects, rather than only using the symbols.)

 

Thanks!

Heidi

[StephanieF]

The games are card games and they mostly use the cards with numbers on them. Early on the games have dots on them to represent the beads on the abacus.

Rightstart focuses heavily on visualisation where the child visualises the addition of say 8+2=10 (hence dots being used in the early games) and so personally for my ds it would not be helpful for objects to be on the cards as that would distract from the purpose of RS. Rightstart doesn't focus on counting objects. The purpose of the games is to teach understanding of maths facts.

HTH!

Stephanie

[Penny]

Right Start Level A doesn't even begin with number symbols, but with tally marks and dot cards and finger cards, and of course, the abacus to show what numbers really are. Your post implies that you realize number symbols are meaningless unless paired with the objects being counted. Right Start seems to be the ONLY program which addresses this subject in depth when teaching children.

 

The RS games are wonderful, and do teach facts with number cards. However, this is only after work has been done to teach understanding of our base 10 system. Also, the games are not the whole program. Working with the abacus and following the lessons is essential.

 

Now, I had to stop using RS at a higher level because of the way the program teaches multiple stategies to solve problems. My dc is not math minded and could only handle one way of solving a problem. That said, RS at the lower levels was wonderful for us.

 

Also, since your dc will be going into 1st, you'll probably be interested in Level B. But Level A is the level where the number system is taken slowly and thoroughly introduced.

 

I'm not sure of your question, but I hope this helps.

 

 

Penny

[Aurelia]

There are games with cards that have the objects on it, but for games like "Go to the Dump" (like Go Fish to learn sums of 10) the child uses the abacus to figure out, for example, what goes with 2 to make 10 and once they have mastered that, they can play without it.

 

 

The curriculum teaches using different objects, and the child is allowed to use whatever is most comfortable in practice (games or a worksheet). The beginning doesn't have a lot of number symbol work, it builds up to it later, but first they take a lot of time (at level A, at least) making sure the child really understands that 5 means five tally sticks, or five ducks or five beads, etc.

[Heidi7Sue]

All that helps, thanks. I like the use of many ways to teach a concept. And it's good that it teaches multiple strategies for solving problems. My dd is good at math, but could use some encouragement in flexible thinking. Thanks for the input!