MATH!!!! Woe is us . . . .

[mommysweird]

Background: DS is 7 (1st grade). We started the year off with MUS Alpha - major deer in the headlights look. Then we switched to Time4Learning (was using it anyway for LA) - still not comprehending. I've tried math problems from various web resources, legos and whiteboard (most successful, but still not stellar)

 

Here's my predicament. The state mandates standardized testing. I'm thinking I'm just going to stop the madness with the math that's not working and test in May just to get it over with, knowing he will test low in math. I can't take another day of fear over math (from him and me!). Then in the fall, start with a new math program that offers even a glimmer of hope to be determined (I'm thinking Horizons or Singapore). I know constantly switching programs isn't good either. I want to stick with something, but pick something that he's going to "get." Then, over the summer work on basic stuff. Addition facts, time, money. Use real life stuff like the Legos, real clocks, real money, etc.

 

Just to give you an idea where he's at (and why I'm so frustrated). He can do simple addition facts (+1 and +2), count to 100 (but not skip-count), read a digital clock (not a non-digital), knows the value of coins (but can only count by pennies and dimes) and that's about it. I swear he knew more before we started with MUS. I think that program really messed him up and I now need to de-program him.

 

Any suggestions are needed, wanted and appreciated!

[Melinda]

What about Saxon if he is having a hard time with basic facts? Also, maybe Right Start if he is having trouble understanding how the concepts fit together? Good luck!

[Mesa]

For skip counting we work on that every single day. I know there is a CD available for skip counting too. My son loved the catchy tune and would dance around the room.

 

I used MUS and had a decent experience.... but just decent. After going to Abeka math, Saxon Math, Horizons math, and now to Singapore. This has been a long frustrating journey to say the least. I pulled out MUS again the other day and my son had a light bulb moment. He loved the lesson, and really enjoyed the "short pages". I'm not giving up Singapore math after all of this... I think it's an excellent program. We will just be doing 2 math programs from now on.

[Pongo]

Hummmm..the things he can't do like the grouping, skip counting are what I found to be a strength of MUS.

I use combinations, based on their learning style.

Oldest dd-10 she did amazing with Singapore 1-6 and is flying through Pre-Alg. With that said, she HATED MUS, we kept it nonsense with Singapore for her as the basal program, and supplemented with BJU workbooks for variety( 1 grade level up of BJU for Singapore)

 

My ds, does great with Singapore only AFTER he has the concrete foundation down. We use MUS as his basal program, when he finishes the level, he does Singapore corresponding levels. I pop in the BJU workbook pretty laid back, through the summer. That combination is PERFECT for him.

 

Now my most challenging little dd. She is a great fun kid but, she is a right -brained girl with a left brained mom.....that can be hard:D

For her, she needs repetition, repetition, repetition...and just when I think she has it, she has a case of Teflon brain (everything slides off) and we need more repetition. What works for her is concrete, color and manipulative's, all at the same time:). So we use MUS for the concept ONLY, ( not the b & w pages) then we go into BJU with games form Mastering Mathematics. I also add in CWP from Singapore, grade level.

She is an abstract thinker she needs the end first, we work from whole to parts instead of in increments as I do with my older two. With math facts, I drill her with cards that have the answer on them, because if I don't she only sees the blank answer and that's how she looks when I am waiting for an answer. Now, after drilling her with math facts with answers on them for a couple of months, she is faster than the older two when I call out addition and subtraction facts:D

Find out his learning style, than it's much easier to fit him into the right curriculum than hopping around..HTH's

Edited April 14, 2009 by Pongo

[Annie Laurie]

Math can be too abstract for some kids when they're young. My son sounds like your's, he started with MUS Alpha and it was a disaster for him. I just left him alone for awhile on the formal math and we played Sum Swamp, math computer games, and he did the flashmaster.

 

I just recently started him on formal math again, he's 8 and I put him back in RightStart level B, but I'd rather make sure the foundation is rock solid instead of worrying about grade level and rushing him. He has zipped through RS because he likes it and he is older so it seems to be clicking now, we do 2 or 3 lessons at a time usually and he'll start C soon.

 

But we'll slow down whenever we need to, I do think kids can cover everything easier when they're older, so if he doesn't get it all covered until 5th grade, I don't care. My oldest was in PS until 4th and he was terribly mixed up about math and we got it all straightened out within a couple of years and he's right on target now. Of course, I know all of this is easy for me to say since I don't live in a state that requires standardized testing or any other reporting.

[Academy of Jedi Arts]

I see you are in NC. As the law is written in NC, you could give a 12 year old a K level test, the kid could fail, and you would still be meeting the standardized testing requirement as long as you keep the scores on file for a year.

 

So don't sweat it mom! Think of the testing as a way for you to get more information about your son. It sounds like you have a good plan- work with him over the summer to get him caught up on 1st grade, then start something else for 2nd.

[mo2]

I swear he knew more before we started with MUS. I think that program really messed him up and I now need to de-program him.

 

Same thing is happening with my 7yo. I am kind of doing the same thing you are. I stopped and did a unit on telling time, so she is getting better at that. I plan to do a short unit on money as well and then start with Singapore and Miquon in the fall. In the meantime, I bought a cheap workbook at WalMart for about $3.50 and am using it to brush up on some things she used to know but doesn't anymore. She is horrible at skip counting, so we need to do lots of work on that. I think repetition is the only way to get through that, so it's on my schedule to do every day.

 

Good luck!

[momto2Cs]

What about Saxon if he is having a hard time with basic facts? Also, maybe Right Start if he is having trouble understanding how the concepts fit together? Good luck!

 

 

I second Saxon. I know some people don't care for it, but for us it has been a good solid program.

[mommysweird]

Thanks mamas! I felt that maybe he was too young to grasp the abstract concepts, too, but got into the vicious cycle of comparing him to other kids. I know better!! :glare:

 

I'll just work with him on foundational things in the meantime. As for his learning style. Everything I've read has told me that he's split evenly between all three major ones. But I think maybe his math learning style might be more specific. Need to investigate more . ..

 

Thanks again!

[Karen in CO]

I think 7 is one of those hard ages for math. I know several kids that had problems at that same age. My dd at 8 is a completely different math kid than she was at 7. 7 was tears and frustration for both of us. We quit math completely for a few months to get over the bad feeling we both had about it then approached it with fresh eyes.

[mom4him]

Does he like to be read to and/or games. We have gotten a game that my kids REALLY like called Sum Swamp. It comes with normal dice but I have dice that go up to 12 so you can go past the lower numbers when ready. This has helped my 2nd grader in clicking in with addition and sub.

Also, our library has a few books that are picture books that I have read to my two at different times. It seems like it helped them to understand pairs, odd, even, skip counting etc. and wasn't as intimidating as a math book set in front of them.

[mom2att]

I third Saxon. My son was just like yours last year (1st grade). I started with Singapore, which had been a great fit for his older sister, then when that didn't work we tried MUS. The deer in the headlights look describes it perfectly--he just didn't get it. We tried various workbooks and games for the rest of 1st grade, but math (and school in general) was torture for both of us. A friend talked me into Saxon over the summer, and I am very grateful to her for doing so. Due to Saxon's baby steps approach, he suddenly gets math. And if he doesn't get it the first time around, I know he will get another chance (and another, and another . . .).

 

I never thought I would like Saxon, but for my son it has been wonderful. We are finishing up the second grade book and will continue to use Saxon for 3rd grade. Sometimes it's just a matter of finding the right program.

[tinkgumby]

Maverick here on the boards got me into SRA Real Math, which I love love love! My boys are 7 and 8, and we are having great success with it. You can get a visual overview of it here:

http://www.mcgraw-hill.com.sg/school/catalog/preK-12_math-sci_08-09/Maths/8_Real_Math.pdf

 

It's designed for public schools, but very easily adaptable to hs. My boys love the color and games and challenge; I love that it's actually covering everything they should know and has the highest rating in an independent review compared to Saxon, McGraw-Hill, and others: http://www.mathematicallycorrect.com/books2y.htm (it's referred to as SRA: Explorations and Applications, but it's essentially the same thing. I have both.)

 

Anyway, you've gotten good advice about not sweating it too much, but if you decide to change curriculum, I had to give my plug for SRA, since it's not really well-known in the hs community. :D

[moosemomma]

If you are thinking about switching math programs have you looked at Math Mammoth.

 

http://www.mathmammoth.com/

 

You can use the Blue series, which is topical and inexpensive. You could download a few of the workbooks for less than $10. If it fits you could try the Light Blue series which is grade based (cost is about $30).

 

I like the simple explanation and presentation. You can download sample worksheets to see if this is a good fit.

 

Jill

[HollyDay]

It might very well be a maturity issue. Some dc just need additional time for their brains to get ready for math. We just had a talk about math at our homeschool support group last week and maturity was a central theme.

 

The speaker recommended logic and critical thinking activities to booth math thinking. Mind Benders was highly recommended. Other ideas were chess, blockus, rush hour, corridor, othello, and any other game that would be along these lines.

 

Making Math Meaningful was also presented. I had never heard of this program before, but it was well thought of by several - including the speaker. She HIGHLY recommended for the elementary years.

 

HTH some.

[caitlinsmom]

We love Horizons. It is repetative enough to constantly keep skills in their head but not so repetative that they are bored. Everything is presented in a really simple and easy manner. We find it specific enough that our very concrete learner has no issues with it.

 

We will use it for years to come. :) Good luck with your search.

[emmsmama]

Dd didn't skip count (other than 2s, 5s and 10s) until Gr. 3+ if it's any consolation. Ds is in Gr. 1 and we just started doing skip counting with 2s, 5s and 10s. I use Rightstart math and it's working well for us, but I started him in Level A (technically B is Gr. 1) as he's a young Gr. 1 (turned 6 last Nov.).

[Stacy in NJ]

I would set a side all math curricula and just do real math. Ruth Beechick's book would be a great place to start. Use cheap workbooks, as well.

 

Here's a link:

 

Curriculum can be a tremendous waste of time. :001_smile:

[Aloha2U]

I thought that I would be one to recommend Saxon as well, but it is because of Saxon's way of teaching concepts and their baby steps approach that I am switching to RightStart as our spine (supplementing w/Singapore). So, I guess that I'm giving a plug to try RightStart if you are considering switching programs. I wish I would have listened to OhElizabeth last year when she suggested it to me.

 

;)

[siloam]

Kim,

 

I would suggest Right Start as a program. It does work on skip counting a lot, not just in level B, but up through level D we still have almost daily reminders to practice for multiplication purposes. At first the child is allowed to use to abacus, then as they mature and learn they do it from memory.

 

Heather

[mommysweird]

Again, thanks for all the suggestions. I've looked at Right Start, but it's been awhile, so I'll check it out again to refresh my memory. I'm either doing MFW ADV, SL Core 1 or WP AS1 next year. I was thinking Horizons would be great if I choose to go with SL simply because they retail it and I could get it shipped with my core and a nice little 10% discount all wrapped up together.;) But ultimately, I just want to do what's best for DS regardless of price and convenience.

 

Thanks again.

[Rosie_0801]

Math on the Level makes it easy to jump around from topic to topic so it doesn't matter if you hit a brick wall on something, you can switch to something else until he's ready to go back to the original topic. It's quite gentle, but comes with a thorough concept chart so you don't feel you're missing anything over all. It's a k-8 program, so you wouldn't have to keep swapping curriculums. They have a 60 day return policy so you can try it out before committing the cash.

 

Rosie

[SnowWhite]

We love BJU Math. Don't feel too badly about having some false starts on your math curric. It sometimes takes a while to get a feel for your child's learning style. He's still young and once his maturity matches the program you're using you're likely to see great strides in math confidence and ability.

 

Here are the reasons I chose BJU Math:

 

Strong concept development and problem solving, like Singapore.

Appealing full color workbook.

Uses manipulatives.

The pace and scope/sequence "clicked" for me when I looked the program over.

I like the "real school" teacher manual, which puts me in the driver's seat. *I* determine which hands on activities we do and which reviews worksheets to assign based on ds's needs.

I like the possibility of DVD lessons in Jr High/High school if needed.

[TolleLegeAcademy]

FWIW, we found that Horizons moved too fast for us here, and was very frustrating. I used it for 1 1/2 years. We did try doing fewer problems and spreading things out, but there still just seemed to be a big jump in what was expected without a lot of understanding-practice built in. I think part if it is in the types of thinking it uses. (Number lines mostly by the time we stopped.) If you can look at a scope and sequence and samples that might help you in deciding upon that program. We're using a combo of RS and Math Mammoth, now----just for some extra paper pencil mostly. RS doesn't need an add on necessarily. :) I hope you find success with whatever you choose! :)

[Amy in KS]

We love CLE math. It's gentle, and my math hater turned into a math lover. And she is getting it all:)

[mommysweird]

Kim,

 

Meanwhile, let me know about that support group. I'll bring the brownies.

 

How about next Tuesday?? :D

 

Seriously, thanks for the support. From all of you. I just can't continue with MUS anymore, though. We were only on lesson 7 by November (because you're not supposed to continue until the lesson is mastered). I can't bear to think about it!

 

I'm going to check out the others suggested here. Especially RS. It has always looked intriguing to me anyway, may as well take another math plunge! I have Hooked On Math that we'll play with until Fall and hopefully, he'll be more math-brained then.

[kellycbr]

Kim,

 

I would suggest Right Start as a program. It does work on skip counting a lot, not just in level B, but up through level D we still have almost daily reminders to practice for multiplication purposes. At first the child is allowed to use to abacus, then as they mature and learn they do it from memory.

 

Heather

 

When DS was 7, we switched from MUS to RightStart and haven't looked back. RS gives you so many different ways to do extra practise if needed to get the new concept. It has been fun to learn all the different games, and the games never feel like "Math!" I wish I had RS when I was a kid.

 

Kelly

[LadyAberlin]

maybe you could do the livingmath.net math history plans with him. It is math through storybooks and games and he doesn't have to get it, but he'll remember the stories and eventually get it when he is ready.

[Lovedtodeath]

I swear he knew more before we started with MUS. I think that program really messed him up and I now need to de-program him.

 

That is our situation exactly. We did Horizons before we switched to MUS. I need way more hand holding. Abeka has literally saved our homeschool. We were going to have to send her to PS if we kept having so much trouble with math. She likes Abeka. I love the fact that it tells me exactly what to do. I write certain things on the board, etc. Abeka is a bit of overkill, but really easy to adapt. We skip the flashcards and a lesson here and there, but I would rather have everything outlined for me even if it is too much than to have nothing to go on. (Horizons TM are basically nothing.) The timed drills.... she loves them (she says she hates them, but she does them) and they are working! Can you believe it?

 

Our HS days are shorter and more pleasant with Abeka instead of MUS. They also have educational consultants at Abeka that spent some time with me figuring out how to get her caught back up, where to place her, and how to speed up the program if need be.

 

She is making rapid progress. I am so happy with Abeka that I want to hug someone responsible.

[mommysweird]

maybe you could do the livingmath.net math history plans with him. It is math through storybooks and games and he doesn't have to get it, but he'll remember the stories and eventually get it when he is ready.

 

Thanks for that suggestion! I'll do that over the summer, too!

 

So many good suggestions on here. I'm off to check everything out!