Murphy101 Posted May 3, 2009 Share Posted May 3, 2009 I've loved MCP for grade K - 8, but it's not clicking for my 7th born (b/c you know having something that works for them all would just be too easy!) I'm highly interested in Developmental Math, so I'd like opinions on it. (I know it doesn't teach time/calendar or measurement and I'm fine with that.) And I'd be grateful for any other mastery based math programs that other can suggest. So far these are the only 2 that I'm aware of. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
homeschoolchic Posted May 3, 2009 Share Posted May 3, 2009 Are you looking for k-8 or older than that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoveBaby Posted May 3, 2009 Share Posted May 3, 2009 Math-U-See, Rod and Staff and I belive Bob Jones are also mastery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murphy101 Posted May 3, 2009 Author Share Posted May 3, 2009 sorry - this will be for elementary and I have an aversion to manipultives and DVD based instruction. (b/c I don't want my kid sitting in front of the tv/computer and because this son gets very frustrated with being forced to use manipulatives in a certain manner - he'd rather build forts with them;)) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matryoshka Posted May 3, 2009 Share Posted May 3, 2009 Why not Singapore? (my fave :001_smile:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jen500 Posted May 3, 2009 Share Posted May 3, 2009 Why not Singapore? (my fave :001_smile:) :iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murphy101 Posted May 3, 2009 Author Share Posted May 3, 2009 Why not Singapore? (my fave :001_smile:) my understanding is that singapore is not a mastery program? can anyone direct me to a site where I can see pages of the student books? also, how teacher intensive is singapore? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AudreyTN Posted May 3, 2009 Share Posted May 3, 2009 http://www.singaporemath.com has the best info Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harriet Vane Posted May 3, 2009 Share Posted May 3, 2009 MUS is the only truly mastery-oriented program I am aware of. Both Rod and Staff and Singapore are spiral. Mastery means staying on one topic until everything is mastered. Therefore MUS has a multiplication book, a separate division book, etc. There are bits of other things here and there (geometry, Roman numerals, weights and volume) but the vast majority of the book is ONE topic. Spiral means covering a wider variety of topics each year. The student touches on a couple steps of a given topic, then moves on to a different topic. The next year all the same topics are covered, but teach a few more steps (go a little deeper) with each topic. So, the student covers things like addition, subtraction, fractions, multiplication, division, weights and volume, etc., every single year. Rod and Staff and Singapore are classic spiral curricula. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murphy101 Posted May 3, 2009 Author Share Posted May 3, 2009 yes, that's what I thought singapore was too. MUS would probably be okay but it's DVD AND manipulative based and both those things are doom a product in my house. :) MUS is the only truly mastery-oriented program I am aware of. Both Rod and Staff and Singapore are spiral. Mastery means staying on one topic until everything is mastered. Therefore MUS has a multiplication book, a separate division book, etc. There are bits of other things here and there (geometry, Roman numerals, weights and volume) but the vast majority of the book is ONE topic. Spiral means covering a wider variety of topics each year. The student touches on a couple steps of a given topic, then moves on to a different topic. The next year all the same topics are covered, but teach a few more steps (go a little deeper) with each topic. So, the student covers things like addition, subtraction, fractions, multiplication, division, weights and volume, etc., every single year. Rod and Staff and Singapore are classic spiral curricula. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom0012 Posted May 3, 2009 Share Posted May 3, 2009 I think of Rod & Staff as a mastery program. You continue to work on a subject until there is very little chance of not "getting it". Then there is continued review. Lisa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harriet Vane Posted May 4, 2009 Share Posted May 4, 2009 yes, that's what I thought singapore was too. MUS would probably be okay but it's DVD AND manipulative based and both those things are doom a product in my house. :) While I do find the manipulatives helpful, we do not use them intensively. Often we just watch Mr. Demme demonstrate them on the video and then not use them at all for that unit because the kid is able to understand just fine from watching. Having said that, I do have one friend who uses MUS but does not bother with the video at all. They're just not video people. This friend reads the teacher's manual and just teaches from that. I have to say that I think the TM is simple and the explanations are clear--even a math-phobe like me could teach from it. I personally LOVE the video, and so do my kids, though. Mr. Demme is a good teacher, and all three of us appreciate his clear, simple explanations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matryoshka Posted May 4, 2009 Share Posted May 4, 2009 MUS is the only truly mastery-oriented program I am aware of. Both Rod and Staff and Singapore are spiral. Mastery means staying on one topic until everything is mastered. ...Spiral means covering a wider variety of topics each year. Actually, if that's the definition, then MUS is the *only* mastery program, and the term's been around before MUS. I can't think of any other program that does addition for a year, then subtraction, then multiplication, etc. Rather than try to explain it, I'm quoting someone (well, two someones) from another thread: Angela in OH, in another thread, explained mastery vs spiral, etc., in a way that I feel best defines those terms. I think there are people on these boards who disagree and define them differently. Quote: I'm going to tackle this, because I have never seen so much confusion over these terms as I have lately on these boards. :) Everybody is trying to redefine terms, including many elsewhere on the internet. A math program is defined by the approach to mathematics education that the author/publisher takes. Do they believe that a concept needs to be mastered immediately, do they believe that a concept should be taught in pieces and looked at repeatedly and mastery will eventually occur, do they have another idea altogether? Here are the traditional meanings: Mastery - one chapter on one topic, then another chapter on another topic, may be a small review section at the end of the chapter with previous concepts, but there is not daily review of concepts taught in other chapters examples: most traditional textboks we grew up with, BJU, MCP, SF Exploring Mathematics, Singapore Spiral - includeds a well-thought-out daily implementation of review of previous concepts taught, new concepts may be taught a chapter at a time or they may come willy-nilly, usually a topic is dropped for a short time, then picked back up, then dropped, and so forth, but this may be more or less the case depending on curriculum, when defined in theory, spiral math would actually be Saxon, which is instead called incremental (confusing, huh?) examples: Horizons, R&S, A Beka, Everyday Mathematics (Chicago Math) (though Everyday Mathematics could be called incremental) Incremental - Saxon is the only program that calls itself incremental, I believe, this is a form of spiral with another twist: the concepts are not taught completely in one lesson, they are broken down into pieces and taught over a period of lessons Other - new (or not so new) programs that take a completely different approach examples: MUS, Miquon, RightStart, TouchMath, Developmental Mathematics (Dev Math and MUS are related to mastery programs in ways) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LadyAberlin Posted May 4, 2009 Share Posted May 4, 2009 There is also mastering mathematics. With MUS We watch the 5 minute video at the beginning of the week and then do a page a day after that to complete out the lesson. 1 lesson is meant to take about a week to finish. So 5 min out of 1 week isn't much. Also we use the manipulatives at the beginning and then my son will start doing it without them as he learns the concept. He gets to play with them after the lesson is over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted May 4, 2009 Share Posted May 4, 2009 Math on the Level is a blend of mastery and spiral, and can be as much of either as you wish. It is very teacher intensive though, so it probably isn't a good fit for you on that score. Rosie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SnowWhite Posted May 4, 2009 Share Posted May 4, 2009 BJU Math is similar to MCP in set-up, but higher quality and more appealing, IMO. The manipulatives issue I don't think will be a problem. You mainly use them when teaching a new concept... like re-naming in addition and subtraction. I honestly believe *any* good math program will use a hands on method to illustrate this and other concrete concepts (can you imagine teaching measurement without using any ruler or measuring cups?). Let your little ds build some forts right before or after math class if you like, to get it out of his system. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littlemomof3 Posted May 4, 2009 Share Posted May 4, 2009 I consider R&S mastery. My son who is 9 and in 3rd couldnt use the abeka/cle type spiral math programs because they switched types of problems SO quickly. When then went to R&S and because they do teach 1 main topic for several days then slowly add review of other things in...I feel its mastery. Also he MASTERED stuff that he couldnt in other programs. So I disagree and feel R&S in mastery as do most people who use it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sagira Posted May 4, 2009 Share Posted May 4, 2009 (edited) Check out the site Homeschool Math for reviews of and links to different math programs. Good luck! I like MCP Math myself (see my sig? :)). Not distracting for my ds. I know Making Math Meaningful is a mastery program, but different in look and feel. If I couldn't use MCP I would look at this, Professor B, Developmental Math and Math Mammoth. Edited May 4, 2009 by sagira Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom22ns Posted May 4, 2009 Share Posted May 4, 2009 I would look at BJU. I consider it to be mastery. It doesn't spiral. You take smaller topics to master than MUS, but you do stay on them until they are mastered. For example in fractions, you begin with value and comparison as a chapter, then addition & subtraction of fractions with common denominators as a chapter, then uncommon denominators are a chapter, then multiplication, then division. All the fractions are covered in 5th grade and you aren't spiraling up and down, but there is other material in chapters in between (geometry mostly at that level). In the lower grades there are manipulatives, but they are paper/cardboard cutouts and totally optional. It isn't like the plastic blocks that they want to play with. Unless you want to buy a DVD course, you are the teacher. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murphy101 Posted May 4, 2009 Author Share Posted May 4, 2009 Check out the site Homeschool Math for reviews of and links to different math programs. Good luck! I like MCP Math myself (see my sig? :)). Not distracting for my ds. I know Making Math Meaningful is a mastery program, but different in look and feel. If I couldn't use MCP I would look at this, Professor B, Developmental Math and Math Mammoth. hey thanks for the link! I'd been to homeschool review, but not homeschool math, which does give some info I was looking for. I prefer MCP math too and have used it successfully for K - 4th grade for the older 6 children. But it simply isn't going to do the trick for this little guy. So what I prefer is MCP, but I really prefer he learn the math, so I'm hoping to find something that will meet my desire for a mastery program that will work better for him.:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sixpence1978 Posted May 4, 2009 Share Posted May 4, 2009 I, too, would put Singapore and BJU in the Mastery category. They are nothing like the mastery level of MUS, but are definitely not as spiral as Horizons or Saxon. Another option for a mastery approach could be Math Mammoth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shasta Mom Posted May 4, 2009 Share Posted May 4, 2009 I, too, consider Singapore Math mastery......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murphy101 Posted May 9, 2009 Author Share Posted May 9, 2009 well I won't buy BJU for religious reasons.. I need to put that as a disclaimer in any post about curiculum suggestions b/c they are recommended a lot...:D I decided to go with Math Mammoth. I'd love to say it's for lots of awesome reasons, but the truth is I got a very good deal on it via the Homeschool Buyers Coop. I shoudl be getting the entire program on CD (which I would normally never buy, I HATE software and download curriculum!) sometime the end of this month. But he price made it worth the risk.:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hmschooling Posted July 1, 2009 Share Posted July 1, 2009 Mastery Mathematics from Mastery Publications. Singapore is somewhat mastery...you stay on a topic until you "get it" fairly well. Then you move on and come back to it again later on a deeper level. Each unit or chapter is only one topic and there's no mixture of other concepts within the lesson unless you add in the review. I like Singapore a lot, b/c about the time you get to a brick wall with the "mastery content" you move on to something else and return later. It's worked well with my dd8. It is highly conceptual and rather advanced. We are getting ready for 3rd grade and we're just too ahead in SM to continue with it b/c of the logic involved as you progress...it's a VERY solid program and requires thinking, not just following steps. I am considering doing a year or so of Mastery Mathematics before we start SM 3 to give dd a chance to mature. It's rather independent once they are reading well, and the manipulatives are optional. There are some fun games as well. It is a true mastery program if you want it to be, or you can finish up to a certain level of one book, then move on to another if you are trying to stay within a grade range of all topics and not get too far ahead. It's also very economical. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommix3 Posted July 1, 2009 Share Posted July 1, 2009 We use Math u see but only use the teachers manual. You DON'T have to use the videos. I can teach the same things out of the book that are on the videos. And besides that, the lessons only take about 5 minutes to listen to if you did want a break from teaching the math for a day. You don't have to use the manipulatives either if you don't want to.. We don't. Well, we don't use the blocks. We use the fraction overlays only to make the idea more concrete and then they are put away. My kids are doing great with this program and it's the only curriculum choice that I haven't second guessed. Angela Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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