Fave Brands for Afterschool Materials

[MamaFish]

Hi! Brand new here!

My kindergartener is doing really well in her private school, but we're moving to a new area this summer and will be moving to a public school. I've picked the best one I could find but will still be afterschooling to keep her engaged.

That being said, we had GREAT success with Kumon when she was smaller and now I'm loving the Evan-Moor series. Is there anything else you love that I should look into? She's just now finished the 2nd grade comprehension and language books and the 1st grade Everyday Math and the Human Body science workbook.

ALSO, all of the schools in this new area use the Accelerated Reader program but I want to stick with the phonics that she's getting at her school. What programs are your favorites?

Thanks so much!

[Spy Car]

The Singapore math program is something to consider. It is powerful, time efficient, scalable in difficulty from average to challenging, relatively inexpensive, and teaches both the "standard algorithms" (things like column addition and subtraction) and mental math strategies based around re-grouping.

Do you know what math program the new school will be using? Everyday Math is a highly polarizing math program and most parents on this forum whose children have used it hate it with the passion of a thousand suns.

Welcome!

Bill

[Heigh Ho]

Lego would be the favorite afterschool brand here.

I would offer spelling if the school does not offer it.

[fairytalemama]

Not to beat it to death (because I think everyone on the boards know how much I love it) --- but I adore The Ordinary Parent's Guide to Reading (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0972860312?ie=UTF8&tag=enchantschool-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0972860312) for phonics. It's can be done quickly (10-15 minutes tops for each lesson), it's scripted so there's no prep for you, and it's inexpensive. My daughter is 5 and reading at a 2nd or 3rd grade level (she's on lesson 182 out of 231). She is breezing through Magic Treehouse books! I couldn't be happier with the outcome and the book.

The Singapore math program is something to consider. It is powerful, time efficient, scalable in difficulty from average to challenging, relatively inexpensive, and teaches both the "standard algorithms" (things like column addition and subtraction) and mental math strategies based around re-grouping.

Do you know what math program the new school will be using? Everyday Math is a highly polarizing math program and most parents on this forum whose children have used it hate it with the passion of a thousand suns.

Welcome!

Bill

We have also really liked the Rightstart card games a lot. Not to hijack the thread here, but I have an afterschooling Singapore vs. Rightstart question to direct at Bill since I know he's the man in the know. I have RS A & B with all the manipulatives and games. We do some of the card games, but haven't really been doing the lessons. I'm going to need something time efficient here because my daughter is going to full day 1st grade in the fall too. Because of time constraints, would I be better off ditching the RS in favor of Singapore? Or since I already have it, should I stick with the RS and just break it up into shorter lessons? What do you think would be more effective in the long run? Please PM me if it's easier. Thanks...

[urban mama]

another math curriculum to consider is Miquon Math (http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/easy_find?Ntt=miquon+math&N=0&Ntk=keywords&action=Search&Ne=0&event=ESRCN&nav_search=1&cms=1&search=), which uses the cuisinairre rods. We just started alternating Singapore with Miquon. I think the Singapore was a little too workbooky for him after a whole day of workbooky stuff and he is really liking the variety of the rods. Plus just the surprise of which book I'll pull out that day. The two curriculums go well together also.

We also use All About Spelling for our phonics/spelling, as well as spellingcity.com and starfall.com

[Spy Car]

We have also really liked the Rightstart card games a lot. Not to hijack the thread here, but I have an afterschooling Singapore vs. Rightstart question to direct at Bill since I know he's the man in the know. I have RS A & B with all the manipulatives and games. We do some of the card games, but haven't really been doing the lessons. I'm going to need something time efficient here because my daughter is going to full day 1st grade in the fall too. Because of time constraints, would I be better off ditching the RS in favor of Singapore? Or since I already have it, should I stick with the RS and just break it up into shorter lessons? What do you think would be more effective in the long run? Please PM me if it's easier. Thanks...

I don't want to "cop-out" on the question, but I have only used the Activities for AL Abacus materials (that were the precursor to the full RS program), and the games, and the place value cards and base-10 cards, but not either RS A or B. More of an RS-lite.

To be honest the abacus did not quite click with my son the way C Rods did. We started when he was on the young side so playing with C Rods was "good" (and what I wanted him to do) where "playing" with the abacus kind of undermined the lessons. I followed a path of least resistance.

That said, RS A and B are very popular programs on this forum. I like that RS focuses on place value early and I stole that idea from them. I think you need to ask yourself why the materials have sat. I don't think RS matches my style of teaching very well. The scripting is sort of the opposite of what I'm looking for. Others love that they have something solid to follow and find the "flexibility"of a program like Miquon bewildering.

So I don't know.

I did not love the EB Singapore books. They were OK, but very "workbooky" for Kindergarten. But Miquon I loved, a perfect fit for us and a great lead-in to Singapore.

And I eventually just shut down EB and moved on to Primary Mathematics (Singapore) 1A/1B for Kindergarten which was a good move for my son (who'd been primed with Miquon and MEP).

With school time demands Primary Mathematics has been the "spine" of our math program. I find it efficient enough to be able to do the core and the IP and CWPs. And still supplement with a mix of other things.

Would I say don't do RS A and B. I can't say that I would if you feel like they work for you and you child. If they don't, there are other options.

Miquon is amazing in the way it turns on light-bulbs so quickly (but does demand a good deal of parent-teacher study happen behind the scenes). The MEP materials are available free online and promote critical thinking and logic in ways that rival (if not exceed) any math program. And the Singapore materials shine at developing methods and strategies of mental math and world problem solving that are world class.

There are too many great options. Sometimes it is hard to choose. Nice problem to have!

Bill

[Spy Car]

another math curriculum to consider is Miquon Math (http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/easy_find?Ntt=miquon+math&N=0&Ntk=keywords&action=Search&Ne=0&event=ESRCN&nav_search=1&cms=1&search=), which uses the cuisinairre rods. We just started alternating Singapore with Miquon. I think the Singapore was a little too workbooky for him after a whole day of workbooky stuff and he is really liking the variety of the rods. Plus just the surprise of which book I'll pull out that day. The two curriculums go well together also.



:iagree:

Miquon math was such a great introductory math program for my son. I will be forever grateful I stumbled on it for both him and me, as the teaching materials really help me grow. But I do realize Miquon is not a program for everyone. It takes a motivated parent with an open mind who is willing to put in a little study and who fundamentally believes that young children have the capacity to reason and that gift is worth forstering.

Bill

[fairytalemama]

Thanks for the insight, Bill. How much time per day do you spend afterschooling math (not including school homework)?

[Spy Car]

Thanks for the insight, Bill. How much time per day do you spend afterschooling math (not including school homework)?

It really depends. We get a lot done but the work time ebbs and flows around the other opportunities of life rather than having life revolve around a math schedule. If that makes sense.

Bill

[BabyBre]

The Singapore math program is something to consider. It is powerful, time efficient, scalable in difficulty from average to challenging, relatively inexpensive, and teaches both the "standard algorithms" (things like column addition and subtraction) and mental math strategies based around re-grouping.

Do you know what math program the new school will be using? Everyday Math is a highly polarizing math program and most parents on this forum whose children have used it hate it with the passion of a thousand suns.

Welcome!

Bill


:lol:

I'll be among those that would only recommend EM for your worst enemies, but would highly recommend Singapore for the best of what EM offers (conceptual thinking) plus the traditional methods it lacks.