MATH! Stick with Dev Math or switch to BJU next year?

[Wee Pip]

I'm currently & successfully using Developmental Math with my 7yo dd. We're on book 4 (adding tens). I like this series - it is short & simple & uses mental math. Dd does math for 10-20mins & its done. If she doesn't understand something, it usually takes a very short explanation before she catches on. It does not teach telling time, or measurement, and it doesn't necessarily follow all the "standards" of school. The WTM book reviewed it as a great program, but maybe not complete & better used as a supplement for a struggling student.

DD used BJU math for K and we really liked that, too. Then I started wandering & tried a plethora of other math that did not work well (horizons & math u see). I am also now using BJU K math with my other dd & plan to stick with it over the long haul.
So our math history in review:
K: BJU (liked it)
1st: Horizons, Math U See (didn't like it)
2nd: Developmental Math (like it)

Ok, so thinking of the adage "if it ain't broke, don't fix it", and the necessity for "consistency", I'm wondering if we should stay with DM next year? But then I wonder about the "completeness" issue and wonder if we should go back to BJU next year? I don't really want to try anything new and I don't feel like combining (for now). What do you think?

[Wee Pip]

Uh, anyone? LOL.

[Sherri in MI]

It's funny you're considering switching to BJU because I am considering it. But I'm afraid it might be too time consuming. I get the impression from a review I read that it might be similar to Horizons, but with more explantion in the Teacher's Manual. Would you say this is true with your experience using BJU K?

I'd be curious to know what you don't like about Horizons. It's working for Michael, but I find the Teacher's manual not very helpful in terms of explanations. The lesson plans are only somewhat helpful. Most of the lessons plans are what I would think of anyway. When there is a need to teach a new concept, I find the explanation very lacking. But somehow it is working anyway. At least ds understands how to do the problems. I don't know how well he knows the concepts.

Sorry I can't be helpful to you. I've used Horizons Math since Kindergarten. Didn't like Saxon or Singapore after looking at them.

Blessings,
Sherri

[Melissa in CA]

My advice would be to pick a program and stick with it. Find what you want to use from now on and, unless you run into problems, don't even LOOK at other math curriculum. :D

We did much of what you have done during my son's k-3rd grades. We did Abeka, Singapore, Miquon, Math U See and even used Making Math Meaningful! Some as supplements, others as our core math. In 4th grade, after using MUS for 3rd and not liking it, we moved to BJU. BJU is where we are going to stay for the long haul. My son is now half way through the 5th grade book and progressing marvelously. I have a high schooler using the precalculus this year, and who used the Alg 2 last year, both with great results.

BJU is a solid, traditional, math curriculum. I have personally found no problems with it...it's doing it's job wonderfully. ;)

Blessings,
Melissa

[Wee Pip]

Hi Sherri! Hey, we did your volcano experiment yesterday & it worked beautifully:) The biggest differences I noticed between Horizons & BJU:
* Horizons did not have much teacher explanation (like you noticed)
* BJU had a lot of mental math practice so you understood the reason behind what you were doing - ex: with 7 + 8, your not just adding, your actually making a ten out of it and adding the remaining ones (7 can be broken into 5 + 2. 8 + 2 = 10. 10 + 5 = 15.
* Horizons is spiral, but BJU is sort of spiral & mastery (Unit 1 is adding, Unit 2 is measurement...Unit 4 is adding again & building on that concept, Unit 5 is measurement again)
* BJU's pictures are prettier:P

I did find BJU's teacher's guide to be teacher intensive, but...I'm on my 2nd time thru with it, now using it for Z. She doesn't like a lot of teacher instruction, so I actually now just look thru the TM to see if I need to teach anything. If not, I don't & we go straight to the book. I'm getting good at picking out what we need, so we are seldom using the TM. With A, I used the TM for everything and it was overkill.
See you Friday if we don't get that big snow storm!

[Wee Pip]

Melissa - thanks for the good review of BJU & advice. I do want to stick with something once I pick it:) I'm done experimenting!

[Shari]

I was a Math jumper for a long time, too. My oldest ds started with BJU in K, then switched to Horizons K; then back to BJU for 1st and 2nd; Saxon for 3rd. Now we are wrapping up BJU 4th and are sticking with it, at least until Algebra.

I echo the poster who said it is important to find a program with a good track record, one which is at least *tolerable* to your students LOL, and stick with it. Don't read about other programs, and certainly don't look at 'em!

BJU is often criticized for its lack of Review, which is found in the warm up section of the TM. I think there are a lot of homeschoolers who try to use BJU materials in general without Teacher's Manuals, and IMHO it is a big mistake. There is just so much in the TM, from supplemental notes to explanations to mental practice, while you can do the program without it, you cannot do it fully.

If you are concerned with the "spiral" vs "mastery" argument, there is an extra book for each level which contains practice problems that matches up with the TM. What we are doing is covering the new topic in the book during the day, then ds gets the corresponding page from the Review book for homework. It has been our best Math year ever, and has solidified my decision to stick with BJU for the duration.

HTH

[apple4]

Have you used the new 3rd edition or the 2nd edition of BJ? Any of you use the DVD's for 4th grade? I too have switched math too many times. I began with Right Start, then CLE and as much as I like CLE, I really need more conceptual teaching for my girls. I would stick with CLE in a heartbeat if it had more to the teacher's manual like BJ. Does the 3rd edition of BJ have review pages with practice on a variety of topics and not just on the chapter you are working on? Thanks, Amy