Not liking Rod and Staff Math 2- what to use instead?

[mamato4girls]

We are currently using R & S Math grade 2, alothough I love their 6th grade program, my 2nd grader is hating Math with R & S. I have her using manipulatives, but she still gets so frustrated. It doesn't seem to really teach new concepts, just tons of review.
I would love some recommendations for a Math program. I am thinking of switching to Abeka, Math U See..... anything else, tell me what you like, don't like.
Thanks!

[mamato4girls]

Anyone??:001_smile:

[Sue in St Pete]

I love MUS. See my lengthy review in this thread (http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=939&highlight=fraction+overlays).

[Titus.Two.Five]

We just couldn't do MUS (I wanted to like it, really I did!), Abeka is great until grade 4, IMO.

We are enjoying Saxon so far, levels: 2, 5/4, and 8/7.

[Karen in CO]

We did the BJU 2 math (the third edition) and enjoyed that. I liked the way it taught the concepts and the new teacher's manual includes a cd with many types of extra problem sets. I am currently using Singapore and Math Mammoth.

[mamaof2andtwins]

Hi Vicki,

I am new around here. We used R&S for grades 1-8, but not with the same children. One of my twins had issues with the review in grades 1-2 of R&S. We now use Christian Light Education math for all 3 of my daughters. This is a spiral approach and not a mastery approach. I don't know what you prefer, but I have been very pleased with the content of the program and the presentation of the material.

Jennie

[Ellie]

We are currently using R & S Math grade 2, alothough I love their 6th grade program, my 2nd grader is hating Math with R & S. I have her using manipulatives, but she still gets so frustrated. It doesn't seem to really teach new concepts, just tons of review.
I would love some recommendations for a Math program. I am thinking of switching to Abeka, Math U See..... anything else, tell me what you like, don't like.
Thanks!
So, you're mixing stuff with manipulatives along with what R&S is teaching?

Are you doing the oral lessons with her first, then having her do the seatwork?

[mamato4girls]

So, you're mixing stuff with manipulatives along with what R&S is teaching?

Are you doing the oral lessons with her first, then having her do the seatwork?
I am just letting her use manipulative's to help her solve each problem. I am doing some oral with her, probably not as much as me just "explaining" it to her.

[coffeefreak]

Rod and Staff is mainly drill and memorization. My daughter doesn't "do" math like that. Is that's what you're experiencing? Tell us what you do and don't like about it. What does and doesn't work for your daughter. Then, I might have an answer (we've used 5 different programs):lol::lol:

[Angel]

We did R&S 1 last year and never quite finished it. Dd was a little bored and there wasn't enough "hands on" for her. It didn't seem to be sticking. I had used R&S 6-8 successfully with my older dd and was a little disappointed because I liked it.

We were getting ready to order MUS when a friend gave us Saxon 2 for free. I had never looked at Saxon because it would have been a disaster for my older dd. We decided to give it a try (it WAS free) and to my surprise dd just loves it. What's funny is that the lessons take much longer than our R&S lessons but she doesn't seem to notice. We change topics and learn different things every week, with lots of hands on experiences. It's actually just as easy to teach as R&S.

Just something to consider if you have a very hands-on child.

[mamato4girls]

Rod and Staff is mainly drill and memorization. My daughter doesn't "do" math like that. Is that's what you're experiencing? Tell us what you do and don't like about it. What does and doesn't work for your daughter. Then, I might have an answer (we've used 5 different programs):lol::lol:
She gets frustrated easily with things that are 'boring and repetitive'. She went to private school for K5 and 1st grade, and got perfect scores in Math, she is great at Math. But she gets so mad and say's she can't work the problem, easy problems that I know she knows. If I give her a drill sheet or something exciting with story problems, downloaded form the Internet, she loves it.
So I think she needs something more "intersting" if that makes sense.

[Karen in CO]

She gets frustrated easily with things that are 'boring and repetitive'. She went to private school for K5 and 1st grade, and got perfect scores in Math, she is great at Math. But she gets so mad and say's she can't work the problem, easy problems that I know she knows. If I give her a drill sheet or something exciting with story problems, downloaded form the Internet, she loves it.
So I think she needs something more "intersting" if that makes sense.

Maybe take a look at Singapore Math. My dd has the same issue with repetition and boredom. She hates drill sheets, but she loves math and word problems. We use the workbook, some of the text book and the Intensive Practice book (a section or a half level behind) to get more practice with a concept but at a deeper level instead of just more of the same. I do add in Math Mammoth if she needs additional help on a concept but that is a different discussion.

[Sue in St Pete]

Maybe take a look at Singapore Math. My dd has the same issue with repetition and boredom. She hates drill sheets, but she loves math and word problems. We use the workbook, some of the text book and the Intensive Practice book (a section or a half level behind) to get more practice with a concept but at a deeper level instead of just more of the same. I do add in Math Mammoth if she needs additional help on a concept but that is a different discussion.

:iagree: Singapore and Right Start seem to be least "boring" and "repetitive".

[chiguirre]

I'd take a look at Singapore for a mathy kid who likes to explore concepts and doesn't need a lot of drill to cement facts. We used Singapore 1 from June to October after finishing R&S 1 and it was a great change of pace.

With R&S, you're not really supposed to use manipulatives to solve the worksheet problems, IMHO. The goal of all that drill is to get the math facts down cold, even if your brain freezes in the attempt.

[coffeefreak]

I agree, Singapore or Math U See might be what you're looking for because they are more "out of the box" sort of curriculum. SIDE NOTE - they still didn't work for us because my daughter actually struggled in math. Singapore and Math U See did not help her grasp the concepts she so desperately needed to learn. Plus, it was very hard for ME to teach those curriculums because I don't "think outside the box" when it comes to Math. Our saving grace was "Touch Math."
However, since your daughter is good at math and she just seems to be bored, I would give them a try! She may just need more of a challenge, and Rod and Staff can be boring.:sleep:

If you don't function well in an "out of the box" sort of curriculum, you could just switch to Horizons or A Beka. They are more interesting than Rod and Staff because they are in color, and they spiral. I really like Horizons. We do just enough of each type of problem each day so she doesn't get run down, and we build and review every day. They also include timed drill sheets and extra worksheets if you still like that sort of thing. We rarely use them, but I do see the benefit to doing them once in a while.

Those are the curriculums I know about. There are so many others, and each program has something to commend it. The trick is finding what works for you AND your children. Many of us have been there, don't get discouraged!:D
Blessings!