Trying to find the right math curriculum...

[~Summer~]

We have been using Math U See for a couple months now. It is an ok curriculum...but I am not 100% in love with it. My ds(7) and dd(5) are very bright and do well with whatever I use with them...but they prefer more of a workbook approach rather than heavy manipulative based. We tried RightStart before MUS and none of us cared for it much. I have no problem using manipulative's when necessary though.

I am leaning more towards wanting to use a program like Singapore...but I also have been looking into Bob Jones Math. This will be for K and 1st grade. I really want to find a math curriculum that fits "us"...I don't feel like I have found it yet.

Has anyone used and liked Bob Jones Math? Is it hard to teach? I am looking for something easier to teach but still helps the child be strong in math.

[Cadam]

For bright kids who enjoy math and not a ton of manipulative I highly suggest Singapore. It is my second favorite math program.

[sagira]

Singapore is good. Take a look at MCP Math too. It's well laid out for the teacher, and you can go faster if your dc are so inclined. I hear rave reviews of CLE Math (Sunrise?), but I've never seen it.

[sixpence1978]

We use BJU math here. Overall, I really love it. Occasionally I have gotten a bit frustrated and wanted to move to something else, but every time I look, I am reminded that I don't care for anything quite as much.

The teaching can be as much as you make of it. If you do everything in the TM, then, yes, it can be quite long and intense. I sort of pick and choose, make things longer, make some things shorter...that sort of thing. But I love having the TM to give me all sorts of ideas. The key is to make it work for you, not dictate every single thing.

There are manipulatives that are used to help with concepts. We don't always use them, but they are really nice. I love how organized it seems...a chapter on a certain subject at a time. But you will come back to it again. I would classify BJU as a loose spiral method, instead of a tight spiral method like Horizons.

BJU is basically at grade level, while Singapore tends to be a bit more advanced...the pacing is a bit different between the two of them. The only problem we are currently having with BJU, is math fact drill. I skipped most of it last year (1st grade), and now my DS is still quite slow with them (but he has the concept down great). So we are having to make sure to keep on top of the drilling. That is also an issue in Singapore as well.

We have used BJU K5, 1st and 2nd. We will probably move on to 3rd next year as well. FWIW, my second choice would be Singapore.

[Johanna]

definitely check out CLE....I love it....it has everything (drilling, mental math, review, tests, quizes, word problems, easy to understand...not too busy)

[OhElizabeth]

Well if it means anything, my first thought for you when I read your post was Horizons. It's a workbook, very good, slightly advanced in pacing, and easy to implement for a mom with several kids. It would be my first choice in your situation. I used RightStart and now we're using BJU. For us it's basically a more workbooky version of RS. It's still totally mom-driven, which doesn't make your life any easier. There were other reasons I wanted it (color workbooks, Stretch Your Mind challenging application workbook, all components coordinated including tons of drill which is now on the cd included with the tm). When you went from RS to MUS, you made a horizontal change, different faces of the same approach. If you really want something different, you want to break the mold and try Horizons.

When I made my change, the thing that helped me, given the type I am, is to buy EVERYTHING. We got some samples of CLE to try, some BJU, Horizons, Singapore, and looked at a ton more (abeka, saxon, etc.). You've really got to stop and think about how you want it to implement (independent/kid-driven or mom-driven), whether they need color, the pacing, etc. Once you get a pile of samples (R&S will send you free samples btw, as will CLE), then try them out on your kids. Try them all out! This isn't forever, just a week or two so you can start to get the feel for how they work and what you like. Once you use them, you'll see how certain personalities of kids might thrive with certain of them. It might not be a one-size fits all in your family. Then once you pick something for a given dc, USE it and stop looking. Honest, the key is to just pick something and use it every single day. All of the programs are going to need drill tweaking for a kid who needs lots of drill, so don't let that be a deal-breaker. Just pick what fits the dc overall and go with it, not looking back. Almost any of them, implemented consistently, will be fine and get you to where you need to be, honest.

[TracyR]

I have used BJU K,1,2,and 3rd grade math and it worked REALLY well for my oldest who is good with math. Like any math program though you get either one or the other. Either you get a math program that teaches the hows and whys but it leaves out the math drill or you get a math program that focuses on drill. There is never that happy medium.
I too went by the wayside with drill and now my daughter who is 10 and is doing 6th grade math , understands math but is so slow with answering the questions she gets frustrated. So I am now going over the drill big time this year (which she loves, not.)
I give a big thumbs up for BJU math. They have just the right amount of math problems per page. And I'm not sure how the new manuals are ( I used the older edition) but they were easy to follow and I pulled what we needed out of them.

I've tried Singapore and though it was good it moved too fast and some concepts I wasn't familiar with so I wasn't comfortable teaching with Singapore. They do have a manual but its not as helpful as BJU's.

[~Summer~]

Thank you all so much for your replies. You all have some great ideas and have gave me a lot to think about. I hadn't even considered MCP or CLE. I would love to know more about CLE...it is just hard to get a good feel for it from their website. It looks like their math starts at first grade level right?


Well if it means anything, my first thought for you when I read your post was Horizons. It's a workbook, very good, slightly advanced in pacing, and easy to implement for a mom with several kids. It would be my first choice in your situation. I used RightStart and now we're using BJU. For us it's basically a more workbooky version of RS. It's still totally mom-driven, which doesn't make your life any easier. There were other reasons I wanted it (color workbooks, Stretch Your Mind challenging application workbook, all components coordinated including tons of drill which is now on the cd included with the tm). When you went from RS to MUS, you made a horizontal change, different faces of the same approach. If you really want something different, you want to break the mold and try Horizons.

When I made my change, the thing that helped me, given the type I am, is to buy EVERYTHING. We got some samples of CLE to try, some BJU, Horizons, Singapore, and looked at a ton more (abeka, saxon, etc.). You've really got to stop and think about how you want it to implement (independent/kid-driven or mom-driven), whether they need color, the pacing, etc. Once you get a pile of samples (R&S will send you free samples btw, as will CLE), then try them out on your kids. Try them all out! This isn't forever, just a week or two so you can start to get the feel for how they work and what you like. Once you use them, you'll see how certain personalities of kids might thrive with certain of them. It might not be a one-size fits all in your family. Then once you pick something for a given dc, USE it and stop looking. Honest, the key is to just pick something and use it every single day. All of the programs are going to need drill tweaking for a kid who needs lots of drill, so don't let that be a deal-breaker. Just pick what fits the dc overall and go with it, not looking back. Almost any of them, implemented consistently, will be fine and get you to where you need to be, honest.

We actually have been using Horizons 1 & K lightly as a supplement to Math U See. I loved Horizons when I started looking into math curriculums and that is why I bought it. My children actually LOVE Horizons and always ask if they can do that math...they think it's their fun math. The reason I haven't gone 100% with Horizons is some of the bad reviews that I have heard about it. I guess I am scared that while they are doing good now...they may not have a true understanding of math and when we get to higher level math things will be harder. But then again...maybe Horizons is a perfect fit for them...idk. I wonder if Horizons with RightStarts Card games would be a good fit....

I agree that I need to pick something and quite looking. I think my problems so far with math choices is that I the teacher do not like what I am teaching. I do love when we do Horizons and I sit right their with them the whole time to help them. Maybe this is the program for us.

[Crimson Wife]

If you and your kids like Horizons, then I would say continue on with that. Don't let somebody else's bad experience with it color your judgment. There's no one "right" math program, just what works best for your own family's needs. :)

I do highly recommend the RS Math Card Games set as a supplement to whatever program you wind up using.

[Aurelia]

You might like Math Mammoth - all workbook but you can add manipulatives if you want. I tried it and it didn't work for us because it was a workbook and DD doesn't like workbooks. I loved the method the author used to teach the subject, though.

[sagira]

If you and your kids like Horizons, then I would say continue on with that. Don't let somebody else's bad experience with it color your judgment. There's no one "right" math program, just what works best for your own family's needs. :)

I do highly recommend the RS Math Card Games set as a supplement to whatever program you wind up using.

:iagree:

I didn't know your dc love Horizons. The key is that they love it, and that may be a keeper. And they may do better with fast-moving. You could always supplement with drills and games.

[training5]

R&S is my fav after TouchMath for elem.

[OhElizabeth]

Well Summer, you have your answer! :) Yes, the RS Card Games would be a good balance to Horizons. Alternately, you could get their Activities for the ALAbacus book, which is actually the original form of the program. It would be a great reference for the RS way to explain something you're working on in Horizons. I think you're exactly right, that them working through their Horizons books while you sit alongside and answer questions and supervise is a perfect mix. It's practical, they like it, and it gets math done. Horizons builds concepts carefully and has many good reviews. I've never seen anyone around here saying their kid completed all the levels and wasn't well-prepared to move on to pre-algebra. It's going to be fine! They like it, so do it. That's my two cents.