Ray's Arithmetic

[mo2]

Anyone use it? How do you use it? Is it enough, or do you supplement with something else?

[tullyfamily]

At the end of last year, we ran screaming & crying from Saxon (ds was about to go into 2nd grd book & daughter had finished grade 3). We started using Ray's Arthmetic for my 2 ds (ages 4 & 6) and "Practical Arithmetics Curriculum Series" for my dd (age 8). We've never looked back! We are LOVING both books but I esp like the Practical Arthmetic series (you can find it here: http://www.keepersofthefaith.com/Catalog/Math_Books_73.asp). Ray's is suppose to cover grades 1-2 & Practical covers grades 3-8.

For my sons using Ray's, I made flashcards for them to practice their lessons (actually, I did the for my dd too!) & we have a TON of manipuatives that I bought from Rainbow Resource to use also. We do calander work each day together. I did learn the importance of teaching skip counting from Saxon, so everyone is doing that orally. (After they can count 1-100, they practice skip counting by evens, odds, 3s-9s.)

We will take a break from Rays/Practical & focus on money at some point this year. I'm slowly becoming more comfortable w/ this new simplified approach & it is working! Everyone loves math & they know their facts!!! Get ahold of Ruth Beechick's book for math that goes w/ Ray's. I'm not a big fan of hers but this book was very helpful!

HTH,
Heather

By the way, I took a look at the following resources that I would like to use in the future (but not during years they do Ray's- too young): Calculadder (http://www.providenceproject.com/intro/view_calc.htm) and Key to... Series (http://www.keypress.com/x6469.xml).

[mo2]

At the end of last year, we ran screaming & crying from Saxon (ds was about to go into 2nd grd book & daughter had finished grade 3). We started using Ray's Arthmetic for my 2 ds (ages 4 & 6) and "Practical Arithmetics Curriculum Series" for my dd (age 8). We've never looked back! We are LOVING both books but I esp like the Practical Arthmetic series (you can find it here: http://www.keepersofthefaith.com/Catalog/Math_Books_73.asp). Ray's is suppose to cover grades 1-2 & Practical covers grades 3-8.

For my sons using Ray's, I made flashcards for them to practice their lessons (actually, I did the for my dd too!) & we have a TON of manipuatives that I bought from Rainbow Resource to use also. We do calander work each day together. I did learn the importance of teaching skip counting from Saxon, so everyone is doing that orally. (After they can count 1-100, they practice skip counting by evens, odds, 3s-9s.)

We will take a break from Rays/Practical & focus on money at some point this year. I'm slowly becoming more comfortable w/ this new simplified approach & it is working! Everyone loves math & they know their facts!!! Get ahold of Ruth Beechick's book for math that goes w/ Ray's. I'm not a big fan of hers but this book was very helpful!

HTH,
Heather

By the way, I took a look at the following resources that I would like to use in the future (but not during years they do Ray's- too young): Calculadder (http://www.providenceproject.com/intro/view_calc.htm) and Key to... Series (http://www.keypress.com/x6469.xml).


Does the Practical Arithmetic contain any religious content? I see that it is from the keepers of the faith website, so I'm just curious.

[tullyfamily]

Haven't come across any... but we are only 1/2 way through it.