CLE or BJUP? sigh...

[butterfly113]

We are using Horizons, DS9 loves it, Mommy doesn't like the TM or much yet the instruction in the lessons. I have even purchased a handbook to help... but am doubting.
DS is math minded... and has the potential to go far in math... thus my concern of "hindering" his abilities with a program that may be "lacking"...
I have looked at CLE and BJUP. Is one more advanced than another? Does one give more indepth instruction that the other? Which TM offers better instruction for the teacher? Which offers better explanation in the student text/lesson? Does one cover a breadth of topics more that the other? What about "thinking" and logistics, how does each program do with this aspect of math? DS will be in 4th grade next year, and is currently in 4th Horizons... so he would "technically" be at 5th level...? of course I would do placement.
TIA

[OhElizabeth]

Butterfly, your name makes me chuckle, because you've been such a "butterfly" on this math issue, hehe... :)

You first need to decide if you HAVE to change. You should not change unless you MUST change. For instance, if your ds looks at his beloved Horizons lesson and has no clue what is going on, and the state of the tm leaves you unable to answer his questions, then clearly something must change. But if he looks at his lesson, can do it perfectly well inspite of the disliked tm, and the main thing here is your wavering over the quality of Horizons, then nothing needs to change.

NOTHING is wrong with Horizons. Many people here have used it and like it just fine! Some people add on some Singapore stuff, just to see things a different way. It has a perfectly fine track record with people here using it all the way through and having fine test scores, being well-prepared to go into algebra, etc. There is NOTHING wrong with it.

I would be extremely reticent to change something that is WORKING for him just based on your fears. Now if the math is NOT working for him, as in he looks at the page, can't tell what to do, and the tm is inadequate for you to explain, then you could make a change horizontally, sliding to another spiral program (suggestion: saxon) and use the Dive cd's. Then you would have lessons done for you and an approach similar to what he's used to.

I've tried CLE math, and I use BJU math. I like the BJU math a lot, and while it might appeal to your apparent desire to "teach" the math, I'm not sure your ds is going to NEED it. That's why I continue to ask, is he able to do the lesson using the Horizons material, or is he needing help beyond what you can provide? See even with BJU, which has lots of teaching, my dd is starting to balk and wanting to go back to doing it on her own. You don't necessarily teach a bright kid as much as what you're thinking you ought to be; they intuit too quickly.

Don't change your math unless you MUST. If it's not working, you must. If you're just scared, I say search the archives and read posts from the tons of people here who have used Horizons successfully. Do a standardized test ($25 from CLP for the CAT) and rest your mind at ease!! When I made my math curriculum change, my friend gave me wise words: if you change, there's no looking back. So don't change unless you are certain you must. No point jumping around, wasting time, only to realize you had the thing that fit him when you started. :)

[butterfly113]

OhElizabeth,
So if you were to use Horizons through 6th, what would you go to after that???
And by the way, when I read your post, I about fell on the floor laughing... at myself! It was as if you were inside my head and heart. :lol: Worry worry worry about if he is getting "enough" since he so intuitively gets it. :chillpill: And my desire to TEACH math... ha... I love math and just feel so short changed when there is not alot to "teach and explain!" :tongue_smilie: hhhhmmmmm............ so, after Horizons 6th ??? any thoughts ???

[Chloe]

if your ds is very math-minded and doesn't really need you to teach the concepts to him. My ds used Horizons, and really liked it, BUT he is not math-minded and I cannot teach math without handholding. I'm pretty good at math, but can't explain concepts well at all. By the end of the 3rd grade level, I knew we weren't going to be able to continue with it. We had to switch, but I would have liked to stick it out through Horizons 6. I think Horizons is a great math curriculum.

[butterfly113]

Chloe,
WHat are you currently using then for math?

[OhElizabeth]

Butterfly, you can't know what you'll do after Horizons 6, any more than I know what I'll do after BJU6. (We're doing BJU5 now, so you'd think I'd be pondering!) Too much of it depends on life. There are numerous fine options, and I'll just go with the one that seems most sensible at the time. The VP catalog suggests saxon pre-algebra and then into Jacob's Algebra using the Callihan lessons. Heather in VA (my guru!) likes VTI. Maybe I'll throw in the towel and do BJU dvd's. I don't know, but I think they're all fine options, just depends what seems most sensible at the time.

[butterfly113]

OhElizabeth,

Thanks for the loving, gentle knock in the head! :lol: I am so type A! UGH! Can you tell!?? LOL! We are in 3rd grade, so I need to breathe. I can familiarize myself with upcoming options, but know that life happens! Thanks for that reminder! :D And speaking of math, it's time for our lesson today! :auto:

[Chloe]

My dd11 used Rod & Staff 1-4, and is now using Saxon 65. Rod and Staff is great, but she wanted a change this year. She wanted to use Horizons, but she's not math-minded at all. I knew I wouldn't be able to teach it, so Saxon it is. The explanations in the student text are so good that she does most of it on her own.

My ds9 (the one who used Horizons) is using Saxon 54. He's not crazy about it, but it is working. He needs lots of continuous review, so a spiral program works best for him. He's also able to do most of it on his own.

My K'er has been using Horizons but, like his older brother and sister, he doesn't seem to take to math intuitively. I'm going to go ahead and switch him to something else next year that gives better explanations of the concepts. I've chosen Christian Light Education.

Like I said, I like Horizons a lot for dc who are math-minded. I, unfortunately, don't have a dc like that. And I'm not like that either, so I find it difficult to teach. If I did, I would use it through the 6th grade level, possibly adding Singapore word problems to it.

HTH!