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LookaBook
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| Posted: May 28 2008 at 8:42am | IP Logged
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Hi all!
I am wanting to move my 8yrold dd on from MUS... it's just taking too long...
I need something REAL simple. DD is quite capable in math but due to the time constraints with 5 other children all 10 and under I don't have time to go into complicated lessons like RS or Saxon... nor do I want to spend more $$ and time on such concentrated lessons like MUS.
At this point, in homeschooling, I'm confident enough with the vast array of manipulatives we've collected to reinforce a concept when nessesary. So, I'm thinking of using boring old MCP so we can cover more bases (we haven't even touched time, temp, fractions, scales, double digit addition, double digit subtraction....)
I asked her about how she likes to do her lessons. She said she doesn't like to use manipulatives very much, she just wants to go and work her problems...
So, is there something similar to MCP but is more spiraling? If we do go with MCP would you get the TM for it too?
Thanks!!
Alison
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ALmom
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| Posted: May 28 2008 at 9:41am | IP Logged
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MCP reminded me of Saxon - tons and tons of review which equates to busy work when you have someone who takes to math naturally.
I have a few boys who hate the manipulatives and simply wanted to get on with it. Miquon math and MUS were both a total bother for them. I haven't used the older levels of MCP, but K and 1st grade drove us all nuts with the sheer quantity.
Singapore math has been a real pleasure for mine like this. I do get the extra practice books for supplemental problems, but if needed you could pull supplemental problems from any text you had. jThere is not a whole lot of review built in, though.
The other option, if you just wanted to cover some of the things you missed in a very straightforward way before moving to another text would be Developmental Math. For some this is deadly dull - absolutely no bells and whistles, but my boys were more of the "just give it to me straight and let me do it type" and liked it.
I've heard good things about Holt Mathematics and have one text. I do like the way it is organized, it seems to have sufficient review without being endless, etc. I haven't used it since we found Singapore but have pulled review problems from it from time to time.
The other thing I know people have done is simply to browse the teacher supply store and see what is being used in the schools. Around here math and science are practically gods so they generally pick decent books. You may be able to get TM, etc. depending on the company with a letter signed by administrator of the school or someone who will vouche that you are a bone fide homeschooling parent. Some of the companies work with you, some don't. Just check for which ones before you buy.
Even better, ask school teacher friends, they often have the best old books and TM on the shelves just sitting and if they are close to retiring or there are extra copies, they are often quite happy to give them away rather than see these treasures unused and unappreciated.
Janet
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Cheryl
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| Posted: May 28 2008 at 10:07am | IP Logged
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I've used MCP Math B & C for 2nd and 3rd grade with my ds 9. Some pages do take him long because he moves slowly, but I liked it better than the Saxon 1 I used with him for 1st grade because there was little prep work for me. We have gotten behind in the workbook this year because he has not learned his multiplication tables yet.
I've used MCP Math A & B with ds 7 and MCP Math K with dd5 this year and found it fairly easy. It works for me because it's simple. I do not care for scripted lessons or lots of manipulatives. I did end up purchasing the TM for Math C because it was taking me long to check the answers.
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Cheryl
Wife to Bob ('97)
Mom to Matthew 13, Joseph 11, Sarah 10, Rachel 6, Hannah almost 4 and Mary 1
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Willa
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| Posted: May 28 2008 at 10:13am | IP Logged
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With MCP, I just take a few of the problems from each set. I save the rest for occasional reviews. I think it is way more problems in a set than is needed for ordinary mastery (designed for a classroom not an individual child) but I do like the simple way the curriculum goes through the concepts.
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Willa
hsing boys ages 11, 14, almost 18 (+ 4 homeschool grads ages 20 to 27)
Take Up and Read
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mom3aut1not
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| Posted: May 28 2008 at 3:41pm | IP Logged
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What about something like Maximum Math? Would that work?
In Christ,
Deborah
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LookaBook
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| Posted: May 28 2008 at 4:08pm | IP Logged
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Thanks ladies,
I have bought MCP for K and used only the first 1/4 of the book, so I know how it can kill with problems. I'm with you Willa, I was planning on using only the even problems or 1/2 a page and then using the rest later for review... kinda making it spiral on my own. I never have any problems cutting out work 
My main thing is I want a really simple math worktext  for dd. I don't want to have to think (I'm in my first trimester and don't have any brain cells  )
Hmmmm... Cheryl, that sounds like my reasoning. Did you find the TM helpful beyond using the answer key?
I have used A Beka before but it was too much and too busy! I did try Singapore for my oldest when he was in 1st but it didn't work for him... I'll look again.
I haven't heard of Maximum Math, but I'm off to check it out
Thanks,
Alison
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Cheryl
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| Posted: May 28 2008 at 5:07pm | IP Logged
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LookaBook wrote:
Did you find the TM helpful beyond using the answer key?
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No, I've only used it as an answer key so far.
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Cheryl
Wife to Bob ('97)
Mom to Matthew 13, Joseph 11, Sarah 10, Rachel 6, Hannah almost 4 and Mary 1
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SallyT
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| Posted: May 30 2008 at 3:13pm | IP Logged
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I've been using MCP Book E with my 4th grader -- we bought it with the idea that we'd use it over two years to get the basic computational concepts down. I like that it's more straightforward than Saxon, which is universally loathed in this house, and basic to use. It is a lot of problems, but we pick and choose and skip over things once we've mastered something, and use skipped problems for review when necessary. I'm trying to combine it with living math for a balanced approach, but for practice in things like multi-digit multiplication, which I think you just have to DO till you've got it, it's worked fine for us, and my son hasn't disliked it.
Sally
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Red Cardigan
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| Posted: May 30 2008 at 3:38pm | IP Logged
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We've used the MCP math almost all the way through! We tried Saxon briefly but my oldest DD found it terribly frustrating--she's the sort who needs a few extra problems per lesson to get the concept down.
I do cut down the longer assignments--nobody needs to do 60+ math problems a day! But I've been pleased with it overall, and like the focus on a single concept at a time. It makes my job easier since math isn't my strongest subject, kwim?
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4Real Forums : Living and Loving Numbers
Topic: MCP?
