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kbfsc
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| Posted: Feb 20 2009 at 4:23pm | IP Logged
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This is my first official post... hope I do it right!
We're new homeschoolers, and the current issue of concern is math for the first grade boy. (I don't think my expectations are too high... I'd rather see him climb trees than do worksheets and drills. At the same time, I appreciate the need to establish a good foundation.) Right now we're using MCP, and he goes ballistic whenever I mention the word "math." I'm wondering if the worksheets are too much for him visually: he sees all those problems and gets overwhelmed. Needless to say, this has been a problem.
A friend recommended Math-U-See and, after reading some about it online, I'm interested.
My question for you experienced moms is what kinds of children have been successful with Math-U-See in your homes? Do you think a wiggly, but interested in performing well, and easily overwhelmed first grade boy would succeed with it?
Thanks a million for your help!
Blessings,
Kiera
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LLMom
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| Posted: Feb 20 2009 at 8:16pm | IP Logged
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I have used MUS for a long time. I originally started it for my oldest dd who was really struggling with math and saying she hated it. I then used it with my son with learning problems (it helped him tremedously) and am using it with 2 of my other girls now too. I think it is really good explaining the "why" behind the math as well as the how. It is really good for children who need to see things work.
Do you know about the free demo that MUS offers?
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Lisa
For veteran & former homeschool moms
homeschooling ideas
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kbfsc
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| Posted: Feb 24 2009 at 6:10am | IP Logged
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I saw the demo offer on the MUS site. Would you recommend it as a good introduction?
Thanks!
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Bookswithtea
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| Posted: Feb 24 2009 at 6:19am | IP Logged
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Definitely get the demo, and if you have a friend whose workbook you could look at, that would be helpful, too. I wish I had started my oldest on MUS from the beginning. Regular workbook pages were too visually confusing to my wiggler. He was more interested in the clown itself than the number the clown was supposed to represent!  He's a sophomore now...it all worked out in the end.
Successes? I don't use anything else now, because no one cries over hating math in my house. No one says, "I can't do math" or "I'm terrible at math." My 6th grader is learning fractions (Epsilon) and she has yet to even come and ask me for help! She's not gifted at math...Steve is just *that* good at explaining things, imho. We use MUS and then flashmaster for memorizing math facts. That's it. I'm thrilled and I don't even look at new math curriculum anymore.
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Blessings,
~Books
mothering ds'93 dd'97 dd'99 dd'02 ds'05 ds'07 and  due 9/10
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kbfsc
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| Posted: Feb 26 2009 at 9:30am | IP Logged
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Thank you! I ordered the demo this morning.
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rashfordmom
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| Posted: Feb 26 2009 at 9:57am | IP Logged
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I've used it from the beginning with my wiggly son who is now in 3rd grade. We get math "out of the way" in about 15 minutes a day and my boys are both really excelling. They have a solid foundation of math facts and are able to pick up new concepts easily from watching the dvd. There is very little work involved for me besides correcting their work.
One suggestion, if they get a new lesson easily, don't be afraid to zip straight through to the test and move on. Some lessons we do one lesson page, one review page and then go straight to the test. With my second son, when we started Alpha he skipped the first 10 lessons or so and just took the tests.
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Amanda
Mom to ds 7  , ds 5  , dd 3  & ds 11 mo.
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Bookswithtea
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| Posted: Feb 26 2009 at 10:40am | IP Logged
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rashfordmom wrote:
I've used it from the beginning with my wiggly son who is now in 3rd grade. We get math "out of the way" in about 15 minutes a day and my boys are both really excelling. They have a solid foundation of math facts and are able to pick up new concepts easily from watching the dvd. There is very little work involved for me besides correcting their work.
One suggestion, if they get a new lesson easily, don't be afraid to zip straight through to the test and move on. Some lessons we do one lesson page, one review page and then go straight to the test. With my second son, when we started Alpha he skipped the first 10 lessons or so and just took the tests. |
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We do the same thing. Sometimes the early lessons are extremely easy so we let our children test out of them. That said, my oldest has now hit the level where there is nothing to test out of. So its more the introductory lessons on the 4 operations (over 4 yrs) that lend themselves to this.
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Blessings,
~Books
mothering ds'93 dd'97 dd'99 dd'02 ds'05 ds'07 and due 9/10
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Lavenderfields
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Books,
Which higher levels has your ds done? Do you find everything he needs is in the books? Have you purchased to Honors books? I am contemplating MUS for my ds16, he will either be in Algebra 2 or Geometry this year.
God Bless
Robynn
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Bookswithtea
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| Posted: June 12 2009 at 5:42pm | IP Logged
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My oldest didn't care for Steve Demme and did Teaching Textbooks for high school Algebra and Geometry. My second oldest is starting Zeta this fall (the last one before pre-algebra...I think the focus is decimals but I haven't looked too closely at it yet).
I haven't purchased anything honors level (I didn't know that was an option  ?). I've always bought the manipulatives that go with each level and they do get used by dd's, but honestly, math is very much an independent subject in our home now so I'm not super involved unless they are having a problem. I heard one mom who is very math gifted say that she thought MUS's Alg 1 was light, but that by the end of Alg 2 they had covered everything. That's just hearsay from a mom who teaches high school level math to our local hs community.
I don't know if that helps, Robynn?
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Blessings,
~Books
mothering ds'93 dd'97 dd'99 dd'02 ds'05 ds'07 and due 9/10
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Lavenderfields
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| Posted: June 12 2009 at 7:37pm | IP Logged
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Thank you for the info, I am assume your friend was including Geometry. It is so hard to know whether you should take a chance or not.
Has anyone else had any experience using mus for highschool.
God Bless
Robynn
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lapazfarm
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| Posted: June 12 2009 at 8:53pm | IP Logged
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And tacking on a related question: do you need the manipulatives for Algebra 2 level? My ds has expressed interest in using MUS for alg 2 next year and I have the texts and DVD's. However I don't have any manipulatives. Do we really need them?
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Theresa
us-schooling in beautiful Fairbanks, Alaska.
LaPaz Home Learning
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MarieA
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We used algebra 1 this past year for my ds and have just ordered geometry. My dd will be in algebra 1 this year. Over the years, this program has been the favorite for my kids.    Theresa, when looking at the website, it doesn't look like you need manipulatives for algebra 2. Oh, these postings might be of interest.
Marie
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4Real Forums : Living and Loving Numbers
Topic: Math-U-See successes
