| Author | |
cathochick
Forum Rookie
Joined: Nov 13 2006
Location: California
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 78
|
| Posted: March 04 2008 at 2:22pm | IP Logged
|
 |
|
I'm trying to decide between Math-U-See Alpha and RightStart Math Level B for the fall. Dominic is six and enjoys math. He's really liked going through the MUS Primer workbook this year. I'm wondering, though, if something more than colored block bars and a black and white workbook would be better for next year--or if we should just stick with what's working. MUS goes all the way through pre-calculus while RS Math seems to end at the intermediate level. Any opinions?
__________________
Jessica
Mom to Dom 9, and Joe 5.
The Dominican Bungalow
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
amyable
Forum All-Star
Joined: March 07 2005
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 3798
|
| Posted: March 04 2008 at 3:01pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
We just switched from MUS to RS. I think they are both very solid programs. RS has more "games" and fun, but they are both very black and white! 
My only beef with MUS is that they covered one subject "to death" - one book is all addition, the next all subtraction, then all multiplication, division, etc. My oldest struggled to learn with this method - she's the kind of kid that seems to learn things when on a break and can do it when she comes back to it. My kids also didn't like the rods after awhile. They enjoy the more varied manipulatives of RS. (Especially my toddler who likes to strew them all over the house   )
My biggest gripe with RS is that it can be very teacher intensive when done by the book. We have solved that by not doing it by the book. It was by necessity with a sick pregnancy and colicky baby.
I hope someone can chime in about transitioning from each to higher level math - we are not there yet.
__________________
Amy
mom of 5, ages 6-16, and happy wife of 
The Highly Sensitive Homeschooler
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
donnalynn
Forum All-Star
Joined: July 24 2006
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 581
|
| Posted: March 05 2008 at 10:32am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Jessica -
One option might be to stick with MUS and add the Right Start Math games - you can get the manual and the cards as a separate set.
The games are a fun way to do the "drill" kind of work with basic facts and practice mental math - they are also very easy to bring along with you - I often use the games with my younger boys while the girls are in their violin lesson - I also take them along sometimes on long car trips or if we'll be waiting in a dr.'s office.
__________________
donnalynn
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
KackyK
Forum All-Star
Joined: May 22 2007
Location: Virginia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1811
|
| Posted: March 05 2008 at 8:36pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
I do RS with my 2nd and 3rd graders...we started last year with RS. They like it, and I do too. I find that their mental math abilities far exceed their older siblings' abilities who have only done Saxon and Abeka. It is somewhat teacher intensive, I probably spend approximately 15min or so with each just on the RS. But I kind of like that...makes me feel like I've done "something" with them each day at least  I don't know anything about MUS so I can't compare.
Oh and one other thing...I'm not a big game person, so we actually don't use the games much...we did more when they were younger, but I have stopped since they are a bit older now.
So next year will be our last year for RS for the now current 3rd grader. I don't know where we'll go from there. I figure he'll do the Saxon placement test and just see where he falls.
__________________
KackyK
Mom to 8 - 3 dd, 5ds & 4 babes in heaven
Beginning With the Assumption
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Jamberry77
Forum Pro
Joined: Feb 15 2005
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 243
|
| Posted: March 08 2008 at 9:21am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Jessica,
We use RS math and enjoy it. My oldest is in Level E (fourth grade). Next year he'll do the Geometry book (Dr. Cotter says at this level the student does it all by himself. Yippee!) For 5th/6th grades we'll be doing the Geometry book and Challenge Math (and reviewing by playing the games in the Game book). Maybe I'll add in the Key to... Series in 6th grade, too. For 7th/8th I'll have him start/do the Key to .... Series, continue in Challenge Math, and start him on Module A of Videotext Algebra (recommended by Dr. Cotter). From there, he'll do the other Videotext courses.
I've used RS math for the oldest since Kindergarten and he really understands his math. He is slow at computation but he nearly always gets things right (or makes simple errors). I've learned a lot from it, too.
__________________
Kelly, mom to 9th and 5th graders
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
graciefaith
Forum Pro
Joined: June 08 2006
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 361
|
| Posted: April 04 2008 at 1:40am | IP Logged
|
|
|
I use RS for my preK(level A) and K'er(level B). It's a great program and i'm relearning math myself! We love it! It is teacher intensive but the lessons are not long and you can play games on the days you dont do lessons. I love how they are learning their math facts, not just memorizing it. My dd's love the games too!
__________________
Blessed wife and mom of 3 girls, Sept. '01, Dec. '02 and Oct. '07
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
JeniferS
Forum Rookie
Joined: Feb 08 2008
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 57
|
| Posted: April 21 2008 at 12:35am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Oh, how funny, I've been using MUS and just bought RS tonight! Seriously, I bought it just before coming over to 4RealLearning!
My son has done Alpha (we zipped through it for quick review) and is about half way through Beta. I do love the series but after seeing my friend's RS set a few months ago and seeing all the colors, variety and hands on activities it has, I couldn't get it out of my mind.
I've finally given in and just spent a ton of $$ on the Level A set and the Level C set. Oh, and the transitional set for my son. My plan is to start Level A with my daughter right away (even though she won't be in "kindergarten" until the fall) and sort of jump through Level C reviewing what we've already done with MUS and then focusing on what is still new. If all goes well with the rest of this year (we're likely going to be teaching through the summer since I had to take Nov-Dec off from teaching) then I'll continue on with A for my dd and get the Level D books for my ds.
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
folklaur
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 07 2005
Location: N/A
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2816
|
| Posted: April 21 2008 at 12:55am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Hi,
I had a dd who really didn't do well with Math - she just didn't like it. I used many, many programs, until we tried Math-u-see (Intermediate) on advice from St Thomas Aquinas Homeschool program. For the first time ever, she didn't hate Math  . (we now use Teaching Textbooks.)
The older MUS didn't cover just one concept. I just found the older "Foundations" set used and will be using that until I can switch them over to TT. We really like MUS.
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Anne McD
Forum All-Star
Joined: Dec 21 2006
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 499
|
| Posted: April 28 2008 at 11:43am | IP Logged
|
|
|
amyable wrote:
My biggest gripe with RS is that it can be very teacher intensive when done by the book. We have solved that by not doing it by the book. It was by necessity with a sick pregnancy and colicky baby.
|
|
|
Amy, how did you do this? I don't mean to hijack the thread, but I'm frustrated with RS for my 1st grader. He's got a math mind (like his daddy!) and I believe in the philosophy of the program, but the labor intesiveness (is that a word??) is driving me nuts! I'm using level A, and I wonder if I shouldn't use the transitional book that would be a little faster paced for him and finish up the year? We are so far behind in the book and I dread doing it! I feel like we're moving at a snail's pace and going so slowly that its confusing him. Does that make sense? Does anyone have any advice?
__________________
Anne
Wife to Jon
Mommy to Alex 9
James 8
Katie 6
William 3 1/2
Benedict Joseph 1
and baby on the way! 10/14
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Kristie 4
Forum All-Star
Joined: June 20 2006
Location: Canada
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1508
|
| Posted: April 28 2008 at 12:07pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Funny, must be that time of year. Always been MUS users here and loved it, esp. for those whom math does not come easily to. However, I have two very bright math kids as well and I think I will switch to Jacob's for Algebra and my little guy is enjoying the variety in Singapore.
One nice thing about the new MUS is that they can just do the number of pages they need then move on. For my dd that is just one lesson page and one review then onto the next lesson, well for my ds he does all 6 (then a few of his sisters old ones sometimes  )
We have been quite happy with MUS and used it for many years!
__________________
Kristie in Canada
Mom to 3 boys and one spunky princess!!
A Walk in the Woods
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
blairb4
Forum Rookie
Joined: Oct 08 2006
Location: Texas
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 61
|
| Posted: May 27 2008 at 11:24pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Did you decide, Jessica? I'm stuck between the 2 as well. We used Singapore this year but I wasn't crazy about it. So I'm looking at MUS Alpha and RightStart.
~~~
Blair in TX
Wife of Steven and Mommy to Mary Clare (5), Elizabeth (3) and Steven Joseph (5mos)
Blair's Blessings
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
lilac hill
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 15 2005
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 643
|
| Posted: May 28 2008 at 10:33am | IP Logged
|
|
|
We ae MUS users here.
Seems that both Right Start and MUS are manipulative based programs so I guess you need to decide which program works with your home situation.
MUS has been great for us. My girls are not math-geared but a mid year switch to a school based Algebra program was no problem for DD#2 a few years ago and she has had no problems in traditional high school programs.
DD#3 is in Pre Algebra right now and wonders why people have so much trouble with the concepts.
Some of the concepts are broken down into simple steps which I , as a kid who loved math and did fine in traditional school programs, did without. DD#2 and DD#3 hold onto those extra steps for quite awhile, yet eventually they get rid of the extra and still get the correct answers. (For instance, when adding fractions, don't bother with finding the lowest common denominator, just multiply the denominators to get the common denominator and treat the numerators appropriately, add the fractions and then reduce. For my non-math thinkers this was so much easier. Now after some experience, thay can sometimes find the lowest denominator and then add.)
When I was frantically searching for a math program years ago I needed something that went through high school, was very concrete and had a video so "Mom" was not the teacher (they figured that as a math liker I was suspect).
We only use as many worksheets as needed in a lesson and I appreciate the review in each unit.
__________________
Viv
Wife to Rick (7/83), Mom to dd#1(6/87), dd#2(1/90), and dd#3(6/94) in central PA.
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Tina
Forum Pro
Joined: April 26 2008
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 429
|
| Posted: May 28 2008 at 1:49pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
I've never used RS and don't even know much about it. We started with Saxon years ago with my oldest dd, who is now 12. She did ok, early on, but really struggled once the manipulatives stopped. So, upon the recommendation of friends we started MUS. She loves it (as much as a math hater possibly can, that is). It's much easier for her to grasp. I originally taught by watching the video myself, then teaching it. But now I only do that if there is something she is having trouble with. It's that way with my 4th grade dd, too. I do watch the video with my K dd and go through the pages with her. And if either of my older dd do poorly in their WB when I check them, we go back to the video and discuss what they don't seem to understand about the lesson. But that doesn't happen very often.
I like not having to be a part of every lesson, because I'm afraid if they had to wait for me to go on with the lesson, they would be behind.
__________________
~Tina
mom of 3 girls and 1 little man
The Best of Times
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
mom3aut1not
Forum All-Star
Joined: May 21 2005
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 757
|
| Posted: May 28 2008 at 3:40pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
One of the strengths of RS is the emphasis on mental math and math strategies. I have never looked at MUS closely -- my oldest kid was always a little too old for the level then just out, and it was expensive as well -- but I have never gotten the impression of an emphasis on math strategies.
I think having and using strategies is very important. (I even remind my autistic son with whom I am using RS very, very slowly to "use his strategies.") My dad told me that every good mathematician he knew carried four or five mathematical models in his head at all times and would select the one that fit best for each problem. Now, I don't think our kids would or need to do that, but the kid equivalent is having math strategies for the problems that they encounter.
As for being teacher-intensive, I can't really answer that. I *have* to work with my son (and in the past, with my other kids) one-on-one by his side for everything. So it's no particular disadvantage for me; everything except Magic School Bus dvd's are teacher-intensive for us. That being said, and knowing that some people simply can't do it, I do think that math is one of the subjects that deserve that sort of attention. For me (admittedly a math geek and married to one to boot), religion, math, and phonics or basic (and I mean basic) language skills are areas where I think my attention and focused attention is necessary. YMMV.
In Christ,
Deborah
Lover of wild math
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
JeniferS
Forum Rookie
Joined: Feb 08 2008
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 57
|
| Posted: May 28 2008 at 4:27pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
I have both programs. When I pulled my son out of ps, we started with MUS Alpha and moved quickly through it then started with Beta. He enjoyed it at first but quickly math became something he was dreading. Since math used to be one of his favorite subjects, I became worried and purchased Right Start math because of it's varied and hands-on approach.
We've only been doing RS for a couple weeks now (had to do the Transition Book and now we're starting Level C) and he is really enjoying it. We were more than half way finished with the Beta level of MUS but are starting at the beginning of the same "level" of RS because I was never happy with his ability to add quickly using strategies (like with adding 9 or 8, etc). With one day on the abacus practicing the RS strategies, it has completely clicked for him and he can now do a row of addition facts quickly with a 90-100% accuracy rate.
I think compared to MUS, it is definitely more parent intensive but I think that's a good thing. The lessons are short and easy to do as a parent plus I think having me there with him during the lessons makes it more fun for my son.
I'm also starting my kindergarten with RS. Right now it seems a little confusing, but we're going to stick with it for a while before I switch her to the Primer level of MUS (ds and dd have very different brains!).
__________________
Jenifer, mom to Harrison, 7 and Olivia, 5
The Way We Learn
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
4Real Forums : Living and Loving Numbers
Topic: MUS vs. RightStart Math
