4Real Forums: Decisions to be made...MUS advice needed

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Topic: Decisions to be made...MUS advice needed

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aussieannie
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Posted: Jan 16 2007 at 10:21pm \| IP Logged

I have started my youngest school age child on the MathUSee (that was all we could afford at the time) and I had my older two children on Saxon - I would like to put them all over to MUS but I have this big worry and concern - probably I just need my fears allaied or confirmed..

I have two on Saxon 5/4 and if I were to go to MUS at the level they are at, wouldn't they have missed the unique MUS concepts with the earlier years? I fear that once we start we might run into problems there? Would this be right or not? Would there be key sections that I ought to be looking at from the earlier years with them at all if I did start them at the level they should be at?

Any advise and help would be gratefully appreciated!

God Bless, Anne

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Theresa
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Posted: Jan 16 2007 at 10:34pm \| IP Logged

Anne, what level of MUS would they be moving into... I'm not familiar with Saxon.

I have one doing Alpha and another just finishing up Delta. We are debating on moving to Epsilon. My dd had trouble with that last year and it was a hard one for me to grasp too.

As for them missing out on the concepts... When we started a few years ago I had my kids go back and start with the foundations book... from the begining so that they would get the concept down but really I wouldn't have had to do that. I love the way they teach it, but if they already know their facts and have mastered a certain concept they should be o.kay. Start them where they should be (I think there is a placement test online?) and you can introduce the blocks or overlays for the level they are at.

Not sure if that helped you any...

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Theresa

kjohnson
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Posted: Jan 16 2007 at 11:41pm \| IP Logged

Anne, I remember asking this same question when I transitioned my children from Saxon to MUS a few years ago. The distributer encouraged me to go through the DVD lessons with my children and allow them to test through the concepts. Even though it may be repetition, the way that concepts are presented in MUS is different and they build upon each other. If I had a child in Saxon 5/4 I would probably get the Gamma and Delta books and test through them. I certainly wouldn't worry about Alpha and Beta. Actually if your younger one is already doing those levels you could always have the older ones watch the lessons when a concept is being presented that may help them.

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Katherine
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aussieannie
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Posted: Jan 16 2007 at 11:41pm \| IP Logged

Theresa,

I did do placement tests a year ago when I was then considering it and I can't remember now

I think that they were somewhere between Delta and Epsilon.

So you say it should present problems? - that sounds good!

God Bless, Anne

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Under Her Starry Mantle
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aussieannie
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Posted: Jan 16 2007 at 11:43pm \| IP Logged

kjohnson wrote:

The distributer encouraged me to go through the DVD lessons with my children and allow them to test through the concepts.

Thank you for that bit of info, I will make sure I do that - Gamma then might be a good place to start by the sounds of it.

Thank you both for advice so far!

God Bless, Anne

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Under Her Starry Mantle
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jdostalik
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Posted: Jan 17 2007 at 8:18am \| IP Logged

Anne,
I agree with Katherine. I have been using MUS for five years and I love it and most days, my kids do too! I am about to have four kids at four different levels!

Steve Demme has a very unique approach to teaching all the core mathematical concepts. It would definitely be worth it to start at Gamma and work your way through them quickly until you find your "resting place." This also has the double benefit of giving your kids a nice review on their math skills and builds confidence. Not a bad thing, at all!

Best of luck!!

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Jennifer in TX
wife to Bill, mom to six here on earth and eight in heaven.
Let the Little Ones Come

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