Need math curricula help

My girls have been doing the Horizons prek curricula, and they now know their numbers 1-12 and have started to learn some simple addition, but I also see them starting to get bored with the repetition of the program and it's worksheets, so I was wondering, does anyone have any good recommendations for the next level math curricula? I'd love something that teaches hands-on problem solving and caters to the multi-sensory craving kids, since I'm beginning to see some ADD tendencies in Hannah. Just wondering where you guys went from here and what you liked/didn't like from what curricula you tried.
Have I mentioned I LOVE having this forum... wish it was more active, but I know we're all doubly busy gals!

 

My boys have really enjoyed using Math-U-See. We have slowly worked through the Primer book. By the sounds of it the first part of the book would probably be review for your girls, but later part deals with addition, subtraction, skip counting, and telling time. Mine also really enjoy using the blocks. I only struggle every once in a while with convincing them to use them for their math and not as Legos ardon: .

 

I looked up the math u see curricula. It looks a bit complicated for teaching... how do you feel about it compared with other math methods you've tried? Do they use a video to teach them, or do you teach them? I couldn't really understand from the website I looked at. What parts of the curricula did you buy or felt you really needed/didn't need? Are you using it with the twins, or with Brandon, or with all three? Thanks for letting me pick your brain!

 

Up to this point, I haven't used a curriculum. I've been making my own lesson plans. But, I do plan on buying Math-U-See next year. I haven't tried it, but I can give my understanding of it.

From what I have read, you can use the DVDs to do the teaching, but they are really designed for the teacher to watch and learn how to teach it. Whether you use them with the kids or not would depend on your kids (Can they sit and watch that long? Do they require more personal interaction?) and your teaching style (Are you very hands-on and want to teach it all yourself?)

At the bottom of the Primer page there is a demonstration of how the system teaches things like 10s. This is one thing that really sold me. They really break it down so the kids understand. It is visual and tactile. Also, in another video (not sure which one since there are lots to watch!) the instructor mentions something that what would often happen when he would present kids with a word problem. They would ask, "Do we add, subtract, multiply, or divide?" because, even though they knew how to do all those things, they didn't know WHEN to do them. This was a problem I can relate to! I could do the math, but had no idea what the point of it was! So, he said he designed this program to emphasize WHY you are doing the math and WHEN to use it.

Right now I am planning on buying one Primer instruction pack ($30), two student texts ($40 for both), and a set of blocks ($35). The total cost will be $105 if I buy them all new. But, I am hoping to find the instruction pack and blocks used. Plus, I will only have to buy the blocks once.

Jenn, since you have used it, can you tell me if the student texts are something that I can buy used, too? Or are they workbooks like I think? Also, do you need a set of blocks for each child or can you get by with just one?

 

They are definitely workbooks and meant to be written in. If you find one "used" you can be sure they photocopied the pages and that is against the copyright laws. It has been so long since I ordered the blocks for DD, I don't remember what actually came in each one. I invested in the starter set and completer set. If you plan to school the kids at the same time, there may be times when you need more than what is in the starter set. You would only need one of each set, not two of each. Although I have the DVD for Primer, I've never used it. DD has used hers at various times. Mr. Demme and I have a disagreement on how to teach long division though, so she didn't watch the second half of her DVD to her division book.

MUS made more sense to DD than the Lifepac series we were using to begin with. I have been very happy with it for teaching the basics. So far only William and Nathan have done Primer. Brandon has no interest in school related items and as he just turned 4 a couple of weeks ago, I don't plan to push him.

 

I swallowed my cheap-ness and bought the math-u-see primer this week. We'll see how it goes. I went to my local homeschool store and the employees and I talked thru my kids' strengths, weaknesses, and preferences and they agreed that it sounds like math-u-see is the way to go. I'm excited to begin, thanks for the suggestions!

 

We've used MUS for quite awhile. At the primer level (and depending on your child), it may involve more parental involvement. My kids are in beta, delta and zeta. They all watch the DVD (each lesson is like 5-10 minutes long) and do the math themselves, for the most part. I've even started having them correct their own work using the teacher manual, though I periodically check and see how it's going. If they struggle with a concept, I'll usually watch the DVD myself and then work through problems with them, just so I don't confuse them by showing them a different way of doing something, though there have been 1 or 2 times when something wasn't clicking for them and I showed them a different way. But for the most part, I LOVE how MUS teaches/works/etc.

 

I'm starting K in August with my boys. After a lot of research, we are going to start with Rightstart math. Hopefully will be a good fit .

Mendy