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help! any ideas for making rightstart math more independent?? Or what to switch to?
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First of all, I want to say that I LOVE Rightstart Math!
Problem is, I now have 3 children using it, and I am finding it very hard to fit into the day, as each one needs Mom for their lesson. Any ideas on how to make it a little more independent?
Or, after using Rightstart, what would be the best program to switch to that would allow for greater independence (that wouldn’t require a big $$ investment, which I’ve already out into Rightstart??
I’d love any suggestions you might have!
I’m curious on the answer to this as well as I’m getting ready to start my third in the program……:o)
I’ve never used RS math, but I have 3 (soon to be 4) littles and I’m thinking I’ll have the same problem if I use something real CM for math. My husband and I were both educated with ACE. There were a lot of things I hated about it, but it is strong on teaching independent study. I’m considering it just for math and grammer.
Math U See is a bit more independent and less teacher intensive, meaning, no prep work.
I wanted to use RS (I have 1 or 2 levels) with my youngest and let my middle ds tag along, but I just couldn’t do it. (That doesn’t mean that other moms can’t, that’s just me.)
I am fully engaged in what my dc are doing in MUS (they both sit at the table and I assist/teach them as needed) but it is still different than me doing lessons with dialogue. We watch the videos together, go over the new concept, do some practice problems together, then they’re kind of on their own (with me in the area or at the table with them). Eventually, they’re doing the practice sheets on their own and I can do something else for awhile. We go over any issues right away.
HTH
We switched to Singapore because of the time and expensive needed for RS. Our lessons are a bit quicker, but still take quite a bit of my time to teach…I think that will be the case with any hands-on elementary math program. I still use many of our RS manipulatives with our Singapore lessons. Math mammoth is another similar program.
If you want to stay with RS, I’ve heard of moms setting a 30 minute timer for each child. When it went off, they’d stop for the day even if it was mid-lesson. Since you are enjoying RS, I think that would be the best option. We’ve switched math several times and I often wish we’d stuck it out with RS…I think that would have been best for my oldest.
Yes, this is going to be an issue with our family soon too… I had my 2 children together for level B, but suspect they will go different speeds in level C – and adding in another child with level A….
We have used the timer method for the lessons and it has worked well… So that will be what we are doing.
I’ve never used RS, either; that or MOTL specifically because of the teacher involment (and expense). I’ve used Developmental Math (a mastery program) successfully with my son from Level 1 to Level 12 this next year. My dd has used DM and MM, but they didn’t work so well for her until MUS; which I use the same way as my3boys discussed.
I hope you can figure out what works best and/or get some good advice on how to make it work.
Not a Rightstart Math user but we do use MOTL which Rachel mentioned. I suspect they are equal in comparison on teacher intensity.
I have 5 children in math, all at different levels. Though there are some things I could combine, it just doesn’t work and sets up too much competition which I don’t want.
What I’m trying (and it is actually working) this year is that I schedule a teacher-intensive lesson for a new concept one day a week for each child Monday-Thursday (have 2 on Mondays and Tuesdays at different times).
This is working so far. The rest of their math other than me teaching them a new concept is independent (5 A Days), IXL computer math drills, etc. If they are still struggling, Daddy will work with them one-on-one at night. He follows the same schedule: each child on a certain night.
HTH
I’ve struggled with this, too and I only have one doing math right now. I have recently tried setting the timer for 30 minutes as someone else mentioned and that is helping me a lot! I am less concerned with how much material we cover and trying to play more games than they say you need to. I also just ordered singapore as a supplement to go with it. the grade lower than my child is, just for extra practice b/ c she needs it. hoping this will help. good luck!
Im finding Right Start math to be very time consuming but I only have one to teach right now so we are gonna stick it out. I don’t mind sitting with him during math for first grade but when we get to second and third grade I probally will start leveling off and letting him go a bit more independent. Im not sure how you moms make it work with more than one student to teach! You are super heros in my eyes.
Thank you so much for your suggestions!
I find that our RS lessons rarely rake more than 20-30 minutes, but I am really feeling the difficulty of 60-90 miutes of my day being devoted to math :(. But I can see how the timer method would certainly help if the lessons were taking longer.
What is MOTL? And by the comments, I am assuming the teacher teaches new concepts, but is not necessarily involved in every math session – i.e., there is a portion that is independent? Is that correct?
Thanks again for these ideas – I look forward to any other ideas that people might have!
It’s going to depend on if you want a different method of math taught. All the different curriculums come at math concepts different ways. You could find something that is more independent but would your child be getting the foundation they are getting with RS. [no offense meant to people using other math curriculums….just something to consider]
You don’t mention the levels your children are in. Some have suggested setting a timer and that works well.
Another suggestion is to focus on the oldest, make sure they get their lesson every day. Then with the other two, depending on levels, you could alternate days. So it would look like this.
Oldest….daily lessons with a timer set for 30 minutes
Next oldest….lessons on Mon, Wed. and Fridays…..with a timer set for 30 minutes. They can do their worksheets on the “non lesson” days
youngest child….lessons on Tues. and Thurs. [and then alternate the yougest two the next week so the youngest is getting a lesson on M,W, and F…..while the next oldest does lessons on T, & Th.]
OR…you teach a lesson each day to the two oldest and the youngest will do a lesson every other day?? And set the timer for 20 minutes for all so you will be teaching math for all three for 1 hour.
On the days one of the children don’t have a lesson they can play a game with the oldest child while you are teaching one of the other children.
If you teach a lesson every other day, with playing a game in between, it will take an extra year to go through the levels. Unless you continue this through the summer.
Also….look at the other work your children are doing. Can you do something more independent in other subjects?
One last option….have dad teach one of the children their math in the evenings.
Hope you are able to continue with RS!
I am switching from Saxon to MakingMathMeaningful by David Quine, this year.Has anyone tried Making Math Meaningful? If you have I would love to hear about your experience.It’s described as teacher intensive in grades k-3 and gets more independent after that. I like that it takes a more hands on approach and the author studied CM and has used many of her ideas in the curriculum. I am a little worried about switching math program with my older girls 11 and 12, but after using Saxon for 5 years I have to admit it’s just not working. . I will be having my 8th baby in 2 months and my oldest is 15, so I am also starting highschool with him this year. It will be very relaxed- he is my natural unschooler , so that means that most of the time I just have to get out of the way and let him learn! He will be doing Jacobs Algebra, which I have heard many good things about. Don’t know anything about RightStart but I do know all about math frustrations!Good Luck 🙂
The strength of RightStart is in the working one-on-one with your student. I would be surprised if you could make it independent unless you just hand your student the manual and he reads through the lesson for himself.
I have 3 kids using RS, and I guess I don’t feel it takes too long. In fact, we’re sad when the timer goes off! Since it’s mainly playing games, I involve as many kids as I can in the games (usually only the 2 oldest in Levels B & C, but occasionally they can all play). My Level A student & I rarely go over 15 min, but I plan to stretch it to 20 this school year. I guess for us, because it’s playing together, it isn’t like “school.” I do the 2 olders’ math in the afternoon after lunch. Maybe that helps? I will have a 3yo to fit into school, too, this year (barely, but still – but he also will be ready for Level A by the end of this year, if not sooner), and I really don’t anticipate problems fitting it all in. My oldest (9yo) is pretty independent in several subjects, and my 8yo is going to be taking on a few more responsibilities this year, as well. I think that helps a ton, too.
HTH a little!
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