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Math Lessons for a Living Education (vs Math on the Level?)
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We have RightStart A for my two first grade boys, though we rarely pull it out. (We’ve had it for 2 years and are on lesson 16!) I really think I’ll like it once we get into it…but we’re not getting into it. I have learned of MLfaLE through this forum and wondered if I could get some feedback. I tried Life of Fred with my older (schooled) daughter and decided I didn’t like that format. This story doesn’t seem quite as silly as LoF and maybe a bit more repetitive (two things I didn’t like about LoF). We’d need Book 1 bc they are just now starting to think about numbers and addition.
I have a strong desire to buy Math on the Level really and wonder if my interest in MLfaLE is just to get me something while fretting the cost of MofT. So if anyone has more to add about MotL and why it is worth the huge upfront cost, please convince me!
Thanks,
Shannon
Shannon,
I guess I justified MOTL by knowing it would last us many years. I haven’t seen the other program so I can’t advise you there. MOTL is worth it if you are motivated to prepare the lessons. If not (and I admit I struggle…so much so that we started RS this year and I’m struggling with that as well) it will be just another expensive curriculum sitting on the shelf. But I refuse to use a “canned” curriculum for anything, even math, so I’ve got to get it together…somehow. This is the only area for school I struggle with. Blessings on your decision. It’s a tough one.
I think what I find difficult about RS is the teacher’s part. I read the whole lesson and then take notes about what we’re supposed to do bc I don’t find the manual to be easy to follow by glancing back at it and there are so many things to do each day. It has never felt ‘natural’ like I’m just teaching the kids something about math. Do you have a similar experience? I really want to like it but it hasn’t happened yet. I keep thinking if we just plow through it we’ll get to a good spot but we never keep at it. Sigh.
Can anyone tell me of their experience with Math Lessons for a Living Education?
Thanks!
shannon
I feel the same way. My youngest 9yo (adopted from China three years ago). Does OK with it. If I ditch RS I will keep that abacus! He needs that tactile, visual reinforcement. My older 9yos hates RS. The math games are a hit but they would be with anything I use. :). I just looked at Math Lessons for a Living Education. I’d like to hear feedback on it as well. My 22yos was a math whiz so I’ve never had to figure this out…
Shannon,
I don’t have any expereince with MLfaLE. It looks like our copy will arrive tomorrow. After I have had time to go through it a bit I will try to post back and tell you what I think. But it will be a good while before I have any solid experience.
We are struggling with math as well. I used the first half of Math Lessons for a Living Education and really felt it was comparable to MUS (which is what we started with) in the concepts and presentations, except it had a story added in. We started with the first level, green cover, and I thought our son would like it because of the twins and the farm in the story. But, I think after a while he got sick of it. The story seemed a little dumbed down compared to other things we were reading aloud for history, science, etc. Though I bought it new, there were a few times when the lesson told me to copy sheets out of the appendix that weren’t there. I have since sold it and he finished that year with MEP.
This year, we went back to MUS, then to RS, and I’ve since thrown in the towel and we’ve been doing nothing, which makes me totally stressed and feeling guilty. I should note, this child has dyslexia and nothing seems to be working with him 🙁
I too feel the same way about the RS teacher manual. It’s not user friendly. I like the philosophy behind RS and really wanted to make it work, but I find it difficult to implement. BTW, our son really doesn’t like the abacus, which is the main vain of the program….sigh. We started with Level B and are about 36 lessons into it.
I have been looking into MOTL, but not sure I can justify the cost without knowing for certain if it will work. The authors are not doing any conventions this year, but I’m hoping someone may have it used or to look at next month at the MN convention. I’ve spent considerable time on their website and joined the Yahoo user group. The ladies there have been very helpful.
Please keep me posted in your decisions ladies. It sounds like we’re on a the same page and it’s nice to know I’m not alone.
Blessings,
MelissaRe: MofL
I wrote to them recently asking about their guarantee. This is their reply:
Hi Shannon,
Thank you for your interest in Math on the Level. Because we are also homeschoolers, we are very understanding of your question. During our 60-day trial period, which starts when you receive the curriculum, we want you to use the program to see how well it works for you. During the trial period, you can return the curriculum for any reason. We only ask that you treat it like it belongs to someone else, make no marks or bent pages in the books, and not return items which smell of cigarette smoke. During the trial period, you can copy the Concept Chart and other record keeping forms so you don’t have to make marks on the original ones. With returned items, we refund the full price paid except for the shipping charge.
Our Overview and Record Keeping binder has a “Getting Started” section that describes how to place any student in the program and shows how to use the record keeping forms and spreadsheet. We provide on request a “trial version” of the record-keeping spreadsheet that has limited features but enough to help understand how it works.
We are flexible with returns and try hard to accommodate our customers. We also encourage anyone who is considering Math on the Level to join the very large Math on the Level Support Group, which provides an excellent way to read posts and interact with homeschool parents who use the curriculum to teach their children.
Please contact us if we can answer any other questions.
Sincerely,
John Boyles
Yes Shannon, I talked at length to Carlita Boyles on the phone and she was wonderful in answering questions and offering the trial. I also highly recommend the support group. That was the Yahoo user group I mentioned. I told my husband, if I’m not able to look at it personally or don’t find it used by the first of June, I think I’m going to bite the bullet and order it. Then I got to thinking, we don’t start schooling until August and by then my trial will be up…LOL. We’ll see what happens 🙂 Let me know if you decide to try it….
I have been looking over MLfaLE and so far I am totally in love.
After years of struggle I now understandy why. This article from HSLDA discribes my dd to t and confirms my belief that MLfaLE is a perfect fit for my dd. Why have I not heard this info before??? Why are most maths geared to the left brain learner? I feel so excited to finally have peace!
@ greenebalts. I’ve not used any of the curricula mentioned on this thread. However, I would like to suggest that summer would be a great time for you to pursue the free trial you’ve been offered. We technically school year round at our house. Summers are “off” for most formal subjects when life skills and what they’ve learned in other areas is put into practice in hand’s on practical ways. But, we don’t drop math. We did years ago, but the children seemed to “lose ground.”. I realize this isn’t necessarily true as they pick it up again after some review, but why get rusty? So, if you only worked on math during the 60 day trial during the summer, without the additional pressure to complete other subjects, you’d have a better shot at learning how to use it for all it’s worth and develop a routine prior to the school year beginning in the fall. I say, go for it! It’s a win/win. If you set about establishing a habit of using the program in a diligent way during the free trial and it just doesn’t work, they’ve promised the refund. If your family is instead blessed by it, you have lightened a burden that so many carry for years.
Blessings,
Becca<><
@susie. I had to laugh! The article mentions touch math as an old fashioned tool to use with “right brainers.”. It was a “new” tool when I was at university studying the method for teaching young children. ;0). Yikes!
Becca<><
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