Christie, if you like the idea of arithmetic that is very old school, then you might want to check out Systematic Mathematics. I just ordered it last week for my third grader who has been using RightStart Mathematics.
I really like RightStart. It is manipulative approach based primarily on the use of the abacus. My third grader has a lot of fun with RightStart because they have a lot of games incorporated in the lessons and he loves not having to write answers or at least not many answers on paper.
However, after listening to a CD of a retired public school teacher of 40 years, who was teaching at the time they introduced the “new math books” and took away the traditional math books and burned them, I was curious to learn more. He explained how we switched, basically overnight, from a tried and true method to an untried method of arithmetic. The outcome of this experiment on America’s children has been disastrous!
He also explained how the homeschool movement has reformed or redeveloped just about every subject, save arithmetic. He elaborated on the point that our children need to truly understand what and why they are doing, not simply memorize quickly forgotten formulas. He simply said that if your current math program has a lot of review, it is probably “new math” and you probably find a program utilizing the old school methods. As for me and my 3rd grader we are going to do one lesson a day from RightStart and one lesson a day from Systematic Mathematics.
I am see great progress with his ability to see his answers in his mind and quickly spout out the answers just like my grandpappy used to do! I might add that I have to older, now adult children who struggle with math as do many other first generation homeschoolers we know. If only I had known that even their math need to be redeemed right along with the other subjects.