My 4th grader is finishing Gamma and my 6th grader is finishing Delta.
I don’t know how behind we are w/the 4th grader but I know the 6th grader is definitely behind.
I am wondering if I should keep going w/both of them this summer to catch up???
I got “key to measurement” for my 6th grader because he has a hard time remembering those things and was thinking to work on that but at the same time if I am too behind I am thinking maybe we should just move on.
And w/my 4th grader am I actually behind? Should I move to Delta this summer or just practice math facts?
The SCM curriculum guide suggests Epsilon for 6th grade, so that would put you a bit behind with 6th, but right on track for the 4th grader. That would be to get through PreCalc or Algebra II and the Stewardship class.
BTW, my 5th grader is just finishing up Gamma, so we are in a similar spot. I am planning on continuing it over the summer. She struggles to grasp the concepts and eventually does, so we just keep plodding along! We work on math everyday (except Sat and Sun). If we have a “vacation” day, I still try to fit in at least one page or a multiplication drill…not that it always happens. I’m hoping one day it will “click” with her, but it hasn’t happened yet.
it does take a while sometimes for them to grasp some concepts. I am glad we did take the time we needed but looks like we need to catch up w/my oldest, as I suspected.
Just don’t know what I’ll do w/those “key to measurement” worksheets!?
I started both my older kids (dd12, ds9) in MUS Alpha part way through last year. DS9 is 1/2 way through Gamman and My dd12 in 6th is just finishing Delta, but my goal for her is Alg. II and possibly Geometry. She will make it at normal pace. That said, I school year round and that helps, esp. with math. Search the forum for posts by Joanna re. math. She breaks it down nicely and helps you not to panic.
I wanted to say here, it’s more important for me that they “GET” it rather than get threw it. That said my going into 8th grader is only on less 14 in Eplison – behind yes, understands each concept yes. We would like him to do more but he does math right now daily except Saturdays. He does math year round and has for 4 years. It’s just a tough subject for him. Our thoughts were in the real world you need to know, understand and think fast with adding, subtracting, multiplying, dividing and percentages. If he can do that we’ll be very proud, and happy. Does that mean we don’t push him, heck no we are working with him all the time. He doesn’t seem to have any major delay problems cause all his other work is at or above grade/age level it’s just the ‘no wiggle’ room, no thinking for yourself that get’s him he’s an inventor and the concrete concepts are hard for him to grasp. So even if all you get is boy Misty’s kids are way farther behind than mine and it makes you feel better go ahead and smile! I don’t mind. LOL
thank you, I have no idea where I want to finish!?! How do you decide on that? I figured we were just moving forward but I guess it could be an idea to have a goal!
Are you talking about posts on this forum or on MUS?
This forum. I think one was Joanna Breaks Down Math from K to College.
My dd12 doesn’t love math, given her interests I don’t see her going into engineering or computer science or other math heavy careers. She is I retested in animals and either horse training or vet science hence our goal.
I always keep going with math, we took one summer off when I had a baby and it was a BIG mistake – we had to relearn all the math facts that the girls already knew and they are still struggling with some of them, so whatever you do – don’t let them NOT do math, even if you put the curriculum away and just do drills.
And yes, decide where you want to end and then just count back. I agree with Misty about not worring as much about getting through it as “getting it” – much more important to understand it and they can always catch up in college if you get through a decent amount of math in high school, but it IS helpful to have some pre-calc or calculus in high school prior to college if they are going into a math heavy career.
I bumped up about 4 conversations about math from Joanna about 2 weeks ago…. (hm, maybe we need to tag them with “Joanna” to make them easier to find… lol)
My 6th grader just finished up Delta, but I’m not concerned because she has always loved math & the division concepts (& facts) came easily to her. She got very bogged down with multiplication, mostly memorizing the facts, but surprisingly this year just zipped through memorizing the division facts. I suspect she’ll “catch up” and start Algebra about when she needs to.
My older daughter, however, has been struggling through Algebra in 9th grade & we are finishing up over the summer. She found Pre-Algebra difficult, too. I do recall that she had a much easier time working with the geometry concepts that were introduced in earlier math years, and I’m guessing she’ll find Geometry in high school next year less difficult to master. (That’s my story & I’m sticking to it!)
We like Math-U-See on the whole, and I don’t want to jump from curriculum to curriculum in junior high or high school, so I’m planning to stick with it and just give some extra help if they need it.
I also think it is more important for kids to get it rather than go threw it. One of the many reasons I am happy to homeschool!
It is hard for me to think College, my son will be 12 this month, I haven’t really started thinking that far (I know it is coming faster than I think but still!) I have no ideas what he’ll want to do, for now he just wants to play soccer and video games!!
We’ll just move forward and hope it all turns out ok!!
My 6th grader and 3rd grader are on the same lesson in Delta only two pages apart. We need to keep math going all summer for the sake of my oldest, so I am going to get the Life of Fred ice cream and Jelly Beans I think. That should offer a fun review for my older, and just be fun stuff for younger. I am not sure if I will continue MUS for both of them or switch one to something else for next year.
@Christie: You mentioned that you started two of your kids in alpha last year. Did you have them watch every video and do every worksheet? Or, did you skip any of the material they already know?
I’m thinking of switching my ds11 since he is struggling a bit with Singapore.
Hi bradstreet, thanks for the pm notice. I started both kids at the beginning bc we were moving over from other curricula. Each child just completed the test for each lesson. We watched a few videos along the way if needed. If they missed too many, then we did a sheet or two. Eventually, we slowed and started watching the videos. Now we watch the video and do sheet A. Then we alternate new and review sheets and don’t do all of them if they aren’t needed.