Math-u-See, we need more review OR Teaching Textbooks, we need more practice

Christie, yes, the workbook problem are identical to the computer problems.  This is why it might seem rather crazy that I have my boys follow the format I outlined above!  My format means they do it TWICE (oh, I am so mean!)   But I just really feel that going through the problems using different senses /formats (and at different times of day) helps with retention and forces them to think it through differently.  When we first began, I had them do the computer portion one day and the workbook portion the following day so that there was a more significant time gap between the computer lesson and the workbook lesson.  Then I began to realize that as long as they weren’t doing it back-to-back, it didn’t much matter…so now we do the computer-first-thing-in-the-morning….workbook-after-lunch routine…. (they never seem to have the answers memorized.  The fact that the “second time around” they have to read it themselves -in print – versus on the on the computer where it’s read aloud to them – and the fact that there’s no “hint” button…well, it makes the lesson feel pretty different…).  I must state for the record that I’m not sure that merely doing on the computer would be “enough”.  If one were considering doing this program with only the computer disks and no workbook, I truly wonder whether the program would provide the same results.  Probably would depend on the child…but worth considering as you think of how to implement.

I saw the other post on whether TT is rigorous enough.  I should probably post over on that thread, but it’s relevant here as well …. I WAS in the camp where in my heart I wanted the strongest, most rigorous program….I wanted “they-are-going-to-be-stronger-in-math-than-I-was kids”…..I chose MUS (and had strongly considered Singapore and Math Mammoth for the fact that they are mastery-based), but in the interest of gaining peace and sanity in our home, and for the sake of building math enjoyment and confidence in my children …. I gave up the other vision.  In the end, I have come to believe that making choices about some of these math curriculum options is like splitting hairs …one math curriculum might mean your child understands math and can apply it to everyday life to a degree of 100%….and another program might mean your child understands math and can apply it 85%.    Both will give you a decent life, albeit perhaps the latter might mean you’re not getting a PHD in math. 

In the end after my soul searching I decided that I’m okay sticking with TT, especially if it means my kids get a mother who is more calm and has more time for them in other areas that are probably more meaningful than elementary and high school MATH!  Just my two cents….I know everyone will feel differently about this.   My own experience was one of a girl at age 14-17 who barely got through high school math.  My parents hired a math tutor to get me to pass enough math for high school graduation.  Despite the math struggles, I went on to get two University degrees in other areas of studies.  Aside from paying my rent and monthly bills I really never had to touch math in any significant way until I began to move up in the business world (I worked in marketing for 10 years prior to having my children).  Suddenly I had to start building program budgets, analyzing cost-sell factors, and figuring out margin strategies.   And only THEN did math become a bit of a thrill!  It was only then that math came alive for me, and guess what….despite my rather pathetic math background, I managed to do amazingly well; worked for two Fortune 100 companies, dealt in million dollar budgets…not wanting to show off at all here, but I managed to do it all without error.   I figured out what I needed to know because I’d become a critical thinker and an excellent researcher and at that point, in my mid-20s –  I was capable of embracing math at a new level.   

As I went through the first years of homeschooling and all the curricula decisions, I remembered the “big picture” of my own life….after a few struggles and several headaches in math on Saxon, MUS and other mastery based programs, I quickly became convinced that moving to a math program that was  a) interesting to THE KIDS    b) would keep the peace here at home and c) that the children would work on willingly and without complaint …. was the highest priority.   TT keeps the peace here at home; the kids love it, and I am absolutely certain that they are learning all the math that is necessary for this stage in life.  That’s good enough for me!   I get that others will feel differently and it probably all depends on each person’s life experiences, and how much stress you are currently feeling in teaching math.  Before our move to TT, my stress was medium-to-high and my DC really detested their math lessons;  worst of all, they were retaining very little.  Then we made this switch to TT; the stress is now almost non-existent, the kids love math, and their retention has skyrocketed.  Coincidence?  Maturity?  Perhaps.  But I’ll be sticking with TT regardless.

I know you are already going to be giving it a go, Christie, but just wanted to share my full story in case it helps someone else!

Blessings, Angie

Just my two cents (but I have younger children) about TT math compared to MUS;, I love having someone else teach math but I haven’t been overly impressed with TT as far as the content or presentation of the explanations, etc.  My 8 yr old is using it right now which is great because she does much better feeling independent for school.  She liked it so much that I tried it with my 9 yr old and 6 yr old, but both chose to go back to MUS.  TT is great unless a student doesn’t understand their way of explaning things, then you are still having to watch the lecture/read the book yourself and figure out how they are teaching things to be able to help your child.  My 6 yr old really struggles with learning, and MUS is starting to make sense to her, although I have to use multiple ways to explain things to her, so TT was not good for her at all, only frustrating.  I think TT is a bit light compared to MUS, so I have my daughter do MUS worksheets every once in a while to check what she is learning in TT.  Anyways, I’m sure it’s a fine program, but those are the weaknesses I saw.

Meliss and Karen, you are most welcome – happy to share!  And happy to hopefully help anyone along the way who may have experienced something similar and can benefit from a shared perspective.  I thought LONG and hard about this decision to move to TT because, while we can all appreciate “keeping math in perspective” I most certainly didn’t want to move to a program that I would later be questioning in terms of quality, level of complexity, rigor, etc. 

On this, I’ll share one more point.  As I went about  my research I actually contacted Seton Home School Study (an accredited American institution – gr.1-12 – founded in 1980 with an enrollment of over 10,000 homeschool families) to ask about math.  As an accredited school I knew that they would give me the botton line …the true story….the real skinny ….on course credibility.   Here’s the bottom line:  a full high school diploma can be issued by this accredited institution if the student has completed one of the following ….

a)Saxon   b) Math-u-See   c) Teaching Textbooks    

For me, this news was golden.

I completely understand that TT is not for everyone.  For my family, it brought consistencey to our math routine (math never gets missed now…we do it six days a week, 48 weeks a year and only ever miss a day if the STUDENT is really sick….when Mama is sick, it doesn’t make a difference in the least).  For my family, it has lifted a tremendous weight….Mama’s workload is less and more importantly my kids LOVE math and NEVER complain about it.   Often, the biggest problem is the arguing about who gets to do math first (no –  I’m not kidding).

I see some mention by other posters that the TT lectures didn’t resonate with their child.  Well, to each his own, I guess; every child is different; teach the child, not the curriculum, as Sonya would say!    I guess every person needs to give it a try before they “know” whether a program works.  Personally, I found Math U See more difficult to embrace because it is so very different from how I learned math.  My children have found the TT lecture format remarkably more straightforward than any other program we’ve tried.  They found MUS often had information that they didn’t really “need” but was just added to the lecture to provide “an extra” angle…. to ensure ALL kids would “get it”.  (if you pay attention, you’ll see that this fact is commented on in many of the lectures).  

When we did MUS – this overdoing-the-explantation drove one of my sons CRAZY.  Now again, every kid different:  my first son was patient and totally okay with it.  But my second son just wanted to hear “what he needed to know” in the shortest explanation possible.  MUS really turned him off math!  He looks back on it now and remembers feeling that he thought himself a real failure in math during the time he was using MUS.  He’s now on TT and feels smart, independent, empowered and describes himself as a person who enjoys math and is excellent in math (yay!)    Is he a “grade level behind?”  Well, sure, maybe.  But who cares, really?  We’re doing math every day (easily and happily) and he will soon be a 5th grader doing TT6, and then a 6th grader doing TT7.  Maybe by the time we get to Algebra we’ll supplement here and there and do something more “rigorous” …but maybe not.  All I really care about is that my children stay positive about math, and that they HAPPILY do it every day.  I just can’t imagine that any kids truly “gets” it unless they are in at least some form of positive mindstate while they are learning!!!  Seriously, does ANYONE learn when they are in any way miserable, lacking in calm, or otherwise feeling despair? 

In summary:  the short lectures, spiral apporach and consistencey in doing math every single day, year round that comes with TT has made math a JOY around my house.   My kids are happy; as a result they are retaining more than they have in any other program.  This fact, along with my finding out that a credited institution confirms the strength of TT, is enough for me.

(it was nice to see TT in the TOP 101 Picks by Cathy Duffy, too).

Good luck, everyone! 

blessings,  Angie