MUS vs Rightstart

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  • March 12, 2011 at 12:05 am
    Blessedwithseven
    Member

    Hi,  I have RS A & B, I really want this to work BUT..find it not getting done.  Does MUS teach the wonderful “thinking” process or a way to really see and understand numbers the way RS does?  Having 7 kids and doing phonics w 3 right now I find myself dreading getting our RS and I don’t want to!!  My kids also like doing more worksheets..thought of supplementing it w/ Math Mammoth on those days when we don’t want to break out all the manipulatives.  I guess I like the idea of the blocks as the manipulatives instead of needing several different things every lesson.

    Just curious what you all think!

     

    Thanks,

    Kim (homeschooling mom of 7)

    March 12, 2011 at 4:49 pm
    Sara B.
    Participant

    Bumping this because I want to know, too.  🙂  I’m looking between those 2 for next year.

    FWIW, I did look at the demo on the MUS website, and for the first time in my life I actually understand why I multiply the way I do.  Never learned that in school.  It’s always been mechanical for me, and I am good at math and love it.  I am leaning heavily toward MUS because of that, but I want to make sure I’m not overlooking something else.

    March 12, 2011 at 10:51 pm
    Blessedwithseven
    Member

    Thank you for bumping this up, I was just going to do that…ha!  I would really love some input.  I am going on my “second round” of little ones and had high hopes of using RS, I have longed to use it but I just am not sure.  I want them to really learn and understand math and get a really good foundation, that I know for sure.  I do not want to just stick a workbook in front of them.  I did this w/ my now almost 4th grader, she is in TT and we are needing to go back and work on some things because it isn’t sticking w/ TT.

    I had tried MUS in the past w/ my son who hated it but..now I know…he hated everything..ha!  Oh..all the decisions!  I have the RS orginal program…hmmm!

    Thanks!

    Kim

    March 13, 2011 at 3:55 am
    greenebalts
    Participant

    I’m interested in this as well.  We are currently using Math-u-See Primer with kindergarten boy.  He was really struggling so we took a break and completed 1st 1/2 of MEP.  Although, now he wants to go back to MUS.  I was very set on switching to RightStart next year because I think he would really groove on the games with less writing.  However, I just found Math Lessons for a Living Education and it looks great!  Too many choices…UGHH!  Melissa

    March 13, 2011 at 3:13 am
    Mysterious Lady in Pink
    Participant

    Wow, this is so similar to me! lol I own RS A&B and we’ve barely used it. :(. I was in love with the idea of it and have always thought the abacus would be so valuable. But the reality is that it just isn’t getting done with several littles. My teens used MUS (earlier version) when they were early elementary, then we switched to Strayer-Upton Practical Arithmetic at 3rd grade and they did all 3 books (wonderful old series, very solid, no bells and whistles).

    So while I do own a ridiculous amt of RS materials, I’m seriously thinking of switching to Math Mammoth (light blue) and use the RS games and abacus. I havent seen much negative (but would like to hear it if it’s out there) and feel it would be quite doable to use some manipulatives and games when needed. I have to confess that the cost factor for 3 remaining littles and the teaching time involved are definite factors. I’m just tired of my younger ones havong to wait on me before they can do their school work. I have a particularly hard time juggling the toddler/preschool aged ones, and the K-2nd graders really pay for it. 🙁 I considered trying MUS – the earlier program was seriously lacking in extra problems (to solidify those facts/skills through repetition) and good word problems. I thinknits definitely improved, but I’m hesitant to “buy into” it again.

    I’m sure this isn’t much help to you, but I do feel your pain with all of this!! Hoping to read more from others.

    March 13, 2011 at 1:29 pm
    Blessedwithseven
    Member

    I am gonna bump this up again ..tee hee!  Can you tell I am really struggling here with whether to use MUS, or RS and supplement MM for the worksheets….oh boy!  I keep reading the reviews.  Would love opinions!

    March 13, 2011 at 2:30 pm
    suzukimom
    Participant

    Well, as it keeps getting bumped up…

    I say use MEP math from CIMT.  It is free, makes kids think great about math, my kids love it, and it follows CM’s recommendations about math quite well, in my opinion.  We added cuisinaire rods for manipulatives (they have paper versions you can use), and cheap dominoes.    My kids always want to do math first because they love it.

     

    March 13, 2011 at 4:11 pm
    Blessedwithseven
    Member

    Okay..question about MEP, do you still need a password?  I was looking at reviews from a few years ago and it said you needed passwords.

    So..it has everything you need, you just print out each year?

     

    Kim

    March 14, 2011 at 1:40 am
    LindseyD
    Participant

    Hi Kim,

    I don’t know if you’ve made your decision yet, but I wanted to chime in about MUS. We’ve been using it for two years now and LOVE it. Ds7 will start Beta next week, and dd5.5 started Primer 2 weeks ago. Both children BEG for math everyday, they love it so much. I really think MUS does a great job of teaching the mastery of a concept before moving on, and there is also a lot of review. Not too much review that it takes away from the new concept, but old facts and processes are constantly being brought up as the lessons progress. Having the blocks is wonderful. I usually allow mine to use their blocks for the first 3-4 worksheets and then I ask them to try finishing the lesson without blocks, but from memory. Usually, they can do it just fine.

    We do use a math mat and flashcards to review some, but I find that MUS does a very good job of helping them master their facts.

    Hope that helps!

    Lindsey 

    March 15, 2011 at 3:05 am
    Wings2fly
    Participant

    I faced the same difficult challenge last fall.  We had been using a spiral approach and I felt we were falling short.  I decided on both MUS and RS.  I got the MUS Alpha used at a good price, and it retains a great re-sell value.  I loved that MUS is teacher friendly and requires little prep time and are short lessons.  But it bothered me that they only use one manipulative: the MUS blocks.  I loved what I read about RS, but I felt it would be too teacher intensive for me.  So I bought the RS Math Games set to supplement MUS.  I also got each child an AL abacus.  Instead of buying the RS curriculum, I purchased the books, Activities for the AL Abacus and Worksheets for the AL Abacus.  These cover addition through division and helped me understand how to use the abacus in supplementing with MUS.  I feel like if my child really has “mastered” the concept, he should be able to show it in another way other than the MUS blocks.  That’s when we use the abacus or toys or sticks instead.  But on days when I am short on time or ideas, I can go with what is next on the MUS dvd and worksheets.  That usually leads me to an idea to use the next day in showing the same concept a different way.  We also have the Mathtacular dvd Sonlight sells and it give us ideas for applying math concepts.  It was a lot of money to spend, but now that I have the manipulatives and books, I just need to buy the MUS book/dvd for the next level and my old MUS book/dvd should still sell well to help pay for the next level.  I have been happy with MUS.  It does teach the thinking process behind the math concept.  Since you already have the RS, you could use those manipulitives and games to supplement with MUS.

    March 15, 2011 at 3:51 am
    suzukimom
    Participant

    Just to answer the question… you no longer need a password for the MEP math.  You used to, but they updated the pdf’s so you don’t anymore.  (It wasn’t a big deal to get it… you could email them saying you were a homeschooler and they would send it, or it was on the Yahoo group…) – but again, they got rid of the passwords about a year ago.

    The only thing you may need a password for with MEP now is the “IMPA” tests (don’t ask what the initials are… I don’t know…) – which is a year end test.  I think the test is online, and is marked… and as it is a part of the school system in parts of the UK, it is password protected.  I don’t use the tests at all though.

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