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RightStart Math (Time Commitment & Teaching Multiple Levels)
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Hi! I’m assuming (hoping) that several of you have experience with RS Math. I have a few questions! I was looking into it last night and read somewhere that the lessons take 20-45 mins per day. I am wondering how realistic this is, especially once I get up to teaching 3 levels at the same time (we currently have 3 children, all about 2 years apart). 3 levels would mean 1-2.25 hours a day on math alone. It DOES look worth it but I am really not sure. I don’t want to even start it if it’s not something that is going to work out long term. Then again, how would I know until we try it, right? 🙂 Just hoping to hear from those who haved used it (esp. multiple levels) before I plunk down the cash. I am hoping it will work for us. Thanks!
I have had 3 in 3 levels in the past…for a while it was 4 in 4 levels but the older boys have ‘graduated’ from RS. As far as time, for my little guys in Level A I keep the lesson to 15 minutes, sometimes even 10. Even if the lesson is written as longer, I keep it shorter. As they progress through the levels and get older, lessons might go longer. Some days we split the lesson in two, other days they quickly master it and we finish it within my Charlotte-Mason-shortened lessons. And there are some days they do 2 lessons in one day. I have found, that while it does involve some of my time, it is well worth it. They truly understand math and have developed mathmatical thinking. I usually don’t spend more than an hour a day on math…it evens out with the olders needing a longer lesson and the littles having a shorter one.
That is a great point and worth considering. My ds9 struggles with math. He is behind due to switching programs 3 ttimes because he was not learning it. He learns with RS and that is worth the extra time. We are in the middle of level c now and his struggle causes longer lessons now. I am starting my dd 6 on level b now but she is nore math minded and it goes faster for her. In RS the games are just as important as the lessons. So I am slowing it down to teach a lesson to ds 9 and play math game with dd6 one day and switching that the next day so they each are doing a lesson and game on alternate days and I am not doing two of everything each day. When lessons are easier I can have them sit on each side of me and go through their lessons together by alternating back and forth from one child to the other and back, giving one child time to think and do some figuring while I discuss with the other child. There is a yahoo group that may help you also.
This is a great post for me as well ! This is my 1st year doing 2 different levels of RS math. I completed level A with my son and now we are working through level B. My daughter is in K now and I have started her with level A . I have stuck with RS because I can see it’s benefits . I myself am not a math person and am a visual learner. So going through the hands on activities and using the math games is helping me too ! I am learning math concepts all over again while teaching my kiddos.
When we first started using RS I thought that the lessons seemed REALLY long and I was actually trying to complete an entire lesson at a time. I realized that 1) the lessons may seem lengthy because some of them are actually 2 lessons condensed into 1 lesson and 2) I discovered CM last year and now I do not feel “pressured” to do more math than necessary….. short lessons 🙂 .
Wings2fly – that is a wonderful idea to alternate days with your kids !! I love that idea …. keeps them learning and engaged but decreases the daily time spent just on math. I will have to try that . Thanks for sharing !
I have one who is in RS book E and we usually get a full lesson done in 20 minutes. If it takes longer I just leave it for the next day. My DD is in level c and it is somewhat harder for her so sometimes I do just the warm up one day depending on length and then the lesson the next day. I really think short lessons are important so they really continue to enjoy their math. The most thing needing to know is with RS is teacher led.
Kim.
I have three in three separate levels. I probably could combine them, but I’ve found that it causes frustration for the one(s) that don’t catch on to a concept as easily. For their sake, I decided it was worth the “hassle” of splitting them all up. I do love RS, but I too made the rookie mistake of trying to tackle one lesson per day when we first started. Now, thanks to wise counsel I received here, we do about 20 minutes (per day) and call it a day. I don’t worry much any more and math is going REALLY smoothly now! Even my one child who is not math-minded AT ALL, is really enjoying it and seems more confident lately.
Also, on a side note, I only bought new for Level A. (I bought the standard starter kit.) Worth every penny, IMO. But everything else I’ve been able to find used since. This year, for three kids, I think I paid about $85 total. Not bad! So before you “plunk down the cash”, maybe you could look for it used.
I’ve had multiple children in different levels of math for the last 20 years. It doesn’t matter which program we use because none of my children are math minded….meaning that math does NOT come easily for them….and ALL have required me to teach them. Spending at least an hour a day….if not more.
I’ve used many different math programs…..and have struggled with them. I hesitated to use RS because of the cost. The time commitment wasn’t as big a deal for me as any math was a time commitment for me. After two years of wanting to try RS but hesitating because of the cost I finally took the plunge. It’s been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.
I did group my children as much as possible….but we did get to a place I couldn’t do that. And to be honest…there were some days we didn’t get math done….well, a lesson anyways. Sometimes we’d only play a math game and call it a day….especially if there was sickness or errands.
Some advice….
1. As others have aleady suggested….keep the lesson short. 20-30 minutes each child. If teaching three that should keep you around one hour a day. It’s ok if you don’t finish a lesson. The next day you can finish it and then they can do the worksheet if there is one.
2. Maybe you alternate….do math daily with your oldest child….and alternate math days with your younger two. On the days they don’t do math….you can have the older child play a math game with them for 10-15 minutes.
3. My youngest got overwhelmed with too much of anything….so it’s very normal for us to do a lesson and then split the worksheet up over two days. He’s much happier doing math when he doesn’t feel overwhelmed. He started RS when he was 7, in level B….he started 8th grade this year and will be starting VideoText Algebra in the next few weeks. In Level G, he doethe lesson and then does 1 worksheet. Sometimes the lesson has 2 or 3 worksheets. He still only does 1 worksheet a day. Yes, it’s taken us longer but it’s worth it as he enjoys his math.
The time I have spent doing math with my children has been worth it. Even if it means some other subjects fall by the wayside for a season. Bible, Math and Reading has been my priority when the children were younger. Once they get to Algebra II they are pretty independent…. but until then they have needed my assistance. [The oldest 3 have graduated…..I have one who is in 12th, 10th, and 8th. I still spend about an hour helping two of them with math.
blessings as you get it figured out.
Debbie
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