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Switching Math?
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I am considering switching my DD from MUS to Teaching Textbooks. I’m really torn about whether this is a good idea or not. DD11 is in 5th grade and half-way through MUS Delta. She hates math and is always very unhappy about doing it. Each time we start a new lesson she really balks, has a fit, can’t do it. This lasts a day or 2 and suddenly she is doing it just fine (correctly, still a bad attitude). Today I asked her if she needed help or if she remembered how to do her math and the only answer she would give me was that she didn’t want to do it. I wonder if a different approach would be good for her. I wonder if a spiral approach would better for her. She often seems to learn something, “master” it, and then several weeks later act as if we never learned it. In looking at the placement tests, I could start her in TT5 next year.
Here’s my pro’s/con’s thoughts:
Pro’s:
Spiral (if that helps her)
Different Approach (if that helps her)
Different curriculum than her younger sister who is ahead of her in MUS
Uses pictures/animation on the computer (she is right-brained)
Con’s:
Switching Curriculum’s (if it isn’t better, we’ll be further behind in MUS)
$$
Change (she isn’t always the greatest with change, but it will be a new school year)
Different Approach (confusing be different?)
What are your thoughts? Should I just keep going with MUS? Is it worth trying something different?
It sounds to me like a point where I would consider changing. I know you don’t want to curriculum hop – but sometimes you have to find what works better for your student. The curriculum can make a difference, and yes, some students work better with mastery, and some work better with spiral. (And there is a big difference on how tight the spiral is too….)
I’ve never used Teaching Textbooks – but I know that if there is conflict between the teacher/mom and the student with math – that this program can take that conflict right out of there….
The criticism of TT that I heard is that it is too easy. This probably wouldn’t be a problem, because it is not a high school curriculum.
We use MUS for pre algebra and high school. Some of my kids have switched math curriculum, but asked to return to MUS. The break did them good, and did not cause confusion. They saw that math could be done in different ways, and learned what works best for them. I feel that MUS is easy to start or restart because of placement tests and scope and sequence.
My dd 11 has switched math a lot, but that did not put her behind. She was already behind, and part of it is that she was not ready. Each year she progresses.
You can log on to the TT web site and try a few lessons before you make a decision. Also, be sure to do a placement test before you do decide to order.
In terms of the price, I buy used and share with other families who have children at the same level (so, for example, my TT7 has gone through three families, and one of those families just lent me TT5 for the school year). It certainly gets a lot of mileage from one purchase.
I switched from Saxon to TT just a few months into homeschooling and haven’t looked back. It’s a great fit for my son.
Thanks for y’alls response. I had decided to just do the switch and see what happens next year. Then, I was on TT website looking at some of the sample lessons for TT5 and DD walked in. We had looked at this last year, I had her sit through one of the sample lessons and she said it was okay but she preferred MUS. So, we didn’t switch. Now I’ve been thinking that something needs to change. Math can be hard, but the whole attitude and seeming to not it get it at times or forget isn’t okay. Anyways, when DD walked in she said she’d seen that before and she didn’t like it and didn’t want to use it. I asked her why and she didn’t know. Change is very difficult for her – maybe that is all it is? I’m back to being unsure. If we go into it with her already not liking it and not wanting to do it, the switch won’t do any of us any good. Last year we did do the placement test. I don’t remember what it said. This year I just looked at the placement tests and know which ones she would be able to answer or not. I just wish there was some way to know what to do and what would work!
The following link may not work, but it is a MUS blog post about how to use the program. Maybe it will help.
I ordered Right Start math today, after much research and debate with myself. My dd needs a live teacher at this point, and we will try Video Text for high school.
Whatever you decide, I hope you can find something she is excited to try. Maybe an online program would interest her? I pray that God will show you just the right program for her.
another thing I want to throw in is, choose the activity after math wisely. my DD now 13, enjoys being read to, listening to an audiobook, or having handcraft time after math. She looks forward to it. With out offering it as a reward, she knows it’s there to move on to. She see’s it coming.
i too would be praying for direction at your point. I would sit on the decision. Do let us know how it turns out. You can doo it mama, Christ’s there to strengthen.
We do follow the steps listed in the blog post. We watch the video together, she works on worksheet A (usually there is lots of frustration and “I don’t get it” and seeming refusal to try) and I’m available to help, we correct it together and are done for the day. The next day we do B, etc. Very rarely do I skip any of the worksheets with her.
One of my thoughts with TT was that it would be a complete on the computer program (besides working the problems out on the paper) and she might like this change. And, if worksheet A with MUS causes so much frustration, maybe she needs it explained a different way. It also would take me out of the picture for the most part and she would answer to the computer.
Is there another online or computer program that you know of that I could also look at?
Thank you, cedargirl, for the encouragement. I do admit to being ready to throw in the towel. Wondering if teaching her is just beyond me. Wondering how much it would hurt to just take next year off. But, when it comes down to it, I don’t see any better option available to us.
Aplustutorsoft.com has an online math program. I have not used it, just heard the name. Hopefully others will chime in.
I once asked Richele Baburina who wrote: Mathmatics about what program was very similar in style to her findings on Charlotte Mason’s math teachings. She put me on to Ray’s Arithmetic. Which is really a beginning to grade 8 range. We used it as an intervention in our math woes for DS8 and DD10. Reading Richele’s book encouraged me. Doing Ray’s helped my children through a very tearful and difficult math zone and helped them understand. Once we had our refreshment, and they were confident, they started TT (DS10, DD13 now) and it has been a good transition. It is not the hardest academic program out there. But is gives good foundations, simple and enjoyable straight forward delivery. They like it, they understand it. Success in my books. Those Harvard math brothers have written a good program. Possible it may be a good fit for you too.
Another online option with rave reviews is CTC math. We have just begun using it this summer for a change of pace from MUS. DS11 is enjoying it. He’s on MUS Epsilon, about 1/3 way through. CTC is good for review or a full program.
Dd14 struggled with math and while her attitude was ok, it was simply hard. I tried many things – Singapore, Ray’s , Math Mammoth, MUS, TT, back to MUS. While I agree that relationship trumps math and sometimes it’s trial and error, I KNOW all of the switching did her a disservice. TT was great for a bit, until it got to something new, then she wanted and needed more practice than it offered. We returned to MUS bc the mastery approach with the built in review suits her best. She began 8th grade this year 1/2 way through Epsilon. I knew we had a lot of ground to cover to ensure she would be in Algebra by 9th to allow her to take chemistry by 10th. So, we hired a tutor to come weekly for an hour. With the tutor dd finished Epsilon, Zeta, and will finish Pre-Algebra by the end of June. It was hands down the best decision I made! My struggling dd blossomed and completed 2.5 years of math in one year to catch up to where she needed to be to meet her high school goals.
I think many programs can work well; but too much switching isn’t good. Once you find your program, stick with it! I wish you the best!
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