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Use RightStart AL Abacus/games with MUS?
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I’ve posted on here already about my daughter who is really struggling with math, and I’ve been reading a lot on right-brained learners (which she is!). RightStart came up several times when I was looking at things, and I’m not wanting to switch curriculum as I think it would be a bit much for both of us to change completely, but I’m wondering if it would be worth at least learning how to use the Abacus and the games that RightStart uses?
She is 9 yrs old, finishing up MUS Beta (subtraction) and learns well with pictures and manipulatives/hands-on activities. The blocks in MUS do help, especially with place value, but they aren’t helping with subtraction, and once she hit multiplication it wasn’t going well with the blocks at all, even though I think they are a good visual to show grouping with the different colors.
Do you think it would be worth purchasing and incorporating the Abacus and games, or would it just confuse her more? Is the Abacus only used for adding and subtracting or can it be used for multiplication and division as well?
There is an Abacus App for our iPad, but it’s not the same as her getting to touch the beads physically, so I don’t know that it would help as much.
Thank you
Once she understands subtraction the Right Start card games are a good way to practice.
My dd uses a number line to calculate subtraction problems. It is helping her understand the concept, but she still needs to see the movements on the number line.
Anyone else use the Abacus with other math curriculum? I showed her the online abacus and she liked it, but would it throw her way too far back to start all over with Rightstart at this point? Thanks
We were in the same boat a few months ago with my daughters. I kept seeing Right Start recommended for right brain dominant learners too. We tried it, but the teaching style was not working well for me, and it was getting difficult for my dds too. Right Start is discovery learning. My older dd was not interested in making discoveries because it took her a long time, and she felt like she was not smart. Meanwhile I kept asking my mathy older son to help me understand the directions, etc.
I discovered that I do much better teaching traditional math that I understand.
My younger dd didn’t like how Right Start jumped around with multiple manipulatives. She prefers a more predictable curriculum. We are using Christian Light math for both girls, and it is going well.
My older kids use Math U See, which works well for my mathy kids.
We do use Right Start manipulatives kit, including the balance and card games. My girls used the abacus in Rightstart lessons, but they don’t use it now.
Child 1st has an addition and subtraction book for Right brain that was useful to us. I will use it again for my next kindergartener.
We have switched math curriculum too much, but I learned a lot. Now when a concept is difficult we stop and practice it a different way until they get it and are ready to move on.
I am not sure what to recommend in your situation. Hopefully sharing our experience will help you to figure out what is best for your dd.
Thank you, that was helpful. Sounds like maybe we should stick with MUS and add the games/manipulatives from RS for extra help. I’ve seen the Child 1st books before, they were pricey so I wasn’t sure about them, glad to hear you like them.
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