Math, Oh My!

Well now it's been awhile!!! I can not believe that I didn't get this one posted when I finished it. My life has been crazy since the last time I was here. The first month of 2015 has come and gone.

Well here it is. My thoughts on math and our current curriculum.

This school year I decided to give Math-U-See a try. In previous school years I have used math workbooks from Wal-Mart and Dollar Tree. We have played different printable math games that I found online for free or board games with a math focus. The goal was more about giving them a basic foundation in early math. I spent time debating between the Singapore Math verses Horizons math verses Math-U-See.

Math-U-See is a hands-on math program using manipulatives. In the levels that we are using it is all about building it, saying it, and writing it. The lessons seem to flow quickly from one topic to the next. There are lesson on the current topic as well as review pages with mixed problems from the current topic and previous topic(s).

My 1st grader is using Alpha, and my kindergartener is using Primer. They both approach and learn math is completely differently ways. My daughter (at the tender age of 7) claims to not like math. My son is pretty much middle-of-the-road about the subject. He does not love it or hate it. My daughter had rather build with the manipulative blocks than build the answer for the problems. My son builds with the blocks too but the tens bars end up being swords for his toy men. My daughter is a very creative girl who gets bored easily with too much repetition. She is not a fan of review, but she has learned to slow down and focus better this year. My son usually is eager to complete his lessons as long as it does not take a long time. But I have a confession, I am not a fan of math myself. I had rather be curled up with a good book ANY DAY, but I understand the importance of learning math. So I try to always have and keep a good attitude about math.

Now that it is December I am in the process of mid-year evaluations. The kind where I think back to August and really evaluate rather something is working for us or not. Math-U-See is passing the grade for us this year.

I would love to hear from you! Which math curriculum do you use or don't use? Do you use a boxed kit or create your own lessons?