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We have used several great math programs. I have two main math curriculums going at one time per child which means we have gone through a lot of math. Each child has a main or spine curriculum and then either a “Fun” math or a review math curriculum going on the side. In elementary, I never scheduled for math with both curriculum to be over 45-60 minutes. We also do math all year long with very little break so we do might do a different math for the summer. As I have twins who had a tendency to compare each other, there were also years that they did different math just to stop the comparisons. In other words, we have done a myriad of different maths but here are my favorites.
K and 1st – I actually loved the math in My Father’s World K and 1st as it is practical and hands on. With Connor, I did traditional math far too early. The twins ended up in the same place as Connor with a much better attitude and view of math than Connor did. With the twins, we did MFW k and 1st math which is designed to go directly into Singapore 2a, and they memorized skip counting facts through 18, conquered basic addition and subtraction and learned basic time telling, patterns, calendar’s and had a wonderful time doing it. The games and playing both grocery store and the “Sunshine Cafe” were great practice and great fun. All three of mine would play these for hours using the directions in the TM and made wonderful progress in math. I did put numbers amounts on all of Caileigh’s food in both her play grocery store and play kitchen and got them play money to pay. I would advise everyone to skip formal curriculum and just play games and make math practical in those younger years. I have done it both ways, and informal worked so much better.
Singapore Math US Edition – I absolutely love Singapore Math and have had success with all three of mine who were very different learners. For elementary, this was our spine, our main math. Singapore really teaches kids to think mathematically and teaches several different ways to accomplish a problem. It was really funny how the twins always chose a different way to do the same math problem. Connor really loved how it gave him the freedom to think of why the math worked the way it did verses just telling him the step by step how to. I recommend starting with 1b in 2nd grade even if they test in higher as it gives them confidence and 1b introduces multiplication. Connor tested into Singapore later in Elementary and I started him half a book earlier than he tested into which worked well. Connor went up by 10 point in critical thinking the year we changed to Singapore.
A couple things about Singapore-
1. Get the US Edition – it is NOT common core, it is the version Singapore itself uses with only the money changed. ( Seriously, Common Core wishes it were Singapore. Singapore Math has been around far longer than Common Core, so unless you specifically buy the CC version, and why would you, let’s strop this confusion here. )
2. You might need the Home Instructor’s Guide just to help you teach it. I found the HIG necessary for 4a and above.
3. Remember the numbers are levels, not grades. You do at least two levels a year but it maybe 1b/2a in a year or 2a/2b in a year depending on where the child is at. This allows you to further fit the curriculum to your child’s needs.
Life of Fred – My kids love LOF math. I used it as our “fun” math until middle school where it became a main math for the boys. I personally don’t find that the elementary curriculum has enough review and practice for elementary but for extra math, it was perfect. It engaged all three of mine. Connor for the way it presented math, Caileigh for the story and Collin for the silliness.
Beast Academy– I think this could be either a main spine or fun math. This is a rigorous curriculum designed for high level math thinkers but the fact that all the characters are monsters and the books are really colorful made it fun. Caileigh did some as review as loved it. My kids were older before they finished the series but it would have been something I used on a regular basis.
Abeka Speed Drills – Surprised to see this here, aren’t you? Sometimes, you just need your kids to drill in math. For some kids, you also need a lot of review. We used these throughout Elementary as a a daily speed drill and review. Each day, they put on a timer and did the 6 or so problems of approximately whatever math grade year they were in. It was easy for me to just give them and it was something they could do independently. There were a few times that I got an Abeka math workbook to help cement some topics. Caileigh needed this around 5th grade. Abeka was colorful enough for her and very straightforward and had review. It wasn’t her spine but it did help cement some of the ideas in Singapore for her during the summer.
Mathtacular by Sonlight – My kids loved these somewhat silly math videos/curriculum. These were a life saver when I was sick or when they were sick and we couldn’t get to math. My kids were entertained and learned or reviewed math. They were also great for when the Grandparents were watching them during the school year. These would also be a fun summer math to keep the kids learning and moving forward without a lot of hands on by Mom. I do not think they are enough for a full curriculum but they are a great stand in. They do have workbooks and the kids work through the math with the video.
More Curriculum Reviews Here –
Did you do Abeka Speed Drills instead of the Fast Facts from MFW?
Thank you so much for your blog, by the way! I discovered it after I joined the MFW FB page, and I so appreciate all of your reviews and suggestions!
We used fast facts for 2nd and 3rd until they conquered them and then moved to speed drills.
Ok, thanks!