Ok so here is our situation. I have a 6th grader that is a smart kid, very right brained and a big time struggler with math. It was actually part of the reason we took our kids out of school. We have homeschooled 2 years and both years used Math U See. She hasn’t thrived with this curriculum but it hasn’t been a dud either. Just somewhere in the middle. We finally hit a wall with fractions this year (she is already a grade level behind) and I finally bought a right brained multiplication and fractions workbook and we have been doing that instead. We aren’t done yet but seems to be making progress. Here is my issue. She is SUPER self conscious about math and that she “isn’t good at it”. She is constantly down on herself and thinks she isn’t smart which just makes it all that much harder. She has no faith in herself. My younger two are very Math inclined and are thriving with Math U See. They are in 1st and 4th. My 4th grader is rapidly closing in on my 6th grader in math and that is just killing her self esteem even more. So I am considering switching her curriculum. Maybe I can find one that clicks for her a little better (although I know Math will never come easy for her) and she won’t be on the same path as them so there will be less pressure to stay ahead of her sister. Of all the other math curriculum I have looked at so far TT looks like the next best fit for her. Thoughts?
I have also read TT is about a grade level behind, kind of the equivalent of vanity sizing But honestly that would be great for her so she doesn’t “feel” so behind. She could be in a farther book with TT than other curriculum.
I literally just made the switch to TT this week for my soon to be 6th grader (should be in 6th this year). We did CLE from Grade 1-3 when she really started struggling so I decided to do BJU distance learning this year… it was horrible we didn’t get very far and yes she was already 1 grade behind! I have looked up TT so many times but as I did a midyear review with my hubby for next year we decided to count our losses and do TT. Like you I thought about everyone saying it is a year behind but I decided to do the placement test for Grade 4 anyway and that’s where we surprisingly tested.
Now we have started the program only 2 days in and we are flying through it because most of the topics are super easy however I think some of the concepts down the road are the ones that were not solidified like multiplication. So we are doing 1 hour a day as of right now and finishing 7 lessons a day with 1 quiz (so 8 altogether) until we get to concepts that need work at which point we will do maybe 20-30 mins a day and slow way down. I think at this pace we can be done grade 4 in about 2 months or so and move onto 5, I was worried about going back 2 grades which would technically be 3 grades at first but I can see how the progression will make sure she gets the concepts down pat and it will solidify the foundation. I say all this to say I would give TT a try and to do a placement test just in case.
My DD doesn’t mind being in GR 4 right now as she is flying through it and I assured her she should be back up to grade level in no time. Her sister is 1 year younger but working on Grade level in CLE and we have a 1st grader who could also easily do a lot of TT 4 but I want my 1st grader doing book work for a few years before switching to computer.
I am so glad to hear this! We went back 2 grades when my daughter was in 5th and made it through 3rd and 4th grade work. Now we are on 5th grade math (and she is in 6th grade) and she is just not getting it.
What did you buy? Do I just need the CD’s? Answer book and workbook?
Technically just the CD’s should be fine but I decided to go with the whole package after reading the reasons why people would buy the workbook and answer book (the computer isn’t working etc…) but I will not have her write in the book. It may defeat the purpose of not having to write everything down, but as I have many other children coming up behind her who may end up using TT I will just use graph paper if we ever end up having to use the workbook. In the meantime I am using the workbook so I can see the problems she is working on with the CDS.
I’m not sure I got mine straight from the site so it has the automatic grading which is awesome as that was one of the issues I had with BJU, too much grading. I like the fact that I can change the grade if she accidentally types the wrong thing or I can delete a problem she gets wrong so she can do it again. I do require 100% in math so I have her redo those but quizzes I leave as is so I can see where she still needs help.
Ok last question! Do you have to load the CD every time you use it? Or do you put the program on the computer and go? We used to have a typing curriculum that you had to load a cd EVERY TIME and it was so cumbersome we just stopped using it
Yes unfortunately you need the CD. However to fix the grade book as the parent you don’t need the CD you just click the icon and type in your password then you can make the necessary changes. I haven’t found it cumbersome so far, but it has only been a couple of days, I find it very easy to use so far.
You could be describing my daughter here! My daughter hated math and while its never going to be easy for her we’ve made peace with math through TT. We started with Math You See and we liked it initially and thought it was going to work out but we hit a wall and nothing we tried was working. I switched her to Teaching Textbooks, which I agree is a level behind, and shes been doing well for two years with it. She consistently gets 90s and while math isn’t her favorite subject, it isn’t her least and her confidence has soared. I really recommend it for anyone who is struggling. The brief Math You See videos weren’t enough to explain concepts to my daughter and TT is such a better fit.
I am so happy to hear this! I did so much research when we started homeschooling and I really thought Math U See would be a good fit for her but as we have progressed it just isn’t working. And I agree, we have hit that wall and can’t seem to get around it. I am glad TT was such an improvement for your daughter, I am very hopeful it will be for mine too
@momof3, does she use the workbook or just write the problems out on scratch paper? I am going to have her take the placement tests this week and hopefully get her going on it soon. I’m still trying to figure out exactly what is needed.
I bought the workbook to go with it and my daughter works out the problems in the book, but the problems in the book are the same exact ones on the computer screen, so if you didn’t want to buy the book you could just use a spiral notebook and be fine.
We are still loving it! She seems to be doing so much better in math and there are no more daily tears. She didn’t love doing it on the computer so now she is just working through the workbook. I know it sounds weird and counterintuitive because of how awesome the CD’s are but it was taking her FOREVER to do the problems on the CD. She was trying to do too much in her head and getting them wrong. Now she just sits down with the Workbook, reads the explanation and works through the problems. She is happy, she getting mostly 90% and up, so I’m not going to rock the boat. We are mid way into level 6 now and I for sure plan on continuing with 7 next year.
And I wanted to add, we are getting to concepts we STRUGGLED STUGGLED STUGGLED with in MUS. Like place value and fractions and she is getting it! That is the biggest reason I’m happy is she is getting it. Things that we did so many lessons on, crying, and she just couldn’t grasp, she is now working through in TT and getting them all right! It really has been wonderful. Her brain just gets this approach.
My other 2 kids are still doing MUS, very successfully, so it just goes to show there is no perfect curriculum, it just depends on learning style.
Hey, we didn’t do MUS but did a lot of other programs before using TT. We are LOVING TT. Only reason I considered a switch was when we had computer trouble and we had to start doing it in a spiral notebook. However I love TT so much I would much rather find the $$$ to get a new computer and continue! My children allllll love it. I see us sticking it out to the end unless computer issues become too much of a factor…
Thanks! I just ordered Math 5. She only needs the last 6 lessons or so before we move on to Math 6 but I think it will be a good way to finish out the year. She loved all the fun characters on the website! Can’t wait!
But honestly that would be great for her so she doesn’t “feel” so behind. She could be in a farther book with TT than other curriculum.
