Choosing a math curriculum for our oldest child was a really, really big decision for me. I prayed about it a lot. I talked to wonderfully helpful people at a large curriculum resource company. I talked to veteran homeschooling moms and I asked other homeschooling moms in a Facebook Group I'm in.
I didn't want math to be boring and turn into a nightmare academically speaking. I wanted my son to thrive and excel in math, to be challenged by it, but also to enjoy it even though it is a lot of work.
As I mentioned, I really prayed about this decision a lot because I didn't want to make a choice that I would regret. When Math-U-See agreed to let me do a review of the Epsilon level (typically a 5th grade level) my heart became lighter because I knew it would give us a chance to thoroughly check out this math program.
I am SO glad we went with Math-U-See.
I Wanted a Math Program That Taught the Why Behind Math Concepts
I love that Joseph Demme, the creator and teacher behind Math-U-See, teaches the concepts thoroughly. He believes in teaching for more than just memorization and wants his students to understand when and why we use certain math principles. After we started using this program, I decided to ask my friend what her thoughts were about Math-U-See because she has a PhD in math, has taught on the college level and has helped write math curriculum. Hearing an accomplished person's opinion about math meant a lot to me and I was thrilled to find out that Math-U-See was the program she chose for her own young children. Hearing that solidified even further for me that not only does the program work well for us, but it also has the stamp of approval from someone who knows what they're talking about when it comes to math.
I Wanted A Hands-On Math Program
Having a math program that is hands on (when applicable) makes it interactive for the child and naturally helps to hold their attention. It also involves one more of their senses which helps cement learning. I struggled with math and I want our children to have a better grasp on math than I did. We have used a hands-on math program right from the start and I truly believe it has helped them to do well in math.
I Wanted A Math Program That Came with a DVD
The higher we get in math, the less capable I feel to teach it. We're not ready yet to join any homeschool groups in our area so I wanted a math program that had an excellent teaching DVD. And that's exactly what Math-U-See offers.My 10 year old son is able to watch his math lesson on his own and then start working on his math worksheets. This not only frees up time for me to work with our other children, but it reassures me that he is being taught the concepts properly and by someone who is better equipped in this area than I am. I also wanted to make sure that whatever math program we switched to would equip us through twelfth grade so that we wouldn't have to make any other switches.
Math-U-See met all of of my expectations and for that, I am relieved.
How It Works
Math-U-See comes with 30 lessons. A typical school year is 36 weeks. Having 30 lessons allows for extra time when needed on lessons and allows for thorough testing throughout the school year.Our Math-U-See lessons go like this:
Our son sits down on Monday to watch Lesson 1 on the video. When the lesson is completed he then works on one lesson practice page in his workbook. When that is completed, I check his work with my teacher's manual. If he completed the page with one or less missed, I do not make him do the next practice page. There are three practice pages for the student, but it is not necessary to complete all three. You decide if the student needs more work on the new concept that has just been taught.
Next comes the systematic review pages. There are also three of these and it is strongly suggested that the student complete all three. So we do. :)
After that there is the front and back of an application and enrichment page and I have my son complete that as well. I go through and check all of his work and go over problems with him that need more attention.
Once that is all done, he completes a test. If he has tested well, we start the process all over again with the next lesson.
Honestly, this is such a good fit for us and I couldn't be happier.
If you're interested in choosing Math-U-See, I encourage you to check out the website. On-line testing is available to find the best level for your child. We did this and it was a short test that covered the basic concepts that our son needed to have mastered in order to determine which level best suited him.
Here's a short video to give you an idea of what the Epsilon Level is like.
About Math-U-See
Having received numerous awards, Math-U-See is a competitive, all-inclusive math program created by Steve Demme. Steve has taught math on numerous levels, tutored and is a father of four adult children. His curriculum is available for Kindergarten through Twelfth Grades. Steve's passion for helping students understand difficult math concepts led him to him create Math-U-See over 20 years ago and his unique integration of manipulatives has allowed him to help others to master math concepts.
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This post may involve product that was received in exchange for a review or contain affiliate links for which I will earn compensation should you choose to make a purchase. I am disclosing this information in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR Part 255, Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. Thank you for your support of Purposeful Homemaking.
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