I will begin homeschooling my 4 children in the summer. I'm completely torn between Horizons and Singapore maths. I'll have a K, 2nd, 3rd and 6th grader. I know that Singapore has a different scope and sequence than traditional styles (ie. public school). Has anyone here started their kids in the later years of elementary school in SM? I read that a lot of people use both to compliment each other. Any suggestions, thoughts, advice?
Didn't use both of these programs. We like beestar math. Questions are all very good and DD finds the questions interesting and challenging and enjoys solving them. It's for g1 to g11 kids. Lisa
I really like Christian Light's math, if you don't mind Bible-based. It's built on an incremental spiral, something like Saxon math, but IMO much clearer and not as boring. Since it's in workbooks, the kids don't have to copy tons of problems to work them. The speed drills (only 1 minute, except 2nd grade which are two) are built into the workbooks too, so you don't have to copy sheets and remember to do them. Very independent! www.clp.org There are placement (diagnostic) tests, and you really should use them before buying.
I've been using Singapore math all along, I currently have a 5, 8 and 11 year old. Based on my local public school curriculum, I find Singapore to be about a grade level more advanced. My public school math teacher SIL agrees. So my 8yo and 11yo are doing level 2 and 5 with Singapore (where they are "technically" in grades 3 and 6 based on their ages). Also keep in mind that Singapore is currently working on switching their curriculum over to Common Core standards. I believe all of their Level 7 and above have already been switched over, not sure yet when their primary maths books will be changed. I was quite annoyed that they're not going to offer both, as I'm in Canada and couldn't give a fig about the US Common Core business, so will probably have to start looking for something new *sigh*
Singapore math is very hard to jump into in the later grades as it is a very different scope and sequence and most kids test several Singapore levels behind their grade level when coming from traditional math. I would suggest giving the placement test and seeing where your children place and if it is 2 or more grade levels below their current grade level choosing something more in line with the math scope and sequence they have been doing. http://www.singaporemath.com/Placement_Test_s/86.htm I did try to put my then 4th and 3rd grade kids into Singapore math and we spun our wheels for quite a while and then played flip-flop math curriculum b/c we had a lot of gaps from trying to go back and learn the Singapore way when they had had 3 and 4 years of a more traditional math program. I would really not suggest it for your 6th grader as they are so close to pre-algebra. You would most likely backpedal with Singapore as it is integrated math and algebraic and geometric concepts are taught along the way yearly. After Singapore 6, it goes to integrated math for secondary school (high school level). You would easily be able to transition your k'er and maybe your 2nd grader...your 3rd grader might have to back pedal quite a bit. You would really need to do the placement tests to tell. For me, it was a lot of backpedaling and not a lot of gaining ground for too long. You see after Singapore 6 you should be able to go straight into Algebra 1. It is one of those math curricula that I definitely would say get to it within 2nd grade level when you have more time to backpedal or don't do it at all.
I've not used horizons, but I find that Singapore gets a lot more difficult around 6th grade. We usually move to MathUSee around 5th or 6th grade and stay with that through high school.
