McRuffy Math for 3-5 grade?

Discussion in 'Homeschooling' started by martablack, Apr 25, 2015.

  1. martablack

    martablack New Member

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    Has anyone used McRuffy Math for 3-5 grade?

    I've used the K and 1st and I'm currently using the 2nd grade.

    I'm starting to plan for next year and I can't find a used copy. (Not a deal breaker FYI.) That makes me wonder if no one uses the higher Elementary grades and if that is for a reason.
     
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  3. Lindina

    Lindina Active Member

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    Gee, IDK, Marta. I don't really know anybody who uses McRuffy. We use Christian Light Education for math and love it, so I haven't looked any further since.
     
  4. martablack

    martablack New Member

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    I first looked at it because someone here suggested it.

    I was able to find the 1st grade and Kinder used, and started it when RSM stopped working.

    I ordered the 2nd grade last year and it is pretty rigorous. However I've had no complaints from the kid. (Both love Math time and often do more than one lesson.)
     
    Last edited: Apr 27, 2015
  5. crazymama

    crazymama Active Member

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    We stalled out with it in the middle of 3rd, my son just burned out from the rigor. We switched to Teaching Textbooks. He is enjoying the more relaxed math for sure. DD had left McRuffy after the 1st grade book. Youngest DS says he wants to move to TT as soon as he can but I'm hanging on to all the McRuffy until that happens just in case.
     
  6. Sea

    Sea Member

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    I have used mcruffy math with my daughter for grades 1-4. She loves it, but this year 4th grade I feel they are introducing too many new concepts without enough time for her to digest it. We had to take a break around lesson 80 and again at 100. I am now going to focus on certain skills, review some and not worry about the others. She still likes it and wants to do 5th grade but I can't imagine doing it again. Up to 3rd grade was great for us, but this year it just feels a bit rushed with the topics they are trying to cover. I just don't feel like it needs to be this rigorous.

    So, I am looking at teaching textbooks for her too, she likes the variety of concepts and skills in her math.
     
  7. martablack

    martablack New Member

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    I find differences between boards interesting.

    I belong to another board, none of them have even heard of McRuffy.

    But almost everyone there refuses to use Teaching Textbooks because it is not rigorous enough. (Though I had two that used it and had no problems. I've guessed that that is because they are very talented in Math. )

    Dh thinks 3rd is too young for a computer only curriculum. We really liked the manipulatives, with this program.

    Hmmmm I guess I'll look into other curriculums. See what I can find.

    Thanks!
     
    Last edited: Apr 27, 2015
  8. crazymama

    crazymama Active Member

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    I am on that other board you are (your avi gave it away lol), everyone there thinks they are raising rocket scientists or something. I don't post there because I don't feel my relaxed ways are good enough there.

    We don't do TT only on the computer, we get out the huge set of McRuffy manipulatives when we need to, they watch the lesson, do the work in the workbook then I check it to make sure they are getting it. They fix more sales (sometimes over and over), then they enter them into the computer. If they aren't getting something, we work with the manipulatives until they do.
     
  9. Lindina

    Lindina Active Member

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    Sea, I'm on quite a few boards, and it appears everybody - no matter what curriculum they're using - tends to feel like 4th introduces too many concepts too fast...
     
  10. dawn

    dawn Member

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    I have not heard of McGruffy but wanted to add that we use Singapore Math and love it. We were using Abeka for third grade and it brought ds to tears every day. It wasn't that the math was too difficult really but there was so much review. We skipped a lot of the review etc but decided to try Singapore after hearing how it was structured. I figured we would try it and if we didn't like it we could switch...which we almost did mid 4th grade. (Can't recall why now though.) I like the pace and if it goes too quickly there are extra exercises you can buy. We haven't needed them. I have a 2nd grader that is counting back change and multiplying. (He loves math and catches onto it freakishly well seeing as his parents are not that great with numbers.) My 5th grader who hates all things math does fine. The workbook pages are anywhere from three problems to maybe twenty. Perfect for the one who wants to show what he learned quickly. That said, he must correct any mistakes he makes since there is little room for mistakes if you are grading it. Anyway, just throwing it out there if you wanted to check into different curriculum.
     
  11. martablack

    martablack New Member

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    I get it! My 2 oldest are great at math and used TT and moved into High school math with no problems. My oldest even used the "old" not self grading Geometry TT and passed the state End of Credit exam with high marks. And moved on to Trig and Pre.Cal with no problems. (He is in 10th grade now.)

    My dh though said "no math on the computer yet." He is fine with upper grades, but not 3rd.
     
  12. martablack

    martablack New Member

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    I wish we had "like buttons"!

    Thank you for all the input!
     
  13. Sea

    Sea Member

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    Good to know!! My older one uses mus so i didnt quite experience this before. Maybe it is just 4th grade??? :)
     
  14. Lindina

    Lindina Active Member

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    Seems like it might be. Just the nature of fourth grade.
     
  15. crazymama

    crazymama Active Member

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    Lol not fixing it because it is funny but in my previous post "more sales" clearly means "mistakes" stupid autocorrect

    Since TT is out of the question, I would just slow down McRuffy.... It is WAY ahead, if it takes 2 years to do a level, so be it.

    Just for a bit of reference, DD struggled in math... She did well with McRuffy K and the first half of 1st, but even 1stramped up some and she began to struggle. We began 2nd and all heck broke loose. She hated math, cried over it every day so I decided we needed to change. We tried Math Mammoth and it was no better for her. We had slowed down considerably wit McRuffy so at the end of 2ndgrade she had only done maybe 1/4 of Mcruffy 2 and a few lessons of MM. I decided to placement test her for TT. Over the course of a week we did the test for 3rd and she did surprisingly well so I had her do the4th grade placement and she placed into 4th solidly. After much thought and her "I can't do math because I'm no good at it" mentality we went wi TT3 for her. We wanted to build confidence more than antything, so for her age she is working on grade level... I'm OK with this and she no longer hates math.

    I'm pretty sure, if you used McRuffy through his 4th and definitely after his 5th, a kid who was given the time to actually grasp it would test into TT Pre-Alg or Algebra.
     
  16. martablack

    martablack New Member

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    Thank you!

    I got him a Math Mammoth book on regrouping. And we will take it slow. I already normally skip the timed tests. His writing and wiggles make that a pain. (He can do it, just not timed)

    I've been thinking. Even if it is his 3rd year of HS, I would consider him finishing First Grade.
    We are taking a break right now by only doing Math and Moving Beyond the Page. I'm trying to figure out a summer schedule, since at least two kids need the review in Math.

    I'm thinking Math, Spelling, Reading, for the summer. With Science 2 days a week.
     

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