I really like the idea of a mastery-based curriculum. I feel like traditional schooling expects children to learn so many new concepts throughout the school year instead of working on mastery and so they forget it quickly, because they really aren’t learning, they are memorizing. Thank you for explaining this so thoroughly ☺️
So interesting to learn how families homeschool. My son is still little right now but this is something I’ve considered. I do like how the workbooks are simple and plain (not colorful). I would imagine that can be really distracting for kids
I found that most review fail to mention the review pages. I love the fact there are those review pages after the lesson so that my child doing Gamma is still practicing the addition and subtraction from last "year" .
True! And math skills naturally build on each other--so once the child is beyond a certain skill, such as addition...that skill is still practiced in all future levels, as story problems grow more complex.
I've been watching so many of your videos. Definitely one of my fav homeschool channels. I was actually looking into switching to math u see last night. I feel like this is my sign to make the switch
I love Math-U-See! Like you, I think in the earlier levels the manipulatives are amazing! My daughter, currently 2nd grade, can picture math problems in her head. She is very quick at calculating because of their methods! We love watching the DVDs together before each new lesson (usually Mondays)! Especially because I can say “well, what did Mr. Demme teach you?” 😂
Hi! Catching up after being sick and then being away on a trip. We LOVE Math U See! It has always been a great fit for Caris, we love using the blocks. I like that you said you can switch up how they do the problems. Such an important concept for us homeschooling parents to utilize. ❤️
I think this is the first time I've watched an in-depth explanation on this math curriculum! Looks very interesting... I sometimes wish I could try all the curriculums... it's so tempting to switch curriculums! 😅
hahaha--if what you've got is working, DON'T switch!!! I know you already know that. ;P We've mainly used Math U See in the very early years for building a strong number sense--the Primer level is very gentle, a great introducing to numbers as representing concrete things. We've also used it in the older years as a solid review and as 'back-up' math because it doesn't need mom to teach and it gives a lot of review, allowing kids to simply practice and speed up at those core math skills. Sarah used MUS Algebra AFTER she had already done Life of Fred Algebra--simply as practice and review to make sure she was very confident in problem solving at the algebra level.
@@faithfullyinfertile I strongly suspect that I will use Primer with my oldest, probably beginning later this year...mainly because my mom has all the pieces to the program, and I don't know if we will realistically have anyone able to get curriculum from the US this year. I'm interested in some other math curriculums for him in the long-term (he seems a little bit like I was as a learner, which makes me think that Math-U-See's slow-and-steady, mastery pace might cause the same kind of frustration it would have caused me. lol!)
@@SevenInAll Rachel, I would not mind in the least bit helping you get your hands on needed curriculum for either your boys or your sisters or both. I know you might be referring to family/friends visiting and bringing it in their luggage, but if I can mail anything to you, just say the word, and I am more than willing to help your sweet family. Maybe you could start with MUS and then switch once you see he has those foundational concepts/skills down! That primer does look so fun!
@@SevenInAll this was very helpful! Thank you! I think the first few levels would be helpful in mastering basic math with special needs learners. I could totally see a gifted learner being frustrated with the repetition of this curriculum though! I think my little boys will love the blocks. I am using and move Math Lessons for a Living Education with my older two but I think MUS might be helpful in the Kinder/1st grade level in laying down some good foundations in math/number concepts. Would you agree? I would be interested to know how MUS teaches place value, addition and subtraction and addition & subtraction with carrying & borrowing as well as multiplication and division!
@@faithfullyinfertile I agree with that assessment, it really helps build a solid foundation on those basics, because they are constantly going back to that "build, write, say" procedure--all of those foundational concepts, place value, addition, etc, are taught at first with building and showing the problem using blocks. I believe that the introduction to multiplication/division is also taught with the blocks as visuals.
We love math u see but idk if we would go back after using simply math!!! I never thought we’d leave math u see. I used to draw on the pages and so do my kids!!! We still use math u see for practice!!! I still teach the math u see way!!! We love the dvds or as my daughter calls them the dvs. We’ve used them for extra teaching. We didn’t know of the digital toolbox. We used multiple math curriculums as well!!! My great uncle photocopied math u see and put books together to make them spiral and we’ve used his books he made along with the original books.
It's great for a solid practice program, too. For my high school sister, she used Math U See as a review for Algebra while she moved on with Geometry in Life of Fred.
I just watched this again because my oldest has hit a wall with Masterbooks Level 5 math (fractions) and I don't know what to do. I think maybe SEEING fractions could help, but I just don't know and I am quite frustrated. :( What I really wish is that Math with Confidence had released all their levels!
I also have wished that Math with Confidence was further along! (Although my boys are lucky that they're plenty young enough to be behind the release schedule). I do think that MUS is a solid option for no-nonsense, straightforward math. The videos and manipulatives can be very helpful for those who need to see it, and the steady, repeated practice WITHOUT extra random stuff woven in can help with focus. The fractions-focused level is Epsilon.
@@SevenInAll yes! My boys are at the perfect age to start MWC from the beginning and catch all the levels. So thankful for that! I still don’t know what to do for my oldest. MUS has such a hefty price tag and there is no guarantee it will work.
Yes, I think MUS is a very solid math program with a systematic approach...but even teaching it can be a struggle for me because my brain is like "This AGAIN??? NO!!!" lol!
Do you feel like MUS is enough to go through high school with? My child has dyslexia and struggles with math. We are just starting MUS after 3 years of TGTB and she did Singapore in a private school prior to that. MUS is currently a breath of fresh air and giving her confidence in math again. I'm just now wondering if it's almost too easy for her, but I'm adding in review stuff with it. I've read mixed reviews though as it gets into high school, so I'm curious if you've seen that or what your thoughts are on that?
Some of my homeschooled cousins did solely Math U See through high school--they both went into math/science fields, and their assessment is that Math U See was lacking as preparation for their fields of study. But--we have to keep that context in mine--they went into fields that require a lot of math. My high school sister is currently doing Math U See for Calculus, but she ALSO does Life of Fred alongside. She's a numbers girl and has never done only one math curriculum. She is also considering a numbers field...possibly math teacher or statistical data analyst. On the other hand...I was homeschooled with a terrible math curriculum (not MUS), studied for the SAT and ACT math specifically and did well on the exams, had a lifelong goal of being a writer, went to college and got my B.A., took only one math class (stats) which was very easy (after the awful curriculum I had in high school). So...I think the answer, especially as to whether MUS is enough for high school, depends on long term goals. Does the line of work she wants to go into require a lot of math? Then it may not be enough, and you may want to add something else. Especially for kids that struggle with other math curriculums, I think MUS really can be a breath of fresh air with it's straightforward, consistent approach.
@@SevenInAll good points!!! And I agree. I have a degree in business and only had 1 math class outside of business math and my one class was easier than most of my high school math. I appreciate the feedback!!! This is super helpful.
Our current math is very plain Jane compared to other math programs-- no cutesy poems or animals! 😅 And I agree, those can be distracting from the actual beauty of math and math doesn't need to be dressed up to be interesting. That being said, my kids are very hands on learners, and visually they can be easily distracted by unrelated content like colors and pictures. There are some kids who need that initial attraction like pretty colors, and each family is different. It's what works best for your kids that is important. 💕💕
Yes, there are some kids who thrive when there's a lot going on on a page, but others benefit a lot from simple worksheets with lots of white space, no overwhelm and no distractions.
You mentioned possibly using MUS Algebra for review Algebra skills. What do you use for upper level math? I’ve got one son in Saxon that’s very math minded and I have a projection for him in mind with Saxon. But my youngest wants to try Beta. I’m just not as familiar with their projection through highschool.
High school math has not been an area where we've ever super loved our resources. I did Abeka for high school math and strongly DON'T recommend, just based on my experience...they weren't designed for homeschool. Several of my other siblings used Teaching Textbooks in high school (back in the olden days when it was a CD-based program), but my mom was never super impressed (she went to an engineering college and higher math has a special place in her heart). The current high schooler is using a combo of Math-U-See for straightforward practice and review, with Life of Fred for interesting (but sometimes confusing), teaching and application. I think Saxon is a very solid option, too.
My daughter has a bit of a hard time with math, and I haven't been very helpful in that area since I've switched my kids around so much! 😢 She's in 5th grade and I'm thinking of switching her to MUS. She says she struggles with division and multidigit multiplication at the moment... I'm not sure we should even attempt switching again, or if I should start with MUS Delta? Do you have any recommendations?
MUS is often a fantastic curriculum for those who struggle with math, due to its consistency, teaching videos, and consistent pace that slowly builds. Multi-digit multiplication is taught in Gamma, but if she has the basics of that down, you could possibly start in Delta, where division is the focus but there's still plenty of practice with multiplication (however it's not the teaching focus).
"Delta" would roughly be considered 4th grade, with either Pre-Algebra or Algebra 1 for 8th grade...but students definitely need to be placed by actual skill level, because that can vary regardless of grade in public school. Math U See does have some kind of placement questionnaire on their website to help with placing students in the right level, I believe.
This is probably off topic but i have been teaching my daughter to read and I need advice, my daughter knows all of the letter sounds and she can can read some three letter words but some them she doesn't get..any advice on how to help her with this?
Have you practiced blends? Blends from vowel to consonant: i.e. at, an, am, etc. When reading 3 letter words isn't fully clicking, sometimes it can be helpful to take a step back and work on blending the sounds of two letters together, getting smoother and more confident at that before working on words.
I did this with the kindergarten math I have used with my two oldest boys, although that was Math With Confidence, not Math U See. With MUS levels for older kids, you can also have them do their work and write the answers in a separate notebook in order to re-use the workbook.
Possibly. You can't use the video as an answer key for the problems (I think most parents will appreciate having an answer key for 4th grade and above). We strongly prefer teaching our students ourselves vs. using the videos, but different families will have their own preferences.
I really like the idea of a mastery-based curriculum. I feel like traditional schooling expects children to learn so many new concepts throughout the school year instead of working on mastery and so they forget it quickly, because they really aren’t learning, they are memorizing. Thank you for explaining this so thoroughly ☺️
Thank you for pointing out the difference between learning and memorizing--there is a very real difference there!
So interesting to learn how families homeschool. My son is still little right now but this is something I’ve considered. I do like how the workbooks are simple and plain (not colorful). I would imagine that can be really distracting for kids
This is a very strong curriculum, especially for younger kids!
I found that most review fail to mention the review pages. I love the fact there are those review pages after the lesson so that my child doing Gamma is still practicing the addition and subtraction from last "year" .
True! And math skills naturally build on each other--so once the child is beyond a certain skill, such as addition...that skill is still practiced in all future levels, as story problems grow more complex.
I've been watching so many of your videos. Definitely one of my fav homeschool channels. I was actually looking into switching to math u see last night. I feel like this is my sign to make the switch
Oh, I'm so happy to hear that you're enjoying watching so many videos! :) I hope they are helpful!
I love Math-U-See! Like you, I think in the earlier levels the manipulatives are amazing! My daughter, currently 2nd grade, can picture math problems in her head. She is very quick at calculating because of their methods!
We love watching the DVDs together before each new lesson (usually Mondays)! Especially because I can say “well, what did Mr. Demme teach you?” 😂
The manipulatives are so good--I think for the rest of my life I will associate each color with its number, haha!
Very nice share about the math curriculum. Thanks for the detailed explanation.
Thank you for watching!
Hi! Catching up after being sick and then being away on a trip. We LOVE Math U See! It has always been a great fit for Caris, we love using the blocks. I like that you said you can switch up how they do the problems. Such an important concept for us homeschooling parents to utilize. ❤️
Your trip looks like it was so much FUN! I love Disney.
As a 5th grade teacher I cant express how important manipulatives are !! Game changer
Manipulatives really make math come alive!
Thanks for this review! It’s very helpful to see how this program works!
Glad it was helpful!
Such a helpful video. Thanks for making it! Helped a lot with my decision to purchase it.
Glad it was helpful! We have used Math U See for many years, it helps to get to know how it works.
Thanks for an explanation on the curriculum!
Thank you!
I think this is the first time I've watched an in-depth explanation on this math curriculum! Looks very interesting... I sometimes wish I could try all the curriculums... it's so tempting to switch curriculums! 😅
hahaha--if what you've got is working, DON'T switch!!! I know you already know that. ;P We've mainly used Math U See in the very early years for building a strong number sense--the Primer level is very gentle, a great introducing to numbers as representing concrete things. We've also used it in the older years as a solid review and as 'back-up' math because it doesn't need mom to teach and it gives a lot of review, allowing kids to simply practice and speed up at those core math skills. Sarah used MUS Algebra AFTER she had already done Life of Fred Algebra--simply as practice and review to make sure she was very confident in problem solving at the algebra level.
@@SevenInAll interesting to know how your family has used MUS! Do you think you will do the Primer level with your boys?
@@faithfullyinfertile I strongly suspect that I will use Primer with my oldest, probably beginning later this year...mainly because my mom has all the pieces to the program, and I don't know if we will realistically have anyone able to get curriculum from the US this year. I'm interested in some other math curriculums for him in the long-term (he seems a little bit like I was as a learner, which makes me think that Math-U-See's slow-and-steady, mastery pace might cause the same kind of frustration it would have caused me. lol!)
@@SevenInAll Rachel, I would not mind in the least bit helping you get your hands on needed curriculum for either your boys or your sisters or both. I know you might be referring to family/friends visiting and bringing it in their luggage, but if I can mail anything to you, just say the word, and I am more than willing to help your sweet family.
Maybe you could start with MUS and then switch once you see he has those foundational concepts/skills down! That primer does look so fun!
Yay! Been looking forward to this!
Yay! Thank you! Hope it's helpful, let me know if you have any questions.
@@SevenInAll this was very helpful! Thank you! I think the first few levels would be helpful in mastering basic math with special needs learners. I could totally see a gifted learner being frustrated with the repetition of this curriculum though! I think my little boys will love the blocks. I am using and move Math Lessons for a Living Education with my older two but I think MUS might be helpful in the Kinder/1st grade level in laying down some good foundations in math/number concepts. Would you agree? I would be interested to know how MUS teaches place value, addition and subtraction and addition & subtraction with carrying & borrowing as well as multiplication and division!
@@faithfullyinfertile I agree with that assessment, it really helps build a solid foundation on those basics, because they are constantly going back to that "build, write, say" procedure--all of those foundational concepts, place value, addition, etc, are taught at first with building and showing the problem using blocks. I believe that the introduction to multiplication/division is also taught with the blocks as visuals.
@@SevenInAll I am strongly considering this for them when the time comes.
We love math u see but idk if we would go back after using simply math!!! I never thought we’d leave math u see. I used to draw on the pages and so do my kids!!! We still use math u see for practice!!! I still teach the math u see way!!! We love the dvds or as my daughter calls them the dvs. We’ve used them for extra teaching. We didn’t know of the digital toolbox. We used multiple math curriculums as well!!! My great uncle photocopied math u see and put books together to make them spiral and we’ve used his books he made along with the original books.
It's great for a solid practice program, too. For my high school sister, she used Math U See as a review for Algebra while she moved on with Geometry in Life of Fred.
So you prefer Simply math? Why? I'm currently going crazy trying to pick a curriculum lol
This was really helpful.
I'm glad!
I just watched this again because my oldest has hit a wall with Masterbooks Level 5 math (fractions) and I don't know what to do. I think maybe SEEING fractions could help, but I just don't know and I am quite frustrated. :( What I really wish is that Math with Confidence had released all their levels!
I also have wished that Math with Confidence was further along! (Although my boys are lucky that they're plenty young enough to be behind the release schedule). I do think that MUS is a solid option for no-nonsense, straightforward math. The videos and manipulatives can be very helpful for those who need to see it, and the steady, repeated practice WITHOUT extra random stuff woven in can help with focus. The fractions-focused level is Epsilon.
@@SevenInAll yes! My boys are at the perfect age to start MWC from the beginning and catch all the levels. So thankful for that!
I still don’t know what to do for my oldest. MUS has such a hefty price tag and there is no guarantee it will work.
Oh my goodness, your comments on why it’s likely a gifted student may get frustrated with MUS!! Maybe that’s why my oldest is preferring Saxon!
Yes, I think MUS is a very solid math program with a systematic approach...but even teaching it can be a struggle for me because my brain is like "This AGAIN??? NO!!!" lol!
Do you feel like MUS is enough to go through high school with? My child has dyslexia and struggles with math. We are just starting MUS after 3 years of TGTB and she did Singapore in a private school prior to that. MUS is currently a breath of fresh air and giving her confidence in math again. I'm just now wondering if it's almost too easy for her, but I'm adding in review stuff with it. I've read mixed reviews though as it gets into high school, so I'm curious if you've seen that or what your thoughts are on that?
Some of my homeschooled cousins did solely Math U See through high school--they both went into math/science fields, and their assessment is that Math U See was lacking as preparation for their fields of study. But--we have to keep that context in mine--they went into fields that require a lot of math. My high school sister is currently doing Math U See for Calculus, but she ALSO does Life of Fred alongside. She's a numbers girl and has never done only one math curriculum.
She is also considering a numbers field...possibly math teacher or statistical data analyst.
On the other hand...I was homeschooled with a terrible math curriculum (not MUS), studied for the SAT and ACT math specifically and did well on the exams, had a lifelong goal of being a writer, went to college and got my B.A., took only one math class (stats) which was very easy (after the awful curriculum I had in high school).
So...I think the answer, especially as to whether MUS is enough for high school, depends on long term goals. Does the line of work she wants to go into require a lot of math? Then it may not be enough, and you may want to add something else. Especially for kids that struggle with other math curriculums, I think MUS really can be a breath of fresh air with it's straightforward, consistent approach.
@@SevenInAll good points!!! And I agree. I have a degree in business and only had 1 math class outside of business math and my one class was easier than most of my high school math. I appreciate the feedback!!! This is super helpful.
Our current math is very plain Jane compared to other math programs-- no cutesy poems or animals! 😅 And I agree, those can be distracting from the actual beauty of math and math doesn't need to be dressed up to be interesting. That being said, my kids are very hands on learners, and visually they can be easily distracted by unrelated content like colors and pictures. There are some kids who need that initial attraction like pretty colors, and each family is different. It's what works best for your kids that is important. 💕💕
Yes, there are some kids who thrive when there's a lot going on on a page, but others benefit a lot from simple worksheets with lots of white space, no overwhelm and no distractions.
You mentioned possibly using MUS Algebra for review Algebra skills. What do you use for upper level math?
I’ve got one son in Saxon that’s very math minded and I have a projection for him in mind with Saxon. But my youngest wants to try Beta. I’m just not as familiar with their projection through highschool.
High school math has not been an area where we've ever super loved our resources. I did Abeka for high school math and strongly DON'T recommend, just based on my experience...they weren't designed for homeschool. Several of my other siblings used Teaching Textbooks in high school (back in the olden days when it was a CD-based program), but my mom was never super impressed (she went to an engineering college and higher math has a special place in her heart). The current high schooler is using a combo of Math-U-See for straightforward practice and review, with Life of Fred for interesting (but sometimes confusing), teaching and application. I think Saxon is a very solid option, too.
My daughter has a bit of a hard time with math, and I haven't been very helpful in that area since I've switched my kids around so much! 😢 She's in 5th grade and I'm thinking of switching her to MUS. She says she struggles with division and multidigit multiplication at the moment... I'm not sure we should even attempt switching again, or if I should start with MUS Delta? Do you have any recommendations?
MUS is often a fantastic curriculum for those who struggle with math, due to its consistency, teaching videos, and consistent pace that slowly builds. Multi-digit multiplication is taught in Gamma, but if she has the basics of that down, you could possibly start in Delta, where division is the focus but there's still plenty of practice with multiplication (however it's not the teaching focus).
Hi,
I have a 4th grader and an 8th grader. Both are in public school. Which level is good for 8th grade, and 4th grade??
"Delta" would roughly be considered 4th grade, with either Pre-Algebra or Algebra 1 for 8th grade...but students definitely need to be placed by actual skill level, because that can vary regardless of grade in public school. Math U See does have some kind of placement questionnaire on their website to help with placing students in the right level, I believe.
@@SevenInAll thank you
This is probably off topic but i have been teaching my daughter to read and I need advice, my daughter knows all of the letter sounds and she can can read some three letter words but some them she doesn't get..any advice on how to help her with this?
Have you practiced blends? Blends from vowel to consonant: i.e. at, an, am, etc. When reading 3 letter words isn't fully clicking, sometimes it can be helpful to take a step back and work on blending the sounds of two letters together, getting smoother and more confident at that before working on words.
@@SevenInAll thank u!!:)
Math-U-See parents, have any of you put cut off the pages and put them in a clear sheet so you could reuse the student handbook for the next child? :)
I did this with the kindergarten math I have used with my two oldest boys, although that was Math With Confidence, not Math U See. With MUS levels for older kids, you can also have them do their work and write the answers in a separate notebook in order to re-use the workbook.
Can't you just use the video for how to teach the lessons so that you don't need instructor book?
Possibly. You can't use the video as an answer key for the problems (I think most parents will appreciate having an answer key for 4th grade and above). We strongly prefer teaching our students ourselves vs. using the videos, but different families will have their own preferences.