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Math Mammoth
Math Mammoth is a mastery-based curriculum that emphasizes conceptual understanding, number sense, and mental math strategies. The curriculum uses multi-step word problems that review previous concepts. Concepts are typically taught first with the help of pictorial (visual) models and then the students advance into the abstract form.
There exist two different series that can be used for complete math instruction: the Blue Series and the Light Blue Series. The first series has shorter, topical books that concentrate on a few topics only. The latter is a complete curriculum that goes by grade levels.
The books are fairly self-teaching and require very little preparation from the teacher. The explanations in the text are meant for the teacher and student alike, and thus there is no need for a separate teacher's manual.
Prices: for Blue Series books, $2-$7 (downloads), $8-15 for printed books. For Light Blue series: $37.50 per grade level (download), $42.50 on a CD. Bundle discounts available.
Reviews of Math Mammoth curriculum
I purchased this program for use by all three of my children ranging from 1st to 6th grade. Each of my children have been able to proceed through the program independently with minimal help from me. I highly recommend this for those schooling multiple levels. The spiral curriculum lets each grade dive deeper into the math concepts while reviewing previous levels, thus allowing a child at any level to begin and progress easily.
Meredith M.
Review added February 5, 2015
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Time: two months
Your situation:
We live outside of the US, and my children attend a private school whose math teaching was weak. I had them practicing math with ixl.com, but that focuses more on reviewing skills that have already been taught in school, and I needed something to teach them what their school was not teaching. I had them take the year-end tests on the Math Mammoth website and could see very clearly where the gaps were, and they were significant. Math comes especially easy for one of my children, and moderately so for the other.
Why you liked/didn't like the curriculum:
I love this curriculum. The way each concept is explained on the worksheets means that the kids just get it, and I don't have to do a lot of explaining myself. I find the method of explaining consistent with the approaches used in their PYP/IB school. There is enough repetition for the student to really get the skill down and truly master it, but without becoming tedious and boring. I am also happy knowing that it aligns with Core Curriculum, in case we move back to the US at some point.
Any other helpful hints:
Take the year-end test for the grade your student previously finished, to identify any gaps in his or her learning. You can then choose which product best suits that need. You can also download sample worksheets to see if they work for your child.
Amy
Review added November 25, 2014
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I purchased Math Mammoth after researching several math curriculums. The curriculum that was wonderful for my two older children just didn't work for my 2 younger children, who are both dyslexic. Math Mammoth allows them to work on one skill at a time and master that skill before moving on to something new. That is so important for my younger children. I can also choose the skills that my children need to work on. It is just what I was looking for.
Rachel S.
Review added November 14, 2014
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My two children that are using Math Mammoth are total different learners. Yet, they both enjoy this math program. As the parent & teacher, I love that there is the ability to work at the pace of choice and for the length of time needed on any specific subject area. If you are confused with anything, Maria Miller's website and videos are super helpful. Her response to emails are quick and insightful. Overall, we love Math Mammoth!
Brandy A.
Review added November 3, 2014
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We used MUS for kindergarten and 1st grade, but as we started gearing up for 2nd grade, I just felt like my son wasn't "getting it". I bought Math Mammoth and we started with the 1st grade material, because it was clear that MUS had many holes and I felt strongly that it was better to develop a solid foundation in the beginning than to push through the 2nd grade curriculum. We have LOVED Math Mammoth. I cannot emphasize enough how glad I am that we switched. My son has developed confidence and a love for math that I hadn't seen until we switched. The workbooks are organized in a way that really guides the instructor...this was helpful to me as the teacher because math is not necessarily my strongest point. There is plenty of additional material and lots of support online as well as in the instructor portion of the text. Supplemental games, on and offline are readily listed at the beginning of each chapter. I could not be any more satisfied with this program and highly recommend it. I bought it through the Homeschool Buyers Coop and have felt that it was worth every penny. I printed our workbooks in black and white ink at Staples and they ran about $25 each. Color printing would have added considerable cost, but black and white has been fine for us.
Sarah Cook
Review added October 28, 2014
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My daughter (and I) really enjoy Math Mammoth. What drew me to the curriculum was the integration of real-life application. I like the logical sequence of learning concepts and multiple ways the problems are explained (appealing to a variety of learning styles). I also find that I regularly use the Blue Series as a brush up on "gaps" in her learning from public school. I highly recommend it to all my homeschooling friends.
- Angela B, Co-op Member
Review added October 23, 2014
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Just wanted to write a short message to tell how pleased I am with your math books. I am a homeschooling my 1st grade son and was not able to explain clearly the simple concepts presented in other very famous books.
Your program is easy to use and complete. I like the way you gradually introduce concepts. I like the interesting problems at the end of each section and I like very much the reviews you provided which are very valuable for us homeschooling mums. I bought all the grades and I am happy I did.
Sakina, mum from Australia
Review added October 17, 2014
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Why you liked/didn't like the curriculum: I am so glad we purchased Math Mammoth. It has made such a difference in our home school math experience. My second grader does not like to use flashcards and it was boring for her to try to memorize numbers. I am amazed at how quickly she picked up on adding, even larger numbers with Math Mammoth! Its methods of teaching math is refreshing and so easy to follow! We will continue to use this math program for years to come.
- Jenny D.
Review added May 24, 2013
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Time: a few months
Why you liked/didn't like the curriculum: It's been a few months since I've started using the Math Mammoth
products and I can honestly say the only regret is not knowing about
them earlier. My ten year old daughter was having real difficulty
with maths so much so that I took her all the way back to your Grade 2
materials during the summer break of 2012. At this current moment
(Year 6) she has improved by leaps and bounds. She is not exceptional
just yet, but she is working above average as per tests she did at
school.
I am now using the products with my five year old and it is helping a
great deal. Although we live in the UK we have no problems with the
worksheets. One of the best features of the product is the option to
print an unlimited number of worksheets for practice which includes a
section for British money.
Best wishes
Nadine McLaughlin
Review added March 23, 2013
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Time: 7 months
Your situation: First year homeschooling two boys, 4th grade and K4. Previously was a middle/high school Math teacher.
Why you liked/didn't like the curriculum: I've taught 6th-12th grade Math for several years, but this is my first year homeschooling. I was extremely picky about the math curriculum I wanted for my son, and I assumed I would supplement it. I have been extremely pleased with your program so far, mainly because I see the connections you are drawing between basic elementary concepts and algebraic thinking processes needed for higher level courses. I have not had to supplement the work AT ALL up to this point, which has both surprised me and blessed me. I have taught high school and middle school courses from Saxon, Prentice Hall, Glencoe, and McGraw Hill, and I have looked closely at the curriculum offered to homeschoolers from Math-U-See, Teaching Textbooks, Abeka, BJU, and MANY others. I know no curriculum is perfect for every student, but the concepts you teach, the mental processes you encourage through your problem sets, and the gentle manner in which you lead students to higher level thinking is wonderful. I am also very excited to see that the scope and sequence of your program is so thorough, with no holes that I will have to fill in once we reach Pre-Algebra.
Any other helpful hints: It is so inexpensive, that it is worth trying out without a huge risk.
Jennifer Westall
Review added April 12, 2013
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Time: 6 months
Your situation: Homeschooling 3 kids
Why you liked/didn't like the curriculum: Light Blue Series is very easy to use with multiple children because all of the instruction is in the workbooks. It's easy to have them all working on it with me simply sitting there and answering questions and explaining things further if needed. Also, great for customizing to individual children. Very cheap to buy levels 1-6. If they understand something you can give the test and move ahead. If not, you can go back and cover something from a previous level. And you don't even have to let the kids know what level they are in, if that's an issue. Can supplement with the Blue Series also if needed. All 3 of my kids, one excellent at math, one average, and one who really struggles, so far have been comprehending everything as we cover it.
Any other helpful hints: If you want something independent, this is perfect. If you need something for both excellent and struggling math students, this works well also. It is very big on mental math. Since you can buy it in a pdf format, it's also great from a space consideration. I don't have books overflowing on bookshelves. I simply print chapters and tests as we need them and the rest is stored on my computer.
Sara
Review added October 24, 2012
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I found Mammoth Math after an extensive review of math curriculums for my daughter. We used the 2nd grade curriculum last year and I've wathed my daughters math acuity and retention SKYROCKET! She makes up math problems all day long and goes over what she's learned for fun! She is a solid math student who can self direct with Math Mammoth, with enough challenge to keep it interesting and satifying. The cost is more than reasonable, and the support from Mrs. Miller has been phenomenal. I look forward to another successful and challenging math year with Mammoth.
Review added August 8, 2011
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Hi, Maria-
I received your free newsletter (can't remember where I first saw the link -- maybe CurrClick?). I haven't purchased curriculum materials for homeschool yet (we are going into our second year, so we are new here), and I wasn't sure how to proceed. I've been a classroom teacher for a long time, so I had a lot of materials, but knew that I needed something more comprehensive for math. So I purchased your light blue 3A/B grade 3 math books.
I am not disappointed! We began our grade 3 math this summer, since our son, who can read and write without thinking about it, likes math the LEAST (because he says it makes his brain sweat!). I love math (dad does not). So we chose to do less math each day, and spread it over the whole year -- he reluctantly agreed.
Your book has so many positive features, that I wanted to tell you, because I know we all like encouragement! I am speaking as a mom and a teacher. First, I love the way you box the "big ideas" in each lesson -- we always read these, and repeat them throughout the lesson. This is so important for establishing the "why" of a lesson. And it works with my son. Second, each lesson builds progressively, so the student can see the next question as an extension of the previous one. Third, I love your emphasis on multiple algorithms for solving math problems.
After one particularly painful lesson (my son lost a lot of ground in public school, sad to say), I asked him to list all the digits he could think of (of course there are only 10). I told him if he knows how to add, subtract, multiply and divide using just those 10 digits, the rest of math is just patterns. And your book is laid out just like that, teaching fact extensions and using what you know to solve what you don't. He was taught to memorize facts by rote in 1st grade (his only year of public school), and never used base 10 blocks or judy clocks or any other manipulatives. Sad. So I thank you, thank you, thank you for your materials.
My husband and I are so pleased. Not the son, yet. His brain is still sweating. But he told Grandma that he didn't need my help with his math lesson yesterday. So there is light at the end of the tunnel!
Be blessed!
Kim
Review added July, 2011
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I used a very strict curriculum for my daughter for 1st and 2nd grade. I ended our 2nd year early because her math would bring her to tears almost everyday. I have tried to do many different math activities w/her and none seemed to help, she always ended up frustrated. I purchased your program and printed book 2B and just handed it to her. She has done 4 pages w/no fussing and no tears!! I feel that something has clicked for her and am so excited!! I now know we will be ready for 3rd grade in the fall (or before) and am so thankful to you and your program!! Just wanted to let you know what a difference you have made for us!!
Mandy
Review added June, 2011
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I have wanted to switch to Math Mammoth for the last year, and unfortunately I never made the switch since I already purchased something else. We finally fully switched, and our children are truly understanding math. The games suggested are really fun, easy to implement, and are sprinkled throughout to give just the right amount.
We will continue to use it and stop trying to find "something better." We tried that, and after dropping large sums of money, found that Math Mammoth is easy to implement, effective, and complete. I will start our youngest child on it and not look back.
- Julie S., Co-op Member
Review added June, 2011
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Ms. Miller-
I wanted to drop you a quick note and to tell you how much we are enjoying your math resources. I homeschool my two boys (2nd and 4th grade), and have a three and four year old as well. My oldest son completed all three years of Miquon Math and did quite well. I did find, however, that while it's very creative in presenting math concepts, it's short on drill and explanation. So in picking his next curriculum I wanted something that explained concepts thoroughly and gave enough practice (but not endless pages!) so he feels he has mastered the concepts. We are now almost finished with chapter 3 of Math 4-A, and it has gone very well. I've been really pleased how you've explained concepts like the multiplication algorithm, and he is understanding it, too!
My second grader was struggling with addition and subtraction in Miquon, so we jumped out of it for awhile and completed "Add & Subtract 2A". It was a real help (I like those rainbows!), and now we are back in Miquon until (and if) another problem arises. Your curriculum and Miquon seem to complement each other quite well.
We also used the Decimals 1 collection to help prepare for the state standardized test.
Today we also watched your youtube video on multiplication. Very helpful! I told my oldest "There's your math teacher!".
As someone who struggled with word problems in school, I appreciate having a lot of them in the math texts. Both my boys enjoy them, too.
As far as costs, your prices are *extremely* reasonable and easy for us to budget for getting extra worksheets if needed.
I've been reading your math blog, and have used some of the resources you've written about....thanks for the suggestion on StarFall.com. I also have used "100 easy lessons" with my boys... I would agree that it is a good learning-to-read tool.
I guess this was not such a quick note, but I did want to let you know that your math resources are really appreciated in our home (and it's funny, but a good curriculum becomes sort of a "family friend" among children and parents, if you know what I mean!).
I will be recommending Math Mammoth to friends who are looking for a good curriculum.
Respectfully,
Cara Hogervorst
Review added in February 2011
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Mrs. Miller,
Please accept my most sincere gratitude for your light blue program. My family has been using it for the last two weeks, and are extremely happy with it. We have tried just about every math program available and not been able to stick with them for various reason. Some of those reasons include the simple fact that I have six children and cannot continue a program requiring 45 minutes daily of teacher directed learning!
We were very happy with the Right Start series but it is very teacher intensive. So, last spring I began the search...... again.
Your program has been an excellent follow-up to the Right Start courses. You incorporate so much 'real life' into what could be a 'simple' addition or subtraction problem, that I am sure they are being prepared to meet life's daily arithmetic challenges.
Thank you so much for your hard work and effort that was put into this program. The work has been challenging for my kids, but not discouraging. Rather they are encouraged to find solutions using 'their' knowledge and intellect. You are just a guide giving them strategies and tips to aid in their discovery of the patterns and design intrinsic in numbers.
Blessings to you and yours!
A happy mom,
Robin
Review added in September 2010
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We have been using Math Mammoth since last year September. I like it, since it explains very well and I can print out what my dd needs. I also like that I can jump from one subject to whichever one I want to do next or even to a higher or lower level. We will certainly keep using it.
Thanks again,
Chantal van der Molen
Review added in July 2010
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Grade(s): 2, 5
Book(s): Blue Series books
I am excited to report my experience with Math Mammoth because I have had great
success with it so far. I am a homeschooling mom of three boys, whom are
ages 10, 7, and 5. I have never cared for traditional textbooks for any
subject. They are overwhelming to me most of the time, not to mention very
expensive.
I decided to start a math program with my oldest son that was a
very independent math program, Developmental Math. It works very similar to
Mammoth math -- focusing on skills building on each other in a logical order.
However, when my son started solving longer division problems, he got
stuck and the teaching methods were rather confusing, even to me. I found
Mammoth Math on line one evening and because the cost was so low, I had nothing
to lose by trying it. I bought the whole Blue Series which covers simple
addition through basic algebra.
We have been using Mammoth Math as our math curriculum for almost two years
now, with my 2nd and 5th graders. I like the fact that Maria gives more
than one way to do math problems and the greatest benefit is her personal
touch. Recently, we hit another stumbling block with word problems. I e-mailed
Maria and asked if she had any suggestions on supplementing word problem
work. She got back to me the next day with a great word problem work book to
try out. You don't get that kind of service from a textbook company!
I also like the fact that Maria keeps in touch with us by her newsletter. As
a homeschooler, one thing I have learned quickly is that your students
needs change like the wind. These newsletters keep me abreast of ideas and
other resources.
Raina McGrath
Review added November 30, 2008
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The following is one of the winning entries to Math Mammoth 2008 Thanksgiving Contest.
| Grade(s): 4-6 |
Book(s): Golden Series books |
Dear Maria,
I am writing to tell you how wonderful Math Mammoth has been for my son. Shane
is 10 years old, and in 5th grade. After having gone to the same elementary
school since kindergarten, I had no choice but to enroll him in a new school
due to my divorce. It was with extreme sadness that he left the only world
he had ever known and the friends he had made and was thrown into these new
surroundings. My son is physically small for his age, and also younger than
most kids in his class. On top of that, he is extremely shy! Unfortunately,
the transition didn't go well at the new school and he became very withdrawn
and alone. Two areas he seemed to have a hard time with was making new
friends and catching up to their level of math. Shane had always excelled
in math and was his favorite subject.
Shane became more and more depressed and he and I met with a counselor. Shane
shared that at his other school he felt "smarter" and since he wasn't
following along anymore or understanding math, he felt "stupid" and his self
confidence was low. I searched online and discovered Math Mammoth and read
the reviews. So many people raved about it that I couldn't wait to give it
a try! It was wonderful that the download was immediate and we could get
started right away. Every night Shane and I set aside time to do math; we
began where he left off at his old school and I became his new math teacher!
Having the answer guide was sure a big help, because fifth grade math is now
comparative to what I think I learned in 9th grade! Little by little, we
worked problems, sometimes over and over, until he was up to the level of
math his class was working. Even though he is where he should be, we are
still using it daily as an extra help because we love the time we spend
together, as well as it helps to make sure he fully understands it. His new
teacher asks him math questions and he can answer them with confidence and
he feels proud of himself. He has impressed other students and is making
friends. His confidence has improved 100%! I realize Shane had so many
changes happening that made him depressed, and time took care of some. Still,
I feel Math Mammoth played a very big role in removing the "sinking" feeling
he felt when the one area he had excelled in, math, made him feel lost and
hopeless. Thank you, Maria, for your books. I intend to use them year
after year, for Shane as well as his sister, Krista.
Sincerely,
Lori Thogersen
Review added November 30, 2008
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The following is one of the winning entries to Math Mammoth 2008 Thanksgiving Contest.
| Grade(s): 1st |
Book(s): Light Blue 1st grade |
I purchased a Math Mammoth Light Blue book out of complete
exasperation. We had literally cried over math for a year and a half. My
daughter cried out of frustration, and I cried over how much money and time
I had spent trying to make math click for her.
We started out in 1st grade
with a program she had used in school in Kindergarten. It went fine for
awhile, but I soon realized she simply did not know her facts well enough to
continue at the pace this curriculum. So we stopped for a bit and worked on
the facts. We worked and worked and worked on them. She was starting to
memorize some of them just from sheer repetition, but I knew she didn't
really understand the relationship between them. So, I thought the thing to
do was to get one of those heavily concept based programs. Huge disaster.
We ended up going back to the original program and sturggled through the
rest of the year.
Over the summer, I looked at my options. I ended up
ordering another program for 2nd grade that seemed like more of a balanced
textbook approacg. Again, we started out fine, but things went downhill
fast.
I realized that she STILL did not understand the relationship between
the numbers, things like why the fact families work the way they do; simple,
comceptual things like that. We were also getting bogged down by all of the
tiny little manipulatives in this program that didn't seem to make a
difference anyway. I do not exaggerate when I tell you that we were on the
verge of giving up on homeschooling and putting our kiddo in school because
math was ruining our entire day.
That was not what I wanted to do, so back
into "research mode" I went. Enter Math Mammoth. I don't even remember how
I stumbled onto the website, but I soon realized it looked like exactly what
we needed. What attracted me the most was the clear, concise, to the point
explanations and pictures that seemed to explain the comcepts in a way that
I (and all of those other programs) just couldn't seem to communicate. I
was also thrilled by the no frills layout. There were no cardstock puppets,
colored bears, or snap cubes to drag out every day (and fish out of the
baby's mouth after math class). There was just a simple, clear explanation,
followed by exercises that directly reinforced that explanation.
Now for
the great part. I started my second grader with the first grade book,
because even though she was up to grade level in things like time, money,
and geometry, I knew she needed to pretty much start over in the areas of
computation and place value. The first day I gave her the book, she
literally did 20 pages or more. She felt confident with the stuff in the
beginning, as much of that was review. But she said several times, "I love
this math book!" I have NEVER heard that in this house, no matter how
simple a math page might have been for her.
Now after we moved past the
stuff in the beginning that was very simple for her, she isn't doing 20
pages a day anymore, but she is UNDERSTANDING. Finally. She quickly
started to understand the relationships between the numbers and her facts
improved so quickly. Within a few weeks I could not believe the problems
she was doing in her head. I had always had a finger counter before. No
more crying and whining about math.
Now, it is still not her favorite thing
in the world to do, but I know now that she feels confident, and like she
finally has the knowledge and the tools to do what is asked of her. She
just started the second half of the first grade book, and should be finished
with that in about a month. She is cruising along, gaining confidence every
day, and her math skills have improved more in two months than I could have
ever even fathomed.
Believe me when I say that Math Mammoth not only got my
daughter progressing and learning in math again, but it changed the whole
temperature and functioning of our homeschool for the better. Thank you
Maria and Math Mammoth!
Coleen Posey
Review added November 28, 2008
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The following is one of the winning entries to Math Mammoth 2008 Thanksgiving Contest.
| Grade(s): 3-5 |
Book(s): Blue Series books |
I bought The Blue Series in September [2008] to use with all three of my
kids, ages 12, 9, and 3, but particularly for my oldest. We'd always
used Singapore Math, and he had always wanted to self-teach. But
Singapore Math isn't really meant to be used that way. He's really
very talented in math to be able to self-teach it to the level he did.
He did fine for quite awhile. Then, in the middle of [Singapore Math] 4-A, he crashed.
[Singapore] 4-A deals with long division and multiple-digit multiplication, among
other things. He was 10 and in 4th grade when he first started in
that book. He started running into things he wasn't understanding,
and he made it quite clear he did not want my help. He would get
frustrated and refuse to pick up his math book for days on end. If
forced, he'd either cry or creatively find a way to get out of doing
it.
Finally I took the hint. I allowed him to set it aside, but I
encouraged him to do math in other ways, using online games and
software, and real-life math. Every couple of months I'd have him try
it again. Sometimes he'd make some progress, but after several
lessons hit a point where he wasn't understanding something again, and
then we'd be back to the tears/avoidance. But I was better about
directing him to other math activities. Because of it, he did
understand the principles for many math concepts he hadn't actually
hit in Singapore Math yet.
But earlier this fall I was getting very worried. He was now 12
and the age to be in sixth grade, and he was still struggling with
long division and advanced multiplication. On top of that, he'd never
memorized his times tables because he could add large numbers quickly
in his head. He wants to be a chemical engineer, and that's just not
very likely for someone who struggles with elementary math! The big
sticking point for him was why these operations were written down the
way they were. He could easily *do* the multiplication or division,
but if he followed the usual algorithms he didn't understand why they
work they way they do.
So I started on a search. I signed into a favorite homeschooling
forum, and found there was someone there whose criteria echoed my own:
- Just enough drill
- Moves quickly enough to appeal to a math-talented kid--not
incremental or too spiral
- Good explanations, since he doesn't want my help
- Reusable through my other two kids
- More attuned to world standards than U.S. standards
- Incorporating mental math
- Building understanding, rather than just learning algorithms
Someone else mentioned Math Mammoth, which was a program I'd never
heard of. By the end of that day I'd downloaded the Sample Pack and
was trying to figure out where to place him! And within a week I'd
bought the complete Blue pack.
What I have done with Math Mammoth for both my older two is to start
with the topic booklets for the four operations, starting with level
2, and simply scrolled through it on my computer, stopping at points
where I remembered them struggling. Within two days we were done with
the highest levels of Addition and Subtraction for both kids. In a
couple of the other topical booklets we found some things that
Singapore had not covered, so we did those in another two days.
Then, for about two weeks, I had my son go through the multiplication
and division books. We started out with both of us looking at the
computer. I printed out some of the instructional pages with
memorization tips for him to keep in a notebook. Then, we'd scroll
through the lessons, around 30 pages a day, only stopping on things
that were things he'd struggled with. I'd print out those pages and
he'd read them and then try some problems. If he got them right, we'd
move on.
He also went to one of the websites mentioned on Maria's blog in order
to help him memorize the times tables. He still really didn't see the
need to memorize them at first. But when I pointed out to him
advanced multiplication was a whole lot easier, with fewer steps, if
you didn't have to add up every single individual product in the
bigger problem, he realized he needed to memorize them and buckled
down! That was also happening during those two weeks.
He's about through all the Math Mammoth books, and surprisingly,
Singapore 6B as well. I don't think he's quite ready for Singapore's
New Elementary Math yet, so he'll be doing Life of Fred books,
supplemented by Math Mammoth worksheets through algebra.
So, thanks to Math Mammoth, he's gone from struggling with 3rd grade
math, to doing above-level math, in just about a month. I'd always
wondered how some homeschooling moms I know who'd taken their kids out
of government schools when they fell behind caught them up, and now I
know one good way to recommend.
So glad I found Math Mammoth,
Tracey
Review added November 28, 2008
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