A Math U See Review!
It happened again. We were doing great with math until multiplication came along. As much as I had this child do drills we were just limping along. I never rush them through multiplication because it just sets them up for failure if they don’t have a strong grasp on their times tables.
We were doing Teaching Textbooks, which I normally like, but I have found it goes through multiplication quickly, at least for my children. They don’t learn all the tricks that can help multiplication be so much easier.
Enter Math U See. This math curriculum features a mastery approach, meaning you throughly learn one new math concept before moving on. Each book features a different concept. We started working through Gamma and Israel is already doing so much better!
What I love about Math U See is the DVD’s that come with the workbooks. They watch the short lesson first on the DVD, and Steve Demme teaches them all the little tips on how to easily learn the times tables. I had tried teaching him some of these tips, but it wasn’t until he watched Steve Demme explain it did he truly understand.
I also really love the concept of the blocks that go with this set. Different color blocks in sizes of 1 through 10 can be used together to build math problems. For some children with a certain learning style, this can be a crucial turning point that makes math click for them. So far Israel has not used them much, but we pull them out whenever we get stuck on a problem. Every child has a different way of learning, and for children who learn hands on then the blocks are an amazing asset.
We have also used the Primer book for several of our children and it’s a fantastic way to start children out. If your child is struggling with handwriting but strong in math skills, Primer is the best book I’ve seen to start them out with. They do a lot of coloring in the math problems to start out, and I’ve helped them write in the numbers while they are still learning.
We are over halfway through the Gamma book and I plan on getting Delta to cover division. It’s such a blessing to have so many different options out there, and get the very best one for your child!
*I was sent the Gamma math set for free, but all thoughts are strictly my own and I was not paid for this review.
We did the same thing. My son was struggling with multiplication so we stop the program we were using and used math u see. Once he got it we did go back to our other math program.
My mom used Math U See for my sister (homeschooling); this was 15 years ago or more, so I can’t remember much of it myself (I watched/helped her with it) but I do remember the blocks and that it seemed to help my sister grasp the concepts.