Math program q's

[busybee4]

I am trying to figure out what program would best fit my children for the upcoming school year. I tried Singapore the first half of last year and although it was great it didn't work for my dd. I had thought about just doing A Beka but I've come across Rightstart math and it looks, to me, very good! It still kind of reminds me of Singapore math (very mental which I loved about Singapore) yet seems to be a better fit for us. Has anyone ever used this program? What did you think? Is it confusing? How about the scope and sequence? I've thought about using Level A for my rising K5er and Level B for my 2nd grader since she's never used it and she is lacking in the math department (maybe due to my jumping around last year?!)
Is it very similar to Singapore in that we may not have a good fit with that one either? I'd really like to try it but that is a fear of mine! I know that it's expensive at the onset but seems to be pretty economical after that...especially in regards to my other three children. The first will always have to have a new manual.
Anyway any help that you can give would be a blessing.
I printed off the sample pages and some reviews for my husband to read and he likes it but is wondering if some of the explai nations for the procedures would be a little too advanced for my dd. Has that been the experience with anyone?
Thanks for the help!!

[Mom2Monkeys]

Can you tell us more about your dd and math? What parts of Singapore did and didn't work for her? Is it certain concepts, the pace, possibly wrong placement, facts, review....??
That info will help us all talk you through your decision making

[busybee4]

I think it was a number of things that ended up working against us on this.
1. The first is that she was a very reluctant learner. She would get discouraged very easily, anytime she didn't get something right it was like she would close up and not want to try again for fear of being wrong. She would often cry as well. (Which I know can happen with any curriculum.)

2. I think that the placement was fine for her in Singapore but another thing that was hard for her was the way that the material kind of jumped around and didn't stay consistent. It would teach one way of doing a problem and then quickly teach another way. That was probably the hardest on her.

3. And the lack of review didn't help either. She is one that would need review in order to really grasp something and for us Singapore didn't fit the bill in that respect.

She never complained about doing math but she would get discouraged like I said earlier and would cry or clam up.

I've tried Mammoth Math with her and she did great with that! It reminded me of Singapore a little yet was more consistent with the method and reviewed a good bit! I really liked that program but we lacked hands on materials and RS has a plethora to use which I know would be exciting for my pictoral/visual/kinestic learner!

I had thought about just turning around and using a "traditional" type program with her but I love the understanding that the "mental math' programs grow in a child and really would like to stick with something like that. Maybe thats why RS is tugging on me a little! I understand that it's a little teacher intensive and each lesson takes a while (which so goes against my "Charlotte Mason" desire for our homeschool) but for a subject as important as math I'm willing to give it a try!

So I hope that makes sense! I'm not very good at explaining what is in my brain at times...especially late at night...but I hope that makes some sense!!! So please....help!

[my3sons]

Hi Krissy! It took my ds a full year to get into doing math the Singapore way, and we've reaped the rewards of sticking with it ever since. You'll know best, but it worked great for my dc to consistently stick with it - that's been our experience.

In Christ,
Julie