Math-U-See Opinions and Recomendations?

Question

I had come across Math-U-See about a year ago, looked at the book and found it unappealing to me. However, I just recently found it again and watched the demo, and I was pretty much amazed by his teaching.

I'm looking for any advice anyone can give. Plusses and minusses?

Someone told me the textbooks were difficult. Is this true?

Also, is it more sutiable for one grade level than the other? I'm looking for 2nd, 5th and 7th grade.

Like I said, just looking to see what everyone thinks.

Answer 1

I don't like math but my son loves it. So when I first looked at MUS I rejected it as boring and dry. I let my son view the demo video and he begged me for the system. I watched him watch the demo again and then realized that he and the instructor were on the same wavelength. I coughed up the cash for the video, teacher's manual and student workbook and had to fight with my son to quit doing math! He went through the lessons so fast I was amazed. Let your kids look at the demo and get their input. If they seem to connect with it you will like it too, just cause there won't be the usual fights about doing math. I know my fights about it will never be the same again!  LOL

My son is 2nd grade for all studdies except math. I just bought the 4th grade (based on what local public school kids are doing) Math U See for him!

Answer 2

We love it!  Math has become much clearer for my 2nd grader.  I love that I can assess rather quickly what he understands.  At this level the textbook is not difficult.  The only concern I've heard from a friend is with Gamma (3rd grade)  She said it didn't cover some of the things her son needed to know for testing, so she added it herself.  However, it covers it in the next level (Delta).  Hope that helps.

Answer 3

My junior year, I did geometry with Math-U-See and didn't like it very much. This year I did Videotext Interactive and love it. Its divided into Modules with DVDs, so its not as overwhelming as a regular textbook, and the books are so detailed that you don't have to include the DVDs. I would recommend both, I guess it depends on the learning styles.

For the age group that you are looking for, I would look at  Teaching Textbooks- its a computer based programs and the kids love it. Its colorful and very interactive- everyone I know loves it. Good Luck :)

Answer 4

I have several friends who use math-u-see and they all rant and rave about how great it is.

Here are some reviews:

http://www.homeschoolreviews.com/reviews...

Hope this helps!

Answer 5

I love it!  When I first saw it, I thought it was just plain...well, weird.  I brought my son to a homeschool convention and let him try it out a couple of years ago (he was 8), and he went nuts with it!  He started playing with the blocks, explaining all the things you could do with them, without even talking to a rep - he'd never seen them before.  Gotta tell you, I bought 3 levels right then!

It's suitable for all grade levels; it's built more on concepts than grades.  Alpha goes through basic addition and subtraction, Beta through advance addition and subtraction, Gamma is multiplication, working with unknowns, and telling time/basic geometry, Delta is division, more unknowns, and more basic geometry, Epsilon is fractions and more geometry, and Zeta is decimals, percentages, and ratios.

Then it goes into Pre-Algebra, Algebra 1 & 2, Geometry, and I think there are a few others.  They're pretty self-explanatory :-)

The textbooks are not difficult at all - they make perfect sense.  They are really easy for most kids to work through.  They are challenging at times, but the lessons are fully explained before the kids try anything - and the kids can watch them over and over again.

My son went through the first 6 levels in about 18 months, but he absolutely LOVES math.  At 10, he's currently in algebra and enjoying it.  However, I have a friend whose kids hate math - like nearly cry at the sight of it - and they are all loving MUS.

I completely recommend it - I've even learned a lot through it.

Hope that helps!

Edit - I had the same sort of situation as C R.  I caught my son actually sneaking his MUS dvd and a portable dvd player up to his room to watch it when he couldn't sleep, lol!  He whipped right through the books, and has such a solid understanding of the concepts and functions behind the math now.

Answer 6

We use Math U See and find it works very well for our visual learner.  It's not for everyone - some people want a curriculum based on grade level.  Math U See books focus on functions - the first book is addition, the second subtraction, and so on.  There is an entire book devoted to fractions.  In order to determine your children's  level, you can download an assessment test for them.  

The program is bare-bones in that the books are not fancy.  They are soft cover, spiral bound books.  The pages are all math problems...no poems, diagrams or color pics.  

Each book comes with a teacher's manual and a DVD.  I have learned more from the DVD than the manual, since I do better when I can see someone do the problem.  My student watches the DVD and sometimes reads the teacher's manual as well.  Each lesson on the DVD lasts only a few minutes - which makes sense when you consider that in a school., the average math teacher only does real teaching for a few minutes each hour.

For us, it is all pluses.  I can tell you that my hubby, who eats, thinks and dreams math, is very impressed with the program and the way in which concepts are introduced.

I don't recommend this program for everyone, however.  You have to do some research to find what fits best for each of your kids.  They might not all do well in the same program.

Be well.

Answer 7

My kids use Math U See and absolutely love it! They have free placement tests you can print out and give to them. I would start them with a test that you know they will be challenged with. For us we got Beta and Primer. Our school kids are 9 and 5. The books are really easy. We use the DVD for the lesson and then my daughter picks up the practice book. She usually does one or two lessons and is ready for the test. They also have practice drill sheets on line if you need them and they are free. I really like that he speaks to the students on their level. When we purchased it we got the manual, DVD, Test book, Blocks and practice book for Beta and just the practice book for Primer I have found that so far I haven't needed the manuals for either book.

Answer 8

I wasn't thrilled with MUS when I first looked at it either.  However, it is fantastic.   My youngest was having a lot of trouble with math and then we got MUS.

She finished 2 years worth in about 4 months and was back up to where she should have been.   So, I got it for my other 2 kids as well and it works for all of them.

Answer 9

It is a grate math program it realy helpt me in math.  most of the math i do wright now is from what i remember from that program.