[Alicia G]

Math U See is a different sort of math program. Many math programs, including Abeka teach in a "spiral" approach, where a concept is introduced over the course of a week. During this week, older concepts are practiced. After this week, the concept comes up in future lessons now and then. After a while, the new concept is built upon, resulting in a full body of math knowledge for whatever grade level.

Math U See (and some other programs) work on more of a mastery approach. A concept is introduced and many, many lessons follow to teach all there is to know (at least at the current grade level) for that concept. Other concepts are reviewed (as they are in the spiral approach) but the "new" concept is the same (but different aspects of it) instead of jumping around.

Math U See has a program that runs all the way through pre-calculus.

They use manipulatives which are little blocks, overlays (for fractions) and these inserts (for algebra and beyond).

You get with each program a DVD (or VHS) of Steve Demme (the developer of the system) explaining each "lesson" (a lesson lasts about a week and there are 30 in each program). Ideally, the teacher watches the lesson alone and then presents it to the children. But, the kids could watch the video too as it is filmed in front of a live classroom of children and occasionally you'll hear a kid ask a question or maybe even come to the front of the room to do a problem. Often you'll hear the kids answer a question in unison. Mr. Demme uses a large set of these manipulatives on his magnetized white board. If you have a magnetized white board, purchase the large magnet blocks for your own demos.

There are several (inexpensive) products for the program. Each year has a teacher's guide that explains things (it has the answer key) and the DVD (or DVDs for older years). The kids each need a test book and a workbook. There are 30 lessons per year and each lesson lasts a week or so. For each lesson, there are three pages of new work to practice the new lesson and three pages of review work to keep fresh the old. After each lesson is a weekly test. Older levels (pre-algebra and above) also have an "honors" book of extra "fun" math (Fibonnaci numbers, etc.) where you do one page a week.

The books are comb-bound and only written on the right-hand side. It's only black-and-white and not colorful at all.

Ideally, the students learn the concept from the teacher and video and then practice it and get to where they can teach it back to a teacher or other student. THat's part of their "mastery" concept, being able to teach back the new concept. In a perfect world, you'd have children working on a lesson until they mastered it. This would mean that Sally would spend three weeks on something difficult for her while Bobby could do the same lesson in three days. You'll probably try to keep your kids at the same place at the same time.

The programs in the system are:

Primer: This is the only year in which mastery is not the goal, but instead introduction of math concepts is the goal. Typically this is for kindergarten.

Alpha: The first grade curriculum focuses on addition and learning those facts.

Beta: Subtraction

Gamma: Multiplication

Delta: Division

Epsilon: Fractions

Zeta: Sixth grade concepts (not sure all what this includes, their website will tell you and show samples)

Pre-Algebra and beyond (beyond my scope)

PROS:

1. Really strong on understanding concepts like place value.
2. The black-and-white format (as well as the mastery concept) works well for distractible kids. Other math programs have lots of (sometimes unrelated) illustrations that can distract some students. This is "just the facts."
3. The manipulatives really do work for illustrating concepts, etc. The learning seems to stick. You'll find yourself thinking in blocks, etc. The kids like the blocks too (even the older ones) and quickly memorize the colors of the blocks (for example "three little piggies" reminds us that the pink blocks are threes, "sev-vanilla" is the way to remember that the seven blocks are a cream color, whereas "chocol-eight" is the way to know that brown is the eight block). You'll want a set of these blocks for each pair or foursome of students working together, so that students can reach over to the block box as needed as they work. After the children understand a concept (and could teach it back) they can leave the blocks behind for whatever concept. For example, in building "five plus three equals eight" the child would arrange the five block right next to (skinny ends touching) the three block (making one long line) and then get out the eight block (same length of line) and put it next to the five-and-three line. If he did the problem right (ie. didn't grab the nine or seven block by accident) then he'll see that the blocks make an equal sign where the five-and-three make the top line and the eight make the bottom line. After he memorizes five plus three is eight, no need to keep on building it out of blocks.
4. Not a lot of extra busy-work. Math is accomplished in less time than usual. I would guess that you will be able to accomplish all your math right there in the classroom without homework. Wouldn't THAT be nice? The kids seem to like the fact that it "feels" light, but it really is effective.
5. Inexpensive, so that it's easier for schools to afford. I think that the school would spend less than $50 per child a year on consumables. One time purchases (the blocks, the TM, the videos) are also very reasonable, a lot less than many other math programs.
6. It's an easy-to-use program for teachers and kids. Very unintimidating. You won't need to go to some workshop to learn how to use it, it's not complicated at all. Just grab a cup of tea and sit down for 20 minutes or so and watch the intro session of the video (I think there's one on each grade level) which gives the philosophy and then you are ready to teach. If you are not comfortable with math, then you can learn right along with the children by just watching the videos beforehand (the concepts are explained very well).
7. The videos teach neat concepts to make things easier. For example, when kids learn to add 9 to a number, they learn to borrow one from the number and add that to 9 to make 10, because adding to 10 is pretty easy. So, if you are adding 9 + 6, you simply know to add 10 + 5. Same answer, but it's easier to add 10 + 5, right? Tricks like this are taught.
8. The man on the video, Steve Demme, is a math teacher and a dad and he's really calm, engaging, and non-threatening. He seems to enjoy teaching and enjoy the kids and he frequently smiles at the class that's there with him. He keeps the videos from being dry despite the subject matter (math!). The videos are also pretty short and to the point. Maybe 3 minutes or so for the younger levels.

CONS:

1. The mastery concept means that there's a different scope and sequence to Math U See. It will NOT "teach to the test." You'll see that some concepts covered on the state test might be introduced later than in traditional math programs (such as Abeka) that are more aligned with these tests. I would guess that at the end of fifth grade, Math U See students will be right where traditional math students are and will have similar test grades. Traditional and Math U See students will arrive at the same place at the same time, but they'll take different paths to get there. So, at any one "snapshot" of time, the Math U See students will be ahead of their traditional math peers in certain things and lag behind in others, simply due to the scope and sequence. The problem is that the standardized tests are aligned to traditional math programs.
2. You'll need to add some drill work. This isn't really a con, but just a "heads up" so you realize that it doesn't include everything right there. The mathusee.com website does have free printable drill sheets. Perhaps, print some of these up during the summer to use during the year.
3. Lack of color might bore some students, but I don't think it's a huge con. It might also look unprofessional due to lack of color. I don't think it does. It's "easy on the eye" and uncluttered. It looks different and that might generate some resistence among teachers and parents, but if they give it a try, they'll probably like it.
4. One comment I've read is that the older kids (say prealgebra and up) don't have a textbook, just the same workbook and video format as the younger kids. THis can be an issue since older kids must memorize formulas. The formulas are introduced in the TM and videos. Some teachers have their older kids keep a spiral bound pack of index cards to write formulas on and the kids refer to these formulas as they do their work. Soon, they have the formulas memorized. So, that's a con if you let it be a con.
5. The comb binding and print only on the right side of a spread might be awkward for lefties. I like the blank page because it's a great "worksheet" for the kids.
6. Since it's a different scope and sequence, it might be a harder transition for kids coming into the program or leaving the program if they are coming from (or going into) a traditional program. I think the switch for teachers coming into the program would be easy, but there might be some "gaps" or overlap (not a big problem) in the learning. A little attention to the newcomer student would get him up to speed easily.