Hello,

I just wanted to add that I totally concur with Annette.

Thank you for replying Annette.


Carissa

Hello Holly,

I have been considering your post, and here are my thoughts.

First, if buying the whole program at once hinders you due to cost then I would just consider buying the starter kits and then the add-on kits as you move through the program. The program is worth the effort of having to reorder in the future, evening knowing that prices might go up. Personally, I bought the manipulative set and the Math Card Games Book, along with the needed math level, when I started this program. This way I didn’t need to worry about the manipulatives, and though it was a larger purchase and it was over my projected school budget for that year, I saw that I saved money in the long run. The nice thing with RS is they offer flexibility on how purchase the products.

Next,
”Does the deluxe buy all the levels kit come with the "Extra" manipulatives that are included in the deluxe set(s).”
I am not sure I understand your question. The COMPLETE ELEMENTARY KIT with AL Abacus Standard, is $525, and it comes with all the books and all the manipulatives required Levels A-E, including Transitions.
We now offer, for each level what we call a “Deluxe Kit”, this is everything that a “Standard Starter Kit” has, but it also includes all of the recommended items too!
So I am not sure if you are asking if about the Deluxe Kits or the Complete Kit.
The Deluxe Kits come with the extra-recommended items for the particular level you are purchasing.
The Complete Kit does not come with the extra-recommended items.
If I have not answered your question, please email me or repost and I will try to better answer your question.


Does this program help with the memorization of facts at all or will I need to supplement?
This program prides itself on not needing to teach memorizing, but rather to teach understanding and strategies. If you do the program, and play the games 2-4 times a week you should not need to supplement, nor should you need to have practice drills, as drills came in the early 1900’s to prepare for testing. Memorization of facts does not help a child understand long-term how math functions, thus when they come across an unknown math problem, they cannot figure how solve it. Here at RS our goal is for the child to be confident in their math skills that when the time comes and they encounter a new problem, they will not panic, but rather rely on their understanding as to how numbers, place values, and operations work.

It is amazing to watch children who use this product tell me how to solve problems when asked a problem they have not encountered before, even if the younger ones are off by a few numbers, you can see that their understanding and confidence in their math skills are coming into place.

So again, it is the games and the time preparing the child on HOW math works that will produce a better math student. The fact that you say he can do them, and takes forever to solve them, tells me he is trying to understand math, not trying to memorize it. Math Games will help him tremendously.


Should we back up a level?
I can’t answer that without more information on your son and what level he is at. I highly recommend that you call our 888-272-3291 Customer service number and they can give you a better sense as to where you want to place him.


This will put us WAY behind.
Again, I don’t know where he will place, but please make sure you understand that any child is behind in all math, if they do not have a solid foundation in mathematics. There are statistics and experience that show that most students going to college are not mathematically prepared to do algebra, let alone any higher college math, and most of these students had taken algebra in high school.
Recently, I was told by an admissions dean at a college that most of the enrollees are at least two years behind in their math skills. He added that homeschooled children, though they did better, did not do much better.

So, it is true, you may feel an imposed standard as to where your child should be, but the truth is the vast majority of school children are woefully behind and yet are passed on to the next level of math, and are told to rely on their memorized math facts. When they attend college, they have to be taught the truths about math. This should not be, but it is true. All of this is to say, that when you think about how “behind” he is, reevaluate. If you know he can do more and is not doing it, then perhaps he is in a level too low for him. But if he is content where he is, and is learning at a pace that is comfortable for him, then you are right on target. If you are constantly banging your head against a wall wondering why he doesn’t get some concepts, chances are you are not teaching him to the way he learns or you are moving too quickly for him and needs to slow down.

This is where the double edge of homeschooling comes. We are the masters of our own curriculum and we can do what is best for each of our children to succeed. Yet at the same time, it is time consuming, a lot of guess work, and tweaking trying to find out what is the best way to reach our children’s brilliant minds  But let me encourage you to keep going for I see that you are continually searching, and this is why you are looking at RS again. I did the same thing, and coming to RS has been the best math choice I have made, as I see the fruits of it more than I can express here.


What would you do?
I would call customer service and get a feel for where my kids place. Then I would order that and I would do 30 min of math with my older son, and play the games with both of my kids, together for easy ones, and some harder ones with the older one. Chances are your older one needs more hands on math and probably if you have fun doing the games he will desire to do them daily and I think that he should until he declares he likes math again. Memorizing is not enough for him.

For your younger one I would do Level A, and only do it only 2-3 times a week for a few minutes (15-20min).
I would also read
"Math and the Young Child"
on our website. This will explain why counting is unnecessary at this young age and why we want to teach number quantities instead.

I have tried to answer your questions as best I can. If you have more questions, or I have not been clear, please email me directly, or post again. I wish to answer your questions to your satisfaction.

I know that biting this bullet can seem big, and at times it is, but seeing the results makes every bite worth it.

I wish you ease in your mind as what to do.

Please let me know if you have any more questions. You can email me directly at Carissa@alabacus.com .

Thank you for giving your child a RightStart in Math,

Carissa
RightStart™ Mathematics by Activities for Learning, Inc.

For program questions: 888.272.3291
To place an order: 888.RS.5.MATH (888.775.6284)
www.RightStartMath.com

Our Mission: To help children understand, apply, and enjoy mathematics

Thank You all we are so happy! We did bite the bullet and my only small complaint is that we did not get a box for the games book and cards . I would have loved to pay an extra 3-10 dollars and had the box for the games.

My son and I are having fun with math for the first time ever. We are doing math 6-7 days a week. I let him help decide where to begin by looking at the list of topics mastered in the year in the books. We chose to start with C even though really he could have easily started with D. We are moving very rapidly and having fun. We are learning alot of great math vocabulary, strategies, and geometry that we were not previously exposed to which is really helping bring his rote knowledge together with prbolem solving and mathematical thinking (logic).

Thank YOU!

Hello Holly,

I am glad to hear that you have being enjoying your choice to bite the bullet.

As far as the math games box, don't worry as you will find that you will want to put all the of the math stuff together in one spot, and having the box will only be more stuff to store.

The box is good if the games are the only RightStart products you have, but if you have a whole level and the manipulatives, I personally think you are better off with out the box.

Instead, if you go to our website you will find other good ideas for storage. The only one they don't have up there is the idea of the hanging shoe rack for storage, but I have seen that work too.

In the FAQ section of our website, under "How do I store my RightStart manipulatives? "

It reads,

"There are a number of different ways to store manipulatives depending upon your household needs. Here are two pictures sent in by users. A few sites where storage ideas can be purchased are: plastic storage container, or the fishing box."

They will work even better than the box, because it will fit the majority of your cards and manipulatives.

Please let me know if you have any more questions. You can email me directly at Carissa@alabacus.com .

Thank you for giving your child a RightStart in Math,

Carissa
RightStart™ Mathematics by Activities for Learning, Inc.

For program questions: 888.272.3291
To place an order: 888.RS.5.MATH (888.775.6284)
www.RightStartMath.com

Our Mission: To help children understand, apply, and enjoy mathematics