Is RightStart Math different from EVERY other math program?

[kristin0713]

I was at the SEARCH conference yesterday and both DH and I spent a lot of time at the RightStart table. I am very intrigued by their philosophy and method of teaching math--quantity recognition as opposed to counting as a basis. Is there any other program like this that teaches the concepts this way? We are just starting out with homeschooling, my kids are 4 and 2. I'm thinking of starting DD with the A Beka K-4 stuff for phonics in September (she will be 4.5) and then starting the RightStart math in January when she will be almost 5. I know there are lots of other math programs that people highly recommend but I'm wondering if this one is unique in its foundation. Thanks!!

[crunchy_mama]

I cannot answer that but wanted to say if you plan on buying it you need to look at the homeschoolbuyerscoop there is a 25% discount now until the 29th. I have been searching used for close to a month and if I can even find exactly what I am looking for it is not enough of a discount from new to make it worth it.

[dotnetdiva]

Well I think it totally rocks. I just love how it teaches math, and how interesting and fun it makes it. I can't believe how much we enjoy a math program. We'll be finishing up RightStart A this month and moving on to B.

We've tried MUS, Singapore and right now I'm looking into Miquon and MEP as a supplement. So far, none of them teach the RightStart way.

[eclipse]

I've not used RightStart yet, but I'm hoping to start using it in the fall. I found it when trying to figure out a good way to teach math to my youngest, who is a very visual/spatial oriented child. While I haven't tried it yet personally, it seems ideal for the way he learns - and I haven't found anything else that's close to it.

[tankgirl73]

As far as I'm aware, it's unique in its approach.

That being said, it is HEAVILY based on Montessori math principles (Dr Cotter is a former Montessori teacher after all). Doing 'pure' Montessori math at home, though, takes a ton of research and a ton of materials. RS is sort of a stripped-down Montessori (since it's just for one kid at a time rather than needing enough variety of materials to satisfy a whole classroom), and follows a more strict schedule and script than pure Montessori would... But many of the basic concepts are the same.

Then she added into the Montessori approach, the Asian approach, with visualizing by 5's and 'math language'.

I think it's just phenomenal. It "saved" my math-phobic son (we switched into level E when he was about 10.5yo) and my 3.5yo daughter is already partway into level A, she totally gets the "5 and x" way of recognizing quantity, show her a bead bar with 5 black and 3 white beads and she says "Oh, that's 5 and 3, that's 8!"