Shiller and Right Start

[Rose-Roget]

Has anyone used one or both of these curricula?  What are the pros and cons of each?  Ds is currently in a Montessori program, and I'm seriously considering hs'ing him instead.  Any input about these math programs is greatly appreciated!

[tankgirl73]

I've looked into Shiller but never bought it.  It seems to be more or less a Montessori math program, but modified somewhat.  It's quite expensive, but very complete.

We do use RightStart, and love love love it.  It's Montessori-influenced -- Dr Cotter was a Montessori teacher, after all.  But it's very modified based on Dr Cotter's own observations and studies on math learning in children.  I think it's absolutely brilliant.  

[Nitenites]

We used Shiller once upon a time. It was supposed to take us three years to get through the three books. It actually took a little less than the school year. That was a very expensive year. Frankly, I was not impressed. Since then, we've used Horizon, Miquon, and Math U See. MUS has been the most helpful, though still not perfect. 

I guess I'm a little skeptical about the whole "Montessori math" concept. Math is math, no matter how you dress it up or label it. And early elementary math is naturally manipulative-heavy, until kids internalize the ideas and understand the concept behind the process. Looking back at Shiller, it was pretty gimmack-y. 

[Plummeting]

I don't know anything about Shiller math or Montessori math, but I strongly, STRONGLY disagree with the idea that "math is math". Actually, not the statement, but the idea behind the statement, which is essentially that any math curriculum is teaching the same thing as the next math curriculum. That simpy isn't true at all. So, having said that, we use and love Rightstart. We've used MEP year 1 and Horizons. The difference in approach between the three is amazing. I love Rightstart and MEP. I hate Horizons. I would recommend Rightstart, with the caveat that the first month or so of level B moves very slowly and seems extremely tedious. We hated RS at first. Once we got past the first 20 or so lessons, it all turned around and we really enjoy it. 

[kristin0713]

I've been working through RightStart Level A with my almost 5yo DD this year, and my almost 3yo tags along.  We absolutely love it.  I have said this on here before and I will say it again--we went with RS essentially because my DH was very impressed by the program when we were at a homeschool conference over the summer.  After talking to the woman at the RS booth, he said to me, "THIS is what I do in my head and what I'm always trying to explain to you!!"  He is a math person and able to think mathematically, and I am not.  I did some research on the "why's" of the program and compared the philosophy to other ones and I was sold on it.  I feel like it is the math foundation that I never got.  The prep is not hard and not too time-consuming, the kids enjoy it, and even my 3yo is picking up the concepts.  I have not been disappointed! 

[Googy]

Originally Posted by tankgirl73 

I've looked into Shiller but never bought it.  It seems to be more or less a Montessori math program, but modified somewhat.  It's quite expensive, but very complete.

We do use RightStart, and love love love it.  It's Montessori-influenced -- Dr Cotter was a Montessori teacher, after all.  But it's very modified based on Dr Cotter's own observations and studies on math learning in children.  I think it's absolutely brilliant.  

Yes.  This.