What People Like :)
- Very hands-on and visual (multi-sensory)
- Appeals to many learning styles
- Uses Video demos
- Has a manipulatives App for on the go
- Mastery, linear approach
- Thorough teaching
What People Don't Like :(
- Too much busywork and repetition
- "New Math"/Common core aligned
User Tips:
Love it for younger learners. Can find it cheaper USED online. Watch for free shipping if you get from the company, otherwise high shipping costs.
Try Instead:
Like the hands-on? Try Miquon Math
Prefer no common core? Try CLE.
Need less repetition? Try Life of Fred
Author/Publisher/Website: Demme Learning, Steve Demme, http://www.mathusee.com/
Summary from Company: "Math-U-See is designed to teach students specific skills that build as the student progresses. This systematic and cumulative approach uses a definite, logical sequence of concept instruction. The Math-U-See system is structured with step-by-step procedures for introducing, reviewing, practicing, and mastering concepts. Each lesson teaches using multi-sensory tools such as videos, manipulatives, and other resources, designed to appeal to any type of learner. With these resources, we are able to adapt to a variety of homeschool styles."
What LDS-NHA Friends Have to Say About Math U See (MUS)
I use that for my second grader (we also use AAS and AAR and love those!). She is dyslexic and the very hands-on, color-coded approach that Math U See takes has been very helpful. Math facts have always come pretty easily to me, but even I find myself really seeing math more clearly with MUS. - Melissa
We love math u see. Quick and easy lessons. Or you can watch the DVD. My son has learned so much and I love how it builds on itself. My son is 6 and adding 4 and 5 digit numbers. It's great! - Rosalee
I use Math U See for my first grader and preschooler as well as 3Rd and 5th grader. We love it!!! My kids have really enjoyed and understood it. My degree is in Elementary Ed but even of you are not completely confident in math, the teacher text and DVD instruction are great! I always teach on the white board, give practice pages from the student workbook, and then use the additional pages for a weekly math packet from the lessons that week. All of my kids have moved into next years books ( grade level ahead) and continue to show a mastery of concepts which you absolutely need in math! -Jaquay
We love Math U See. My 3rd grade daughter and my kindergarten age twin sons use it. The lesson are easy to understand. And I like that the math is taught in different ways for all of the different types of learning - Trisha
We love MUS!! We switched from Saxon to MUS and have never looked back. My kids tend to watch their video, and do their math independently. I correct their sheets and discuss anything they miss. It was the best switch we have ever made.-Ronna
MUS is GREAT for them doing math on their own! My one son was doing k12 for the last few years and really the last year I was pulling/dragging him along and he still would not complete maybe 1 lesson a week. We got MUS and I was amazed at how self directed he suddenly became! - Sara
We like math u see. I also like that she can use the blocks. Sometimes when she gets stumped on a problem I can say "build it" and she instantly connects it and figures it out. -Leah
The hands on approach really made math understandable for my daughter. The manipulatives were used to demonstrate each concept and Mr. Demme did a great job explaining each process through the video demonstrations. I appreciated the flexibility in how many worksheets to use depending on how quickly she grasped ideas. And she loved it! Check EBay for used books and DVDs. They have recently updated (2014) so many people are selling older (2004, 2009) editions that still work great for elementary grades. -Tirsa
"This is not a rigorous math program. We tried it because two of our children didn't love math. This program did not help their attitudes or their math skills. It resulted in weak skills and lower confidence that had to be corrected. Math-U-See is a base ten system that turns every problem into 2 problems. (First, you must make things add up to 10 and then add the additional numbers.) This was beyond frustrating for all of us. It gives children no foundation to work from to do higher math. Our children second guessed themselves constantly. Because I bought 3 years worth of curriculum, we cheated and memorized sums and buzzed through those 3 years in only 1 year. There is very little practice work so application skills are not built either. Very few exercises on very few skills make the math lesson go very quickly, but frankly, the child does not learn anything. Do not buy it. We have had great success with Saxon Math. It results in strong skills, confident learners and a wide range of math applications in each lesson. It teaches how to apply mathprinciples and recognize opportunities to use it every day. After our MUS failure we went back to Saxon with those 2 children and they have fully recovered from their mom's lapse in judgement." - Anne
I actually hate MUS and LOVE Saxon. It had far too much busywork, unnecessary, steps (like requiring the kids to estimate every single equation before solving), and some lessons that were so stupid that I had my kids skip them all together. I had already purchased all of MUS up through Zeta, sold them all and bought Saxon.- Courtney
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