Mastering Mathematics - A Review by Mary Collis
For years I have been asked what our children use for maths. Here the programme I have used with all five chidlren for primary school maths.
I have been entirely pleased with Mastering Mathematics and found it adequate for both those who are maths whizzes, those who have had to work very hard to learn maths as well as those who are average students (we've had all three). The eldest three have moved easily into high school maths from Mastering Mathematics. The fourth is doing fourth grade MM still and the youngest is doing Gde 1 Mastering Mathematics.
Here are what I see as the strengths and weaknesses of Mastering Mathematics.
First, the strengths:
1) It is inexpensive, costing for all primary school texts what most curricula charge for one or two years of texts.
2) The amount expected for each lesson is resonable - from 8 to 20 sums.
3) There are no pictures - just the straight maths. No distraction and time wasting peripheral things.
4) It is based around old-fashioned drill. Games are given to assist in learning the maths facts. Speed tests should be passed before continuing on.
5) There are a lot of word problems. They are the goal of the maths skills.
6) Word problems are often based around Bible subjects, such as years events occurred or ages of patriarchs. Many questions are related to Christian themes. The late Mrs. Farmer was a Christian, a maths teacher, then a homeschooling mother.
7) You can study right through one book, then the next, mastering one entire concept at a time, or use the study guide guidelines to do the equivalent of a grade at a time from each book (that's what we did).
8) There is no need to belabour a subject if you know it - just miss the starred pages and move on.
9) This is very much a classical styled course.
10) It has been successfully used with higher functioning Down syndrome children, ADHD children and gifted children.
Now the weaknesses:
1) Once basic facts are learned, this course moves quite fast through each concept. I recommend you do not begin until your child is aged 7 yrs, or is a smart 6 year old. The first half of the first book is easy, but by the time they are 9 years old they will be up to long division, if you started too young, and most 9 year old brains are not at a state of readiness for this sort of maths, and this will discourage them.
2) It is not a trendy course. It isn't flashy and doesn't have any gimmicks. But it works!
3) This course is not based upon understanding concepts, such as are a number of modern curricula. Mrs. Farmer does not believe young children need to understand the why of maths before they know the facts and how it works. The course is to know how to do maths and when to use what calculation, not the reason it works as it does.