Using RightStart Maths in Ireland
I believe that maths is not the rote memory of facts or simply applying algorithms without understanding the “why” behind them. Understanding math is just as important as getting the right answer, as this supports children in applying maths. RightStart Math facilitates teaching math with this perspective, and thus I chose this curriculum when we started home educating more than seven years ago.
I have been asked many times what we use, and so I wanted to share about RightStart Maths. We have used this curriculum from the start. It is recommended on Charlotte Mason curriculum such as Ambleside Online and Alveary. I also wanted to discuss using this American maths curriculum in Ireland, and I have tried to answer some of the questions I have been asked.
The child may learn the multiplication-table and do a subtraction sum without any insight into the rationale of either. He may even become a good arithmetician, applying rules aptly, without seeing the reason of them; but arithmetic becomes an elementary mathematical training only in so far as the reason why of every process is clear to the child.
– Chartlotte Mason Home Education, Vol. 1, Section 15 Arithmetic, p. 255-256
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We have used level A to level G of Rightstart Maths (the equivalent of all the way through primary school), and have thus seen how earlier levels have supported learning in later levels.
RightStart Maths is very hands on focused, and thus uses various manipulatives. I really like the manipulatives they use and how they get the child using them. I am often impressed with this. One box of manipulatives is purchased at the beginning, and the same manipulatives are used throughout the levels. They continue to be used for older primary school children (4th-6th class), and I will share more about that in the future. Many manipulatives have multiple uses, for example, the centimetre cubes weigh 1g and are used for weighing, using the maths balance, and later for understanding cubic numbers; the coloured tiles are used for activities like sorting, but are also 1 inch, and used for measuring lines and area. There are two of the fraction chart shown in the image below – one is divided up into pieces so they can be moved around, both for comparing the fractions, and later for adding up fractions, including adding up improper fractions (where the numerator is greater than the denominator). You can see the full set of manipulatives in this image. You can also see some of the manipulatives which can be printed at home in the free pdf.
RightStart makes extensive use of a special abacus to support learning. You can read an introduction about how children use this abacus to really understand maths concepts in the article Basics of the AL Abacus. I think it is an enlightening read. I have definitely seen this abacus working and supporting my children’s learning.
I have been asked about preparation time. I do not find it has much prep time at all. It probably would be good to look at the lesson beforehand, but I just grab the manipulatives listed for the day and read it as I teach and it works well. I find it very open and go. If you wanted more support there are YouTube playlists going through the lessons for moms. I have improved my own understanding of maths as I have taught it. The lesson plans include occasional notes to the teacher explaining why something is taught a particular way, or helpful background.
The lesson time varies a bit for us. If I feel the lesson has been too long I will just stop and continue the next day. But nearly always the lesson is done in the day. They have no maths homework like they would in school. The lessons will vary a bit as they often include card games to practice maths, rather than worksheets. You can play longer if they are enjoying the game. The games give practice without worrying about writing. They can play games with siblings. For example, mine enjoy playing Corners together. Games bring delight and laughter into learning and reinforce concepts in an interactive way. RightStart does not include any colouring or busywork.
Righstart includes both American and metric measurements and also converting between the two, so they will measure items in both cm and inches (or use cm blocks or inch tiles), or talk about gallons and litres. I think that is good in our global world. Occasionally it will touch on maths history or other interesting topics, like maths in music. There are a few optional extension lessons per book. RightStart includes drawing much earlier than other curriculum, but I think this is a plus. It makes learning more interactive.
I am glad I started with Rightstart. It can be challenging switching curricula as they each do some things in a different order and you are trying to figure out what that is if you move. Maths is a subject that builds up.
Challenges
RightStart is ‘teacher intensive’. You have to teach it. I am fine with that. I feel maths is a place where I should be spending time teaching them and ensuring they understand. By doing it this way, I have never had to worry about going back and filling in gaps in maths. Rightstart is mastery-based, so I make sure they understand before I move on, and because I am doing it with them, I can see if they understand. Debbie has a great article on the term teacher intensive as it applies to maths, and suggests the alternative wording of teacher interactive!
For me, I want my children to have open doors of opportunity in front of them, and I feel that a good understanding of maths will support that; and so I am comfortable spending time every day in this area. Maths is definitely a place where consistency compounds.
The manipulatives makes for an expensive up front cost the first year. The manipulatives are a once off purchase which are used throughout the curriculum. I was ok with investing in this curriculum as maths is a core, and very important, subject for me. I wanted my children to have a really good foundation in maths. I wanted to set them up for success.
Although it has metric measurements, RightStart Maths only include dollars, not euros, in the money pages. I actually just did some of those lessons twice, once with USA coins and once with Irish coins. In our global economy, I feel understanding different currencies, and even discussing currency conversions is important. We discussed currencies and how they differ, including Euros, Pounds and Dollars. My son found it interesting to compare coins from different countries. The USA has a quarter coin, 25c, and this concept is used when learning fractions. Some of the money games use cards with coins on. You can choose the Euro option when you buy the manipulatives, or you can download a free pdf and print a set of European Money Cards to play the games.
As Kate Snow, maths educator, homeschool mom and maths curriculum creator, in her thorough post about choosing a homeschool maths curriculum puts it: “There is no perfect curriculum. … No one book will ever meet the needs of your child perfectly. A math curriculum is a tool for teaching, but you are the teacher. No matter what curriculum you choose, you will always need to adjust it to meet your child’s needs.” For us, there were times when I needed to break up a lesson over two, or even, three days. Knowing this was part of the teacher interactive part.
For example, the one thing I disliked was in learning multiplication, at the beginning of Rightstart Level D. I felt there were too few lessons. It was a bit rushed for me. So with my second I paused Rightstart at the beginning of level D and went through Kate Snow’s Multiplication Facts That Stick, and then continued with Rightstart. I will do it that way again with my next child. It was just a bit slower doing one times table at a time, with simpler games, one per table, but still focusing on why and understanding in the same way as Rightstart. It was also open and go, and lots of games.
More useful articles about RightStart Maths can be found on their Teaching Support page.
Availability
RightStart Maths can be purchased from the USA at their website.
It is also available with more economical shipping from Conquest Books in the UK.
I am going to post a more detailed post about using RightStart in Ireland in the future.
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