Making Math Meaningful K-7th

by G. Marie
(Ohio)

I have used Making Math Meaningful from Kindergarten through 7th grade. I have liked the way it is set up - telling me what to say, what to do, and what to have my children do. It is very effective at getting kids to understand why math does what it does. I remember being amazed to finally understand why division was done the way I had been taught - it made so much sense. I also like how the kids can successfully work on their own in the older elementary grades.

While it does a terrific job at getting children to understand WHY and HOW math works, I think it does lack in a few areas. MMM doesn't really have the students memorize math facts. With my oldest (10th grade) I didn't realize how much this would effect him - or that I really needed to drill him on this. He is capable of figuring ANYTHING out - but still doesn't know all of his multiplication facts. I put in much more fact review with my next two children. I wish there was more of this in the books.

I also wasn't very pleased with what my son learned in the last math book - Principles from Patterns. It is called Algebra I, but I would consider it pre-algebra (if not pre-pre-algebra!) Since that is as high as the curriculum goes, I then switched to Math-U-See, and was very distressed to see him struggle so much with Algebra I. In fact, my next son will not be doing the last Making Math Meaningful book - I'm putting him in the Math-U-See Pre-Algebra.

I will continue to use MMM with my youngest (3rd grade) until she is in 6th grade, but adding lots of flashcard drill for those multiplication facts!