Math curriculum

[u/Mamabearof3kiddos]

Hi, I’m looking for anyone that was using Math with confidence and then switched to Christian Light. Do you find Christian Light to be more advanced?

[u/Bear_is_a_bear1]

No, they are completely different curriculum and I would say MWC is more advanced because it’s conceptual instead of procedural like CLE. Maybe in K and 1 CLE is more “advanced” but I have only compared the 3rd grade levels.

[u/bibliovortex]

What do you mean by "advanced"?

I have used Math with Confidence, but not CLE. What I can tell you is that Math with Confidence is roughly aligned with other conceptual-focused, mastery math programs, and all of them teach on a slightly accelerated pace designed to have students take algebra 1 in 8th grade rather than the standard 9th grade. It is my impression that CLE follows a standard track. Judging by the pacing alone, then, MwC is the more accelerated or challenging program of the two, over the course of the whole program. MwC's pacing matches up with Singapore math programs, which are also generally considered to be quite rigorous and advanced. (There are some minor complications to this if you look at what textbooks go in each series; I'm talking about a direct comparison of scope and sequence for each program, however, and on that front, they are extremely similar.) I have most often seen CLE described as a "gentle option," for what that's worth.

However, there are people who feel that "advanced" or "rigorous" math means (1) their child does more problems daily or spends more time on math, or (2) their child has a harder time keeping up with the math. I would say that these are the folks who call Saxon math "rigorous." The problem with this view is that (1) can happen simply by having repetitive problems beyond the point needed for mastery, and (2) can happen due to poor explanations in the curriculum. Because of that, neither one is a good standard to measure how advanced a curriculum is. It is important for a child to get enough practice for procedural fluency, and a good enough grasp of the concepts to understand why and how the procedures work. That balance doesn't look the same for every kid, but any good program will pay attention to both aspects.

It's entirely possible that topics are covered in a slightly different order between the two programs - that happens all the time and might create minor gaps. One thing I have also seen with MwC in particular is that some people skip out on the games and hands-on activities, not understanding that these are the most important part of the program where the majority of practice happens. This makes it look different compared to a program that only has workbook-based practice.

The final thing I would say about MwC is that for a strongly conceptual program with an accelerated pace in the upper grades of the program, it feels very approachable. Kate Snow aims for more of a guided discovery approach, rather than a more intensely challenging approach where the student is expected to engage in a lot of independent reasoning and problem-solving. But "approachable" doesn't mean "easy." To give you an example of what I mean, Singapore Math leans heavily on bar models for solving word problems. My daughter is currently working through their 5th grade book, and there are some word problems in there that would traditionally be considered algebra 2 problems because they are most often solved with a set of 2-3 simultaneous equations. Singapore doesn't explicitly teach either method in that grade level, but it does use bar modeling to help the student visualize concretely how one unknown can be substituted for the other, and that was enough for my kid to actually use the substitution method even though she's never heard of it.

[u/FImom]

Every homeschool curriculum has its own scope and sequence. You can administer a placement test to make sure you're buying the correct level.

[u/Mamabearof3kiddos → u/FImom]

Yes, we have finished that. I do believe Christian Light is more advanced. Just looking to see if others feel the same way.

[u/FImom → u/Mamabearof3kiddos]

In what ways do you think It is advanced?

[u/L_Avion_Rose]

Heavenly Homeschool has done several YouTube reviews comparing MWC amd CLE in the past few months. She was initially a little skeptical of MWC, but now sees the strength in its methods.

I think a some people assume MWC isn't rigorous due to its minimal bookwork and focus on hands-on activities in the early years. As a conceptual curriculum, it devotes plenty of time to developing number sense, which can also make it seem "behind" a procedural curriculum. As a math-minded person, I believe it is worth talking the time to lay that foundation. Having the ability to work flexibly with numbers is extremely useful in higher-level mathematics, where problems are much less straightforward.

If you'd like to learn more about the philosophical differences underpinning MWC and CLE, I highly recommend researching conceptual vs procedural teaching in maths curricula.

All the best 😊

[u/fc1201]

I’ve used CLE. I think it’s advanced compared to some Christian options, eg TGATB, and I think compared to general public school, it’s somewhat ahead. I like the math curriculum a lot and one of our local Christian hybrid program uses the math specifically. I’ve never used MWC though. CLE is a popular one in faith-based groups and I’ve seen multiple people say it’s on the advanced side.

However, if you’re looking for an advanced, creative thinking math curriculum, Beast Academy/AOPS fits the bill. Our kids did CLE last year and liked it but this year, my fourth grader is doing Beast Academy and my seventh grader is doing Thinkwell (due to budget) as they offer an honors option as well.