A solid, basal math program with a recognized emphasis on problem solving strategies and critical thinking skills in addition to plenty of computational practice.

The approach is basically a sequential-mastery approach, rather than spiral or incremental, with concepts presented, practiced, and expanded fully in each chapter, culminating in a test of that chapter’s material. There is little review of previously learned skills, aside from a few cumulative reviews. Many children apparently learn better using a sequential method, however, in which they concentrate more fully on one particular skill at a time.

This math program has several other notable features. All grades have consumable worktexts rather than copy-and-work texts. Some children are put off by or unable to do the extra writing involved in using a non-consumable text. This is especially true if fine motor skills are lagging, or the child is ahead in math ability. I like the integration of problem solving skills in the program, as well as the inclusion of more challenging word problems and required use of critical thinking skills to solve problems. The presentation of concepts is excellent; plenty of visual modeling and examples help children to work independently. In the lower grades, more hands-on work helps young children develop experience with concepts at the concrete level before advancing to written work. The student gets plenty of practice for each new skill. This is important at the elementary levels when children must concentrate on memorization of facts and computational efficiency. Chapter tests provide assessment of the skill at hand, so you can detect deficiencies before progressing to the next level. Although I know many parents skip Teacher’s Editions, especially in the lower grades, I would strongly recommend using them for this program. Even if you can do without the answer key (which pays for itself in time-savings for most of us), there are features in the Teacher’s Editions that are too good to pass up. My favorite is the Mental Math exercise at the beginning of each lesson. These daily questions are very well done and, I think, an essential part of any math program. Also helpful are the Skill Review suggestions, advice on Correcting Common Errors, and Enrichment ideas. Probably a fair number of parents using another basal program use these as a supplement. They are a low cost, yet comprehensive, source of reinforcement exercises.

Customer Reviews

 
Jen B. from USA wrote the following on 04/03/2008:
I've ordered the MCP for 3rd and 5th. It's much slower than Rod and Staff's, but I needed a break from Rod and Staff since they are fast paced and a bit advanced. I feel this is nice for those who are a bit slow at grasping math. Since we've done Rod and Staff's math, this will be review for us since Rod and Staff has already covered it. Like, Rod and Staff's 4th grade covered what's in MCP's 5th grade. And then some. But MCP is gentle, not at all too rigorous. This approach works better for my young kids. It stinks that it ends after the 6th grade!

 
Jen B. from AZ wrote the following on 03/21/2009:
As I have previously mentioned, I have used the grades 3 and 5. MCP is a great math curriculum, but I do a lot of review, review, review, because the lessons teach one topic for each chapter and then you won't see it (unlike that of Rod and Staff! They have too much review)! Well, you do see a bit on the cumulative review, but that's not enough to retain the facts. So, what I do is make sure my boys pass the chapter, or we redo it. You don't have to do EVERY problem, just choose a few to make sure they understand it well. And you can even mix it up by adding in a few of the previous lessons into the lesson you're working on. It's easy to make the curriculum work for you. And when I test my boys at the end of the year, I find much has been covered by having used MCP math.

 
Elizabeth M. from RI wrote the following on 11/20/2004:
We used this series for our boys and found it to be wonderful! We tried several others that were supposed to be "the best", but came right back to this series by MCP. Use the teachers guide after level B, because it is so much more than an answer key. We found this to be a solid hassel free program that taught solid math concepts.

 
Christine T. from northeast usa wrote the following on 09/27/2006:
This math is excellent! My daughter was struggling with math so I switched to MCP and I have no regrets. In fact, I switched to this for both of my daughters. It's a simple, fun, and great for the mathematically challenged (parents too!). I am so glad I bought these math books for my kids and plan to continue with this as they get older. Not only do they enjoy it, but they are actually understanding it, and remembering the math facts better.

 
Elizabeth M. from Rhode Island wrote the following on 10/24/2006:
MCP is my all time favorite math program for elementary level. My older son, who was very quick to grasp concepts, was able to move along without getting bogged down. My younger son needed to learn things in smaller pieces, and enjoyed the repetition. The daily lessons were just enough for both boys. I absolutely love this math program and highly recommend it!

 
Kathy A. from Southeast Wisconsin wrote the following on 02/04/2008:
My husband and I both have employment backgrounds which are based on mathematical concepts. After utilizing two of the most popular homeschooling math curriculums our child just wasn't "getting math". One curriculum utilized the "spiraling concept" while the other curriculum utilized the "thinking outside the box" concept. Our child was frustrated with both curriculums and didn't have a clear understanding of math. After talking with one of the educational consultants at Rainbow Resource Center my husband and I decided on MCP Math. MCP Math is a "gentle and effective" math curriculum which utilizes the "mastery concept" to teach math. The teacher's guide is a dream come true, giving you examples of how to teach the concepts through hands on activities/games. As you progress through the curriculum your child will develop an understanding of math, how to think mathematically and how to apply what they have learned. I give this curriculum an A+!