Magic Wand Posted June 7, 2010 Share Posted June 7, 2010 We're considering both programs for algebra 1, but leaning toward Math Relief. Any words of wisdom or experience with both programs? Dd does fine with math, but we want a DVD teaching component. We've watched the Dr. Callahan's demo and prefer the Math Relief demo. Jacob's seems much more widely used here. Help us decide, please. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shelly in IL Posted June 7, 2010 Share Posted June 7, 2010 I ask, because the level I used 2 years ago with ds (then 7th) was much more of Pre-alg. than Alg. The one we used, was not an algebra program. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magic Wand Posted June 7, 2010 Author Share Posted June 7, 2010 so far as I have seen. Hmmm...more of a pre-algebra program. Perhaps we would be better off with Jacobs and Dr. Callahan. Thank you for responding. I'll have to do some more searching through the archives. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sbaloue Posted June 7, 2010 Share Posted June 7, 2010 We are currently using Math Relief Algebra I, and it is a solid Algebra program. My son is able to watch the DVD's and then do the lessons by himself. We will finsih with Algebra 1 and then continue with Algebra 2. Cathy Duffy reviews this program in in Top 100 picks, and she says in her review that Algebra 1, which is broken into 3 parts, covers "some coordinate geometry along with many Algebra 2 concepts." Also, when I was deciding on an Algebra program, I called Math Relief's telephone # and actually spoke with the author who answered all of my questions. I have no exerpience with Jacob's and have not be able to view samples of the books online. I hope this helps.:001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magic Wand Posted June 8, 2010 Author Share Posted June 8, 2010 Thank you. This program is still our top pick. We really liked the demo and I did see that this was one of Cathy Duffy's Top Picks. I actually just looked it up today! I think it would be a good fit for my older dd. Thank you for sharing your experience. We are currently using Math Relief Algebra I, and it is a solid Algebra program. My son is able to watch the DVD's and then do the lessons by himself. We will finsih with Algebra 1 and then continue with Algebra 2. Cathy Duffy reviews this program in in Top 100 picks, and she says in her review that Algebra 1, which is broken into 3 parts, covers "some coordinate geometry along with many Algebra 2 concepts." Also, when I was deciding on an Algebra program, I called Math Relief's telephone # and actually spoke with the author who answered all of my questions. I have no exerpience with Jacob's and have not be able to view samples of the books online. I hope this helps.:001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KatKat Posted June 8, 2010 Share Posted June 8, 2010 My dd just finished all 3 phases of Algebra 1, she has struggled with Math all her life but she rarely needed my help in this. She watches the dvds and I just check her work after. Algebra 1 has only 145 lessons, but some of the lessons aren't really lessons but tests. I am happy very to have used this program as this is the only thing that worked with her. We tried Teaching Textbook, Classmate Algebra. I have to add though that this does not go as in depth as Chalkdust Algebra 1... Math Relief Algebra 1 barely touched word problems , only age and number sequence problems . There are no time, rate distance , mixture etc.. . I think these topics will be taken up in its Algebra 2 program which has 80+ lessons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shelly in IL Posted June 9, 2010 Share Posted June 9, 2010 Mine is Math Rescue. Sorry, it has been about a school year since we used it, and since the names are similar, I goofed. I hope this didn't cause any consternation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magic Wand Posted June 9, 2010 Author Share Posted June 9, 2010 I'm going to look at the TOC for Algebra 2. Thanks for sharing your positive experience. I'm going to zip over and check out Algebra 2 right now...Thanks! My dd just finished all 3 phases of Algebra 1, she has struggled with Math all her life but she rarely needed my help in this. She watches the dvds and I just check her work after. Algebra 1 has only 145 lessons, but some of the lessons aren't really lessons but tests. I am happy very to have used this program as this is the only thing that worked with her. We tried Teaching Textbook, Classmate Algebra. I have to add though that this does not go as in depth as Chalkdust Algebra 1... Math Relief Algebra 1 barely touched word problems , only age and number sequence problems . There are no time, rate distance , mixture etc.. . I think these topics will be taken up in its Algebra 2 program which has 80+ lessons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magic Wand Posted June 9, 2010 Author Share Posted June 9, 2010 but thanks for posting. It does clear up my concerns/questions about this program being primarily pre-algebra. I appreciate you taking time to come back and post your clarification. Mine is Math Rescue. Sorry, it has been about a school year since we used it, and since the names are similar, I goofed. I hope this didn't cause any consternation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
distancia Posted July 2, 2010 Share Posted July 2, 2010 My dd just finished all 3 phases of Algebra 1, she has struggled with Math all her life but she rarely needed my help in this. She watches the dvds and I just check her work after. Algebra 1 has only 145 lessons, but some of the lessons aren't really lessons but tests. I am happy very to have used this program as this is the only thing that worked with her. We tried Teaching Textbook, Classmate Algebra. I have to add though that this does not go as in depth as Chalkdust Algebra 1... Math Relief Algebra 1 barely touched word problems , only age and number sequence problems . There are no time, rate distance , mixture etc.. . I think these topics will be taken up in its Algebra 2 program which has 80+ lessons. Interesting! My D age 17.5 tried Teaching Textbook for a month, she likes everything being explained, but the explanations also slowed things down, so when she got something she wanted to move on right away (though she could have slid the bar forward on the DVD). And the textbook itself was not conducive to her learning, she would just read the first couple of sentences then go right to the DVD, she didn't like wading through the text. She wanted to see problems being done, one after the other....and she will pick it up as she watches. She really needs someone to stand up at a board, show how to do the problem, explain why they are doing what they are doing, etc. How does Math Relief compare to others in this regard? I saw Chalkdust but too $$$. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie in MN Posted July 2, 2010 Share Posted July 2, 2010 She really needs someone to stand up at a board, show how to do the problem, explain why they are doing what they are doing, etc. How does Math Relief compare to others in this regard? I saw Chalkdust but too $$$. This is exactly what Math Relief consists of -- videos of the teacher showing you how to do problems, a large set of worksheets with the problems already written out, and the same set of worksheets as an answer key with all the problems solved, start-to-finish. And as for the scope of the course, all courses will do things in a little different order than one another. Math Relief Algebra I doesn't spend a long time on word problems, but it does cover them, with a focus on the "words" of word problems. My son did a TON of distance word problems in Singapore 6B during 7th grade, but he found the Math Relief type problems challenging because just one small word or phrase could change the whole equation. And he'll do more in Algebra II (phase 2 of Math Relief). Julie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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