sweetsouthern Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 we've been very happy using teaching textbook for the last 2 years, but dd is about to finish up grade 6 and i dont think we will be able to afford to get grade 7. plus we are down a computer now, so as much as i hate it, i need to do something off line. she INSISTS on having a self teaching program, like i said.. she LOVES teaching textbooks. so i thought i would gather some options and let her take a peek at them to see what she thinks. i love the look of math mammoth, but the levels dont go high enough. any ideas?? :lurk5: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Negin Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 I was always skeptical, but now I absolutely love the Key To series. They can be done pretty much independently. Very engaging, thorough, lots of drill. We really like them. Very user-friendly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
athomemom Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 Look at Saxon with the teacher cd's. It's made a world of difference here. CBD has the best prices. The whole kit at CBD is $110-$115 depending on the level. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Storm Bay Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 (edited) We like Key to, but once you get to Algebra and/or Geometry, it won't be enough, especially in Geometry. MUS is is self teaching if you buy the DVDs, and it may cost less than TT. Life of Fred is self teaching and very affordable. IMO, LOF is much better than TT, but of course that is due in part to how my dd's learn. It does have a higher level of really thinking about math than what we've seen in TT or in MUS here (but my middle dd loved MUS and did it along with another math until pre-Algebra), but, like any other math program, it doesn't work for everyone. You have to do some of the learning while doing problems, and there aren't as many practice problems. It's great for dc who don't need a lot of practice problems who learn well by reading. It's also written by a Ph.D.who homeschooled his dd (a rare combination.) My eldest still refers to the Advanced Algebra (which she read but didn't do) at times even now in ps (in honours Alg 2) because it teaches so well. http://www.stanleyschmidt.com/FredGauss/12FourReaons.html Lial's Basic College Math may have recorded teachings; I know that Algebra does. fwiw, my eldest insisted on self teaching math. She used Saxon, Lial's (but just the book, that was her way) LIFE OF FRED for Geometry, and the old Dolciani Algebra books (1965). My middle one self taught with Russian math at http://www.perpendicularpress.com and then Life of Fred. She's doing the TT book I bought for my eldest, but my eldest hated TT and it's not our favourite. I wouldn't by another one, but my dc do like the humour a lot and my middle one likes the way it teaches. I just won't rely on it alone for Algebra 1, however I am also one of those who prefers math texts to be written by mathematicians (not that that alone means it's a good text.) That said, my dd is learning from TT and as a supplement for her, I'm happy with it. fwiw, my eldest did self teach with Saxon without the DVDs for three levels, but I'm not a fan of all the review in it (chapters and chapters) or how it jumps from one topic to the next. As a hardcore SM fan (to admit my bias freely) I also wasn't impressed by the word problems. Yes, there were a few things I liked about it, too, to be fair, such as the mental math boxes. Edited January 5, 2011 by Karin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sweetsouthern Posted January 5, 2011 Author Share Posted January 5, 2011 looking into them both thanks! keep the ideas coming! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in CA Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 CLE, CLE, CLE!!! Inexpensive. Independent. Excellent. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5LittleMonkeys Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 Have you looked into Chalkdust? If you go the cheap Amazon route I think you can get the dvd's, student text and teacher text fairly inexpensively. You can do a search here for Chalkdust isbn #s. Pongo posted them a while back and I think Tina (JohnandTinaGilbert) posted them too. MUS would also be an option for self teaching. My dd13 uses MUS independently. I tried teaching it to her using the dvd's but she actually does much better without me. She is on the verge of passing me up in math knowledge. I've seen a lot of MUS for sale here on the FS board and you can also check on Amazon for it although I don't know the cost of TT so couldn't say if it would be cheaper or not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaryCatherine Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 If TT is working, I'd just buy the student book and the tests/answer guides. In other words, just not the CDs. The lessons are the same as the computer lectures. Your child could just work in the book. For me, that would be easier than switching to an entirely different curriculum so close to high school. Unless, of course, you're planning a switch before high school, then why not now. ETA And don't let the level numbers of MM fool you. My youngest is doing TT6. My older is doing MM5 and it's extremely MORE than what the younger is doing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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