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Algebra 1: Saxon vs. Lials


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I am overwhelmed. Our year hasn't even started and I am feeling burned out simply by LOOKING at all that will be required of me. I have 6 children at home (oldest 11th, youngest 1st) and a few still require some hand holding in various subjects. I will be spread thin and I am trying to reduce the amount of actual teaching time I have by using some DVD and online classes for upper level math. I am stuck in that I have no more funds in our budget for homeschool curriculum other than what was already planned. I already own Lials Introductory Algebra and have used it with 2 students now. One did very well (she is very mathy) and the other has taken 2 years to get through it and hasn't retained much. 

 

I used Saxon Algebra 1 with my oldest and nearly halfway through realized she was NOT doing well AT ALL. This, after doing VERY well with Saxon since 5/4. So, we backed up to the beginning using Lials and she finally "got it" and did well moving forward (but lost a year). But that experience with my oldest has frightened me, lol, and I am hesitant to go back to Saxon! 

 

For my rising 9th grader my options are limited due to budget (as always). I can use Lials, which would require much more teaching time on my part (If I could afford Jann's online class I would do it in a heartbeat b/c she is AWESOME!). OR I could use Saxon Algebra 1 through Virtual Homeschool Group's free online classes. Option #1 requires more of my time (dh is not a math person and could NOT teach this) but I am less hesitant to use Lials than Saxon. Option #2 doesn't require as much of my time but after that exp. with my oldest, Saxon Alg. terrifies me! Any other ideas? In a perfect world, I would outsource this altogether to free up my time completely (with the exception of help with "homework"). Thanks.

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With 6 kiddos, I'd be going with easier on you as plan A - Saxon with the online class and keep on top of how dc is doing.  Then Lial's (which I've never used) as a plan B if Plan A tanks.  I know around here in past days teaching math to the olders has been very frustrating with interruptions ALL THE TIME.

 

I always found that looking up the videos on Khan or Alcumus just never happened unless I did it for the guys.  Hmm.

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There are videos and worked sample problems for Larson's Algebra 1 done by Dana Mosely (the Chalkdust guy) here:

 

http://www.algebrawithinreach.com/ea6e/content/instructional-videos/chapter-1-2/section-1/introduction-to-real-numbers/

 

You can get the fifth edition which lines up with all the topics (I'm not sure about the problems, I decided to go with DM before I got that into the analysis) here:

 

http://smile.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/0547102275/ref=tmm_hrd_used_olp_sr?ie=UTF8&condition=used&sr=8-1&qid=1406744238

 

The cheapest copy is only $6.50. Their are unit tests in the book. I planned to rip them out and use them as assessments.

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Big caution here -- you can't pick-and-choose with Saxon.  It's a program, and you should be prepared to commit to Algebra 1 + Algebra 2 + Advanced Math + Calculus...

 

Lial's will be interchangeable with most programs, but if you decide to switch to Saxon later, you will (depending on the edition) need to supplement the geometry.

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I can use Lials, which would require much more teaching time on my part ... requires more of my time... but I am less hesitant to use Lials than Saxon...

 

I would try to use the free Chalkdust videos that chiguirre linked with Lial's Algebra.

 

If it helps, I found a small set of mini-videos for Lial's Prealgebra and Introductory/Intermediate Algebra.

 

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Another idea -- Elaine Martin-Gay has an excellent "Beginning and Intermediate Algebra" textbook, which encompasses all of algebra 1 and algebra 2.  The book is easy to read, and she has videos online showing the solution to every problem in the book.

 

I like Lial's also, but just wanted to throw that alternative out there...

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Another idea -- Elaine Martin-Gay has an excellent "Beginning and Intermediate Algebra" textbook, which encompasses all of algebra 1 and algebra 2.  The book is easy to read, and she has videos online showing the solution to every problem in the book.

 

Thanks for this tip! From her website:

The Chapter Test Prep Videos help you during your most teachable moment—when you are preparing for a test. You can watch Elayn Martin-Gay work through the step-by-step solutions for all the exercises in every Chapter Test. These videos are now available on YouTube (search "Martin-Gay" and the title of the book).
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